[Fafnir]

One of the reasons I wanted the GL650 was for travel. I looked at several other Honda mid-sized bikes and few were an improvement on my GL500. I realized, all I really wanted for my 245lbs and a bike full of camping gear was a few more ponies and torque and lower revs at speed. So the GL650 seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

One of the reasons for travel is to visit my daughter in Grayling, Michigan. Her husband is in hospice and may not be with us much longer. I would normally stay at motels I find on AARP/Expedia. But with the Pandemic going on, camping might be the best way not to sleep in other people's Cooties.

I'm wondering what other people do for camping. I shared my roll-top bags. I have sleeping bags and need to dig up my MSR camp stove. My tent is a four person tent (to hold me & Jean and the dog) and last trip we used a queen sized inflatable mattress. Both too big for motorcycle camping. At first, I was looking at some Cot Tents that stored as small as a tent. Hardest part of camping for me is sleeping the hard ground. But I came across this unusual Hammock and ordered it with a fly and inflatable pad. Found it with a fly for $69.00.(Elsewhere is is more like a couple hundred):

Draumr-Flat Sleep Hammock Tent With Bug Net And Suspension Kit


It needs a longitudinally constructed inflatable cushion, the best one cost twice as much as the Hammock and fly:

Exped SynMat XP 9 M

Here is a review:

 

[Fafnir]

Another issue for travel during Covid-19:

Water So I ordered this 2 liter water hydration pak:

I got it at Walmart for $16.00, but they are out of them now. I ordered a swivel mouthpiece, because the straight mouthpiece doesn't work with my full helmet. It has pockets to carry small essentials.

Zefal Two Liter Hydration Backpack with Tablet Storage - 2 Colors

 

[Fafnir]

The Hammock is rated to 400 pounds so it should be able to hold me and my 90 pound dog. The dog in this photo looks like my Akita! I wonder if I could teach her to get in it? Probably not enough room for both of us to sleep. See the photo of me and Momo to compare.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

That looks like it could be good as long as the weather isn't terribly bad.

But you know you really need a sidecar I can manage sleeping on the ground for a night but Kay cannot so on the increasingly rare occasions when we go camping on the bike we pack a pair of twin size air mattresses, cooler, folding chairs, sleeping bags &c in the back of the sidecar, her stuff in the topbox that clips to the back of the sidecar, my stuff & the general stuff (1 burner camp stove, lights &c) in the GoldWing's trunk and the tent bungeed across the back seat (not sure how many it is rated for but there's a couple of feet between the mattresses and room for the topboxes at our feet and space at the other end).

 

[Fafnir]

That looks like it could be good as long as the weather isn't terribly bad.

I avoid bad weather camping when possible. The review video I shared included sleeping in the hammock during some wind and rain.

But you know you really need a sidecar

I am keeping my eyes open! But my luggage is capable of holding 140 liters and I don 't imagine I will fill them, unless I am out for over a week.

I can manage sleeping on the ground for a night but Kay cannot so on the increasingly rare occasions when we go camping on the bike we pack a pair of twin size air mattresses

This is a pretty good hybrid mattress with both air and insulation and comes with a compact pump that can be used as a case. It actually fits into a pouch in the Hammock so it doesn't move around:

• Warm and comfortable microfiber insulation; Convenient inflation and deflation valves; Rated to -13 F with an R-Value of 6.0
• Stable baffle construction with top and bottom laminated insulation
• Weight: 28.9 oz; Packed size: 9.4 x 6.7 in; Dimensions: 72.0 x 20.5 x 3.5 in
  
  
  
  
  And I do have a queen air mattress I'd rather not carry.
  
  I was also looking at these Tent Cots, but they pack larger than the Hammock tent and not good if it is muddy or the ground is problematic. I am guessing the Hammock will be a conversation piece at camping spots.
  

  , cooler, folding chairs

The Hammock can double for a chair, but I will be looking for a sturdy, compact folding camp chair too. Maybe a tiny table unless I bring a cooler.

I'll also bring my CPAP and light lithium battery pack to run it. I can charge it while I ride. My battery will run the CPAP on 12v with the adaptor for 6 days if I don't use the humidifier. It is the one on the left. The Stanley with air pump can run it too but is too heavy for camping.

This litium jump battery is always in the tool kit but could run the CPAP for a day or two. Both are also USB chargers:

 

[Sidecar Bob]

There always seem to be squadrons of mosquitoes wherever I end up camping. How enclosed is that hammock when the fly is on it?

