What I Don’t Know

The last three weeks have been non-stop.  Two motorcycle trips and a  camping/fishing trip.  I’ve been home only six days in those three weeks in between trips.  Having just got home from the last trip (six days riding, driving, camping in the mountains), my mind is so full of experiences that I’m not even sure where to start (or end).

I think I’ll just wing it.  That’s kind of how I’ve been operating.  As I’ve been riding and camping, I’ve been testing and learning all kinds of things in preparation for our 50-state ride next year.

My Gear:

What I need, what I don’t need.  My biggest challenge has been what to pack and how to pack it.  On my first trip by myself to Rockford, IL for the Women’s World-Setting Record Ride, I didn’t need camping gear, so only had to pack personal necessities and riding gear.  Using the luggage gear I currently had on hand, I needed to minimize what I took.  There was some miscalculation on my part primarily on what clothing I would need for a combination of riding and hanging out at a conference.  I also learned that it doesn’t matter what the forecast is, I need clothing for every type of weather. One, the first trip it was cooler than forecasted and I didn’t have enough warm clothes for the times when I wasn’t on the bike.  On this last trip, one day it was 42 degrees with massive wind in the mountains, the next day it was 92 degrees with a nasty crosswind. I also figured out I need waterproof boots.  My new rain gear worked well, but my feet were soaked.

On the camping/fishing trip and on the last trip I tested out my new tent and sleeping bag.  It was challenging to figure out how to use them, but they both work great. I realized first thing that I needed a tool to drive the stakes into the ground.  Camping in the mountains, I realized that with the design of this particular tent (I bought it because it packed up even smaller for the bike than the tent I bought last year) it has to be staked out in order to even be a tent.  That presents a bit of a problem when the ground is not conducive to pounding in stakes.  The jury is still out on the tent.  By the 4th or 5th night of camping between the two trips, I finally figured out how to operate my sleeping bag in order to stay warm.  This bag has a “hoodie” on it.  I thought it would be perfect.  It is.  But it took me awhile (especially in the dark) to figure out how to use the hoodie and still keep the cold air out of the rest of the bag.  I think I finally got it.  It’s a go.

My rain gear is great.  It keeps me dry in the rain and it actually came in quite handy for staying warm while camping in the mountains.  I had been trying to figure out how I was going to stay warm without my bathrobe and extra blanket because there’s no room for them on the bike.  Answer:  My rain gear.  Lesson learned though…gotta keep watch when sitting or standing near the fire.  An ember popped out of the fire and landed in the leg of my rain gear.  Fortunately someone else saw it happen and quickly removed it for me.  It didn’t burn a hole, but melted the fabric a bit.  I will probably need to patch it to prevent leakage in the future.

Since we were also taking a car, I was able to pack a lot and was prepared for all kinds of weather.  I had lots of clothes. I’m going to have to fine tune that for packing on the bike.  For the first camping trip, I figured out that I could get all my camping gear into the motorcycle bag that fits into one of my saddle bags.  This was great for carrying and using while camping.  But now, I gotta figure out how to carry that on the bike.  My rain gear takes up one saddle bag and I use the other saddle bag for miscellaneous gear and personal items.  It would work well to use that saddle bag for my camping gear.  I could then lock up the most expensive items that I’m carrying.  But, now what do I do with the stuff I normally keep in that bag?  To be determined.  I already knew I was going to need to purchase a bigger bag for packing my clothes but I’m going to need another way to carry the things I need easy access to when riding.  I spent a lot of time while riding during this last trip trying to figure out exactly what I will need to purchase to efficiently carry everything I need. It’s a whole different animal when you’re not coming home in a few days…or years.  Time to do some shopping and get it figured out.  I also need to get the right sized cooler that will fit on my luggage rack, but leave room for one more bag for the miscellaneous, but absolutely necessary, gear for camping.

Then, there’s the helmet. I recently purchased a full helmet with a face shield vs. the half helmet I had been wearing. It’s been working well for eye and face protection. However, it has presented a new problem for my neck. I started experiencing a lot of burning pain in my shoulders and upper back. I thought it was due to my reach to the handlebars and a need for different handlebars. I think that is still the case. But on the way back home on this last trip, I discovered that it’s actually my neck from the weight of the helmet and getting buffeted by the wind. I rode without my helmet for the rest of the day and it made a huge difference in the pain level and I discovered there is some work to do here. First of all, I need to get going on neck exercises to strengthen my neck. My whiplash injuries from the 80’s are haunting me. Also, I need to figure out how to store my helmet on the bike when I need to ride without it.

We also figured out that we need a heating pad to calm down muscles after hard riding.  So, we added an old-fashioned hot water bottle to our list as electric is not an option.  Hot water from the campfire will work well.

Alice knows her way around remote camping.  I learned a lot from her on this last trip (and got fed really good).  We made good use of the camping cookware and picked up a few tips on what we need for the ride next year.  She tested out an outside shower bag and she said it worked great.  I haven’t tested that yet, but am looking forward to having that option.

It all comes down to the same thing.  Every experience in life can provide lessons in living if you’re open to learning.  Whether it’s emotional healing or practical matters for living, they are there for the taking.  Being open and watching for the lessons and taking them forward can be very rewarding in many ways.

Love and Peace,

Chick