Thanks for the video and sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. I enjoy camping, and I sleep well while camping. What I didn’t enjoy was the extra time it took waiting on the heavy dew to dry before packing up. That killed 1/2 of the riding day. Later on the trip I found a location where I could tent camp for ten dollars a night or sleep in the bunk house for 30 dollars a night. The bunk house just made more sense. Having a flexible attitude really is key to enjoying yourself. Happy New Year everyone!
Great talk Craig. Excellent philosophy. Not a motorcycle trip but: After 15 years of hard work, 2 kids and multiple setbacks I've finally saved enough to take my wife on her bucket list trip to Scotland. Will it be an excessively luxurious trip? Nope. Will I spend some extra money to make sure everyone has a good time? Abso-fuckin-lutely! 💪😎
Could not agree more, I do motorcycle ‘things’ because I enjoy doing them. Not to save money. If I need to spend and extra 20% on a meal or hotel because it’s where I want to be on a tour, then I do and never regret it ! Keep the good messages and images coming, love the channel.
Amen, brother Slab ! ... and, you forgot to mention that camping requires HAULING all that gear (and food), restricting where one might go (e.g. off-pavement). As for the money, remember: "Hearses don't tow U-Hauls!" 😋
Well said! I've been asked why I don't save money by moto-camping many times. Over the years (I'm in my sixties now), sleeping on the ground has become less and less attractive. A warm soft bed and a shower are not only worth the expense, they also make the next day better and safer.
I want to share this video with so many of my friends but I know that they won't take the time to watch it and, if they do, they'll just tell me that I found someone to make a video about what I preach to them ALL OF THE TIME! Great Video!
Staying at those cheap little motels is not too bad. You get a good night sleep a shower and your bike is just outside the door. They may not look good, but it's better than having to pack for camping.
Thank you for the video Craig Well said. im a adventure rider and don’t camp a bed is much more comfortable after a ride. We have been watching and enjoying your videos for years keep up the good work Happy New Year!
A very timely video. I'm planning a daytona bike week trip. A friend pointed out that i was focused on saving money by using cheap hotels instead of the better experience. Not the best way to plan what could be a one time trip.
I am headed back to Daytona Bike Week too after a 13 year break. I am flying into NC borrowing a buddies motorcycle. We already reserved Condo on the beach. I decided flying back to SLC UT to fly 1st class for comfort. It raised ticket $200 but I figured a 5 hour flight i wanted it. I used to go to bike week 1994 to 2000 as a younger guy on a budget but always had a great time.
Excellent video. Agree with most of your points. I prefer to pay someone to mow the lawn and pick the leaves in the fall, bring mulch ... And I love moto camping on all my trips. But I choose to have good lunches on the road. Everyone needs to find their balances and choose what works best for them. We're all different. That's okay.
Great point. I have camped and cooked and I have hoteled and restauranted and they both have their place in my motorcycle travel world. SOMETHING TO CONSIDER is the cost of quality camping and camp cook equipment. The cost of a quality tent, sleep system and cook equipment could offset any savings a camper is hoping to achieve. Be realistic with your self. How many times will I actually use this camping equipment? Will it offset the cost of the number of hotel rooms I would be staying in. What about the cost of time and energy for set up, tear down, cooking and cleaning. Most hotels offer some kind of breakfast which could offset part of your food budget. We regularly will pick up a local hard bread and PB&J. We love saving the money but, more so, love having a quaint picnic overlooking beautiful scenery. Does it save us money, yes, but more importantly we enjoy it. I love overthinking all of this and in the end…..like you said…..plan ahead and be realistic about what will make your trip enjoyable.
lately all I can think about is my trip in May 2024. I figure I will work some overtime, and put all of that into savings until the trip happens. I am a Hotel person, and have a preference in hotel, so I seek those out, while taking the time to stay at some more small time well known places if possible. The occasional night in a cabin is fun, but only something I have done on 1 occasion. my biggest issue is usually time constraints as I am employed at a place that vacation is more difficult to come by for approvals. My riding buddy and I have a rule that while traveling, we do our best to not eat the same place twice, and find as many mom and pop type places to eat as possible. The 2024 continuation of Route 66 should be a fantastic time on 2 wheels and I will do everything possible to make it the most enjoyable trip I have taken to date. I have started on bucket list rides, and this is one that was very high on that for me (at least out through Arizona, no need to finish the last strip in CA, I am saving my Cali energy for a PCH trip in the future).
