13th Nat'l NT Rally - Jun 21-24, 2023 - Spearfish, SD

[Phil Tarman]

My wife calls my fifty year old poncho liner my "Security Blanket".

Back in 1957, I went to Philmont Scout Ranch in the New Mexico part of the Sangre de Christos range. We had Army surplus shelter halves while we were hiking and Army surplus wall tents when we in base camps. My sleeping bag was a nylon surplus mummy bag outer liner with a wool inner liner. It rained almost every day we were hiking and all but one of the four days we stayed in a base camp. I carried my sleeping bag on top of my pack rack. After 2-3 days on the trail, the other guys' department store sleeping bags were all wet. I had been rubbing it in that my 10+yr-old $5 surplus bag was staying dry. We were hiking next to a creek and the guy behind me cut the ties holding the sleeping bag and tossed it in the creek. I bobbed along until the trail got close the creek bank. I leaned over and picked the bag up, tied it back where it rode. That night when I unrolled it, it was still dry. Sounds a lot like your poncho liner.

 

[mikesim]

Back in 1957, I went to Philmont Scout Ranch in the New Mexico part of the Sangre de Christos range. We had Army surplus shelter halves while we were hiking and Army surplus wall tents when we in base camps. My sleeping bag was a nylon surplus mummy bag outer liner with a wool inner liner. It rained almost every day we were hiking and all but one of the four days we stayed in a base camp. I carried my sleeping bag on top of my pack rack. After 2-3 days on the trail, the other guys' department store sleeping bags were all wet. I had been rubbing it in that my 10+yr-old $5 surplus bag was staying dry. We were hiking next to a creek and the guy behind me cut the ties holding the sleeping bag and tossed it in the creek. I bobbed along until the trail got close the creek bank. I leaned over and picked the bag up, tied it back where it rode. That night when I unrolled it, it was still dry. Sounds a lot like your poncho liner.

I love to hear the stories about when you and Lord Robert Baden-Powell used to camp together!



Mike

 

[Frosty]

Each one of these events seem to be unique. Chris and I have rode more than 24,000 miles together going to this event throughout the years. (I appreciate his photo documentation and posting).
This year was chilly. I actually prefer too cool versus too hot. Normally I wear an electric jacket under the stitch when going thru the mountains in the morning. This year I had it on 95% of the time and actually turned for 60% (Triumph windshield leaves shoulders in the wind ... remedy is enroute).

THE thunderstorm/hail storm was also unique. I have seen/ been through many, but this one lasted for 2 hours. Not a series, one one maybe two cells that just kept dumping. All of the bikes were safe in the shelter ... and then we had Pizza! Many piles of hail to ice the beverages!

RE: Tents: There are hotels, motels and cabins very close. Hope to see you all next year.

 

[Mellow]

Worse yet I spent many more nights in the jungle in a "hooch" consisting of two ponchos snapped together, sleeping on an air mattress with a poncho liner.

OH!.... jungleJIM.... I thought you had a career in manufacturing Jungle Gyms.... my bad....

 

[Mellow]

Some of us are a bit soft (me). Sleeping in a tent in pouring rain and hail does not sound like much fun. Glad you had the pavilion to stay under and reconnect with other bikers. Hard for me to imagine myself in a tent in those conditions when there are motel rooms with hardened roofs and soft mattresses nearby.

Arknt

Well.... when are you coming to the Rally - poke!

 

[Chucksklrst]

Some of us are a bit soft (me). Sleeping in a tent in pouring rain and hail does not sound like much fun. Glad you had the pavilion to stay under and reconnect with other bikers. Hard for me to imagine myself in a tent in those conditions when there are motel rooms with hardened roofs and soft mattresses nearby.

Arknt

They do have cabins at the campground. All you have to do is bring your bedding / sleeping bag.I had one reserved but I had to cancel out this year.

 

[Yoda]

Rain arrived in Spearfish with me on Thursday. More rain and heavy hail showed up Friday. A quick survey Friday afternoon found 12 cold wet souls huddled under the group shelter in favor of pizza. It was delivered HOT in 35 minutes by Domino’s and was GONE in 10 minutes flat. Too bad Mellow missed it.
Most left on Saturday, those heading east anticipating catching up with the nasty front.
Only Andy Morley with his BMW K1600 GT, and I with my CRF300L Rally (WHAT a contrast) remained until Sunday morning. And what a gorgeous morning it was! Blue sky, no wind, and NO PRECIPITATION. I was last out of the campground and asked Lanna to turn out the lights for us.
See everyone again next year, including an infamous NT member with initials M. S. (You know who you are)!

 

[Yoda]

Oh, and my tent. It’s a Marmot “Fortress” 3P, which lived up to its name. No leaks, no damage. Made for FOUR seasons, I don’t want to experience snow load on any tent anytime soon. I can recommend it highly.

 

[Coyote Chris]

My experience has been that money invested in a quality tent is money well spent. I have been using Eureka! tents for a long time and they have always kept me dry. I always get tickled at campgrounds in the morning after a good rain.... you can always tell who had a Wal-Mart tent. In tents, like anything else, you get what you pay for.

YMMV,

Mike

My quality Eureka AL pole 3 man Midori did great in the 3.5 inch twin storm.

 

[Coyote Chris]

About 5 years ago, I started to take tents alot more seriously. I decided on the Eureka Midori 3 and 4 men tents. I save the four man for Reno where I camp out for 9 nights and use the 3 for all other bike trips. When I get home, I put the destination, the year, and the nights used on the bag of the tent. The 3 now has over 30 nights on it... AL poles, two doors, and vestibules do it for me. It did fine with the 3.5 inches of rain we had this year. Its going with me in two weeks back to the big horns.....





I have spent months of my life in cheep tents like the "Quest" but then in the past I have been lucky with rain too.

 

[Yoda]

Holy cow, Chris. Someone who keeps more records than me! I never even thought about writing down trips and nights on my tent bag.

 

[junglejim]

I agree Rich. I struggle to remember more important things, like “where did I park my motorcycle “.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Holy cow, Chris. Someone who keeps more records than me! I never even thought about writing down trips and nights on my tent bag.

Its all about durability and how old the tent is ...and memories....I normally camp 30 days a year....so many good memories....

 

[Coyote Chris]

I agree Rich. I struggle to remember more important things, like “where did I park my motorcycle “.

In college, there were motorcycle parking lots all over the place...nice ones....so one day after class I went to the lot where I thought I parked my bike and it was gone....there was another guy walking around the lot saying he thought his bike had been stolen.....for awhile, I thought that too but I checked another lot and there it was, fork locked and all....