Lake Washington Gold

Rider Education

Chapter E Achievement in the Rider Education Program

This is a sad day for me.  I want to share with all my GWTA friends about a tragedy that can happen to anyone…..anywhere!

One of my Intruder Alert members, Robin Welborn, from Georgia was on a group ride with several friends, riding staggered formation, rolling through the hills of Georgia when the rider in front, to the right, lost control, for some unknown reason, and started “waffling” and “weaving” in an attempt to remain upright and regain control.

Folks, 2.0 seconds is NOT enough room for evasive measures.  Robin, attempting to avoid a certain collision, and with no avenue of escape to the right, not enough room to lock down without causing problems behind him, swerved left to the centerline and met an on-coming pickup coming wide in a blind curve. 

Robin was killed instantly! 

What were his choices? 

This group rode together regularly and maintained safe practices.  He could have stayed the course and maybe could have missed the other bike.  He could have locked down and possibly caused a multiple bike collision.  He could have gone right and left the road (Who knows what was out there?)  He made a split second decision, and it cost him his life.  His two daughters now have no father.  His parents lost their son.  His girlfriend lost the love of her life.

This was not a result of negligence on his part.  Maybe it was negligence on the pick-up operator’s part.  Pure and simple . . . . . . 2.0 seconds is not enough time for safe evasion, even at speeds less than highway traffic.

We all need to remember, if you are in a group, or riding alone, ALWAYS leave a safe margin in front and behind you.  And always look for a SAFE escape route.  If one is not available, slow down a bit.

I don’t really want to go through this emotional roller coaster again, especially not with any of our GWTA friends.

Thanks for allowing me to unburden my heart and remind everyone to RIDE SAFE.

Duane

Safety Tip Of The Month - June, 2002

When Your Stator Fails

Scuba divers know it as a life saving practice - the buddy system. Maybe not so dramatic, but those of us that ride Wings have all known a friend who's stator went out when away from home. In this case, a buddy system works just fine to get that bike into town.

When your stator dies and your engine is running, it will continue to run until the battery dies, and it will not, of course, recharge that battery. Then your bike dies and you pull to the side of the road. What to do?

You swap batteries with your buddy! Pull all unnecessary fuses (particularly the headlight fuse if there is daylight) then start your dying Wing. Jump start the bike with the 'dead' battery, then drive away until the new battery dies. The good stator in your friend's bike will charge, at least partially, that 'dead' battery sufficiently so that when it is time to do the swap again you can do it and get the bikes started again. You might have to do this a few times, of course.

Naturally, if you are riding in a group of more than two, you use any of the full function bikes to originate the jump start from.

This will severely tax those batteries, possibly doing damage as a result. But at least in some cases you can get to town this way.

(Good biker etiquette then suggests that if those batteries develop trouble soon after you do this you might have to put a couple of them on your credit card.)

(courtesy The Master Strategy Group)

Safety Tip Of The Month - April, 2002

YOU ONLY HIT THAT CAR…
If You Don't Quite Stop In Time

It takes most people about 4.5 seconds to read this sentence. 4.5 seconds is not a lot of time - but it could be the rest of your life. 4.5 seconds is also (not really a coincidence) about how long it SHOULD take you to stop your motorcycle after applying your brakes at 60 MPH!

Stopping a motorcycle as fast as possible requires that you master only a few fundamentals:

• Alertness - No matter how fast your reflexes are or how skillful you are with your brakes, if you don't see the need to stop, you won't.
• Reflexes - First you need time to recognize a threat and decide to react to it, then your fast reflexes take over and make the difference.
• Skill - Under-utilizing your brakes is just as dangerous as over-doing it.

It usually takes about .7 seconds to recognize a threat. A person with normal reflexes takes about .3 seconds to start braking from the moment he realizes he has to do so. Combined, that's about 1 full second from the time a threat presents itself to you and you begin to slow down. At 60 MPH you travel 88 FEET in 1 second!

That it takes you about .7 seconds to recognize the threat is a mental reality. But it does not necessarily take .3 seconds to react to it. The simple practice of always covering your front brake can shave a full tenth of a second (1/3!!) of that time away. That's almost 9 FEET!

