Going camping

[davenowherejones]

I might be going camping in the rain tonight. I have a new tent, sleeping bag and pad. I will throw a few things in a small backpack and strap it to the back seat. I am just going 10 km down the road (5 km gravel) to Silver Lake Provincial Park. One night only as a tryout.

[Mel46]

You want to camp in the rain??

[davenowherejones]

Around here it always rains when you go camping. It is unusual to have a dry campsite. It does happen but you prepare for the worst. I might even snow.

[easyrider]

How far is Lake Louise from you ?? Wondering how is the camping scene in the summer?

[davenowherejones]

How far is Lake Louise from you ?? Wondering how is the camping scene in the summer?

400 miles or 600 km, two days, I think you need reservations for camping, I don't know.

[easyrider]

400 miles..wow !! I kinda figured it would be a mess up there mid summer.

[davenowherejones]

The camping went reasonably well. It did not rain. I was dead tired after working all day. I need a better pillow.

The tent, sleeping pad and bag went in the 55 litre top case. The tent poles were under the seat. A small back pack sat on the rear seat with food, clothes and too much crap.

The 5 km of gravel road was almost smoother than the village streets. I put my helmet & 4 piece Olympia riding suit in the top case and under the seat while I was in the tent. I also put the bike keys in the jacket pocket. Fortunately I had a spare key taped inside one of the front panels.

My campsite was close to the pit toilets in case I had to make an old guy bathroom run. I did several times. The toilet door slams hard every time someone used it. After 100 slams I finally fell asleep.

I woke up in the morning unable to get up off the tent floor. Too many injuries. I got up but my head was spinning. Too many head injuries. I staggered to the pit toilet. I was making an impressive waterfall when a small furry animal ran between my legs. WTF.

I got everything loaded back on the Forza. My head was almost normal. I was going to go home but decided one more night up at Skihist by Lytton might be interesting. I picked up a few things in Hope and headed north up the Fraser Canyon.

The Forza ran beautifully. I set up camp and read an old Honda magazine about the Forza. It was warmer but I had a hard time deciding which end of the tent was uphill for my head to be there. I thrashed around all night. Skihist sounded just like home. The CN/CP tracks were close by and the very same TransCanada Highway was also within earshot.

Eventually I had to get up. The same injuries were a pain. The nauseous throwing up also was a nuisance. Maybe I'm pregnant? 58 and male, probably not. It took me a long time to stagger down to the toilets. Flush toilets and no furry animals, how boring but nicer.

I could not have passed a sobriety test (non-drinker) but I carefully rode to Boston Bar for brunch. I was going to go home but the sun was shining. I headed back up river to Spences Bridge. The Nicola River was fast and flooding. Merritt has a Walmart with chocolate milk and a few other goodies. The Coldwater Road was dry but there was still snow at Britton Creek (4000 ft).

The Zopkios Lunch Bucket has opened for the summer at the brake check. A few people were concerned that one of the truck drivers was dead with his head hard on the steering wheel. A lady banged on his window and he opened one eye. She let him go back to sleep. One truck driver did die in his parked rig by my house last year.

I had enough stuff on the Forza that I would have easily travelled clear across Canada with out any major problems until I ran out of tires, hard to get. One friend wants me to go to Tuktoyaktuk, NT. The trip includes almost 2000 km of gravel roads so I would take a Honda CRF250 Rally instead of the Forza. The Forza could make it given enough time but the summers are short up there.

[lillypinkjenny]

The camping went reasonably well.

Yeah it sounds like one of my "uneventful" camping trips too.

Kudos for averting the potential key problem. I've had to stay an extra night somewhere while him indoors express mailed a spare set to me before now!

(He wasn't even "him indoors" at that time. He maybe should have learned how things were going to be before he was! )

[montliz44]

Thanks for the great report, Dave. Please keep on camping and tell us how it goes. I always look up the places you mention in your travels and enjoy them vicariously at least.

Johnny

[you you]

Thanks for the great report, Dave. Please keep on camping and tell us how it goes. I always look up the places you mention in your travels and enjoy them vicariously at least.

Johnny

X2

[markcap]

I have June 15 thru June 24 penciled in for my yearly adventure trip. I'll be riding the Forza again. Heading to Smokey Mountains Nat Park via the Blue Ridge Parkway camping everyday rain or shine. Hopefully shine! I'm riding my PCX this month in order to preserve the tread on the Forza tires.

Packing all of the necessary gear is difficult as I like to "camp" and not just arrive at the $20 per night site and sleep. Cook set, axe, knife, tents, mats, food, personal items, camera, rain gear & clothes. It gets complicated but I love the freedom living outdoors for over a week. Likely will ride 2000 mi.

[Mel46]

I use to like to camp...back when I was in the military. We did all that stuff back then. Haven't done it since. I have travelled across country on my motorcycle before though. (Ever try to squeeze your bike into your room at a motel? Doors are a tight fit.)
After riding 10 hours I want a real bed.

