I've been wanting to tent camp from the bike and finally have a night planned. Oct 28 I'll be packing up and heading out to Fairfild Lake SP Site 11. It will be a one nighter. My brother and a friend are going. I'll be coming from the Carlos Tx area so if anyone wants to get another site and join us then come on. We won't be doing any fancy cooking. Probably find a supper in town somewhere and a breakfast too. I don't know if there's much to ride in the area to see but I'll be looking. It would be cool to have a bunch of bikes show up. I'm already looking forward to it. This will be a first timer trip to see how it goes and a pracice for a bigger trip. Fort Davis and Big Bend for sure and maybe Guadalupe river soon as well.
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First tent camping ride is set in stone.
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TheD-Man
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Looking forward to hearing about this when you are done. I am sure it will be a great time. Congrats for getting out there to test the waters! 
I'm hoping there will be more. I think a camp ride to somewhere for a weekend on the Guadalupe river will be on the list soon as well. If anyone want's to join the Fairfiled night, come one. I'll be in site 11 and catching I 45 at Madisonville. Get a site, pack up, and lets meet at he Bucees and roll.
This looks like a good future trip to plan. Waking up to the rustling waters
This looks like a good future trip to plan. Waking up to the rustling waters
I am actually in campsite 24 on Friday Oct. 28, got to be in Houston for a lunch on Saturday. I will be on a white Africa twin
Very cool. Maybe we can meet up and say hey or something I've always thought about if I upgrade maybe picking an Africa twin. Id like to see it. It would be cool to see a dirt road and go. My bike doesn't like dirt and gravel.
I'll be on a 17 yr old Suzuki Cruiser that's paid for but still goes strong.
I'll be on a 17 yr old Suzuki Cruiser that's paid for but still goes strong.
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Short answer; there are some fun country roads in the area, esp east of the interstate.
Ask yourself if you are riding to camp or camping to ride.
If it were me, I'd plan a back roads, leisurely route, taking 3 to 4 hours to reach camp. Stop for lunch at a little restaurant/diner that you find along the way.
You'll still have time to set up camp, then ride into town for dinner. Again, if it were me, I'd bring something for dinner, as usually, once i am set up in camp, i don't want to leave again.
Regardless, have fun and let us know how it goes!
Just stay on old 75 all the way to Fairfield from madisonville . Much more enjoyable than 45 unless your in a hurry ,
Ask yourself if you are riding to camp or camping to ride
Both. I'm not planning to pack any dinners this trip. Plenty of stuff close by. Riding up 75 just may be a good idea. I'll be looking onto places to ride while we're there.
The main goal of this trip is to get one under my belt. I'm a list maker so I'll make up a loading list as it gets closer, so next time I can use it to prepare. I cam always modify the list.
This is exactly what I'm thinking ===>If it were me, I'd plan a back roads, leisurely route, taking 3 to 4 hours to reach camp. Stop for lunch at a little restaurant/diner that you find along the way.
In the future I'll be exploring what and how to pack for meal prep and storage. One plus is there's always a store with something somewhere. When camping with my rv, a lot of times I'll stop along the way when I'm close for a stretching break to do some supply shopping.
Both. I'm not planning to pack any dinners this trip. Plenty of stuff close by. Riding up 75 just may be a good idea. I'll be looking onto places to ride while we're there.
The main goal of this trip is to get one under my belt. I'm a list maker so I'll make up a loading list as it gets closer, so next time I can use it to prepare. I cam always modify the list.
This is exactly what I'm thinking ===>If it were me, I'd plan a back roads, leisurely route, taking 3 to 4 hours to reach camp. Stop for lunch at a little restaurant/diner that you find along the way.
In the future I'll be exploring what and how to pack for meal prep and storage. One plus is there's always a store with something somewhere. When camping with my rv, a lot of times I'll stop along the way when I'm close for a stretching break to do some supply shopping.
There used to be a cafe at Flynn over on 39 that was good , been a while since I’ve been through there . 39 to Jewett than 79 to 75 is another good route , also used to be good Mexican food in Buffalo on the east side of 75 a couple blocks north of 79 , same thing , it’s been a few years . I really don’t care for sams in Fairfield , not that good of food and really crowded and expensive . And of course steak night at Leona but it’s a really dark ride back to Fairfield lake .
Get that one under your belt and then you can refine your gear and next thing you know you'll be doing something like this.
Fairfield Lake is a good place, I hit up the Texas Hang weekend with MisterK a while back. My son and I also did a weekend there this past spring.
Fairfield Lake is a good place, I hit up the Texas Hang weekend with MisterK a while back. My son and I also did a weekend there this past spring.
Oh its coming
"then ride into town for dinner." whaaaaaattttttttttt LOL
Yep. I like to try new BBQ places so ride for a dinner is on the list of any trip
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If you're used to RV camping, right off the bat I'd say be very critical of what you pack lest you end up with a heavy load and stuff you won't need.
You need less than you think. Small backpack tent or even a bivvy bag type where you're in like a cocoon.
Depending on the area just a tarp with twine and some stakes. May not even need a sleeping bag.
In weather like we're having now where there's cool mornings and hot afternoons I've been known to just use my jacket as a blanket and pack along my pant thermal liners.
If you're not going to cook there's not much else you need aside from maybe flash light, bug spray, change of socks and undies
Backpacking and motorcycle camping are very similar in needs.
You need less than you think. Small backpack tent or even a bivvy bag type where you're in like a cocoon.
