surging at cruise related questions

[D Critchley]

You have to use the 4x4 posts, 2 each, short ones are only 8 ft, combined with the 16 lb sledge hammer which was also included in the hammock kit. DC tlh wrote:

> So what happens when there is not tree?? > > albatross > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Zachariah Mully" > > To: > > Cc: "tlh" >; > dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com > > Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:46 AM > Subject: > > >

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[E.L. Green]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Jim Priest" wrote:

> On 6/13/07, horkdoom wrote: > > When I used to go camping with my family we'd use cheap blow up air > > mattreses (like you'd use in a pool/lake). They were effectice, > > Thats kind of what I'm thinking right now If I camped more I'd

Please note that these really only work if the ground temperature is above 70F. Below that, you will lose too much heat to the ground and start shivering and end up sitting on your feet all night huddled in your jacket. The next day is not pretty, as you stagger around all bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and the resulting exhaustion. They also do not insulate you from hot ground if you are sleeping in the desert, but one of those silvery mylar "space blanket" thingies under the air mattress takes care of that (stops the radiated heat from baking you from underneath). The "Thermo-rest" type "air" mattresses are actually open-cell insulation foam inside a vinyl shell, thus insulate you from the ground. Thus the "Thermo" part. The "rest" part depends upon how tired you are. If you are tired enough, these things feel like the lap of luxury. If you're not tired enough, you will swear the next day that you're going to check in to a hotel tomorrow to get a good night's sleep . As for what gear to carry, I carry the same gear I use for backpacking. It is lightweight (under 30 pounds including food and water), compact, and experience backpacking has shown that it is far more than sufficient for survival. The only thing I leave out is the backpack itself, unless I happen to be riding the KLR to a place where I'm actually going to be backpacking . _E

[Jacobus De Bruyn]

You must have a hell of a hammock. My worry for getting down to take a leak was mostly not stepping on a snake, so I always had a small flashlight with me. Still prefer a decent bed though. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/222

[Jacobus De Bruyn]

How can you NOT find a tree here in Costa Rica? By the way, you will need two. Unless you re a sloth. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center. http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/

[West Hovland]

I understand and have done minimalist camping myself. But I really enjoy taking the time to prepare a gourmet single pot meal over my little stove. It's also nice to wake-up with a freshly prepared steaming cup-o-joe. For me, an Adventure tour is so much more than ripping off as many miles as I can. Getting off the bike and relaxing in the Nature I'm riding through is as important as the ride itself. West____> I don't see the need to make extra work with food preparation when I'm out> trying to have fun.> > Mike A18> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bryan Burke]