Traffic Engineers have some rules-of-thumb they developed over time. They, for example, have found that if the street surface is dry, the average person can safely decelerate an automobile at the rate of 15 feet per second per second (fpsps). That is, an average person can slow down at this rate without any real likelihood that they will lose control in the process. If the surface is wet they assume a deceleration rate of 10 fpsps is safely attainable by almost anyone.

Let's assume a wet street surface and that you are moving at 60 MPH. At a 10 fps deceleration rate it will take you 8.8 seconds to stop after you begin applying your brakes. (A total of 9.8 seconds from the time the threat we earlier talked about presents itself.) The distance you would travel before coming to a complete stop is 475 feet.

If, however, the road is dry, it would take you only a total of 6.9 seconds to stop, (including the 1 second recognition/reaction delay.) and the distance traveled until you came to rest would be 346 feet. Clearly the more effective your braking is, the less time it takes to stop, and the less distance traveled.

I think most of you know that your motorcycles can stop more quickly than can an automobile. Indeed, a professional motorcycle racer can obtain a 1g deceleration rate, or more, on his motorcycle. (1g deceleration is 32 fpsps.) With practice, your braking skills should easily allow you to attain deceleration rates in excess of 20 fpsps. What would that mean in our example threat scenario?

It would mean that you could stop your motorcycle in a total of 5.4 seconds (including the 1 second delay.) and your total stopping distance would be only 281.5 feet!

By enhancing your braking skills with practice you can shave 64.5 feet and 1.5 seconds off 'normal' results. And you could shave off another nearly 9 feet just by covering your brakes. That brings the distance traveled before stopping down by about 73.5 feet.

73.5 feet is about four car-lengths! The message is clear: You only hit that car if you don't quite stop in time. You might not hit it at all if you cover your brakes and practice your braking skills.

Compliments of the Master Strategy Group

Safety Tip Of The Month - February 1, 2002

PARKING 

Many of us firmly believe that, as with the face of a Heidelberg student, it is unmanly for a motorcycle to lack a few scars. However, many riders seem to wish to keep their fairings unscratched, their mirrors unbent and their footpegs straight. A grasp of the basics of parking your motorcycle will aid you considerably in this aim.

No rule is absolute, but most of the following rules apply most of the time. For convenience, it is assumed that small people ride smaller 'bikes and big people rider bigger 'bikes: so, whatever your size, your 'bike will be pretty big in comparison to your body weight. (Fat girls on mopeds are ignored.)

• Park with your rear wheel to the curb. Most roads camber; that is, they slope down to the gutter. Also, Most motorcycles have only got forward gears, so the engine can only help you pull away if you are facing in towards the center of the road.

• Your tires never sink into even the softest of ground, but metal stands can do so. Park on the sidestand. If you have the slightest worry about the surface (mud, soft tarmac, etc) you can put a 'foot' (plastic or metal plate, usually attached to a line for easy retrieval, and stored in a pocket on your bike when not in use), flat rock, wood or the ubiquitous flattened beer can (I mean "soft drink can", Officer) under the side stand in such a case. It's much harder to chock up both legs of a centerstand. Also, on the sidestand you are "three point stable" like a tripod, the center stand only gives you "two point stability". And it's far easier to "fine tune" the position of a 'bike on the sidestand than it is to take it off the center stand and start again.

• Similarly, always use the sidestand and a suitable 'foot' under the end of it when on camping trips. Even if the ground is rock hard when you park, rain or dew may soften it enough for the sidestand to dig in. And position the 'bike so that, if the stand sinks in despite your precautions, your tent with you in it will not be beneath the wreckage!

• Park at between 90 and 45 degrees to the flow of traffic (depending how wide the road is). Parking parallel to the flow of traffic makes the 'bike far less visible to other road users, without reducing the actual width all that much. If you can't park safely at 45 degrees, you probably shouldn't park there at all.

• Don't leave the 'bike parked with the engine running. If the road is so steep that you need to leave it in gear to stop it rolling, it is probably not the right place to leave it. (Remember; it is perfectly possible for an engine to "creep" past compression - so leaving it in gear does NOT make a good parking brake) If you have to park on a hill; park at 45 degrees to the road, with the rear tire downhill of the front and against the curb. And (unless you like the smell of ABS cement) use the sidestand.

• Think before you park! Look at the ground (for the aforementioned mud or soft tarmac) and if you see a nail, don't park on it! If you see a "No Parking" sign or marking, consider parking elsewhere. If you see 'Brixton confetti' (broken car window) consider parking elsewhere. If you see half a U-Lock and the innards of a Yamaha ignition switch, do park elsewhere!

