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Motorcycle Travel Lodging (Hotels / Camping / Friends Other)

What is your prefered method of overnight accomodations while on a M/C trip?

  • Hotel / Motel

    Votes: 37 72.5%

  • Camping

    Votes: 12 23.5%

  • Stay with a friend / family

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 2 3.9%
  • Total voters
    51
MizzouMike

MizzouMike

Rain Magnet
Guest
I was trying to set up a trip with an old friend and his buddy.  I was talking about camping, and he indicated that his camping days were behind him.  I found that odd, but to each his own.

I guess I am wondering how this bunch feels about it.

I personally prefer to camp (mostly because it is cheap) and because I have all the gear (camp with my sons in Boy Scouts).

Now on a M/C trip, I do have a "don't set up the tent in the rain" policy where I will get a hotel room.  And I try and stay at a campground with a toilet & shower at least every other night....  If it is a longer trip, I will try and find a camp ground with laundry facilities about 3/4 of the way into the trip (about the time I run out of underwear).


What say the masses?
 
I have not answered because I still do all of those things depending on what I want or need.  I like camping but also like rooms when the day of riding already has my wore down.  Staying with a friend is always nice. 
 
Considering the size of my clothes, and how much I have to carry just for a weekend rally...I don't think I could pack to camp. I don't have the room for a tent and gear, even with the big duffel I carry on the rallies.
 
I use to love to camp. Then after enough times of riding all day in the rain to get where I was going. Followed by setting up camp in the rain. Followed by spending the night in the tent cold and damp from the rest of the day. I found a few times like that kind of ruined the fun of camping on the bike.
So now I ride in the rain (or hopefully dry). Pull into the motel at the end of the day. Have a hot shower and or sometimes a pool, if needed. A/C and heat, TV, telephone, Internet, sometimes even a fridge. I normally try to stay within walking distance to a restaurant or such. And best of all, a big cushy bed!. So I now let Motel 6 leave the light on for me!  :))
 
I camp sometimes (also have a "don't put up tent in the rain" policy), use motels occasionally but my preference is to use the Motorcycle Travel Network (http://motorcycle-travel.net/).  This is a network of motorcyclists who agree to provide B&B facilities to other members.  Cost is $15/night for a single, $20/night for a couple so it's COGger frugal.  Check them out. 
 
I love to camp on the bike. The problem is, campgrounds mostly cater to the RV crowd and charge accordingly. If I have the time to do it, I will still seek out reasonable camp spots with minimal RV/Poodle/Kid counts, but if I am trying to make time, a $50 motel is the better alternative.
 
I agree that they are definitly geared to the RV bunch.  Nothing more disrupting than an RV generator kicking on in the middle of the night, to fire up their A/C or sattelite TV or whatever.

However, when traveling in a group, I have found that some campsites will allow mutliple motorcycles into on RV spot.  This helps to reduce the cost.  Also sometimes the spots are paved, it does make for nice parking, and I do like having access to power to charge the cell phone/iPod/etc...

 
I adore camping and have found that the national and state parks are the best. Most have separate areas for tents. I haven't had to set up in the rain but would likely opt for a motel in that case. I don't have any problem packing wet.
 
Cap'n Bob said:
I use to love to camp. Then after enough times of riding all day in the rain to get where I was going. Followed by setting up camp in the rain. Followed by spending the night in the tent cold and damp from the rest of the day. I found a few times like that kind of ruined the fun of camping on the bike.
So now I ride in the rain (or hopefully dry). Pull into the motel at the end of the day. Have a hot shower and or sometimes a pool, if needed. A/C and heat, TV, telephone, Internet, sometimes even a fridge. I normally try to stay within walking distance to a restaurant or such. And best of all, a big cushy bed!. So I now let Motel 6 leave the light on for me!  :))
Click to expand...

:iagree:

As I get older and my military days get further and further behind me, the less I like to go without the creature comforts.  ;)
 
If you want additional data for the poll...    Of the 300 adults Mount Snow has assigned to lodging in the 2011 National block, only 6 are on-site campers.