Depending on the area just a tarp with twine and some stakes. May not even need a sleeping bag.
In weather like we're having now where there's cool mornings and hot afternoons I've been known to just use my jacket as a blanket and pack along my pant thermal liners.
If you're not going to cook there's not much else you need aside from maybe flash light, bug spray, change of socks and undies
Backpacking and motorcycle camping are very similar in needs.
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Full zippored enclosure even if lightweight style assures decent protection from snakes and bugs which is pretty important to my peace of mind.
A little dust blow makes sealable windows a welcome feature as well. Three season tents work pretty well in TX. 4 season tents always seem too hot for me. I choose from one of two levels of down bags i own when i camp. In TX its almost always the lighter bag. This trip will likely coincide with some cooler weather but not cold. Of course i used to camp a lot in CO, Ut, and MT where weather always tossed something unexpected at you so im always well prepared nowadays. I learned the hard way.
A little dust blow makes sealable windows a welcome feature as well. Three season tents work pretty well in TX. 4 season tents always seem too hot for me. I choose from one of two levels of down bags i own when i camp. In TX its almost always the lighter bag. This trip will likely coincide with some cooler weather but not cold. Of course i used to camp a lot in CO, Ut, and MT where weather always tossed something unexpected at you so im always well prepared nowadays. I learned the hard way.
Tents….blah…blah….blah
Come over to site 24 and you can get a good schoolin on moto camping. Ed and Whispering Dave will be there also.
I think if I were to go back to a hammock I'd need one that works like the ones you see in people's back yards with a frame to keep it spread out a bit. I didn't like the wrapped up feeling as it was too claustrophobic, but it was really comfortable. I'd also need to do something like what I saw with MisterK at the Texas Hang Weekend where the hammock was inside of some full enclosure. I really like having all my stuff in my tent, especially my riding gear so I know there's no critters inside when I suit up. Not so much an issue on the FJR because once the camping gear is out of the bags my riding gear can be stashed, but when riding light on the DRZ that's not going to happen. Of course, my setup described above would probably take up too much space on a small bike too, so I'm probably looking for unobtanium, or very very expensive.
I can't help you with the spreader bar hammock, as I don't like them. I did give that larger gathered end hammocks are more comfortable than smaller ones. They still weigh nothing and take up negligible space. I went from an ENO Doublenest that was ok to a larger Warbonnet Traveller that's much more comfortable.
As for an enclosure, I have a huge bug net I got off Amazon. Totally encloses my hammock and the bottom of it hangs on the ground so you can put your gear in there under you. My concern is just my jacket, boots, helmet, and hydration pack. No fun having speeders or ants in those! A gear hammock is also an excellent option, and one is consider if I did more moto camping. The rest of my gear goes back in the soft bags of the bike for the night.
What's got me curious right now is that Tensa hammock stand. Being able to set up my hammock anywhere would be nice. Thing is, when I'm moto camping I normally go places with plenty of trees!
I might have to look at some of that. If I went back though, the Tensa is a must. Plenty of trees is sometimes easy, but I have plans for desert riding too. Also, the right trees and the right spacing can provide a challenge as well. Camping with MisterK showed me that the ability to set up the hammock wherever you want is a huge advantage and not having to be worrying about if you'll have enough of the right kind of trees spaced right. They are a tad expensive but seem like they will last, pack up small, and make things easier overall. You carry around the ideal hammock setup around with you everywhere you go. I'd definitely be investing in them for sure if I went back that route.
I have had three Tensa I think 4 years, that is probably 200 nights I have used it, very durable.
Hammock camping without a stand can be stressful if you are going somewhere new. I have wild camped in national forests before and had to use the stand.
Get a tensa, go to mosko and order two tent pole bags, strap them on your grab bars. You won’t even know it is there.
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Full disclosure: he owns stock in Tensa
I think I have spent 4x the amount in the tensa at mosko
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Set up of a hammock might be far easier than tents, which would sure help if camping in a different location every day. I gotta look closer at Misterk's rig. That said, for a good night's sleep even in a serious storm, I submit the following tents for your review. The Hilleberg Una (red) and Nammatj 3GT below are both significant overkill for most of what we encounter in TX but very welcome when the need for additional shelter arises up north. I probably have 70 nights or so between two versions I've owned of the larger green one you see, (a Nallo and Nammatj) including 48 on an Alaska trip in the Nallo. It rocked for the wife and I when we got trapped by flooding for three days on the Alcan, and had bears everywhere. I did many nights in the Una single person tent when riding by myself, prior to selling it and getting the Marmot. The Una was just too hot for me in TX, UT and AZ during the TX riding season (after all it is a mountaineering tent).
I now use the Marmot 3 person dome for most everywhere I camp. The Marmot is solid, light, well vented and pretty easy to assemble. After a few days of set up and tear down, my speed gets better, and the only drawback is the number of stakes needed should you get weather (as with any tent), and there's no vestibule area for gear like the Hilleberg. I can get my boots under the rain fly but larger pack bags simply come inside the Marmot. Yeehaw. Its camp season again and I get to discover set up all over again.
I now use the Marmot 3 person dome for most everywhere I camp. The Marmot is solid, light, well vented and pretty easy to assemble. After a few days of set up and tear down, my speed gets better, and the only drawback is the number of stakes needed should you get weather (as with any tent), and there's no vestibule area for gear like the Hilleberg. I can get my boots under the rain fly but larger pack bags simply come inside the Marmot. Yeehaw. Its camp season again and I get to discover set up all over again.
