2017 Colorado/Western Rally

[3Phase]

A moose? I think you're trying to play a trick on the guy from out of town but it won't work, I've seen one before!




I've been borrowing a tent for camping and decided it was time to get my own tent so I went shopping last night while Bonz was Photoshopping some poor deer into a moose.
I found an Ozark dome tent at WallyWorld for ~$25 that fit in the tank bag to bring it home.


Walmart | Ozark Trail 3-Person Dome Tent 84" x 84" x 42" for $24.94


It's supposed to be a 3-man tent but looking at the dimensions, I don't believe there are enough banjos in the word to coax three people into that thing.
I need to set it up, check it out and then see if it'll still fit the tank bag afterward but it looks like a decent tent even if its capacity is a little optimistic.





While I was at the store I saw MPowered's "Luci" inflatable solar LED lantern with a rechargeable lithium battery.
I didn't buy it then but looked it up online when I got home with the tent.
There's a Luci v2.0 that has a battery/charge gauge but the v1 looks like it'll work.



All of the air mattresses they had in the store need an air pump to fill them so I'm still thinking about buying a mattress.

[Sebastian_99]

Put me down for a large longsleeve shirt. Bummer on no trees for hammocks but I can hack it

I realized after looking through the past rally pictures that I am probably gonna be the youngest guy at the rally by about 15 years, ha! Hope you guys can keep up.

Looking forward to it though!

[3Phase]

Eh? What's that? Speak up! And get off the lawn!

[BA80]

Whippersnapers.

[motoman]

Put me down for a large longsleeve shirt. Bummer on no trees for hammocks but I can hack it

I realized after looking through the past rally pictures that I am probably gonna be the youngest guy at the rally by about 15 years, ha! Hope you guys can keep up.

Looking forward to it though!

Eh......wouldn't let 'old age 'n' treachery' fool ya'.

[Bonz]

Don't worry Sebastian we all were young(er) one time too... Haha. Hey, is your riding buddy bringing a tent too?

To this point I have 8 guys in tents. Harry, Greg, CZ, me, Scott, Mike, Roo, Sebastian. I am Gathering that means each person is in a tent by themselves. Did I miss anyone?

8 tents will fill the spot we have that I showed pictures of. If we have more tents, I need to let the campground know we will need some of the other grassy area they use for tents.

Scott, take a look at this link. I use this inflatable pad for backpacking and motorcycle camping. Rolls up and stores in its little bag, a bit smaller than a 40 ounce beer can.

https://www.rei.com/product/895084/r...r-sleeping-pad

Yeah, I can't fit literally length wise or anyway-wise in a two-man tent. That's why I have the Big Green Eureka four person. Just like motorcycles, they build tents for little people.

I talked with this elk, it wants a piece of you for relegating it to mere deer status.



A quick pic going south on Hwy 125 out of Walden this morning.



I got home about an hour ago. Got a drenching coming down I-70 into Denver. Dried out in about 20 miles and cruised home.

Just 236 miles today, 566 miles total from the time I left yesterday morning at 9 a.m.

[motoman]

Those are a nice sleeping pad Bonz. I have one similar with attached insulation inside and upper portion. As you can see, those style pads also have the outer two portions larger so one doesn't roll off in middle of nite.. Deflated, rolled up and in its' own draw-string nylon bag, it is 8in. long & 6in. diameter.

[Bonz]

The fact it is close to as long as I am, comes in a wide version, yet won't let me roll off is what sealed the deal. You are right, those larger outer tubes are the ticket!

Oh, here is a picture of the stoplight in your hometown of "Rally Central", AKA Kremmling, CO.

[tcoop]

It's official I will be at the rally.

My wife had her last chemo this last Tue and she is doing great! She thought about coming but she is starting her new job on Monday so she will not have any vacation time yet.

Howard I will be tenting it also. I would like to get a SS and LS shirt XL. I will send you the $20 for the camp ground deposit and let me know how much the shirts are so I can send that also.

[Bonz]

It's so good to hear about your wife and that she has the job to look forward to as well! Looking forward to you joining us! I got you down for the two shirts, thanks for letting me know.

[3Phase]

Mmm, yummy! Angry deer means venison and new leathers!


I think I'm going to grab one of the Intex Twin mattresses at Walmart for eight bucks and see how that works out.
Golly, that'll put me up around $35 for new camping gear.


Walmart | Intex Twin 8.75" Classic Downy Inflatable Airbed Mattress
39"L x 75"W x 8.75"H
$7.97


The tent was easy to set up and put back in the bag


It's much easier to carry and stow the tent without the box

[BA80]

That looks exactly like what I have Scott and it works great for one (normal size) person. I also have a twin size air mattress that fits perfectly against the back wall and I use the space in front of the door for the "porch" to catch all that gets dragged in from outside.

Walmart also has a compact sleeping bag that's good down to 40º that I use.

All of that fits into my backpack that slips over the backrest of the seat, that everyone gives me a hard time about, with a little room left over. It all stays packed and just gets loaded whenever a long trip comes along.

Here's a pic of it loaded up (in southern Utah).

[Bonz]

I rode the 2014 Colorado rally on the SG and put everything in my backpack as well. It made a great back rest. Absolutely nothing wrong with doing it that way!

[3Phase]

That looks exactly like what I have Scott and it works great for one (normal size) person. I also have a twin size air mattress that fits perfectly against the back wall and I use the space in front of the door for the "porch" to catch all that gets dragged in from outside.

Walmart also has a compact sleeping bag that's good down to 40º that I use.

All of that fits into my backpack that slips over the backrest of the seat, that everyone gives me a hard time about, with a little room left over. It all stays packed and just gets loaded whenever a long trip comes along.

Here's a pic of it loaded up (in southern Utah).

I like it.

The new tent works good and packs small, I should find a new backpack while I'm picking up an air mattress.
My large camping and hiking pack with a magnesium frame disappeared and I don't know where it went.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to load the XJ11 like my '80G but I need to think about it now and try a few different things before July.

When I first brought a tent on my '80G, it went against the backrest on the luggage rack and on top of my ALICE pack with the foam sleeping mat rolled around it.

Cali-Rally 2009 Santa Margarita Lake




That worked great but for my next trip I dug out my duffle bag, stuffed my old Army mummy bag in a stuff sack, then the tent and the bag went in my duffle so I'd have a backrest.
My foam sleeping mat is spiral-rolled inside the duffle with the sleeping bag and tent in the center to help support the duffle bag. Other things like my spare helmet, laundry bag, whatever, go in the upper half of the duffle but it's awkward.

Columbo at Larry's old place in the marina in northern Washington after 300 miles in the rain.
710 / OIL cap Larry


Yes, I know I'm procrastinating. I need to get started on pulling the XJ's front end and adding the oil gauge and idiot light.

I don't have a luggage rack on the XJ and when I bought the X-1 fairing I passed on the opportunity to buy a set of red OEM Yamaha saddlebags minus the top box.
The bags came off a Virago 750 and the seller said he's going to list them on eBay but I haven't seen them yet.

[Bonz]

Nice looking bags! That Virago is a pretty sweet looking bike in and of itself.