TRAVEL MASTER
Copyright By Tom Jamrog
Mar. 15, 1998
(One time only , first North American rights given.)

LIGHTEN UP!

Sooner or later you need to get rid of stuff. Up here in the northeast corner of the old U.S. of A. Mother Nature did it this past January when she created the ice storm of the century leaving me without electricity for 10 days. Ma Nature shredded trees, with massive prunings of limbs and branches that littered the roads and forests through the Northeast and in eastern Canada. It remains to be seen how many of the skeletal trees will rebound, but it was a massive housecleaning.
I have been pruning my own motorcycle touring style this riding season, and am going lighter and dealing with less stuff on the road. Take my tent, for instance.
I needed to replace the 15 year old rain fly due to ultraviolet light degradation . The manufacturer discontinued the model I own, and was not able to come up with a replacement part for my tent. To make up for the inconvenience, Moss Inc. sent me a brand new catalog with a wholesale price list from which I could choose my new replacement tent. Thank you, Moss. I have not yet sent in my money, but I am going to buy a three person, light weight 4 season tent. I do backpacking in the winter so the one tent can serve me in the two sports I love the most.
One of the best things about writing this column is the opportunity to correspond with motorcyclists around North America, and pick up tips on how to make life on the road easier. Wayne Marsula is also a fan of Moss tents, but his approach to packing is more robust than mine. On the back of his BMW, Wayne carries his Encore, the biggest tent that Moss makes, weighing in at 24 pounds. The Encore has great ventilation with two windows down low with a screened stargazer panel in the top that he appreciates when camping in the Baja. In addition to his heavyweight tent, Wayne straps on the Moss Parawing, a nineteen foot rain fly that comes with two eight foot poles that Wayne has broken down into 3 sections. Wayne’s riding solo makes carrying that much gear at all possible. One of Wayne’s secrets for carrying bulky items is using compression sacks, which shrink the contents to two thirds of normal size. At least it doesn’t look as if you are carrying that much stuff, and Wayne’s “think big” approach gives him the luxury of driving his motorcycle into the tent if he feels like it.
I have used a tankbag regularly, but am intrigued with the idea of ditching it and switching to a product called the Bar Pack. One serious drawback to using a cavernous tankbag is the inevitable digging for stuff. Each time I go on a tour, I throw innumerable small items into the maw of the tankbag, and I spend wasted time feeling for that tube of chap stick or a spoon. You know the theory- “If you have space, you fill it up”. The Bar Pack attaches to the cross bar of your handlebars with quick squeeze buckles, and the deluxe size folds out to 12” by 18” to hold maps and other small items in several interior pockets. Bar Pack is available through CycoActive at (800)491-CYCO.

Another area of gear that I have simplified is footwear. I used to wear a pair of expensive, super protective, motorcycling specific boots. While I enjoyed their performace and protection while crouched on the motorcycle, I regretted the time spent hiking around in them and often kept a pad of moleskin in my pants pocket for relief from the inevitable blisters I developed. Even when my boots were fully broken in, I usually unzipped the tops and clodded around the campsite while unwinding at the day’s end. Then I went through a phase of bringing along another pair of running shoes that I changed into at the end of the day, plus a pair of sandals for when it was really hot. Two years ago I discovered a new way of walking, when I was researching gear purchases for a extended motorcycle trip to Alaska. I bought a discounted pair of lightweight Gore-Tex lined, suede/Cordura hiking boots that set me back about seventy bucks. Since they were waterproof I was able to leave my rubber overboots behind, and they were so comfortable that I ditched both the running shoes and sandals and went to a pair of Nike Aquasocks for wearing around the campsite at night. The Aquasocks pack thin and small, but provide enough support for walking on uneven terrain. I treat the boots to a session of spray-on Scotchgard before each tour to help keep them waterproof. The seams started to rip away this spring in several places, but a trip to my local cobbler and six bucks brought them back ready for action for this year’s riding season.
The ultimate solution to simplifying life on the road is one I witnessed in a washroom in Newfoundland’s Pippy Park campground. I met a motorcyclist there who packed old t-shirts and pants for long tours, and then threw them away rather than deal with the hassle the wash cycle in a laundromat. If he bought a souvenir, chances are it was a much needed t-shirt.
This year’s resolution to pare down the touring equipment has carried over to other parts of my life as well. I cut my shoulder length hair in March, lost 10 pounds this spring, and carted off to the Goodwill store several sets of pants and shirts that dated back to high school. I know the retro look is in but not for me.
Packing for a motorcycle camping trip all comes down to food, shelter, and clothing. Service your motorcycle before a long tour, carry a lean credit card, and hope for the best . Life on the road is not about worrying about what additional indispensable item you might need to add to the mess you already got, but keeping yourself open to the world of adventures out there. Motorcyclist/ actor Steve McQueen put it out there for all of us in The Reivers , “It’s time to say goodbye to the things you know and hello to the things you don’t know”.