Camp touring. Need suggestions.

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skiri251

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Torrance, CA
My WackyWing camping modification is complete.

So I am thinking about a touring route. This is going to be two-up with my son so it has to be either during Spring break (the last week of March, 2018) or early Summer recess (the second week of June, 2018 to avoid general Summer vacation season.) It's going to be 9~10 days.

I read about US-395 on AMA magagine. It's from Hesperia CA all the way to Canadian border but maybe too long for 10 day trip.

So I looked at Google map and picked the following route w/o much thinking.

overview.jpg


https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hesperi ... 00!1m0!3e0

total distance of 1961 miles.

I have no idea what the weather will be, where to camp, or what to see.
Do you have any suggestions?
Will there be a high possiblity of rain?
How cold/hot will it be?

The primary purpose is to ride US-395 but the rest is totally open (maybe US-395 is not that important either..)
 
You can try freecampsites.net , there are other websites and apps.
https://freecampsites.net/

By the way you may hear the term dispersed camping allowed, the phrase is used on BLM land and to my best recollection it means you can camp anywhere for a set amount of days (thinking 4) and you have to camp so many feet off the road but best to check on that, fuzzy memory and maybe different in different state and federal parks.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194398#p194398:qt5nik84 said:
zman » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:36 am[/url]":qt5nik84]
You can try freecampsites.net , there are other websites and apps.
https://freecampsites.net/

By the way you may hear the term dispersed camping allowed, the phrase is used on BLM land and to my best recollection it means you can camp anywhere for a set amount of days (thinking 4) and you have to camp so many feet off the road but best to check on that, fuzzy memory and maybe different in different state and federal parks.

Thanks.
Wow! That is a nice site. I didn't know. Free and quiet, just what I want.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194402#p194402:1d7ekzwy said:
desertrefugee » Mon Aug 07, 2017 11:39 am[/url]":1d7ekzwy]
I thought the BLM limit was "14" days, but I could be wrong. No matter - who the heck stays in one place for even "4" days anyway?
Yes that does sound about right, just add a "1" to the left of 4 :mrgreen:
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194402#p194402:34sh5r0d said:
desertrefugee » Mon Aug 07, 2017 11:39 am[/url]":34sh5r0d]
I thought the BLM limit was "14" days, but I could be wrong. No matter - who the heck stays in one place for even "4" days anyway?

Yeah, unless you are retired and wintering somewhere warm on the cheap. LOL
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194400#p194400:4qd3gngd said:
skiri251 » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:58 pm[/url]":4qd3gngd]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194398#p194398:4qd3gngd said:
zman » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:36 am[/url]":4qd3gngd]
You can try freecampsites.net , there are other websites and apps.
https://freecampsites.net/

By the way you may hear the term dispersed camping allowed, the phrase is used on BLM land and to my best recollection it means you can camp anywhere for a set amount of days (thinking 4) and you have to camp so many feet off the road but best to check on that, fuzzy memory and maybe different in different state and federal parks.

Thanks.
Wow! That is a nice site. I didn't know. Free and quiet, just what I want.

My biggest complaint... there are too many Wal-Mart parking lots listed there for truck drivers and RV users and not enough listings for tent campers.
 
Just watch the north Nevada to Vegas run especially if you go in summer as it is a pretty boring long run and hot without ac. We did it in a Dodge Charger in late August and some of the comments were about the lack of trees (shade) and we had great ac and cruise control to make the drive as pleasant as possible.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194407#p194407:imi430fs said:
brianinpa » Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:37 pm[/url]":imi430fs]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194400#p194400:imi430fs said:
skiri251 » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:58 pm[/url]":imi430fs]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194398#p194398:imi430fs said:
zman » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:36 am[/url]":imi430fs]
You can try freecampsites.net , there are other websites and apps.
https://freecampsites.net/

By the way you may hear the term dispersed camping allowed, the phrase is used on BLM land and to my best recollection it means you can camp anywhere for a set amount of days (thinking 4) and you have to camp so many feet off the road but best to check on that, fuzzy memory and maybe different in different state and federal parks.

Thanks.
Wow! That is a nice site. I didn't know. Free and quiet, just what I want.

My biggest complaint... there are too many Wal-Mart parking lots listed there for truck drivers and RV users and not enough listings for tent campers.

Really?!
That's not good.
I quickly searched sites along US-395 but didn't see any WalMart.
But I didn't know that Wal-Mart allows general public to "camp" in their partking lots. So I learned a thing. LOL
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194412#p194412:cxu5jloq said:
Ansimp » Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:04 pm[/url]":cxu5jloq]
Just watch the north Nevada to Vegas run especially if you go in summer as it is a pretty boring long run and hot without ac. We did it in a Dodge Charger in late August and some of the comments were about the lack of trees (shade) and we had great ac and cruise control to make the drive as pleasant as possible.