 
S Smith said:
If you want additional data for the poll...    Of the 300 adults Mount Snow has assigned to lodging in the 2011 National block, only 6 are on-site campers.
Click to expand...

to be fair, there were about 25+  campers (including myself and a buddy) in Tomah last year (my first COG rally), and I heard that some past years had even more.  Although I am not able to make it this year, there does not appear to be a formal 'campsite' of the rally, but rather a camping area on the property.  Also, I looked at the  rooms at the Mt. Snow Lodge, and they do look VERY nice.

If I was going this year, it looks like a good deal on rooms, so I may elect comfort over price.  Also if you guys hold the rally someplace HOT next year, I will most likey take A/C.
 
This year I camped locally at a two night rally for a handful of bikers, early spring (I think it was March or April), food provided, outhouse, no showers, it rained all day the 2nd day but we had cover.  I camped locally at a one night rally in May, had showers, food provided, brief rain on last day.  I went to the BMW RA rally for two days intending to camp both days but HOT & HUMID & Weather Watch drove 3 of us into a Holiday Inn the 2nd night.  On the way back, 3 days, I kinda planned on camping at least one night but never quite got around to it.  Camped Sat night in Hancock NY, food provided, no showers, no rain.  I had a ball at all of these but will hotel it at any 'official' rallys in the future.

I've come to the conclusion that 1 night or 2 day rides are campable regardless of amenities as long as the weather is acceptable.  I will camp for more than one night, even in the rain without showers,  if most everyone else in the group is.  This is usually gonna be one of the first or last group rallies of the year when only idiots dare to tread.  The term 'group rally' is used loosely here, probably better described as a bunch of guys (and some gals) who like to get together and drink the night away (if you've got enough beer, you don't need much food) over a campfire and will ride a couple hundred miles to do so.

The downside of camping is getting up at night to take a leak (even with a Tide bottle) and getting your cloths on in a prone position in the motorcycle packable tent.  And my experince is that the tent always gets put up wet and needs to be dried out once you get back home.  And no A/C.  The upside of camping is that you're not gonna be swapping great stories and passing a bottle around a camp fire while you're watching TV in the hotel room

So my choice depends on why I'm on the trip, where I'm going, who I'm with or meeting up with, and the weather (and disposable income).  I try to pick accordingly. ;D
 
I think it's funny that the frugal connie riders prefer to sleep indoors. I went to a BMW rally a few weeks ago.....not a frugal group.....and they all love to camp. Wassup with that :-[

I do think the comraderie flows better with more campers. Whatever, I do both depending on the situation.
 
2Fast said:
I love to camp on the bike. The problem is, campgrounds mostly cater to the RV crowd and charge accordingly. If I have the time to do it, I will still seek out reasonable camp spots with minimal RV/Poodle/Kid counts, but if I am trying to make time, a $50 motel is the better alternative.
Click to expand...
This.
 
I like moteling it while riding. I don't have to pack alot on the bike and a relaxing sit in a hot tub at the end of the day is nice.
 
I tend to stay in motels. When my mc does 2- and 3-day rides, we always use motels.

I still have the featherweight sleeping bag and tent that pack down to the size of a carton of cigarettes, but frankly the sleeping bag is too uncomfortable to work into with all my aches and pains. So I purchased a large sleeping back and bigger tent, and now its a pain to pack it on the bike.

If I end up getting a trailer, then I'll probably tent camp more.

I don't mind the KOA Kabins, and will be staying at one overnight on my way to and from Mt. Snow VT because I don't want to ride the whole distance in one day. Well, and because the route I plotted stays on sporting roads a lot, so it adds two hours each way, more or less.
 
How do y'all determine where you are going to camp?  The last time I rode to California with my brother we were going to camp but every place we pulled off was either closed or RV only. 

Looking at the KOA website details of a couple locations they are pretty much RV with very few poorly placed tent spots, and the tent camping is half the cost of a room!?
 
Two words: Stealth Camping.  ;) However, if you have friends stationed all over the country like I do, it makes for much easier accommodations. The RAN list over on ST-owners.com is also very handy in a pinch.
 
I like to stay up the entire time and drink massive amounts of Red Bull & Jolt untill I hallucinate from Sleep Depravation, then I just Crash & Burn!

Just Kidding! Motels are very nice.  :)
 
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