• If you have a choice of parking spaces (e.g.: the length of a 'bike bay), you should park: where the road is widest; furthest from any corner or junction; not under a tree; under a street lamp; next to a wider vehicle but not behind a vehicle that may have difficulty reversing and where the 'bike is easily seen (preferably by yourself or members of your household).

• Try to leave a considerate space for other road users ('cos they'll only try to move the 'bike if you don't). Never park in the middle of a gap that is "one and a half" cars long: it's rude and selfish. However, you should park in the middle of a gap that is only one car long, to indicate to car drivers that they shouldn't try to squeeze in.

• If you possibly can, whenever you do have to move the 'bike under your own steam, sit astride it. If you are walking alongside a 'bike and have to turn or brake it sharply, it can easily fall away from you. As the bulk of the 'bike itself prevents you placing your feet to brace yourself, this quickly leads to the embarrassing position of you lying on top of the 'bike while a passing mongrel throws a bucket of water over you.

• When you have to move a 'bike under muscle power, don't let the exertion make you forget your Roadcraft. In large fleets, up to 80% of accidents happen while parking. People relax and forget to concentrate at the end of a trip. Don't forget to check for other moving vehicles before pushing your 'bike across the road!

Courtesy of Hoddy Hodson, London Advanced Motorcyclists

Jim Schwarz & Shirley Hodgson
Rider Education Directors 

 Safety Tip Of The Month - December 1, 2001

COLD WEATHER STARTING

Always hold your clutch all the way in when starting your bike even if your indicator says that you’re in neutral.

Always hold your front brake before dropping the bike into gear – even when your clutch is being held all the way in.

Because you have a wet clutch, cold weather causes the oil to thicken and the clutch/flywheel tends to stick together after sitting for several hours with the engine off.  Because of this, merely holding in the clutch lever is no assurance that the bike won’t lurch forward when it’s dropped into gear.  Holding your brake in this case could keep you from dumping your bike.

Safety Tip Of The Week - November 1, 2001

RIDING DRAG IS ANYTHING BUT

While a tour group is highly dependant upon the skills and judgment of the lead bike's rider, in many ways they are more dependant on the drag bike for successfully arriving at their destination.

Let's first discuss the drag bike's obvious role during group lane changing maneuvers. Almost always, a lane change is initiated by the lead bike, but there are times when the drag bike should do so. For example, if the group is traveling on a freeway and the drag bike observes that an 18-wheeler is harassing the group (tailgating or honking its horn), the proper response of the drag bike is to increase the distance between himself and the next bike in front of him and to radio ahead to the lead bike recommending an immediate lane change to the right, and why.

If the lead bike requests a lane change, the drag bike must first determine that it is safe to do so. If it is not, he must tell the lead why he is unwilling or cannot do so at this time. That is, the drag bike determines if and when a lane change that is requested by the lead bike is to happen. (Note that if the group moves into a slower moving lane from front to back, much like a normal car passing maneuver, the lead bike does not request a lane change at all - he announces it - and the drag bike's responsibility is to announce when the maneuver is completed.)

The proper response from the drag bike to a request to obtain a new lane for the group should ALWAYS be: "Stand By". To say something like "OK" can be confused by some to mean the lane has been obtained and it is time to move over. It is NOT safe to change lanes until the drag bike subsequently says "The lane has been secured - following the red car", or something to that effect. If the drag bike denies the request for a lane change he has already told the lead bike (and all listeners) to 'stand by' and so merely then updates that advisory with why the request is denied.

Assuming it is safe to change lanes, the drag bike moves into the requested lane and signals the lead bike that it has been obtained. He must also advise as to the traffic situation as it relates to the lane change.

Additional responsibilities of the drag bike: checking that all bikes have raised their side stands when the group begins its ride; assisting any member that is forced to leave the group for mechanical, medical, or personal reasons (lost confidence, for example); observing the riding performance of all of the other bikes to determine if there might be a particular rider who is mismatched in terms of riding skills compared to the group; watching for any unsafe driving habits of individual riders or the group at large; 'closing the door' in situations where a lane is about to be lost; and to watch and report any lighting, tire or luggage problems with any of the bikes in the group.