This is right up our alley...Our saying is "Plan, Budget & Go". We do a lot of camping for 2 reasons. First, we absolutely love it (with or without motorcycles). We love the outdoors but are not crazy about established campgrounds. For us, motocamping is just the icing on the cake. Reason #2...of course, the savings. However, we never compromise our funventure to save a few bucks. Once we set our budget, we try to add 20% to it. We base all our lodging on hotels, so when we do camp, in comes the savings. 90% of our camping is 3 or more days, which gives us more time to explore and enjoy the area. Fortunately, we have no time restraints, so we can enjoy a longer stay without worrying about the next destination. Great video.
I guess you need to know yourself well enough to know what you want out of an LD trip and what would be fun or a hassle. The fun I have is always intermixed with the unfun parts - like suffering through a day at Disneyland but seeing the excitement on my grandkids' faces as we go on the rides together. I agree, setting expectations up front is key, then roll with it when things go sideways, like last month when I was riding through the Mohave preserve, hit a small rock on the road out in the middle of nowhere, blew my front tire and bent my rim. Took me a day to deal with that before I could move on to the west coast.
I plan on some camping days along my trips. But not everyday but I do look for the best deals on hotels or motels and usually spent around $20. A day for food
what a great video! another tip - I also land up saving up on unnecessary expenses like atm fees etc abroad - using apps like ATM Fee Saver - it helps find atms abroad with no fees or lower fees than others along with withdrawal limits etc. worth adding to your list of tricks! (of course if one is motobiking and camping abroad that is :) )
Budget touring is my bag. I take a cooler on my passenger seat and cook in my motel microwave. I eat keto/carnivore, and restaurant food is mostly things I choose not to consume. I get a kick out of achieving daily expense totals of $150 - $200 average, whereas most solo tourers can easily spend that just for their fancy room. I wouldn't do it much differently even if wealthy. All I'd do differently in that case would be to have 2 or 3 'zero miles' days a week (instead of my usual 1) plus a luxurious full body deep tissue massage every few days. They're heavenly IMO.
Overhere in Europe Prices for a B&B or motels are not so expensive. A nice room, and a good breakfast included, is easy to find for €25,- or €30,- a day. I always avoid any popular tourist area's, and I never check they Internet looking for a place to stay the night. Those are always more expensive. Just roam the smaller villages while enjoying the ride and within a half hour or a hour you find a nice place.
on the mark with this video. Living in New Brunswick Canada and retiring this June, $$ is always important on my bike trips especially because i like travelling in the states. I subscribe to your way of thinking, scrimp during the year a bit to enjoy my trips. Lacaonia bike week was a must in the past but ive learned that its overpriced, too crowded etc. We prefer going in August when weather is settled and rates are a bit better. one example of changing it up. cheers
I had a dyslexic moment and read your KLIM jacket as being a MILK jacket. And, milk comes from udders. And your message is udderly right. Thank you, ride on!
Great video! I struggle with this. I fear I will not physically be able to handle long trips when I retire do to previous accident I has. So I try to cram what should be a month long trip into two weeks. Hope I run into in you in Alaska this year. I will be the guy trying to get 600-800 miles a day.haha. Keep safe.
Great topic! It always boils down to time and money. Usually it's more time for me than money. I work out of town a good bit. During Covid I was able to ride a week with all hotels and eating out. I enjoyed all of it very much. I remember thinking how much fun it would have been to sprinkle a few nights of camping into the trip. I'm really looking forward to being retired in a few years and not having to worry about being anywhere at a certain time! Maybe take off with camping gear and stay and eat wherever the road takes me. I enjoyed reading everyones comments!
I am glad I like camping. That is my chill time, but busy time. It is cheaper, but good equipment costs a lot too! I sleep w a roof over my head every night, when I ride, I want to stay outside and be immersed dude !! Haha. It's just like ADV bikes and women. Hmmm. A lot of different ways to do it. Your right, just do it, enjoy and have fun. This is the best time to be an ADV rider for sure. 😁
One way I save some money is stopping to visit family. They feed me and bed me down for the night. Of course this is not always the case because some of my rides are in areas where I don't have family and then I spend money on hotels.