That hidden spare key is a good idea. Right now my spare is in my wife's bike, which is good when she rides too. Not so good when her bike is at home while I am on the road.

Last thought: anyone having trouble unlocking their Givi top box? Mine is getting cranky. Key goes in but wont turn. I have to mess with it for 2 or 3 minutes and hope it will finally forgive me for whatever infractions I have done that made it angry at me. Very frustrating. I don't want to have to buy a new box or take this one apart, but looks like it will be one or the other shortly.

[montliz44]

Mine works OK but everything about the box tends to be a little too tight. The fact that your key goes all the way in is a good sign, though. I don't have any idea how to get in there to look at the mechanism, but the lock looks pretty straightforward otherwise. Your neighborhood locksmith may know exactly what to do. Those guys have a lot of tricks up their sleeves, plus better tools than we do.

Johnny

[davenowherejones]

I went camping again. Manning Park this time. Lightning lake site was buried in snow. Hampton was ok but too close to the highway. I was cold all night. I need better stuff and to not forget stuff at home.
The Forza was covered in ice and so was the tent. about 500 feet up

[davenowherejones]

I was typing the above in a restaurant and my food came.

The campsite was according to my iPhone GPS about 3800 feet above sea level. There was still snow beside the highway at Allison Pass.

My iPhone died during the night so I had no idea what time it was. The sun seemed to be out at 4 in the morning according to the Forza clock. I had a quick bathroom break and back into the sleeping bag. Up at 5, bathroom, up at 6, bathroom, up at 7 to pack the scooter.

The scooter still had ice on it as I rode to the park lodge for coffee. They had a Mother's Day brunch going. I should have stayed for breakfast but I rode for almost an hour down to Hope. There was a huge blotch of red on the highway, it might have been blood. I did not stop to look, could have been from a deer.

After my eggs Benedict I rode to the Fraser River which is threatening to wipe out Hope. It is a huge river with too much melting snow in it. I worry about the local bridge which is probably about 100 years old (?) It would take about a year to replace. The next nearest bridge is about 35 km down river and it is also old.

I have a season pass for Hell's Gate Airtram and the Fraser passes though a narrow opening between the mountains. The fishways are almost completely under water. Too much water. Scary.

I have hung up the tent to get rid of all of the melted ice from this morning. It now 34C or 93F. 4000 feet lower makes a bit of a difference.

I really, really need a shower, laundry and supper would be nice. Home sweet home.

[gn2]

I use to like to camp...back when I was in the military. We did all that stuff back then. Haven't done it since. I have travelled across country on my motorcycle before though. (Ever try to squeeze your bike into your room at a motel? Doors are a tight fit.)
After riding 10 hours I want a real bed.

That hidden spare key is a good idea. Right now my spare is in my wife's bike, which is good when she rides too. Not so good when her bike is at home while I am on the road.

Last thought: anyone having trouble unlocking their Givi top box? Mine is getting cranky. Key goes in but wont turn. I have to mess with it for 2 or 3 minutes and hope it will finally forgive me for whatever infractions I have done that made it angry at me. Very frustrating. I don't want to have to buy a new box or take this one apart, but looks like it will be one or the other shortly.

When I had a Givi box it was a bugger to unlock when it was stuffed full, I had to press down on the lid to relieve pressure on the lock mechanism.
If yours is problematic when empty I suspect the lock barrel just needs some lubrication.

[you you]

I use to like to camp...back when I was in the military. We did all that stuff back then. Haven't done it since. I have travelled across country on my motorcycle before though. (Ever try to squeeze your bike into your room at a motel? Doors are a tight fit.)
After riding 10 hours I want a real bed.

That hidden spare key is a good idea. Right now my spare is in my wife's bike, which is good when she rides too. Not so good when her bike is at home while I am on the road.

Last thought: anyone having trouble unlocking their Givi top box? Mine is getting cranky. Key goes in but wont turn. I have to mess with it for 2 or 3 minutes and hope it will finally forgive me for whatever infractions I have done that made it angry at me. Very frustrating. I don't want to have to buy a new box or take this one apart, but looks like it will be one or the other shortly.

When I had a Givi box it was a bugger to unlock when it was stuffed full, I had to press down on the lid to relieve pressure on the lock mechanism.
If yours is problematic when empty I suspect the lock barrel just needs some lubrication.

Listen to GN2, there is no one else camper . The lubrication thing is a bonus

[chicaboo]

Now you mention it, he does always say the slippery kind is best...

[you you]

Now you mention it, he does always say the slippery kind is best...

[davenowherejones]

It is a long weekend, the weather is nice but I have a !@#$%^&* head cold. This sucks! I feel awful, I look awful but that is normal. Someone send a pretty nurse to fix me.