rally camping

[pj1150r]

hello,folks,i got a question.
Ive never been to a rally before,im more of a lone rider.Ive camped before on my bike and i like it.Heres the question,im not young anymore,and i have to get up usually twice a night to pee. I usually find a spot where i can just go,usually no one close and im in the woods ,sort of. Now i know most of you are my age or older,what do you do? The pictures i see of rallys are of tents on top of tents,how long a walk is it to bathrooms?

[Rapid_Roy]

Ya know those 32 oz soda/Pop bottles with the large opening? Nuff said.
Sorry Ladies.

[r11rs94]

I also use the 32 oz bottle method, though next time I will not drink it right before I turn in. :1drink Also be sure to but the cap on tight as a friend of mine at the last chance rally last year did not. (Not Me) and had quite a mess to clean up the next day.

[tourunigo]

Ya know those 32 oz soda/Pop bottles with the large opening? Nuff said.
Sorry Ladies.

.... my shop at home has one and both of my kids (boys) traveled with one each when we drove on trips years ago. The only caution is in regards to the size of the top. (that wasn't a hijack....really). It's a good question though because for some immediacy of the moment can be quite disturbing. Maybe camping near a portable should be considered. Personally I think that this can be unpleasant (Vermont portables really sucked). I would stay with the Personal Potty idea as a back up plan and station your tent strategically. -Bob

[chasman]

You don't need a bottle. Just stand next to your bike (or better yet your friends bike) and let it rip!

[pj1150r]

.... my shop at home has one and both of my kids (boys) traveled with one each when we drove on trips years ago. The only caution is in regards to the size of the top. (that wasn't a hijack....really). It's a good question though because for some immediacy of the moment can be quite disturbing. Maybe camping near a portable should be considered. Personally I think that this can be unpleasant (Vermont portables really sucked). I would stay with the Personal Potty idea as a back up plan and station your tent strategically. -Bob hmm,good answers,maybe i could handle a rally!

[SherpaMayberry]

Maybe camping near a portable should be considered.

When considering this, don't forget that you'll also hear that porty john door slam shut all hours of the night. People don't usually close the door gently, they just let the door go and let the spring do the work. Don't ask me how I know this.

Ear plugs will help that issue to some degree.

[sjbmw]

You don't need a bottle. Just stand next to your bike (or better yet your friends bike) and let it rip!

Please advise where you are camping at the next rally. :nyah

[Ksrob]

I take a urinal that I got at the hospital the last stay. Rinse it out in the morning and I'm ready the next night. My wife has a supply of female urinals that we get on line. They would work for the males also.

Best,

[wmubrown]

Ya know those 32 oz soda/Pop bottles with the large opening? Nuff said.
Sorry Ladies.

+1 ... if I'm alone. Otherwise I'll suffer the walk, just as she would ;)

[Burnszilla]

For the ladies on the road, there's P-Mates...
http://www.pmateusa.com/?site_id=224&id_sub=2283&page_id=2283

[darcym]

Actually for the ladies ... I have a foldable camping bucket from REI. No problem for the fluids (haven't tried it for the other) and it has a long handle so you can dump it in the portapotty the next morning. Rinse it out and fold it away for the next night. Just don't use if for your washing water, unless you're ok with that sort of thing.
:D

[MplsK100RT]

I think I am pretty good to go for camping gear--small tent, backpack, mess kit, coffee pot, etc., but when can we start reserving a camping spot for the rally? I've been looking for info for that and rates but cannot seem to locate anything. Also, wtf is with the price of hotel rooms around Gillette-hasn't anyone seen a stone head before?

[The_Veg]

You shouldn't need the backpack or mess-kit at the rally, and you won't need to reserve a spot- just show up and pitch your tent. On-site camping in included when you register for the rally. See you there! :)

[MplsK100RT]

that's fantastic! why no mess kit? is there food to buy or is it included? I've never been to something like this (hard to tell, huh?) And what sort of registration price is there?

[SherpaMayberry]

that's fantastic! why no mess kit? is there food to buy or is it included? I've never been to something like this (hard to tell, huh?) And what sort of registration price is there?

Land to pitch your tent upon is part of the rally fee. First come first serve on the good spots.

Food isn't included, but there will be plenty of vendors selling food.

I believe the rally fee last year was $30, but someone may need to correct me.

[KGT1200]

You don't need a bottle. Just stand next to your bike (or better yet your friends bike) and let it rip!

Go ahead and let er rip, Gillette needs the water:blah :blah

Hey if we can't poke fun what is life worth?

[The_Veg]

Wot Sherpa sed. There will be TONS of food available, assuming of course that as many food-vendors will travel to WY as did to previous rally-sites and of course the town will have the usual restaurants too- no need to bring even a fork! I ate pretty well at this year's rally from both vendors and local establishments. There will also be showers and a charging-station for all your electronic stuff and even a cyber-cafe if you want to check email, and morning coffee too if you're into that.
The rally-fee was $30 this year according to my check-register, and you'll see a registration-form in your ON sometime next year. Online registration will also be open at some point.
And I wasn't kidding about just showing up and pitching your tent- once you get on-site then through the registration tent (you do this even though you sent in the form- it's to get you checked-in and give you vital stuff like a wristband and a guidebook that contains everything you need to know while at the rally), you can just go pick yourself out a camping-spot. There will already be set-up volunteers camped here and there by the time the site opens, so generally anyplace you see tents is OK (there will be a designated quiet-camping area too if that's your style). Don't even try to find a shady-spot; I've heard that there won't be any. If you really want shade, you can bring an e-z-up or similar item. If that won't fit on your bike, you can ship it via UPS ahead of time and pick it up at the rally (and do the same to get it home).
In short, the fact that you'll be sleeping in a tent is really the only 'camping' aspect of the rally. You may wish to bring a chair (folding camping-type is great), especially if you make friends with people camping nearby. And now that I think about it, if your backpack is just a small 'knapsack' type, you might find it handy for carrying the stuff you'll no-doubt be buying from the vendors. LOTS of great shopping for bike-stuff, T-shirts, etc. at the rally.