You think like me Craig. If your not having fun is it a vacation? Yes you can camp but when you get back you might need a chiropractor from sleeping on the ground the hole time did you save any money no and you got no sleep!!! Craig you know those chiropractors can be expensive lol spot on like usual 👍
I love this advice because it is the truth. Plan your trip and possible weather conditions, Had some guy laughing at me because I planned for the what ifs, which will always come up. Well he laughed at my expense tent, because he got one for a tenth the price at Walmart. I was the sucker and the butt of his jokes that night around the campfire. Well he was asking to stay in my tent, with my wife, when his tent was torn apart on a stormy night. Nope....
I love a little "moto camping", a few days away with some friends just chilling out and relaxing, the extra chores that come with it are all part of it for me. I also enjoy them short impromptu trips where you just strap a small bag onto the bike with the bare minimum and head off for a day or two and do cheap n cheerful, I almost get a kick out of just how little I can do it on without planning, just reling on last minute deals on booking sites. The big trips I treat as a vacation if I'm away for 10-20 days and as such it costs what it costs, I'm not talking about 5star all the way but a nice hotel with good food and beer in a nice area is a must. I think one big advantage we have here in the UK over you guys in the US is paid leave, we don't have to factor in loss of earnings while we're away into the budget.
Nice video, just a heads up I went to Glacier National Park last summer hotels averaged out at $190.00 a night if you can find one. I don’t book till the night before from wherever I’m staying at that night.
I think there is a difference between a motorcycle trip/vacation and living on the road off your motorcycle. For me, looking at 3 months at a time of traveling, I want to carry as much as possible with me to be comfortable and not save money so much as to stretch it out. Being retired, I don't have the same time constraints as I once had, so shorter days, setting up and striking camp and preparing meals at a campsite have become more enjoyable. You are right though, don't force yourself into not having the adventure you dreamed of by making yourself cut corners.
For me, the longer trips are when camping becomes a drain. 60 plus days of setting up and tearing down and dealing with wet gear, wears on me. I much prefer setting up camp and using that for a base in a given area. We of course are all different. Ride safe!
Not sure if you are earning money from your channel or not and if you are in business for yourself but if you are as a business you should be able to negotiate with hotels to get discounts / a business rate. I recommend partnering with a specific set of hotel chains you like to get your discounts. If you think you will be having a hundred nights a year traveling to film your adventures then see what hotel chain will give you the best rate for those hundred nights.
I've no doubt you worked hard while working....like i did I've no intention of staying in a tent did it 40+ Years ago my late father said son you'll never see a towbar on a herse.....meaning you can't take your cash with you so we worked hard so feck the tent and enjoy the bed in a motel or hotel we deserve it😊
First, everything you say makes sense, but let's look at it another way. For the average rider, a trip, be it a weekend or longer is their vacation. They work all week or all year, and the trip becomes the exception, not the rule. Yes, in that case, figure out your budget and travel accordingly. It's your vacation so blow the money and enjoy! But, if you are like me, retired with a lot of time on hand, travel is what I do, and I don't see it as vacation. I need to travel as cheaply as I can because it's no longer my vacation. So I find cheap or free camping, make some of my food and tea, grab meals at Walmart for cheap and make my money stretch.
Absolutely! I sleep like a baby in my tent and like sleeping in my own sleeping bag rather than some disgusting bed a million other people slept in. I make a thermos of tea in the am and sip it all day. Like I said, to me, travel is not a vacation, it's what I enjoy doing. Most weekends I'm off to a rally or camping somewhere. I hate wasting time in restaurants and would rather eat a bite in some beautiful area enjoying nature. Plus, restaurants have become way too expensive since the C word. As usual, to each his own, and it depends how you view riding.
I guess I should also mention I was an over the road trucker in my past life, so living on the road is second nature to me. I'd find a truck stop to sleep at, made most of my food and drink, and learned to enjoy the road.
@@TheEasyrider1200Thats great, you are traveling the way you love. The fact that one way or the other is cheaper or more expensive isn't important. Only that you do it the way you enjoy.
You cook for yourself at home ? I've been doing that also the last 6 years. I Love my wife, but the woman can't (won't) cook exactly what I want, make it when I want it, nor avoid poisoning me with foods and/or spices that cause me great GI distress. If I'd have known what a Joy it is to get precisely the meal I want every time, I'd have started doing it many years ago.