Being at the back of the group, the drag bike is in the ideal position to perform these responsibilities and having these responsibilities requires that the drag bike is best prepared to honor them. The drag bike should have a comprehensive first aid kit, fire extinguisher, the ability to turn on blinking warning lights, and reliable communications capability. The drag bike rider should be currently trained in first aid and CPR as well as having attended an MSF Experienced Rider Course (ERC).

If a member has failed to raise his kickstand, a quick radio broadcast by the drag bike gets that problem fixed before the group moves at all. When the group makes a stop, the drag bike sees all the stop lights and will report any that are failing. He does the same if he sees failing turn indicators (or those that are left on). Luggage that has slipped, trunk or bags that are left open or have their latches spring open, will be observed and reported by an alert drag bike. (These are things that each member of the group should watch for in behalf of all the bikes ahead of them.)

If a bike must leave the group for any reason, it's the drag bike that must determine if assistance is required and to provide it, if necessary. If a member of the group must stop at the side of the road, the drag bike will stop with him, radioing the situation to the lead bike (so that a new drag bike can be designated and the group can find a safe place to leave the road.) If a major problem exists the drag bike radios ahead and asks the lead bike to furnish whatever additional assistance is required. For example, BEFORE starting CPR, a quick medical alert must be broadcast so that the lead bike can arrange for trained assistance. By the way, all else being equal, this is why one should choose a drag bike that has a co-rider - to allow constant radio support while first aid attention is being rendered.

During the ride the drag may well see that one of the group's members slows down dramatically when entering curves. This is a sure sign that that rider is being pushed beyond his individual riding skills. The drag bike should take it upon himself to do two things in this case:

1. He should request the lead bike to slow down

2. He should be sure that the individual having the control (or confidence) problems is moved towards the back of the group, preferably to the last position in the group that rides in the 'slot' (right half of the lane). This change of group position is often best one when the group makes its next stop, but sometimes it must be done immediately.

If the drag bike observes that a rider does not appear to have control of his bike adequate to continue the ride as a member of the group, then he MUST so advise the lead bike and request that the group make an immediate stop to resolve the problem. In almost all cases the resolution will involve INSISTING that the impaired bike leave the group and be escorted to a safe destination. It is typical that the drag bike will act as the escort.

In severe cases, typically those involving drugs, alcohol, or medical problems, the impaired driver must not be allowed to drive their bikes at all, if they can be stopped, and one of the co-riders might be asked to drive it to a safe place for overnight storage, for example. In this case the impaired driver should NOT be allowed to assume co-rider status!! Some other form of transportation needs to be arranged.

If either the lead or the drag bike insists that an individual not be allowed to ride with the group, the group MUST NOT allow that individual to continue to ride with them. If the individual in question refuses to leave, then the group should simply stop and not proceed while he continues to remain.

The lead and drag bikes are a team designated by the group to conduct them safely to their destination. These are not symbolic positions. They require maturity, experience, training, cooperation, good communications, and good judgment. And, occasionally, your thanks.

Compliments of the Master Strategy Group by James R. Davis

Safety Tip Of The Week August 19, 2001

Drive Within Your Safety Limits - Epilog

Shirley and I left Friday morning for Portland. We had Wingman install a new front tire and perform the 32,000 service on the trike. After Tim finished up, we headed over to Tillamook for the RA Region rally. John and Rita were there with their Lehman trike display - a very professional setup by the way.

We left for home on Sunday morning and rode up 101 with another couple on an 1800. They were pulling a camper and dropped it off in Washington for a return trip next week. Shortly after we were back on our way (sans trailer), a couple of cars passed us on the right (right lane was ending shortly). They were determined to get ahead of us no matter what. This did not exactly thrill the driver of the 1800 so he took off and chased them down. He passed them shortly thereafter and before you knew it there were three cars between us.

The 1500 trike did not have the power to keep up with the 1800 (we were climbing a long grade at the time) and even had I been on my 1800, I wouldn't have done it. A short while later the 1800 driver informed me that it was clear if I wanted to pass and catch up with them. I didn't feel comfortable passing three cars in the amount of distance available (by the way the cars were doing 60 - 65) so I didn't. That was a good decision as it turned out. An oncoming truck would have met us at the midpoint of the 3 cars. The resulting splat wouldn't have been too pretty. To reemphasize the point from last week -- know your limits, trust your own judgment, and don't give a #$%^ what others think. A rookie in this example might have tried to keep up and had some pretty dire consequences.

