[Rocketsled]

I'll be doin 1200-1400 miles from Colorado to Deadwood, SD and vicinity.

Any secret 'oughta have' things I should pack, just in case? (I'll have the toolkit, plug repair kit, a half-dozen CO2 cartridges)...I don't think I'll pack a FD, though I've heard folks do that. :histerica

 

[messenger13_ver2]

I'll be doin 1200-1400 miles from Colorado to Deadwood, SD and vicinity.

Any secret 'oughta have' things I should pack, just in case? (I'll have the toolkit, plug repair kit, a half-dozen CO2 cartridges)...I don't think I'll pack a FD, though I've heard folks do that. :histerica

Not a brag, just stating facts. Since a lot of us have ridden 1000+ mile DAYS ... I would say just pack a clean pair of socks/underwear and you should be all set. Enjoy. :bike:

 

[Rocketsled]

Yeah, I'm feeling bad for my compadre, he's riding a sans-windshield 82 Yamaha 750.

 

[DanDiver]

I always carried the tools that came with the bike, towing straps, portable compressor and tire patching kit, a few misc parts to fix the sifter and the small booklet of emergency phone numbers across the US and in 8 years and 50,000 miles NEVER used any of them.

Take a change of cloths, a rain suit, (great to wear on a chilly morning) snacks to eat,a few credit cards and enjoy your trip.

 

[kimokk]

I hope you have a good seat cushion! I've heard the air hawk cushion is pretty good. Are you doing this as part of a saddle sore 1000 or breaking it up over a few days?

 

[smahon]

My most useful onroad supply has always been water. I use a small Chicane tank bag with a 1-1/2 qt Camelbak bladder in it; hose sticks out the back. Cram the bladder full of ice, then water and it lasts most of the day. Also seconds as a small cooler for a couple candy bars.

 

[Rocketsled]

I hope you have a good seat cushion! I've heard the air hawk cushion is pretty good. Are you doing this as part of a saddle sore 1000 or breaking it up over a few days?

it's a little over 400 miles up, two days of buggin' round, and 400 miles back. Denver to Rapid city, Rapid City...eventually...to Spearfish the second day, no real plans for Day 3, then go home on day 4.

 

[hallzee]

a half-dozen CO2 cartridges

Forget the cartridges. Get a small compressor. I speak from wisdom learned the hard way, Grasshopper...

 

[ridinredfox]

"Cotton is rotten". No jeans, cotton T shirts. Only wicking type underclothes, UnderArmor, eg., or the much cheaper stuff at WallyWorld.
+1 on hydration device.

If you like smokey resturants and lots of T shirt shops Deadwood is the place. Before entering town be sure to attach your wallet to your jeans with a chain, remove your helmet and get a tattoo. Went there coming back home from Redmond, what a BUST, couldn't leave fast enough.

Be safe.

 

[rdwalker]

I'll be doin 1200-1400 miles from Colorado to Deadwood, SD and vicinity.
Any secret 'oughta have' things I should pack, just in case? ...

Credit card and a camera.

Just as Harry Martin recommends:

 

[GlennM86]

Anonymous Book
Emergency contact card in your wallet

Don't want to miss Devil's Tower, WY and a restaurant in Hillwood City (?) called Alpine Inn. Be prepared to wait. Only item on the dinner menu is a $10 filet mignon, baked potato, salad wedge. Your only options are Rare, Medium, Medium Well, Well, and whether the dressing is on the side.

Have fun.

 

[PaulStaske]

Having no real plans on part of your trip is the best. Have a great ride

 

[Rocketsled]

Well THAT'S a crappy turn for the worse...My compadré's wife took ill (kidney stones)...looks like I'll be goin' solo. I've added matches, water, a leatherman and might lash the tent to the luggage rack at this rate.

 

[Rocketsled]

"Cotton is rotten". No jeans, cotton T shirts. Only wicking type underclothes, UnderArmor, eg., or the much cheaper stuff at WallyWorld.
+1 on hydration device.

If you like smokey resturants and lots of T shirt shops Deadwood is the place. Before entering town be sure to attach your wallet to your jeans with a chain, remove your helmet and get a tattoo. Went there coming back home from Redmond, what a BUST, couldn't leave fast enough.

Be safe.

Yeah, that's why the lodging is in Spearfish...no casinos and the hotels were 40% cheaper...wonder why? I've got a textile jacket and pants, rain-pants, a liner for the jacket, and whatever I end up wearing underneath will be highly layerable. Sidi boots, leather gloves, and a modular helmet round up the rest of the ATGATT. Weather is supposed to be rainy with highs in the high 50's low 60's.

