Hello folks, just got back from my very first motorcycle camping trip. I joined the International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers (IBMC) about a year ago (International Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers), and finally got to one of their get-togethers this past week. They're a loosely-organized club where, whoever wants to sponsor a camp/riding location, he simply does so, advertises it, and folks show up. They publish a bi-monthly newsletter and an annual membership roster for the low fee of $15/yr ($12 renewal) which also includes stories, upcoming camp descriptions/POCs, member news, and t-shirts/hats/etc.
I loaded up Fizzer with the tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest, clothing, cameras, walking shoes, sunscreen, bug dope, flashlight, etc (I was rather daring in not using a checklist). Really did okay, I forgot to bring any kind of long-sleeve shirt, but used my jacket liner when it got cool, and also forgot soap (there were two local markets in Helper, no problem). I did not have room on my FZ-6 for my camping cookware or any food, I'd decided to buy groceries or eat at local cafes this first trip, that worked well.
Prepared to embark!
Just from reading the newsletters I knew this would be an older crowd, but when I signed in I noticed I was the youngest person on the list so far (I'm pushing 50) and there were around 150 folks who showed up! (there were some younger folks there towards the end). A lot of them are retirees who actually go from camp to camp, and really get to know each other over the years. I pulled into the park and started setting up, my Fizzer definitely attracted some attention (more on that later) and all kinds of folks walked up and introduced themselves (for which I was glad, I'm not really good at breaking the ice with strangers) :thumbup: , this is really a friendly group. One thing that DID surprise me, was as far as I know, I was one of only four Utahns in attendance (and two of them were the hosts!). I met some folks who were riding their Harleys, with trailers, from Florida to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; they heard about this campout at a gas stop and stopping in for an evening; met folks from Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Massechusetts, and I'm probably forgetting quite a few. They all seemed to have a thorough knowledge of the Interstate highway system, and recommendations for future rides were flying back & forth (I'm bringing a notebook next time).
Camp!
The Bikes! Interesting Mix; I'd say about 70% of the bikes there were Goldwings, and most of them towed the cool motorcycle camping trailers that you can see in the photos. There were quite a few trikes (a lot of riders were in their 80's! :thumbup
, a few Harleys, other Japanese cruisers, BMWs of many vintages, a couple VStroms and scooters, and then someone drove by on a lowered FZ-1! I met her later, her name was Linda and I thought someone said she was in her 70's (if that's not right she's gonna let me have it next meeting! ) and most folks said very few in the club could keep up with her; that was very inspirational!
The way the meet was set up, they had several local "recommended ride" descriptions and maps out by the entry table. You simply played it by ear and could join a group as they prepared to take one of these routes. I went on the Scofield run, about 140 miles, and there was some beautiful scenery and absolutely beautiful roads (although there was some construction/loose gravel just after the summit).
Along the Scofield run:
Helper is an old Coal Mining town (named after the extra railroad engines, or "Helpers", that moved the coal across the mountains). We had a guest speaker the first night after the barbeque, he was the curator of the local museum and had lived in the local area all his life (>80 years) and he had great stories about the mines, the locals, the Unions, the brothels, the mining "company stores", and everything else that had gone on over the last century, really fascinating!
View from the camp:
The camp itself was the city park, they allowed us to drive on the grass, set up camp, and even opened the local swimming pool facilities at 0700 so we could shower, shave, etc. Hot water every time! The town had a population of about 2,000 (down from a mining high of 6,000) but there were two excellent cafes and everyone seemed very welcoming. I got one mosquito bite the first afternoon, otherwise just some buzzy gnats that didn't bite. Also had the (perfect) thunderstorm the last night: lightning, thunder, just enough rain to hear it on your tent, and blue skies the next morning. w00t!
All in all, a great trip. I won't be able to hit too many of their campouts due to my current job demands, but damn, I think I know what I wanna do when I retire! :thumbup: :thumbup:
Sorry I got so verbose. Again...
EDIT: More verbosity: I'm afraid either I'm not the Iron Butt type, or the FZ-6 and I are not exactly a good match for long-distance touring. I could make about 100 miles before I had to stop and stretch my legs (and those other parts). I got, from 150 attendees, about 157 opinions on what would be a good second (touring) bike; I enjoyed this trip so much that second bike just jumped a couple spots on my "to acquire" list...