This video fell flat for me - I don't see its purpose. You are a senior rider. We look to senior riders to share wisdom. If you know of particular "hacks" that help junior, or any, riders to save money share them - we know you can. This "savings over a lifetime" nonsense in order to properly enjoy motorcycling is nonsense. Help or get out of the way.
I view it as just a simple reflection on setting your expectations (and budget) before a trip rather than just going through the routine of packing a lot of things beforehand only to realize later that motels and diners would have made for a better adventure.
As a senior rider, I can tell you that there are no hacks that will allow you to skip to the front of the line and avoid making mistakes--and hopefully learning from them. I know, I did not like hearing that when I was younger, but it is the reality of life. Creating the trip/life that you want almost always requires that you make sacrifices in one area to make gains in another. Saving for the trip ahead of time, making sure you have enough money upfront and enjoying the ride, is far better than spending ever day eating crappy cheap food, checking gas buddy to see if I can save 10 cents a gallon, or hauling my camping gear all over the country to learn that you don't like camping. So I guess the "hack" is to save the money upfront and do the ride that gives you joy!
One of your last points "Create the trip you want, the one you will enjoy" is at the heart of this video, as I see it.
Thanks for the video and sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. I enjoy camping, and I sleep well while camping. What I didn’t enjoy was the extra time it took waiting on the heavy dew to dry before packing up. That killed 1/2 of the riding day. Later on the trip I found a location where I could tent camp for ten dollars a night or sleep in the bunk house for 30 dollars a night. The bunk house just made more sense. Having a flexible attitude really is key to enjoying yourself. Happy New Year everyone!
Craig What I like about your videos is you talk common sense, and walked the talk. Old saying “You can’t buy experience” Happy New Year
Great talk Craig. Excellent philosophy. Not a motorcycle trip but: After 15 years of hard work, 2 kids and multiple setbacks I've finally saved enough to take my wife on her bucket list trip to Scotland. Will it be an excessively luxurious trip? Nope. Will I spend some extra money to make sure everyone has a good time? Abso-fuckin-lutely! 💪😎
Could not agree more, I do motorcycle ‘things’ because I enjoy doing them. Not to save money. If I need to spend and extra 20% on a meal or hotel because it’s where I want to be on a tour, then I do and never regret it ! Keep the good messages and images coming, love the channel.
Amen, brother Slab ! ... and, you forgot to mention that camping requires HAULING all that gear (and food), restricting where one might go (e.g. off-pavement). As for the money, remember: "Hearses don't tow U-Hauls!" 😋
Well said!
I've been asked why I don't save money by moto-camping many times. Over the years (I'm in my sixties now), sleeping on the ground has become less and less attractive. A warm soft bed and a shower are not only worth the expense, they also make the next day better and safer.
I want to share this video with so many of my friends but I know that they won't take the time to watch it and, if they do, they'll just tell me that I found someone to make a video about what I preach to them ALL OF THE TIME!
Great Video!
Staying at those cheap little motels is not too bad. You get a good night sleep a shower and your bike is just outside the door. They may not look good, but it's better than having to pack for camping.
Finally someone hit the nail on the head. Some people forget that it’s supposed to be a vacation.
Val
Thank you for the video Craig Well said. im a adventure rider and don’t camp a bed is much more comfortable after a ride. We have been watching and enjoying your videos for years keep up the good work Happy New Year!
Good things to think about! Thanks for posting.
A very timely video. I'm planning a daytona bike week trip. A friend pointed out that i was focused on saving money by using cheap hotels instead of the better experience. Not the best way to plan what could be a one time trip.
I am headed back to Daytona Bike Week too after a 13 year break. I am flying into NC borrowing a buddies motorcycle. We already reserved Condo on the beach. I decided flying back to SLC UT to fly 1st class for comfort. It raised ticket $200 but I figured a 5 hour flight i wanted it. I used to go to bike week 1994 to 2000 as a younger guy on a budget but always had a great time.
I just shared your video with several friends. Solid advice! If I'm on my BMW...camping. HD, hotels.
Thank you for sharing. Great wisdom! "Travel the way that brings you pleasure."
Excellent video. Agree with most of your points. I prefer to pay someone to mow the lawn and pick the leaves in the fall, bring mulch ... And I love moto camping on all my trips. But I choose to have good lunches on the road.
Everyone needs to find their balances and choose what works best for them. We're all different. That's okay.
To each, their own. Ride safely!
Great point. I have camped and cooked and I have hoteled and restauranted and they both have their place in my motorcycle travel world.
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER is the cost of quality camping and camp cook equipment. The cost of a quality tent, sleep system and cook equipment could offset any savings a camper is hoping to achieve. Be realistic with your self. How many times will I actually use this camping equipment? Will it offset the cost of the number of hotel rooms I would be staying in.
What about the cost of time and energy for set up, tear down, cooking and cleaning.
Most hotels offer some kind of breakfast which could offset part of your food budget.
We regularly will pick up a local hard bread and PB&J. We love saving the money but, more so, love having a quaint picnic overlooking beautiful scenery. Does it save us money, yes, but more importantly we enjoy it.
I love overthinking all of this and in the end…..like you said…..plan ahead and be realistic about what will make your trip enjoyable.
I would add, be flexible. Sometimes things may not go as planned. Being willing to adapt can often lead you to things you may not know exist.
another great video... thanks for sharing
lately all I can think about is my trip in May 2024. I figure I will work some overtime, and put all of that into savings until the trip happens. I am a Hotel person, and have a preference in hotel, so I seek those out, while taking the time to stay at some more small time well known places if possible. The occasional night in a cabin is fun, but only something I have done on 1 occasion. my biggest issue is usually time constraints as I am employed at a place that vacation is more difficult to come by for approvals. My riding buddy and I have a rule that while traveling, we do our best to not eat the same place twice, and find as many mom and pop type places to eat as possible. The 2024 continuation of Route 66 should be a fantastic time on 2 wheels and I will do everything possible to make it the most enjoyable trip I have taken to date. I have started on bucket list rides, and this is one that was very high on that for me (at least out through Arizona, no need to finish the last strip in CA, I am saving my Cali energy for a PCH trip in the future).
Happy new year bud our mind set is so similar bring on the new year
Happy New Year 2024 from Quebec, Canada Alain & Yellow
This is right up our alley...Our saying is "Plan, Budget & Go". We do a lot of camping for 2 reasons. First, we absolutely love it (with or without motorcycles). We love the outdoors but are not crazy about established campgrounds. For us, motocamping is just the icing on the cake. Reason #2...of course, the savings. However, we never compromise our funventure to save a few bucks. Once we set our budget, we try to add 20% to it. We base all our lodging on hotels, so when we do camp, in comes the savings. 90% of our camping is 3 or more days, which gives us more time to explore and enjoy the area. Fortunately, we have no time restraints, so we can enjoy a longer stay without worrying about the next destination. Great video.
Thank you. I can tell in you videos that you guys love what you are doing!
I guess you need to know yourself well enough to know what you want out of an LD trip and what would be fun or a hassle. The fun I have is always intermixed with the unfun parts - like suffering through a day at Disneyland but seeing the excitement on my grandkids' faces as we go on the rides together. I agree, setting expectations up front is key, then roll with it when things go sideways, like last month when I was riding through the Mohave preserve, hit a small rock on the road out in the middle of nowhere, blew my front tire and bent my rim. Took me a day to deal with that before I could move on to the west coast.
I plan on some camping days along my trips. But not everyday but I do look for the best deals on hotels or motels and usually spent around $20. A day for food
what a great video! another tip - I also land up saving up on unnecessary expenses like atm fees etc abroad - using apps like ATM Fee Saver - it helps find atms abroad with no fees or lower fees than others along with withdrawal limits etc. worth adding to your list of tricks! (of course if one is motobiking and camping abroad that is :) )
Well said!!
Budget touring is my bag. I take a cooler on my passenger seat and cook in my motel microwave. I eat keto/carnivore, and restaurant food is mostly things I choose not to consume. I get a kick out of achieving daily expense totals of $150 - $200 average, whereas most solo tourers can easily spend that just for their fancy room. I wouldn't do it much differently even if wealthy. All I'd do differently in that case would be to have 2 or 3 'zero miles' days a week (instead of my usual 1) plus a luxurious full body deep tissue massage every few days. They're heavenly IMO.
Oh yeah, I am a regular massage guy!
Overhere in Europe Prices for a B&B or motels are not so expensive. A nice room, and a good breakfast included, is easy to find for €25,- or €30,- a day. I always avoid any popular tourist area's, and I never check they Internet looking for a place to stay the night. Those are always more expensive. Just roam the smaller villages while enjoying the ride and within a half hour or a hour you find a nice place.
Sound like a nice relaxing way to do it. A bit different over here.
on the mark with this video. Living in New Brunswick Canada and retiring this June, $$ is always important on my bike trips especially because i like travelling in the states.
I subscribe to your way of thinking, scrimp during the year a bit to enjoy my trips. Lacaonia bike week was a must in the past but ive learned that its overpriced, too crowded etc. We prefer going in August when weather is settled and rates are a bit better. one example of changing it up.
cheers
Thank you.❤😊
I had a dyslexic moment and read your KLIM jacket as being a MILK jacket. And, milk comes from udders. And your message is udderly right. Thank you, ride on!
LOL!
Great video.
Great video! I struggle with this. I fear I will not physically be able to handle long trips when I retire do to previous accident I has. So I try to cram what should be a month long trip into two weeks. Hope I run into in you in Alaska this year. I will be the guy trying to get 600-800 miles a day.haha. Keep safe.
Sometimes you have to do a budget ride just to get out there. Way better than not going.
Great topic! It always boils down to time and money. Usually it's more time for me than money. I work out of town a good bit. During Covid I was able to ride a week with all hotels and eating out. I enjoyed all of it very much. I remember thinking how much fun it would have been to sprinkle a few nights of camping into the trip. I'm really looking forward to being retired in a few years and not having to worry about being anywhere at a certain time! Maybe take off with camping gear and stay and eat wherever the road takes me. I enjoyed reading everyones comments!
I am glad I like camping. That is my chill time, but busy time. It is cheaper, but good equipment costs a lot too! I sleep w a roof over my head every night, when I ride, I want to stay outside and be immersed dude !! Haha. It's just like ADV bikes and women. Hmmm. A lot of different ways to do it. Your right, just do it, enjoy and have fun. This is the best time to be an ADV rider for sure. 😁
One way I save some money is stopping to visit family. They feed me and bed me down for the night. Of course this is not always the case because some of my rides are in areas where I don't have family and then I spend money on hotels.
You think like me Craig. If your not having fun is it a vacation? Yes you can camp but when you get back you might need a chiropractor from sleeping on the ground the hole time did you save any money no and you got no sleep!!! Craig you know those chiropractors can be expensive lol spot on like usual 👍
I believe yours is one of the best, maybe the best MC channel on u tube.
Thank you very much!
I love this advice because it is the truth.
Plan your trip and possible weather conditions, Had some guy laughing at me because I planned for the what ifs, which will always come up. Well he laughed at my expense tent, because he got one for a tenth the price at Walmart. I was the sucker and the butt of his jokes that night around the campfire.
Well he was asking to stay in my tent, with my wife, when his tent was torn apart on a stormy night. Nope....
Wow what talk , thanks
I love a little "moto camping", a few days away with some friends just chilling out and relaxing, the extra chores that come with it are all part of it for me. I also enjoy them short impromptu trips where you just strap a small bag onto the bike with the bare minimum and head off for a day or two and do cheap n cheerful, I almost get a kick out of just how little I can do it on without planning, just reling on last minute deals on booking sites. The big trips I treat as a vacation if I'm away for 10-20 days and as such it costs what it costs, I'm not talking about 5star all the way but a nice hotel with good food and beer in a nice area is a must. I think one big advantage we have here in the UK over you guys in the US is paid leave, we don't have to factor in loss of earnings while we're away into the budget.
I am with you. I like camping for the shorter trips where you set up for a few days. Moving from point to point, hotels for me.
Exactly 👏👏👏👏👏
In tenda non dormi bene, e se non sei riposato, viaggiare in moto diventa rischioso ....meglio, risparmiare sul cibo 😊😊
Nice video, just a heads up I went to Glacier National Park last summer hotels averaged out at $190.00 a night if you can find one.
I don’t book till the night before from wherever I’m staying at that night.
Thanks. Around popular places I always try to book well ahead.
I am recently retired. So far, I take day trips. I suppose I could ask relatives if I can bunk on the floor,. Haven't done that yet.
I think there is a difference between a motorcycle trip/vacation and living on the road off your motorcycle. For me, looking at 3 months at a time of traveling, I want to carry as much as possible with me to be comfortable and not save money so much as to stretch it out. Being retired, I don't have the same time constraints as I once had, so shorter days, setting up and striking camp and preparing meals at a campsite have become more enjoyable. You are right though, don't force yourself into not having the adventure you dreamed of by making yourself cut corners.
For me, the longer trips are when camping becomes a drain. 60 plus days of setting up and tearing down and dealing with wet gear, wears on me. I much prefer setting up camp and using that for a base in a given area. We of course are all different. Ride safe!
Not sure if you are earning money from your channel or not and if you are in business for yourself but if you are as a business you should be able to negotiate with hotels to get discounts / a business rate. I recommend partnering with a specific set of hotel chains you like to get your discounts. If you think you will be having a hundred nights a year traveling to film your adventures then see what hotel chain will give you the best rate for those hundred nights.
Appreciate the idea!
I've no doubt you worked hard while working....like i did I've no intention of staying in a tent did it 40+ Years ago my late father said son you'll never see a towbar on a herse.....meaning you can't take your cash with you so we worked hard so feck the tent and enjoy the bed in a motel or hotel we deserve it😊
First, everything you say makes sense, but let's look at it another way. For the average rider, a trip, be it a weekend or longer is their vacation. They work all week or all year, and the trip becomes the exception, not the rule. Yes, in that case, figure out your budget and travel accordingly. It's your vacation so blow the money and enjoy! But, if you are like me, retired with a lot of time on hand, travel is what I do, and I don't see it as vacation. I need to travel as cheaply as I can because it's no longer my vacation. So I find cheap or free camping, make some of my food and tea, grab meals at Walmart for cheap and make my money stretch.
Do you enjoy traveling like that?
Absolutely! I sleep like a baby in my tent and like sleeping in my own sleeping bag rather than some disgusting bed a million other people slept in. I make a thermos of tea in the am and sip it all day. Like I said, to me, travel is not a vacation, it's what I enjoy doing. Most weekends I'm off to a rally or camping somewhere. I hate wasting time in restaurants and would rather eat a bite in some beautiful area enjoying nature. Plus, restaurants have become way too expensive since the C word. As usual, to each his own, and it depends how you view riding.
I guess I should also mention I was an over the road trucker in my past life, so living on the road is second nature to me. I'd find a truck stop to sleep at, made most of my food and drink, and learned to enjoy the road.
@@TheEasyrider1200Thats great, you are traveling the way you love. The fact that one way or the other is cheaper or more expensive isn't important. Only that you do it the way you enjoy.
You cook for yourself at home ? I've been doing that also the last 6 years. I Love my wife, but the woman can't (won't) cook exactly what I want, make it when I want it, nor avoid poisoning me with foods and/or spices that cause me great GI distress. If I'd have known what a Joy it is to get precisely the meal I want every time, I'd have started doing it many years ago.
It AIN'T traveling if you have to travel on a budget.
This video fell flat for me - I don't see its purpose. You are a senior rider. We look to senior riders to share wisdom. If you know of particular "hacks" that help junior, or any, riders to save money share them - we know you can. This "savings over a lifetime" nonsense in order to properly enjoy motorcycling is nonsense. Help or get out of the way.
I view it as just a simple reflection on setting your expectations (and budget) before a trip rather than just going through the routine of packing a lot of things beforehand only to realize later that motels and diners would have made for a better adventure.
As a senior rider, I can tell you that there are no hacks that will allow you to skip to the front of the line and avoid making mistakes--and hopefully learning from them. I know, I did not like hearing that when I was younger, but it is the reality of life. Creating the trip/life that you want almost always requires that you make sacrifices in one area to make gains in another. Saving for the trip ahead of time, making sure you have enough money upfront and enjoying the ride, is far better than spending ever day eating crappy cheap food, checking gas buddy to see if I can save 10 cents a gallon, or hauling my camping gear all over the country to learn that you don't like camping. So I guess the "hack" is to save the money upfront and do the ride that gives you joy!