Ride across the USA

[Cormanus]

A thermarest should be fine if it doesn’t leak. I use this http://www.exped.com/international/en/pr...ownmat-7-m

[Django]

Wow! Down filled. I'm tempted to get one.

[Frulk_imp]

From left to right:


Mexican blanket: good for using under you neck or knees for support while sleeping on the ground either on a Thermarest or other pad while in a tent. Also good as a ground cover for laying in sand. Get up in the AM, shake it out and you're good to go. Provides an additional few degrees of insulation on top of your sleeping bag. That shouldn't be a consideration for your trip in June as it will be plenty hot in most parts of the US. Can pick these up for $15 (for Chinese knock offs) and up in a lot of places out west...road side vendor...truck stops and so forth. Somewhat bulky and have to consider rain proofing it while on bike

Melvins Heyzeuz beer can is for scale ( $1.66)

Klymit Inflatable pillow in front of beer can: $20.00. Provides a lot of sleeping comfort (for me at least). Takes up almost no space on bike

Klymit (Utah company) non-insulated inflatable mat. For summer use when cold temps aren't a concern. ($59.00 I think). Light/very compact to carry on a bike. Provides a lot of sleeping comfort.

Thermarest insulated inflatable mat. This version was $200. A bit bulkier than the Klymit but not by much and still able to carry on a bike without it taking up much space. Provides a lot of sleeping comfort.

Basic Thermarest Z (egg-crate) pad: Best to use under an inflatable mat to help prevent punctures. Also provides some insulation on cold nights from the ground. Provides no sleeping comfort. Can be used under your knees or as a pseudo pillow with something like a sweater on it. Bulky on bike but is impervious to weather.


Sleeping on the 'ground' is different for everybody and is a misnomer since almost everyone uses a mat of some type. As long as I have something to support my neck I can (and have) slept on rock, sandstone etc. not the best nights sleep but I've done it. There are people who have valid, physical limitations that make sleeping on the ground something to dread and endure. I'm not one of those folks.

This pic demonstrates the difference. On the left is my bud's back country set set up. A basic Z pad and a pillow. On the right is my $200 Thermarest and somewhere buried in there is my pillow. He does yoga, stretches, and works out year round and keeps his body fat somewhere close to 10%. I show up at the Trailhead with a 12 pack of beer and my body hardens to the effort over the next few days. Not for everyone but that routine works for me.



Django, I wouldn't overthink this camping thing. Out west you have the option on public land to camp if you find a spot that you like towards the end of the day Or, you can roll into a town, get a motel or a KOA spot and pitch your tent there. have some ear plugs at the KOA. You'll be fine.

[bflint]

While I did not camp for more than 15 years, some friends told me, I had to do camping on my ride across the USA, as that is a unique experience in the wild.

What do ya think? That would mean, I had to carry a tent, sleeping bag and a camping mat...

Including "camping" can help keep your trip affordable. Eg $30 to $50 for a campsite versus $80-$150 for a motel/hotel. I used KOA (https://koa.com/) a lot in my San Diego to Maryland round trip last year. They offer open areas for tents and also have "cabins" (no plumbing, just beds to lay your sleeping back on, plus electricity, TV, and often air conditioning). I bought inexpensive camping stuff from a chain store called Big 5 Sports (http://www.big5sportinggoods.com): 2 person Tent = $40, 20 degree sleeping bag = $50, blowup matress = $20, battery pump for mattress = $20, propane stove = $25 ... plus LOKSAK OPSAK Odor Proof Barrier Bags from REI to store my food items because squirrels eat thru my saddle bags at Zion Utah. Food was simple for me: instant Starbucks coffee, instant milk, instant oatmeal, apples, granola bars, mini-bar items (Jack Daniels, Southern Comfort).
Mr Django ... may try to hookup with you at some point on your journey. I'm on wife's vacation from 5/22-6/7 and was planning to do my next xcountry moto trip starting 7/1. Will be keeping tabs on your schedule as your Los Angeles arrive date approaches. Please note it rains in USA during summer (bring Frog Togs) and it near freezing in the high desert areas (like in Arizona) and mountain areas (like in Colorado) so ... need warm sleeping back if camping out and warm riding clothes if riding at night. What a great adventure to be on Welcome to the USA !

[Cormanus]

Wow! Down filled. I'm tempted to get one.

It’s good, although there are two slight negatives: it’s a bit squeaky to sleep on; and pumping it up with the internal pump is like giving CPR and takes a while. But it’s comfortable..

[flynrider]

A few years back I switched from a big (and very comfortable) air mattress to one of the modern air/foam semi-inflatable sleeping pads. The big air mattress and accompanying pump were just too big and heavy to be hauling around on a motorcycle.

I was worried about comfort, but was pleasantly surprised at how well I slept on the new pad. I'd used solid pads of varying types before and always woke up sore. The air/foam combo really does the trick and rolls up into a cylinder that measures about 7" x 12". It also kept me warmer than the old air mattress. It's mostly self-inflating and just needs a few puffs of air to get it to a comfortable 1.5" thickness.

Most of the self-inflating air/foam pads and the camping store came with a pretty hefty price tag ($150+), so I ended up finding this one on Amazon for $30. I've been sleeping on it for two summers and it's been great.

[url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSH0F6H/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MSH...UTF8&psc=1

[Django]

[url=http://datecountdown.com/?&d=6/3/2019+12:00+AM&t=Django+rides+across+the+USA+start]38 days remaining

Should start to think about packing my gear (and what gear)...

[Frulk_imp]

As should I. I still have a few more things to nail down as far as logistics go but things are pretty solid right now. I’d like to make it to Mexican Hat to a restaurant called “The Swinging Steak” for an early dinner the night before we head into Moab and meet Roper. Then back up the Mowgi Dugway switchbacks (before dark!!!) to Natural Bridges National Monument and Dark Skies Preserve where we will stay in the campground for a second night of camping.

http://www.mexicanhatlodge.com

[paulstaf_imp]

Django, I am in Dallas, Texas VERY close to DFW airport. I have a full garage with a full complement of tools so if you need a place to stay, or work on your bike, let me know. Or if you decide to break your trip up into sections, you could store your bike in my garage and fly home and back another time, or if there was a problem, store it in my garage, catch a plane home and arrange shipping. I have a truck as well if needed. Safe travels! .....Paul
I had a few friends that would ride their bikes around the US on the weekends, then store them in a storage unit and fly home for the work week, then fly back to where they left them and pick back up again.

[Django]

Frulk, that looks like a real project. Don't put too much effort into it, I have no idea, how I could make that up to you!

Paul, thank you very much for that offer. While I guess Dallas is too much off my route, I'm always blown away by the generosity of this forum community!