I guess I'll chip in since I camp out 30 to 50 nights a year in a variety of climates. From replies so far, sleeping and cooking seem like the biggest issues, which makes sense. These are the big ticket items and most essential to comfort. On the KLR, space and weight are serious considerations, so my stuff is all light and rugged. Sleeping: hammocks designed for camping are more stable, comfortable, and rugged than you would expect. I have a Clark Jungle hammock. I like it, but it does require trees. A good pick if flat ground is scarce, or available but covered with bugs, rocks, and snakes. Without trees it can be rigged as a bivy sack, but since I have one of those anyway... About 75% of my camping is in the western deserts, so no hammock. But also not many rain or snow storms, so I leave the tent behind and take an Outdoor Products nylon tarp, light but strong, and some parachute cord. In my opinion a tent is only desireable if you will have lots of bugs and no place to hang a hammock, or you want privacy. Otherwise they are too bulky and heavy for the shelter offered. The tarp is plenty of shelter in most cases. If I think it will get ugly I add an Outdoor Research bivy sack, which makes a big difference if the temperature goes way south and the wind/rain pick up. If I expect a lot of bugs, I have a mosquito net that I toss in with the tarp. This system takes a little practice to get used to but is way more versatile than a tent, and much lighter/smaller. Also, no poles or zippers to break. The Thermarest 3/4 Luxury Edition sleeping pad is a good compromise between light and comfy. I camp in cactus country a lot. You just have to be careful, put something under it, and carry a patch kit. With any air mattress, fill it up enough so your hip is barely off the ground when you are on your side. Make a pillow out of a fleece vest or coat filled with other clothes, put any extra cloths under your lower legs and feet, drink a pint of whisky, and you'll sleep OK. The best part is that with a Therma-lounger addition, it makes a really nice chair. I add one other item to the shelter kit: a piece of heavy tarp material, 2x3 feet. It goes on the ground whenever I sit down, and also is great to work on when you are doing field maintenance on the KLR. Small enough to keep on top of your stuff, handy at all times. Sleeping bag depends on temp. Wiggy's Desert Bag for mild conditions, a three season synthetic fill most of the time, and a down bag for real cold. Get a compression sack. Cooking: I have three stoves, but only use two most of the time. An alcohol stove is super light, can go on airplanes, and takes up very little room, but it is limited to basic heating. My mainstay is a Coleman multi-fuel. Super rugged, great support when you do need new parts, and the widest heat range of any camp stove I have used. This is one of the few camp stoves that really will simmer, not burn, a good meal. Brunton multi-fuel is too delicate, and nobody I know with an MSR can get it to work right without a whole lot of fiddling around. I cook in a Snow Peak titanium pot, a large steel cup, and one or two metal pie plates. The pie plates are cheap, rugged, and serve multiple functions: frying pan w/ Leatherman Super Tool for handle, a wind screen, plate, fan, serving tray, etc. By far the best headlamp I have ever had is the Petzl Myo XP. It exemplifies a basic rule of gear: you really do get what you pay for. One other piece of gear I really like is my York Pack. This is a plastic box that rides behind me, above my saddle bags. Completely water proof, can be locked up with a bicycle cable and carried like a suitcase, incredibly rugged but light weight. Makes a great table or wash basin, too. The only problem is that they aren't made anymore. If you find one, buy it. Bryan _________________________________________________________________ Get a preview of Live Earth, the hottest event this summer - only on MSN http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthhm

[Kevin Powers]

York packs, they make 'em here: http://www.strong9.com/yorkpacks.htm Kevin

On 6/14/07, Bryan Burke wrote: > > I guess I'll chip in since I camp out 30 to 50 nights a year in a > variety of > climates. From replies so far, sleeping and cooking seem like the biggest > issues, which makes sense. These are the big ticket items and most > essential > to comfort. On the KLR, space and weight are serious considerations, so my > > stuff is all light and rugged. > > Sleeping: hammocks designed for camping are more stable, comfortable, and > rugged than you would expect. I have a Clark Jungle hammock. I like it, > but > it does require trees. A good pick if flat ground is scarce, or available > but covered with bugs, rocks, and snakes. Without trees it can be rigged > as > a bivy sack, but since I have one of those anyway... > > About 75% of my camping is in the western deserts, so no hammock. But also > > not many rain or snow storms, so I leave the tent behind and take an > Outdoor > Products nylon tarp, light but strong, and some parachute cord. In my > opinion a tent is only desireable if you will have lots of bugs and no > place > to hang a hammock, or you want privacy. Otherwise they are too bulky and > heavy for the shelter offered. The tarp is plenty of shelter in most > cases. > If I think it will get ugly I add an Outdoor Research bivy sack, which > makes > a big difference if the temperature goes way south and the wind/rain pick > up. If I expect a lot of bugs, I have a mosquito net that I toss in with > the > tarp. This system takes a little practice to get used to but is way more > versatile than a tent, and much lighter/smaller. Also, no poles or zippers > > to break. > > The Thermarest 3/4 Luxury Edition sleeping pad is a good compromise > between > light and comfy. I camp in cactus country a lot. You just have to be > careful, put something under it, and carry a patch kit. With any air > mattress, fill it up enough so your hip is barely off the ground when you > are on your side. Make a pillow out of a fleece vest or coat filled with > other clothes, put any extra cloths under your lower legs and feet, drink > a > pint of whisky, and you'll sleep OK. The best part is that with a > Therma-lounger addition, it makes a really nice chair. > > I add one other item to the shelter kit: a piece of heavy tarp material, > 2x3 > feet. It goes on the ground whenever I sit down, and also is great to work > > on when you are doing field maintenance on the KLR. Small enough to keep > on > top of your stuff, handy at all times. > > Sleeping bag depends on temp. Wiggy's Desert Bag for mild conditions, a > three season synthetic fill most of the time, and a down bag for real > cold. > Get a compression sack. > > Cooking: I have three stoves, but only use two most of the time. An > alcohol > stove is super light, can go on airplanes, and takes up very little room, > but it is limited to basic heating. My mainstay is a Coleman multi-fuel. > Super rugged, great support when you do need new parts, and the widest > heat > range of any camp stove I have used. This is one of the few camp stoves > that > really will simmer, not burn, a good meal. Brunton multi-fuel is too > delicate, and nobody I know with an MSR can get it to work right without a > > whole lot of fiddling around. > > I cook in a Snow Peak titanium pot, a large steel cup, and one or two > metal > pie plates. The pie plates are cheap, rugged, and serve multiple > functions: > frying pan w/ Leatherman Super Tool for handle, a wind screen, plate, fan, > > serving tray, etc. > > By far the best headlamp I have ever had is the Petzl Myo XP. It > exemplifies > a basic rule of gear: you really do get what you pay for. > > One other piece of gear I really like is my York Pack. This is a plastic > box > that rides behind me, above my saddle bags. Completely water proof, can be > > locked up with a bicycle cable and carried like a suitcase, incredibly > rugged but light weight. Makes a great table or wash basin, too. The only > problem is that they aren't made anymore. If you find one, buy it. > > Bryan > > __________________________________________________________ > Get a preview of Live Earth, the hottest event this summer - only on MSN > http://liveearth.msn.com?source=msntaglineliveearthhm > > > -- Kevin Powers White Bear Lake, MN [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Don Longan]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, D Critchley wrote:

> > You have to use the 4x4 posts, 2 each, short ones are only 8 ft, > combined with the 16 lb sledge hammer which was also included in the > hammock kit. > DC > > tlh wrote: > > > So what happens when there is not tree?? > > > > albatross > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Zachariah Mully" zmully@... > > > > > To: jacodebr7545@... > > > Cc: "tlh" tlh@... >; > > dsn_klr650@yahoogroups.com > > > Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 10:46 AM > > Subject: > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Zachariah Mully]

On Thu, 2007-06-14 at 23:24 +0000, Bryan Burke wrote:

> I guess I'll chip in since I camp out 30 to 50 nights a year in a variety of > climates. From replies so far, sleeping and cooking seem like the biggest > issues, which makes sense. These are the big ticket items and most essential > to comfort. On the KLR, space and weight are serious considerations, so my > stuff is all light and rugged.

One thing I don't think I've seen on anyone list - a travel alarm clock. yugster has one on special right now that looks good.. For $8 shipped I'm going to give it a try. http://www.yugster.com/?bid=564&aid=CD6386# Z

[Zachariah Mully]

On Thu, 2007-06-14 at 23:24 +0000, Bryan Burke wrote:

> I guess I'll chip in since I camp out 30 to 50 nights a year in a variety of > climates. From replies so far, sleeping and cooking seem like the biggest > issues, which makes sense. These are the big ticket items and most essential > to comfort. On the KLR, space and weight are serious considerations, so my > stuff is all light and rugged.

I just finished watching the first episode of "The Long Way Round" and they would have benefited from taking a moment to go through their crap and cut half of it out. Christ, those bikes look like they've got 250lbs of gear on them, no wonder they crash a lot and break their frames. I'm completely and totally jealous of their trip, but they did a piss poor job of preparing... I was talking to another rider this weekend about doing the TAT and he was asking my advice. Basically I told him to pack as little as possible, because spending weeks fighting an overloaded bike on trails, fireroads, and new gravel is not fun, and possibly very dangerous. This is also why I recommend against aluminum panniers for any rough long distance riding... They let you pack waaay too much, and they're a danger to your legs and your bike. My ideal set up for the next time I ride the TAT would be Ortlieb panniers (or similar) and one or two waterproof waterproof duffles across the back of the seat. Tank bag and possibly tank panniers, but nothing more. I probably only used 1/3-1/2 of the crap I brought on my first TAT trip and that was before I had aluminum panniers on my klr... Z