Getting Ready For A Camping Trip

It's camping weather!  Sometimes going to a motorcycle rally means we're going camping. Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville, Arkansas is next weekend and it's too far for us to be just a day trip.  I'm excited about spending time with good friends and some of my sisters that I haven't seen in what seems like forever. And thank goodness it's not going to feel like I'm sleeping in an oven!  Another ol' lady and I were trying to figure out how we could strap an a/c unit onto the back of my bike, but quickly we figured out that even if we could, there wasn't going to be anywhere to plug it in.  

Like it or not if you're going to be around bikers, at some point they are going to go camping. You might as well like it. If you don't and you're going to gripe about it, then you might as well plan on being left at home. Of course, some men will make an exception, but don't expect the other ol' ladies to sit around and sympathize with you. My parents used to take us camping at a state park or a KOA campground. Little did they know they were preparing me for my future. Through the course of my life I've had experiences that have now prepared me for anything from dining with the rich and famous to primitive camping with a bunch of bikers.  

Even if you don't like to camp, if you go to a rally you'll probably get to a point where a rock for a pillow looks good so you can lay down and rest your eyes just for a minute.  So you don't have to go to a rally and dread the whole time about sleeping in a tent.  Have fun and enjoy yourself, because when it comes time to get in the tent it won't matter that it's not a four star hotel.

How much room you have to pack will determine what you can and can't bring with you.  Nobody cares if you're wearing the same thing you wore the day before. Unless you were wearing it the day before that, then they might.  Not because it's a fashion faux pas, but because you probably are starting to stink. We're just going on an overnight trip and will have a chase vehicle so I'll take an extra set of clothes. If we didn't have the extra room I would just take an extra shirt, panties and socks. Most anything can be wiped off a pair of jeans and stains just add character. A spritz of body spray will freshen them up if you have to wear them two days in a row.

You can leave your makeup at home.  There probably won't be anywhere to wash your face and if you wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner it's going to last two days anyway. Do what makes you happy, but I've found it's less stressful giving up a little vanity so I don't have to worry about how my makeup looks. With nowhere to wash up, bringing baby wipes along isn't a bad idea. On other camping trips, we've taken toothbrushes and toothpaste and used bottled water to brush our teeth.  I'm thinking about trying the Colgate Wisp.  My idea of packing is the less, the better. If I'm not wearing it, then it needs to fit in a small bag.

Other essentials would be your keys and your drivers license.  Yes, I've been known to forget these. Fortunately, my husband always carries his house key, but it's just better for me to carry a set to because you never know.  I did forget my drivers license (for the last time) and had to be sneaked in a club. That isn't any fun when there's no one there you know and your ol' man isn't in the door yet. Things can still work out when you forget to bring stuff, but it's just easier on everybody's nerves when you remember the important things like your i.d.

So here's the list of what I'll be packing:

Tent (we have a small 2 person tent that will fit on the back of the bike, but we'll be taking a bigger one this time)
Sleeping bags (notice that is plural, without the chase vehicle we'd be taking one or none)
Pillows (this is another convenience, otherwise I'd be rolling up my jacket)
Change of clothes for me and my ol' man
Travel size body spray
Deodorant (mine and his)
Baby Wipes
Colgate Wisps
Camera (fits in my vest pocket)
Cell phone (fully charged, my battery will usually last two full days and fits in the other vest pocket)
Flashlight (always a good idea to have camping or not)
Keys
Drivers license
Cigarettes
Lighter
ATM card
Cash

I'm sure there are a ton of things I could bring in case something happens, but I've found it's easier to stop at a store and buy "in case" stuff if you need it. It beats having to find places to stash it and then end up not using it.  If you can think of anything I forgot, let me know!