head. Ah...
It's been a good 6 weeks. A great 6 weeks. Upon departure, my only vague destination was the desert in which that gave me direction, head southwest, young fellow.
My funds are scarce, with a freelance gig worth of cash, a somewhat decent tax return, and whats left of a credit card I've been sponging off of, I have something to start with at least. At least.
The steed chosen is of course the one and only bike I've ever had, the oh-so-love-of-my-life, '88 BMW R100 Airhead, starting this leg of our 4th year with 112,157 miles on the clock, my ass with 77,762 saddle miles on the Beemer. Bike has been the best thing materially to be brought (or bought) in my life and at just the right time, hands down.
Approaching this travelistic journey venture, a budget was necessary to get by as cheap as possible. I figured on $50 a day cap ($350 per week) to cover gas, lodging and food. I'm not by any means a picky eater, I can sleep in a ditch and as long as Bike is lubed, has fuel and some air in the tires, this budget has been more than adequate.
I gave myself some loose rules, pre-travel observations if you will, of my once again approaching liberty, I've stuck to them better than I would have imaged, as I've just stumbled across these 'rules' and read them for the first time since scribbled.
- $50 a day expenditure
This sum was figured out as 2 full tanks of fuel (10 gallons/$40), sleep for free and eat next to nothing. $50 has proved to be absolutely, positively, with out question doable. Our national forests offer free dispersed camping on OUR forest roads. Dollar General's are in every respect, everywhere, getting 3 days worth of edibles for around $10. Bike eats better than I do.
- No motels unless necessary.
Ok, so I've done 2 hotels in the last month and a half, not bad if I can say so myself, especially for a grand total of $80. I got one somewhere in NC after a night of rain, sleeping in the tent at the last rest stop on the Blue Ridge, I felt like vegging out and get the gear dried out. The one other hotel was in Laredo TX, having a rear tire switched out the next morning.
- No Anticipation
No worst enemy than the dreaded expectations
- Keep it simple
I've done alright. Bring along only the items necessary to sustain and maintain. I have 1 of each; pants, shorts, sleeveless T, Long sleeve shirt and a pair of long johns. I started with 3 pairs of socks which have all been tossed. After splitting 5 weeks worth of days, the 3 pairs of socks, my feet and boots took to smelling like ammonia, I treated myself to a pack of the cheapest socks I could find.
- Enjoy, ENJOY
I'm not occupied by occupation, considering. What's not to enjoy, regardless what happens.
- Each State requires at least one nights slumber
I have broken this rule as I didn't sleep a night in Georgia. I went through during the afternoon and it was such a good day of ramble that i cruised into Alabama before I knew it.
- Justify, Keep solid documentation
Not bad on this one either. I've kept a journal, a good journal that I'll scribble in a few times a day. Picturewise has been good too, though there is just no substitutions for the real thing that is trying to be captured.
- Pay no more than $10 for pay camping
I've kept this one solid. I've had to pay for tenting on 3 occasions; $10 permit at Big Bend NP, I stayed 3 nights and the $10 permit was good 7 nights camping I think. Guadalupe NP, I paid $8 per night, I stayed 2. And the other at Armistad National Recreation Area, which was $3 or $4. One can literally sleep across this nation legitimately.
- Guerilla Camping, be and remain incognito and leave before sun up
I only had to do this twice so far on this outing. First in NC, I slept on a farm road running through a field and the other was at a public boat ramp where I found a primitive road running into the bush. Bike and I tucked right in. In the past 4 years, I've slept on numerous picnic tables, a bathroom floor and places I shouldn't have been that's led to Federal citations. All part of the enjoyment, experience and road.
As I've said, I'm currently in Phoenix, the Union has remained a wonderful place to travel and on the cheap. You don't need a $10 breakfast and lunch, $25 dinner and a $75 hotel to enjoy this land.You can do it but it's not necessary. You can get by on a found potato in the west fork of the Gila river, a can of pineapple and a granola bar mixed up together over an AM fire and directly hop into the hot springs for $5 a night at the Gila Hot Springs Ranch. All while breathing and tasting the forest fire burning 150,000+ acres just north of the springs.
I've taken the time while here to organize, by week, my receipts. I finally got the pix off the camera after a close call with a water hazard in the wet and cool canyon of the Salado Trail in High Rolls, NM. I've read a great contemporary travel book from the young brash, Dan Walsh. And most importantly, I've gotten to hang out with friends I've met on the road 3 years back.
This is only a brief catch up of some sort, and there's so much more to deliver and to see up ahead. This is the first time I've been on the internet since I've departed and it's nice, no it's to-the-hilt, wonderful to be disconnected. It's to the point I'm questioning if the laptop is worth the carry, but it is, for the photographs sake. I've meandered 5K+ miles in 6 weeks so far, and more to follow, more in depth recounts and observations of whatever is up ahead in this unpredictable station of whatever I'm doing.
