At Rider, we’ll take any excuse we can get to take some bikes on a camping trip. So we gave ourselves personal “camping challenges” and set out on three adventure-sport tourers, going from 8,000 feet the first night to sea level (well, just above it) the second night. Photos by Kevin Wing.
There are few things more therapeutic to me than packing some camping gear onto a motorcycle, pointing the front wheel away from civilization and hitting the road. The destination is usually secondary; it?s all about the ride, the solitude, the starry sky and crackling campfire. Also, it?s a cheap way to travel, and I?ll be the first to admit I?m cheap. Well, ?frugal? sounds a little nicer.
Thankfully, I fit right in here at Rider, where we try to work an overnight camping trip into several of our comparison tests or bike reviews each year. The powers-that-be appreciate our cheapness?er, frugality?and we get some two-wheeled therapy sessions away from the bustle of the L.A. area. Every few years, we up the ante a bit and do one of our camping trips ?challenge style?; the last one was way back in 2012, so we figured we?re due. This time, we worked it into our adventure-sport touring bike comparison (you can read it here), and each of us took on a personal challenge that reflects our unique approaches to moto-camping. Meal time was fun, with Greg’s no muss, no fuss backpacker meals and Mark and Jenny jostling for table space to prepare their food.
Personal challenges...