One never should feel that he/she needs to apologize for being cautious, slower than others, a rookie or whatever. Don't let pressure from others or silly self-inflicted pressure kill you. You're just a whole lot more fun alive! Ride Safe

PS: This tip was not intended as a criticism of the 1800 rider. He's been riding for many years, has great skills, and I'm certain was riding within his comfort level. My point is that all of us should ride within our safety limits and not be pressured (directly or indirectly) into doing otherwise. Gads, will this ever end? Sorry about that!

Safety Tip Of The Week August 12, 2001

Drive Within Your Safety Limits

Last Saturday, I participated in the Cascade Classic "Half Fast 500". This is the second time I did the 500 mile ride -- the first being two years ago. That year I rode with my son (he was riding a Shadow at the time). This year I was supposed to ride with my son again (now riding a Harley Fatboy) and a friend of mine who rides a BMW. Both begged off at the last minute. I was on my own.

Ride requirements are 15 hours for the 500 mile, 24 hours for the 1000 and 36 hours for the 1500. Each year one has a choice of two routes for each distance. This year the eastern 500 was the exact same route I rode two years ago so I opted for western route despite the weather reports. The route took us down I-5, around Tacoma, over the Narrows bridge, up to Bremerton, down to Union, up along the Hood Canal, through Sequim, down through Forks to Aberdeen, over to Olympia and back home. The total distance was 514 miles. I hit rain three times, stopped three times at checkpoints for gas and one time to pull off rain gear (only to put it back on later). I never got hungry so I didn't need to stop for food. I finished in 9.5 hours. While this isn't a race, one does take some pride in driving efficiently and safely. It was a pleasant surprise therefore to learn that I was the first to finish this year's Cascade Classic.

What's the safety point of all this? It is that one can participate in an "Iron Butt" event and do it safely if it is Within Your Safety Limits. I chose to ride the 500 a second time instead of riding the 1000 or 1500 because I was confident that the 500 was within my ability to do safely. Riding at 3 or 4 am is beyond my safety limit so I choose not to do it. There have been reports of individuals taking over-the-counter medications to stay awake. This is beyond any reasonable expectation of safety limits. Falling asleep and killing yourself is one thing and could even be argued is your inalienable right. But exceeding your safety limits unfortunately impacts on others and you don't have the right to endanger someone else's life. There are plenty of individuals who can do the 1000 and 1500 comfortably within their safety limits. The point is knowing your limits and driving within them.

Let's face it folks: understanding safe driving does not require membership in Mensa. It is mostly common sense and good sound judgment. If you're in a group ride for example and you continually lag behind the rider ahead, you need to fall to the back. Not maintaining proper separation is a safety issue and is dysfunctional. If you're riding with someone else and they are going too fast, don't try to keep up. Drive within your own safety limits. Likewise, if group riding drives you nuts because the pace is too slow, don't do group rides. Drive within your limits. Everyone's safety limits are unique. Learn your limits and remember that how you drive impacts on others as well as yourself.

Safety Tip Of The Week July 29, 2001

What's new can kill you

What's worse than having a new rider on a bike they've never ridden? -- Perhaps a new bike that an experienced rider hasn't ridden. Just because you've conquered your last bike doesn't mean that you can ride anything. Unfortunately, experienced riders often forget to be humble when handling a new toy. Different throttle responses, braking tendencies, cornering ability, center of gravity, and ergonomics can really throw you off. Treat any bike you haven't mastered with respect. If you don't, you may find they bite as hard as they bark.

Safety Tip Of The Week July 22, 2001

What you can't see can hurt you

Blind corners have claimed many motorcyclists. A good survival rule of thumb is never to rely solely on signs. If you've never been on an upcoming set of turns you are, in essence, a rookie. And rookies should never push it to the limit. Rarely do signs warn of gravel in the middle of the turn, off-camber turns or decreasing radius turns. Local riders will know every inch of each turn, but you won't. Yesterday, my son, granddaughter, and I rode in the Diabetes Poker Run out of Puyallup. Three-quarters through the run we were coming down a steep twisty. One of the banked curves was full of gravel and two Gold Wings who didn't make it. The routing sheet warned us of the steep twisties but not the gravel of course. These folks obviously were going too fast and apparently panicked and braked in the turn and on the gravel -- a bad combination. If you don't know the road, it pays to drive with some caution.

Safety Tip Of The Week July 15, 2001

Dress it Right and Cover Down

Anyone in the military has heard those words at one time or another. Proper dress can save your skin. This is a difficult feat amidst blistering summer temperatures, but while those shorts may be nice and cool, they lend little protection in a fall. Can you remember driving across Arizona in the daytime in the summer, and quietly thanking the state for not imposing a helmet law (which has, since that time, become a reality)? Let's face it, when the temperature climbs above 90 degrees in high humidity or 100 degrees in low humidity it is downright uncomfortable riding in leathers and a helmet. I've seen all kinds of tricks, including riding with a wet shirt underneath to allow the wind to cool the body. The way I look at is this...If it's too hot to wear a helmet, it's too hot to ride. If you commute, try avoiding the hottest parts of the day. Most of this discussion goes away in the winter, since we all don whatever windproof apparel we have. But in the summer I continually witness riders in shorts, without shirts on and using teva's as their feet armor. I don't think these riders have ever witnessed what happens to human flesh after it slides 50-100 feet on the tarmac.

Safety Tip Of The Week July 8, 2001

Avoid Rush Hour

One should generally try avoiding rush hour especially in an unfamiliar city. If your senses are overloading while looking out for potential dangers, then its time to give your senses a rest. Park it and wait until your 2 wheels stand a better chance of survival.

Safety Tip Of The Week July 1, 2001

Position Yourself

If the car you're following has its left turn signal on, move over to the right side of the lane. This allows the cars following you to see without obstruction the turn signal of the car ahead and warns them of stopped vehicles up in front. If the car you're tailing has its right turn signal on, move over to the left side of the lane. This again permits cars following to see more clearly. But just before you stop behind the car, move over to the right hand side of the lane. Being stopped behind the car on the right hand side offers an escape route if in fact the cars behind do not stop in time to avoid a collision.

Safety Tip Of The Week June 24, 2001

Be Seen

A well-know comedy skit was performed by Monty Python on "How not to be Seen". While comical, on a motorcycle this tendency leads to accidents. I've read stories of motorcyclists who made direct eye contact with drivers, only to have them then pull out in front of their bike. Trust no one! The best way to avoid placing any trust in other vehicles is to stay away from them. This includes placing a buffer zone around your bike and maintaining it. By protecting your safe zone you maintain visibility and increase the chances of your anticipating any unforeseen events. This is a difficult feat in heavy traffic . At the very least avoid traveling directly behind trucks. When you do you are placing your future in that driver's hands and minimize any possibility of you avoiding objects in your path.

Safety Tip Of The Week June 17, 2001

A Healthy Paranoia

Drive scared. I've heard some people state that aggressive defense is a good way to drive. The best way is to learn the proper techniques through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's beginner's and advanced rider's courses. Scanning is the number one best way to stay out of trouble. If you see a target in front , to the side, or behind you, develop the knack of making mental notes of their possible actions and your reactions. And if anything remotely smells of trouble, cover your brakes. The plus side is that while you can get into some sticky situations, a twist of the wrist can often get you out of them.

Safety Tip Of The Week June 10, 2001

Practice Your Art

The only way to keep your skills honed is to ride and practice. While riding pick out spots on the road and imagine them to be debris. Practice avoiding such spots and other make-believe obstacles (don't try real ones, such as people please). Following at a safe distance is a good way of increasing your reaction time to such obstacles. The finer arts of riding can be obtained by practicing slow speed drills. Most spills occur during low speed maneuvers, such as parking or making U-turns. Another tip is to treat every turn as if sand were there. Don't trust the surface to provide friction unless you've been through it already. This is especially true at intersections, but is equally likely on any corner where automobile or truck tires push around dirt.

Safety Tip Of The Week May 27, 2001

Pack it Right

The right way to pack is as important as what to pack. Make sure that your load is centered, stable, and that only the right stuff is loaded. A good rule of thumb is as follows: You can't get very far if your bike breaks down, so bike maintenance items should take priority. Second priority should be personal comfort items, including motorcycle riding gear and camping items. Third on the agenda are things that you'd like to take, but aren't quite sure if they will fit, like portable washing machines, hair dryers, etc.... Part of the fun is knowing what to pack, and what not to pack.