EDIT No. II: Although I remembered my travel razor and they had AC and mirrors, I didn't shave the whole week. And then I looked in the mirror when I got home. When the *$&^! did my beard turn grey!?!!@?! GAAAAHHHH!!!!
I loaded up Fizzer with the tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest, clothing, cameras, walking shoes, sunscreen, bug dope, flashlight, etc (I was rather daring in not using a checklist). Really did okay, I forgot to bring any kind of long-sleeve shirt, but used my jacket liner when it got cool, and also forgot soap (there were two local markets in Helper, no problem). I did not have room on my FZ-6 for my camping cookware or any food, I'd decided to buy groceries or eat at local cafes this first trip, that worked well.
Prepared to embark!
Just from reading the newsletters I knew this would be an older crowd, but when I signed in I noticed I was the youngest person on the list so far (I'm pushing 50) and there were around 150 folks who showed up! (there were some younger folks there towards the end). A lot of them are retirees who actually go from camp to camp, and really get to know each other over the years. I pulled into the park and started setting up, my Fizzer definitely attracted some attention (more on that later) and all kinds of folks walked up and introduced themselves (for which I was glad, I'm not really good at breaking the ice with strangers) :thumbup: , this is really a friendly group. One thing that DID surprise me, was as far as I know, I was one of only four Utahns in attendance (and two of them were the hosts!). I met some folks who were riding their Harleys, with trailers, from Florida to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; they heard about this campout at a gas stop and stopping in for an evening; met folks from Connecticut, Illinois, Texas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Massechusetts, and I'm probably forgetting quite a few. They all seemed to have a thorough knowledge of the Interstate highway system, and recommendations for future rides were flying back & forth (I'm bringing a notebook next time).
Camp!
The Bikes! Interesting Mix; I'd say about 70% of the bikes there were Goldwings, and most of them towed the cool motorcycle camping trailers that you can see in the photos. There were quite a few trikes (a lot of riders were in their 80's! :thumbup
, a few Harleys, other Japanese cruisers, BMWs of many vintages, a couple VStroms and scooters, and then someone drove by on a lowered FZ-1! I met her later, her name was Linda and I thought someone said she was in her 70's (if that's not right she's gonna let me have it next meeting! ) and most folks said very few in the club could keep up with her; that was very inspirational! The way the meet was set up, they had several local "recommended ride" descriptions and maps out by the entry table. You simply played it by ear and could join a group as they prepared to take one of these routes. I went on the Scofield run, about 140 miles, and there was some beautiful scenery and absolutely beautiful roads (although there was some construction/loose gravel just after the summit).
Along the Scofield run:
Helper is an old Coal Mining town (named after the extra railroad engines, or "Helpers", that moved the coal across the mountains). We had a guest speaker the first night after the barbeque, he was the curator of the local museum and had lived in the local area all his life (>80 years) and he had great stories about the mines, the locals, the Unions, the brothels, the mining "company stores", and everything else that had gone on over the last century, really fascinating!
View from the camp:
The camp itself was the city park, they allowed us to drive on the grass, set up camp, and even opened the local swimming pool facilities at 0700 so we could shower, shave, etc. Hot water every time! The town had a population of about 2,000 (down from a mining high of 6,000) but there were two excellent cafes and everyone seemed very welcoming. I got one mosquito bite the first afternoon, otherwise just some buzzy gnats that didn't bite. Also had the (perfect) thunderstorm the last night: lightning, thunder, just enough rain to hear it on your tent, and blue skies the next morning. w00t!
All in all, a great trip. I won't be able to hit too many of their campouts due to my current job demands, but damn, I think I know what I wanna do when I retire! :thumbup: :thumbup:
Sorry I got so verbose. Again...
EDIT: More verbosity: I'm afraid either I'm not the Iron Butt type, or the FZ-6 and I are not exactly a good match for long-distance touring. I could make about 100 miles before I had to stop and stretch my legs (and those other parts). I got, from 150 attendees, about 157 opinions on what would be a good second (touring) bike; I enjoyed this trip so much that second bike just jumped a couple spots on my "to acquire" list...
EDIT No. II: Although I remembered my travel razor and they had AC and mirrors, I didn't shave the whole week. And then I looked in the mirror when I got home. When the *$&^! did my beard turn grey!?!!@?! GAAAAHHHH!!!!
Last edited:
