You guys remember our good buddy Mike Huber, whom we met on one of the Baja rides. Mike is a former US Army paratrooper, a GS rider, and a great guy. It was good to get an email from Mike a couple of days ago, along with the following guest blog…
Combining my two favorite passions in life of motorcycle and camping is new to me, but I quickly fell in love with the lifestyle and have grown to embrace moto camping so much that over the past two years I make it a point to moto camp at least once a month.
As I developed my passion for moto camping I began following blogs and Facebook groups to seek out tips and tricks that can make my moto camping experiences more exciting and comfortable. I began to notice that some moto campers on these pages camped in their hammocks full time and didn’t even own a tent. This awoke my curiosity since I always travel with an ENO double nest nylon hammock. On most nights when I camp I usually hang the hammock when I have a few hours to kill where I can get comfortable and read a book or just gaze into the campfire after a long day of riding. Even though I travel and use a hammock frequently I never thought of sleeping in my hammock while camping prior to reading these blogs.
A short time later I was traveling from Arizona to Colorado and I found myself in a beautiful state park camping where I had spent over an hour or so sitting in my hammock next to the fire. I decided to give this hammock camping thing a try. It was a clear night and the moon and stars were really popping so I threw a few logs on the fire, loaded my sleeping bag into the hammock ad settled in for a restful night’s sleep.
Below are a few pros and cons I have found with my limited hammocking experience:
Pros:
• Able to see the stars the entire night without having to leave your bed
• Lightweight and compact
• No pressure points in a hammock so it can be much more comfortable and warmer being off the ground
• A level area is not required so at times you can be closer to bodies of water
Cons:
• Some parks do not allow hammocks to be hung on any park property or trees (see photo)
• If you are in an area with no trees (EX: deserts of the southwestern United States (and using a cactus is a really bad idea)) there may not be a place to safely hang your hammock
• Without a properly equipped hammock facing bad weather can be a challenge
I enjoy the unique experience of hammock camping and whenever conditions are right have continued to camp in my hammock. I am now in the habit of setting up both my tent and hammock at my campsites and go with how I feel, the weather, and my surroundings. Hammock camping is another option to have, and with moto camping having more options is never a bad thing.
Mike, that’s an awesome blog. Thanks for taking the time to think of us. Your photos are outstanding. Let’s get together for a taco or two the next time you’re in town. Gresh says he’s buying!
Good stuff right there. I hope to hear from Mike again. Possibly a Joe vs. Mike camping hammock shootout.
Good stuff, Joe.
I quit carrying a tent for moto camping several years ago. My hammock system has evolved a bit over time but I’m pretty happy with it by now. It includes a fairly big tarp that hangs over the hammock, sort of like an old-school pup tent except suspended rather than pitched on the ground. And I carry a second hammock that I rig directly below the one I sleep in. That’s where I stow my riding gear, boots, and helmet while in camp.
Nice to see Mike’s contribution on the blog again. Was great meeting him with you and the RX3 riders in Baja.
Yep, that was a great trip and Mike is a great guy. As are you, J.
Nice write-up.
I would advise anyone who is considering trying a hammockbto do some research first — hammocks require tweaking and dialing-in before they are perfect; unlike tents.
I find hammocks far more comfortable than laying in a tent. However, sometimes there aren’t any trees at the spot where I want to stay.
I’m going to get a telescopic pole (which will fit nicely on the bike), from which I can pitch one end of my tarp — the other end can attach to the bike.
The hammock will be on the ground, with a ground sheet under it, and act like a bivy bag/bug net.
Not as comfortable as hammocking, but it requires minimum additional equipment to convert everything into a ‘tent’.