Modern Vespa

I want to stop and camp on my way to L.A. from S.F. any suggestions

Don't economize on: tent, sleeping bag or sleeping pad.

Wear a big feather boa and jump up and down yelling, "I'm fabulous!"

I did a 3 day camping rally last year I rode too. I packed everything on the scooter and myself. I used the underseat compartment and the topcase as well as the space behind my seat with a bungeenet holding everything down. I also used a large Timbuk2 messanger bag. Sleeping bag, Thermarest pad and tent were largest items. Used a compession sack for sleeping bag and stored it under seat. Pad and tent behind me on seat.

No problems at all. My only advice is to pack behind you wisely, because you'll need to release these items to open the seat for fueling.

Have fun.

Done a lot of camping but never tried this!

Mike Holland (I think, might be another Mike) has a cool tent container he fabricated for his GT. I dig it. Camping along the way from LA to SF and back, you'd basically only need to pull over one night based on my experience. And if you were feelign insane, you might be able to do the whole ride in one day.

Really insane tho. That's an assload of miles for one day.

I LOVE IT!!!!

highly recommend a thermarest pad. it's small and compact, but very comfortable. i used one for the first time this weekend camping instead of my nice cushy bulky airmattress and i love it. some camping places let you rent them too to try them out.

oh yeah one more suggestion: space bags! i bought travel ones that you squeeze the air out of and i was able to pack a sh!tload of stuff in my dufflebag that i attached to the back of my et4's seat. keeps things waterproof too.

Highway 25 between Hollister and SLO (or there abouts). Watch out for turtles on the road and sport bike guys in the ditch.

I recommend REI (online or at a location), great outdoor store, especially for any camping gear needed. I would use back packing gear (tent, sleeping bag, pad) as they are compact and light weight, perfect for taking on a scooter. I have a nice two person REI half-dome tent for back packing that is great. But if you already have gear then make it work if you can.

To pack light for camping, get a hammock tent.

http://www.hennessyhammock.com/

no need for sleeping pads, tent poles, ground sheets, etc.

Those a pretty sweet, I almost bought one a few years ago.

It's really comfortable for sleeping. It's a bit difficult to get in and out of quickly if you have to chase raccoons or escape bugs. And if you are modest you have to find somewhere to change clothes if you are in a populated campground.

The strangest thing is hearing the little night critters actually running around under where you're sleeping!

Nukie, that's Campy not Camping, you should know better.

I also reccomend REI. They have a self inflating air mattress, I think a 2 incher, that rolls up tighter than a Thermarest pad and is way more comfy. I have one of each.

Put snake powder around your tent, and ladies nylons over your empty boots so the scorpions dont get in overnight.
Back to a rocK and shotgun facing outwards, no lights after dark.
Oh to heck with it, go to a motel and be comfortable, or go somewhere safe like NZ.
Just enjoy your holiday thats the main thing.

I highly recommend a bed and breakfast establishment

jacqui

And you just HAPPEN to have these to hand,eh Old Mod???

i checked out their website, which one is it that you have?

thanks!

http://www.rei.com/Search.do?origin=camping&cm_re=toc*toc*sleeping_pads&query=pad&vcat=REI_SSHP_CAMPING_TOC&cat=4500449&hist=cat%2C4500026%5Eorigin%2Ccamping%5Ecm_re%2Ctoc*toc*sleeping_pads%5Equery%2Cpad%5Estart%5Ecat%2C4500449%3ASelf-Inflating+Foam+Pads

Go to Wal-Mart - they have everything you will need in the Sporting Goods Department. Buy the "least expensive": self-supporting two-man tent, a sleeping bag that fits you and an air mattress. My guess, all for under $100.00. Stop at the Wal-Mart closest to where you will be stopping to spending the night and ask the Manager to camp in their parking lot. This is of course free. With the self supporting tent, you will not need to drive in stakes, just use your belongings scattered in the four corners to hold the tent down. DO NOT pull the tent once it is up as this will fray or tear the corners. 28,000 + mile of diving and camping from a 2004 Vespa GT200 - NO PROBLEM. When you need to, or choose to, grab a shower at a National Park or when in Canada or Alaska, at the Laundromats that offer showers while you run your laundry. The ride from SF to LA should be a piece of cake! Don't worry - be happy - just do it!

Best regards,

Mike Lynch

My brother in law has a site called www.SteepPlanet.com they ship for free if you order over $50 worth of gear. He has a ton of stuff for camping, skiing, hiking, etc...

any advice on camping. but with a passenger on the back? i have a topcase. and my tent weighs about 10kg

Another great camping gear site (kind of like our friends at newenough-i.e last years gear -brand new -at deep discounts) : www.campmor.com
Great stuff-DIRT CHEAP!

get a different tent!!!

several of our club, myself included, use these, they pack away tiny weigh next to nothing and are hard to beat for waterproofness:-

and it's bloody cheap on this site!!!! i paid £100 for mine!!!!

goose down sleeping bags also pack down really small (like to the size of a couple of tins of beans!!) warm too, but expensive...

down bag

Update on extra fuel tank.
Stories of the trips please.
And Scoot , ladies nylons make emergency fan belt repairs too.
Old Mod

I agree, too heavy. I have a two person backpacking tent that doesn't weigh anywhere near that much. This is the newest version of it (mine is 4 years old):
http://www.rei.com/product/728308

Thats just an example though, lots of great tents out there, and great suggestions here so far.

ROFL Nukie, some of the things you write leave me grinning every time I think of them.

Peace and happiness to you my purple sparkly MV brotha

Rb

I stopped by REI last night after Evil Bastards Knighting and bought 2 light weight sleeping bags (good down to 30 deg, 2 thermal matresses and a lightweight tent. I bassicall went in and told the guy that I want gear for 2 to camp and that we won't be in below freezing temp and that it needs to be compact to fit on my scooter.

$774 later I'm on my way home. Did you know that they make male and female sleeping bags? All that I had before were unisex.

i suppose it is a 4 person tent!!