I don't know where I'm going. It's been and going to be interesting…
It's been a good 6 weeks. A great 6 weeks. Upon departure, my only vague destination was the desert in which that gave me direction, head southwest, young fellow.
My funds are scarce, with a freelance gig worth of cash, a somewhat decent tax return, and whats left of a credit card I've been sponging off of, I have something to start with at least. At least.
The steed chosen is of course the one and only bike I've ever had, the oh-so-love-of-my-life, '88 BMW R100 Airhead, starting this leg of our 4th year with 112,157 miles on the clock, my ass with 77,762 saddle miles on the Beemer. Bike has been the best thing materially to be brought (or bought) in my life and at just the right time, hands down.
Approaching this travelistic journey venture, a budget was necessary to get by as cheap as possible. I figured on $50 a day cap ($350 per week) to cover gas, lodging and food. I'm not by any means a picky eater, I can sleep in a ditch and as long as Bike is lubed, has fuel and some air in the tires, this budget has been more than adequate.
I gave myself some loose rules, pre-travel observations if you will, of my once again approaching liberty, I've stuck to them better than I would have imaged, as I've just stumbled across these 'rules' and read them for the first time since scribbled.
- $50 a day expenditure
This sum was figured out as 2 full tanks of fuel (10 gallons/$40), sleep for free and eat next to nothing. $50 has proved to be absolutely, positively, with out question doable. Our national forests offer free dispersed camping on OUR forest roads. Dollar General's are in every respect, everywhere, getting 3 days worth of edibles for around $10. Bike eats better than I do.
- No motels unless necessary.
Ok, so I've done 2 hotels in the last month and a half, not bad if I can say so myself, especially for a grand total of $80. I got one somewhere in NC after a night of rain, sleeping in the tent at the last rest stop on the Blue Ridge, I felt like vegging out and get the gear dried out. The one other hotel was in Laredo TX, having a rear tire switched out the next morning.
- No Anticipation
No worst enemy than the dreaded expectations
- Keep it simple
I've done alright. Bring along only the items necessary to sustain and maintain. I have 1 of each; pants, shorts, sleeveless T, Long sleeve shirt and a pair of long johns. I started with 3 pairs of socks which have all been tossed. After splitting 5 weeks worth of days, the 3 pairs of socks, my feet and boots took to smelling like ammonia, I treated myself to a pack of the cheapest socks I could find.
- Enjoy, ENJOY
I'm not occupied by occupation, considering. What's not to enjoy, regardless what happens.
- Each State requires at least one nights slumber
I have broken this rule as I didn't sleep a night in Georgia. I went through during the afternoon and it was such a good day of ramble that i cruised into Alabama before I knew it.
- Justify, Keep solid documentation
Not bad on this one either. I've kept a journal, a good journal that I'll scribble in a few times a day. Picturewise has been good too, though there is just no substitutions for the real thing that is trying to be captured.
- Pay no more than $10 for pay camping
I've kept this one solid. I've had to pay for tenting on 3 occasions; $10 permit at Big Bend NP, I stayed 3 nights and the $10 permit was good 7 nights camping I think. Guadalupe NP, I paid $8 per night, I stayed 2. And the other at Armistad National Recreation Area, which was $3 or $4. One can literally sleep across this nation legitimately.
- Guerilla Camping, be and remain incognito and leave before sun up
I only had to do this twice so far on this outing. First in NC, I slept on a farm road running through a field and the other was at a public boat ramp where I found a primitive road running into the bush. Bike and I tucked right in. In the past 4 years, I've slept on numerous picnic tables, a bathroom floor and places I shouldn't have been that's led to Federal citations. All part of the enjoyment, experience and road.
As I've said, I'm currently in Phoenix, the Union has remained a wonderful place to travel and on the cheap. You don't need a $10 breakfast and lunch, $25 dinner and a $75 hotel to enjoy this land.You can do it but it's not necessary. You can get by on a found potato in the west fork of the Gila river, a can of pineapple and a granola bar mixed up together over an AM fire and directly hop into the hot springs for $5 a night at the Gila Hot Springs Ranch. All while breathing and tasting the forest fire burning 150,000+ acres just north of the springs.
I've taken the time while here to organize, by week, my receipts. I finally got the pix off the camera after a close call with a water hazard in the wet and cool canyon of the Salado Trail in High Rolls, NM. I've read a great contemporary travel book from the young brash, Dan Walsh. And most importantly, I've gotten to hang out with friends I've met on the road 3 years back.
This is only a brief catch up of some sort, and there's so much more to deliver and to see up ahead. This is the first time I've been on the internet since I've departed and it's nice, no it's to-the-hilt, wonderful to be disconnected. It's to the point I'm questioning if the laptop is worth the carry, but it is, for the photographs sake. I've meandered 5K+ miles in 6 weeks so far, and more to follow, more in depth recounts and observations of whatever is up ahead in this unpredictable station of whatever I'm doing.
I don't know where I'm going. It's been and going to be interesting…
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