See you there!

[podsobinski]

That is the great thing about rally camping. Food is taken care of and after rides, walking around looking at the motorcycles and vendors you just fold out your $10 lawn chair and drink beer and smoke nasty cigars.

gpodzo

Go Rockies (no not that) go Bronco's (no forget that) oh yea go Avalanche's

[Mike M]

+1 ... if I'm alone. Otherwise I'll suffer the walk, just as she would ;)

Funny story about "the walk":

While at my very first BMW Rally (Paonia, Colorado 2003), I spent alot of the late night at the beer tent :drink . Naturally, when we all retired to our tents, I fell asleep IMMEDIATELY. Of course, I woke up a few hours later needing to get to a bathroom, fast :bolt .

So at about 3am I got up, nasty headache and still a little drunk, and walked (weaved) the 100 yards or so to the facilities.

When I walked out of the bathroom all I saw was a sea of dome tents in the dark! I had no idea where mine was :dunno ! Took me about a half hour to find it.

At the next rally I went to, I brought the "32 oz bottle" and if I did leave my tent when it was dark, I turned a small flashlight on so the tent would be easy to find when I got back.;)

[John Brase]

Funny story about "the walk":

While at my very first BMW Rally (Paonia, Colorado 2003), I spent alot of the late night at the beer tent :drink . Naturally, when we all retired to our tents, I fell asleep IMMEDIATELY. Of course, I woke up a few hours later needing to get to a bathroom, fast :bolt .

So at about 3am I got up, nasty headache and still a little drunk, and walked (weaved) the 100 yards or so to the facilities.

When I walked out of the bathroom all I saw was a sea of dome tents in the dark! I had no idea where mine was :dunno ! Took me about a half hour to find it.

At the next rally I went to, I brought the "32 oz bottle" and if I did leave my tent when it was dark, I turned a small flashlight on so the tent would be easy to find when I got back.;)

ESSENTIAL gear, fo me, includes two small flashlights - one to leave turned on inside the tent so I can find it and the other to find all those tent ropes strung between my tent and the Porta.

And, this brings me to an existential question: Why, when you wake in the night needing to pee, your first, fleeting thought is that you can ignore the feeling and just go back to sleep? You know that's not going to work and yet you think it might.

John

[Polarbear]

We are indeed an older riding group, talking peeing all night! All the tips seem good enough to me. At 55, I usually can make near daybreak still, before the urge hits hard:). The bottle idea is great and I've used this method too, but when my wife is along, its a bad thing to bring up and I hear it!!! YOU better get up and walk the walk like us girls, period!!!Hmmmmm, cannot win here:). Randy13233:D

[ray82609]

You mean I don't really have to have a Kermit chair?
-Ray

That is the great thing about rally camping. Food is taken care of and after rides, walking around looking at the motorcycles and vendors you just fold out your $10 lawn chair and drink beer and smoke nasty cigars.

gpodzo

Go Rockies (no not that) go Bronco's (no forget that) oh yea go Avalanche's

[riderR1150GSAdv]

I use a special color Nalgene bottle. The large opening helps....:whistle

[JETHRIDGE]

I also am old and have to pee several time during the night. I Keep a 1/2 Gal milk jug in my tent and use that to pee in. Empty it in the woods or wherever the next morning.

[tourunigo]

I also am old and have to pee several time during the night. I Keep a 1/2 Gal milk jug in my tent and use that to pee in. Empty it in the woods or wherever the next morning.

Getting that jug too close to the coffee in the morning could be interesting.... :sick

[Rapid_Roy]

"This coffee has a bit of a wang to it!" :laugh

[darcym]

And, this brings me to an existential question: Why, when you wake in the night needing to pee, your first, fleeting thought is that you can ignore the feeling and just go back to sleep? You know that's not going to work and yet you think it might.

John

:lol

It's so true, yet you think it every night ... "if I just close my eyes I can go back to sleep and I won't have to get up." And every night it just gets worse until you're forced to get up and go.

I think it's just wishful thinking ...

[tommcgee]

It's so true, yet you think it every night ... "if I just close my eyes I can go back to sleep and I won't have to get up." And every night it just gets worse until you're forced to get up and go.

Not only is my body insistent about getting up, but every night my brain gives me a new dream about water. It's NEVER the same dream, and before long, I just let out an "oh maaaaaan" roll out of bed, and head for the head...

[The_Veg]

ESSENTIAL gear, fo me, includes two small flashlights - one to leave turned on inside the tent so I can find it and the other to find all those tent ropes strung between my tent and the Porta.

I've got a better system. My tent has a mesh pocket right by where the head of my sleeping bag goes. I put the light in the pocket- always easy to find.