That air mattress looks perfect for the hammock but for tenting the extra height of the full sized air mattress makes it a lot easier to get in & out of bed, especially if you have arthritis...

 

[Fafnir]

There always seem to be squadrons of mosquitoes wherever I end up camping. How enclosed is that hammock when the fly is on it?

That air mattress looks perfect for the hammock but for tenting the extra height of the full sized air mattress makes it a lot easier to get in & out of bed, especially if you have arthritis...

I'll know when I get it, but the net looks pretty tight. It zipps completely around the opening. You can adjust how far away the fly is. It isn't integrated. Mine is 10x10

Yeah. We replaced our mattress with a modern multilayer futon. It was the only way we could get a queen sized mattress upstairs to the bedroom. It was too hard until we put a foam pad on it. I did a cartoon fall (flipping backwards, feet in the air, knocked out) walking the dog my first winter back from Japan. It snowed,thawed and snowed making glare ice under a dusting of snow. My dog brought me to by licking my face. Wacked my left hip joint bad and was really bad at first. Much better now during the day, but I have to move at night when it aches. It was one reason we got the inflatable mattress for camping.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Ouch!!!
I used to have a wooden ramp that stayed at the door of the garden shed except when I needed it for putting one of the bikes into or out of the other shed. A couple of times over the years I had to go into the garden shed in the late fall, slipped and fell backward. I was alone both times so I'm not sure if I was knocked out but both times I didn't get up right away and was woozy for a while after.
When we replaced the bike shed's raised wooden floor with a concrete pad at grade I used some of the dirt I dug out to make an earthen ramp for the garden shed...

BTW, as I understand it, the problem isn't usually getting the queen mattress upstairs (they bend) but getting the rigid box spring up. I've heard of 2 ways to have a queen bed when the stairs are too narrow, buy 2 twin box springs, and attach them with pieces of wood (this is actually a bit undersize but better than nothing) and this

 

[TheValk]

One thing to watch out for with a hammock tent is state parks in MN. I don't know about other states, but I've been chastised for hanging a hammock on a couple of trees before. Granted, it was one particular park and one particularly cranky ranger.

 

[TheValk]

Also not every site I've been to has trees close enough for a hammock.

 

[Fafnir]

I'm not sure if I was knocked out but both times I didn't get up right away and was woozy for a while after.

It is important not to sleep or nap after head trama. A friend of mine had a tumble down their stairs. Felt fine. Decided to lay down and never woke up. I always do a pupil dilation with a light to help predict a concussion.

I understand it, the problem isn't usually getting the queen mattress upstairs (they bend) but getting the rigid box spring up. I've heard of 2 ways to have a queen bed when the stairs are too narrow, buy 2 twin box springs, and attach them with pieces of wood (this is actually a bit undersize but better than nothing) and this

Yes. It is the box spring. Our futon is actually thicker than a mattress and maybe twice as heavy. It is layered foam an cotton batting. Really hard to flip every 6 months. No box springs. It lays on a wooden slat frame that the mover assembled in the bedroom

We also have a hide-a-bed in one of the extra bedrooms that won't fit through the bedroom doorway from the other spare bedroom. A young potter friend carried it up a ladder over the railing onto the upstairs porch and we brought it in through the exterior doorway.

My first job when I moved to Minneapolis was working with a friend and his "Yellow Rose of Texas" Piano and Furniture company. Moving heavy five pedal up rights up tight staircases, Hardy would sometimes get under the upended piano and act as a Lazy Susan to get it around corners. No mean feat because he was about 6 ft tall and under 150lbs.
Our toughest jobs were moving battered women out of their houses at wee hours while their husbands were away. We were lucky and were never accosted

 

[Fafnir]

One thing to watch out for with a hammock tent is state parks in MN. I don't know about other states, but I've been chastised for hanging a hammock on a couple of trees before. Granted, it was one particular park and one particularly cranky ranger.
Also not every site I've been to has trees close enough for a hammock.

They are becoming more common, so Rangers are probably becoming more familiar. Certainly, you don't want to use trees that could be damaged by the weight. One of the feature of these Norwegian hammocks, is that they even have sleeves where they attach to the tree to protect their bark.

I make it a point to try and travel where there are trees and water. The big advantage of the hammock over a tent is if the ground is rocky or muddy or otherwise not ideal for a tent floor. I think the advantages of this kind of hammock outweigh the disadvantages compared to a tent and unlike traditional hammocks you can lay flat.

I might be able to put an extended strap on my pine tree and the other on our large red oak. If that doesn't work, I will go to the Mississippi Parkway, which is a 15 minute walk from my home, and practice setup there. I'll made a video. You see folks hanging hammocks there all the time. There are many old growth White Oak Trees along the river. I live in what was originally a white oak forest.

 

[Randall-in-Mpls]

BTW, as I understand it, the problem isn't usually getting the queen mattress upstairs (they bend) but getting the rigid box spring up. I've heard of 2 ways to have a queen bed when the stairs are too narrow, buy 2 twin box springs, and attach them with pieces of wood (this is actually a bit undersize but better than nothing) and this

Our king uses a pair of twin box springs. They would be too big for a queen.

Randall

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Yeah, I had it in my mind that a standard double was 2 singles, a queen was a single and a twin and a king was two twins but it has been a while since I thought about that kind of stuff so I googled to make sure and then typed the wrong thing.
Apparently, a queen is 80" long and standard twins & singles are only 75" long so you would have to make sure you got the extra long ones.

Lee: Both times I fell on that ramp I was home alone and none of the neighbours were outside. It didn't seem like I was down for more than a split second but I had no way to tell for sure. It is also possible that my judgment was a bit off afterward.
But as I said, that ramp is long gone so it won't happen again.

Re hide a bed: When we moved out of our house in the city we had to leave one behind because it was in the rec room when I moved some walls around and the new hallway was less than an inch too narrow for it to get out.

Re moving upright pianos: When we were young we were involved in a youth singing group (Kay sang, I was sound crew) that toured churches in the area. They always made sure a piano was available but one time we got there to perform at a Saturday dinner and found out that the piano was upstairs and they would be singing downstairs. And the person who had let us in to set up wasn't able enough to help move it. Carrying that thing down to the basement was a lot easier than taking it back up to the sanctuary afterward...

 

[Fafnir]

My first try at buying the Hammock Tent ended up bait and switch from China. But I was able to purchase one from a business seller on Ebay who was in Japan. Because they are not mailing packages to the USA from Japan, it came FedEX and arrived in just two days! I bought a 12' by 12' fly tarp from another seller there. Hope to get to the parkway on Saturday and set it up. I'll take photos when I do.
Hammock, Tarp and Fiber insulated sleeping pad.

Also got a 3liter bladder for a like new Camelback a neighbor gave me.
Chatting with motorcycle campers in a forum on Facebook, they like to bring along a small tent for storing gear in and on the occasion when there are no trees. Everyone that has a hammock would rather sleep in one, especially folks who own an Amok.

Anyone have recommendations for a small two person tent?

 

[Fafnir]

After watching a bunch of reviews, went with this
Bessport 2+ Person Backpacking Tent. Highly rated, roomy, easy to set up, two doors and vestibules and good in the rain and wind. Under $100.00 ($89.00) Free delivery & free returns. Packs larger than the hammock (poles can go outside of luggage). Will use for camping storage and when trees are not available.

 

[Fafnir]

I decided not to send the small hammock back. Postage would have cost half the price of the hammock.
I could use it as storage under the Amok, if I know there are suitable trees.

 

[TonyG]

They make split queen and split full box springs and foundations. All king foundations are split.

 

[Fafnir]

They make split queen and split full box springs and foundations. All king foundations are split.

Our Queen sized futon is a modern multi-layered one of wood batting, foam and kapok. It didn't require a box spring, but only a frame that was assembled by the deliverer in the room. He also carried the futon rolled up on his shoulder by himself. We also have a memory foam pad on top of the futon. It is working well.

 

[Fafnir]

With my 2 x 40 liter roll-top dry saddled bags and my 60 liter roll-top duffle, I think I have more capacity that I will ever use unless I do multi-week travel. Good thing about them is that I can roll down any volume I don't need.
I won't be able to get out this season unless weather is "3 Season" in November, after elections. Maybe I can go to a closer State Park just for a shake down run with the gear and setting up the Amok hammock. Next week, I want to go to the Mississippi River Parkway near my house where folks often set up hammocks for the day, just to learn how to set up the Amok. I picked up webbing for the smaller "storage" hammock that will go under the larger Amok.