May be okay in April or early June?
Monotonous scenery will be boring though..
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194417#p194417:9p7nnxyr said:
skiri251 » Mon Aug 07, 2017 8:06 pm[/url]":9p7nnxyr]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194407#p194407:9p7nnxyr said:
brianinpa » Mon Aug 07, 2017 12:37 pm[/url]":9p7nnxyr]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194400#p194400:9p7nnxyr said:
skiri251 » Mon Aug 07, 2017 1:58 pm[/url]":9p7nnxyr]
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194398#p194398:9p7nnxyr said:
zman » Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:36 am[/url]":9p7nnxyr]
You can try freecampsites.net , there are other websites and apps.
https://freecampsites.net/

By the way you may hear the term dispersed camping allowed, the phrase is used on BLM land and to my best recollection it means you can camp anywhere for a set amount of days (thinking 4) and you have to camp so many feet off the road but best to check on that, fuzzy memory and maybe different in different state and federal parks.

Thanks.
Wow! That is a nice site. I didn't know. Free and quiet, just what I want.

My biggest complaint... there are too many Wal-Mart parking lots listed there for truck drivers and RV users and not enough listings for tent campers.

Really?!
That's not good.
I quickly searched sites along US-395 but didn't see any WalMart.
But I didn't know that Wal-Mart allows general public to "camp" in their partking lots. So I learned a thing. LOL

I find it hard to believe that people call "sleeping in a parking lot" camping. :smilie_happy:

There are a lot of legit free campsites on that website, you just have to look for them. I use it a lot.
 
[url=https://forum.classicgoldwings.com/viewtopic.php?p=194422#p194422:3fw9923k said:
brianinpa » Mon Aug 07, 2017 5:22 pm[/url]":3fw9923k]
I find it hard to believe that people call "sleeping in a parking lot" camping. :smilie_happy:

There are a lot of legit free campsites on that website, you just have to look for them. I use it a lot.

It's really an RV thing. Sorta nice if you roll into a small town too late to get into a "campground". There are Walmarts everywhere. When the family was young, I went through a few 5th wheels. Resorted to Walmart a couple of times. Believe it or not, they were a godsend those couple of times. (If you don't count my ex-wife raising heck for being late and in that position).
 
Be a great trip with your son and I'm glad to hear you're up for the task. All too soon and he will want to be on his own.

I have traveled down south but never on US 395. I did hear that US 395 is sometimes closed during the winter months. This may impact the timing of your trip or the route you take.

Cheers
 
I see you're starting in Hesperia. We lived there on Redwood Avenue in the early 80's when I was stationed at George AFB. We drove down from Anchorage pulling a popup camper and used 395 for some of the trip. With 5 kids and a dog, it was a trip to remember.

1900+ miles seems like a lot of miles to cover in 3 days, especially for 2-up riding. You will be going through some beautiful scenery, but you may not have a lot of time for sight-seeing if you're traveling that hard.

Will you be pulling a trailer with the camping gear?

Carry extra gas! It can be a long time between stations out there.
 
I think he said 10 days, Purple. That would be plenty of time to "smell the roses". When I do my long trips, I make no plans and have no itinerary. Zero. I have a destination. Stops along the way and length of stay at those stops depends on which way the winds blow. I have found that a couple of weeks with that mentality can do wonders for erasing all the BS that builds up from the "rest of the time".

A bedroll on the back takes the worry out of where you'll stay for the night.

...unless it rains.
 
I would love to run CA 395. Need to get it on my bucket list.

On fuel range: With some caution, I think the Goldwing range will, for the most part, help avoid any undue drama with fuel concerns. But,
it's never a bad idea to have extra fuel out west, even though the 'wing is pretty long legged.

My Valkyrie, on the other hand, has given me a few pucker memories. Not as much any more:

IMG_5214.JPG
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194442#p194442:iv5iwwgq said:
PurpleGL1200I » Tue Aug 08, 2017 5:08 am[/url]":iv5iwwgq]
I see you're starting in Hesperia. We lived there on Redwood Avenue in the early 80's when I was stationed at George AFB. We drove down from Anchorage pulling a popup camper and used 395 for some of the trip. With 5 kids and a dog, it was a trip to remember.

1900+ miles seems like a lot of miles to cover in 3 days, especially for 2-up riding. You will be going through some beautiful scenery, but you may not have a lot of time for sight-seeing if you're traveling that hard.

Will you be pulling a trailer with the camping gear?

Carry extra gas! It can be a long time between stations out there.

Well I live in south bay so 2hour ride to Hesperia but that's where the real touring starts.
Wow Anchorage to Hesperia!
I want to do Alaska touring someday. (Can't do it unless I retire.)

No trailer. My WackyWing has 20 gallon trunk, two cooler boxes, and GL1500 hardbags for the camping gear.

And yes, 1900 miles in 10 days.

The extra gas. Got it.
 
[url=https://classicgoldwings.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=194447#p194447:3jexph2a said:
desertrefugee » Tue Aug 08, 2017 7:16 am[/url]":3jexph2a]
I think he said 10 days, Purple. That would be plenty of time to "smell the roses". When I do my long trips, I make no plans and have no itinerary. Zero. I have a destination. Stops along the way and length of stay at those stops depends on which way the winds blow. I have found that a couple of weeks with that mentality can do wonders for erasing all the BS that builds up from the "rest of the time".

A bedroll on the back takes the worry out of where you'll stay for the night.

...unless it rains.

Ideally yes, but unless I retire I can afford meager two week vacation at most.

As for the rain, I am hoping it will be dry considering the area and the season..
 
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