 

[tvguy]

Deadwood is a very nice place to visit. 400 miles each way??? That's a 3 hour trip on an LT... LOL... Bring water in your tank bag in a camelback.

 

[Rocketsled]

Deadwood is a very nice place to visit. 400 miles each way??? That's a 3 hour trip on an LT... LOL... Bring water in your tank bag in a camelback.

How'r the cops in Nebraska and SD?

 

[tips727]

Well THAT'S a crappy turn for the worse...My compadré's wife took ill (kidney stones)...looks like I'll be goin' solo.

Has your compadre provided you a doctor's excuse? I'm just remembering a big solo ride I took to California a few years ago. Initially there were supposed to be about seven of us going but the other guys began dropping out for various, sometimes questionable reasons before our scheduled departure date. I even hung around for a few extra days waiting for my best riding buddy before he finally said, "Why don't you just go ahead and get started and I'll catch up with you." I did and he didn't. No surprises and no regrets. Biking is really a fairly solo experience anyway. So have a great ride. You will meet some interesting and interested folks on the road.

 

[Rocketsled]

Has your compadre provided you a doctor's excuse? I'm just remembering a big solo ride I took to California a few years ago. Initially there were supposed to be about seven of us going but the other guys began dropping out for various, sometimes questionable reasons before our scheduled departure date. I even hung around for a few extra days waiting for my best riding buddy before he finally said, "Why don't you just go ahead and get started and I'll catch up with you." I did and he didn't. No surprises and no regrets. Biking is really a fairly solo experience anyway. So have a great ride. You will meet some interesting and interested folks on the road.

Yeah, that's what I'm hopin' for. The wife suddenly thinks I'm going to be besieged on all sides by Bears, Meteors and Tax men and that I'll die on the road. I told her it'll be safer than my daily commute to downtown Denver, but you know, it's not really a LOGICAL debate at that point.

 

[BlauBeeMr]

Forget the cartridges. Get a small compressor. I speak from wisdom learned the hard way, Grasshopper...

+1 on Brian's note about the OEM Tool Kit and CO2 cartridges. I didn't use the cartridges on my bike, but we did on another rider's bike who stopped by and asked if his tire "looked flat" on his <400 mile total Suzuki Blvd (it didn't help by having >500lbs between the two on the bike). The tire was, in fact, flat - huge puncture we fixed on the spot with a repair kit. The CO2 cartridges didn't make a dent in filling them up, but I hooked up my "Slime Air Compressor" and we had his tire pumped up in <10 minutes. I have the smallest one that claims to be able to pump up a car tire in <14 minutes and it fits perfectly in my small additional tool kit.

My small additional tool kit (a WalMart purchased small soft case fishing bag = 6"x6"x10" (fully packed) weighs about 6-7 lbs and contains:
- two plastic boxes (came with bag) with dividers
- spare bulbs for all lights
- extra fuzes that match the ones required (hard to find the 4amp ones, so I bought and keep extra on hand)
- hex wrench set with rounded ends on the long side (helps get the touch angles)
- ratchet screwdriver handle with metric torx, hex, sockets, and FT/CT screwdriver bits (I purchased the Husky brand at Lowes or Home Depot)
- 10" Craftsman 3/8" ratchet
- 5, 6, 8, 10, & 12mm wrenches, hex heads, and bolt sockets - the most commonly used for possible problems you might encounter
- 6" socket extension
- 1/4"-3/8" and 3/8"-1/2" socket adapters
- lots of black zip ties
- bike tie down strap connectors (4) to properly tie down the bike with ratchets if it ever needs to be towed.
- electrical tape
- electrical wire connectors and quick splice connectors
- velcro wraps (small roll for multiple uses)

I just finished a 1,700 mile ride the first weekend of May and was fortunate to enjoy the ride and weather the entire time without opening my tool bag for myself! I am a little anal and did carry two torque wrenches in 1/4" and 3/8" sizes in their original plastic cases. Having done this, I realized I don't have all the torque specs with me on the bike. My addition to the bag will be the torque specficiation pages from my Clymer's manual copied and folded for reference if I ever need them. These take up quite a bit of room and I'm seriously considering leaving them next time and relying on my calibrated arm ("gut-n-tight") for road-side use and stopping at the first auto parts store or garage to borrow for any torque requirements.

I'm planning a 6K mile 2.5-3 week ride from Texas to the northern tip of Nova Scotia this summer with my son (who owns a Triumph Tiger 955i) and don't plan to take much more, if anything, than listed above due to space requirements!

Good luch and enjoy the ride! :bmw: