Motorcycle Camping at Spavinaw State Park
However, sleeping on a very thin piece of closed-cell foam on the ground became very evident that the sleeping accommodation was going to have to change.
Got the UltraGlide packed up for some motorcycle camping and stayed the night at Spavinaw State Park here, close to us in the heart of Green Country, Oklahoma. The weather was great and started off in the seventies, but cooled back down to the fifties when the sun went down.
The experience went rather well considering it was my first time to do this kind of thing. However, sleeping on a very thin piece of closed-cell foam on the ground became very evident that the sleeping accommodations were going to have to change. The day after my campout at Spavinaw, I went to the local big box store and bought a cheap twin-sized air mattress (and air pump) to sleep on.
It packs up smaller than the closed-foam mat and will be much more comfortable. I did try it out in the back of my Tahoe and was very impressed with the difference in sleeping ability. This little mattress is going to be a first-string pick for the motorcycle camping from now on. The only thing I would change about it is having a built-in pump and not having to keep up with an extra component for equipment storage.
On the other hand, it is quite small and should pack up without too much of an issue. I know I had plenty of room for the compactness of the pump, but then there are the batteries to contend with as well. I got the battery-operated pump because the local big-box store didn’t have a manual pump available. I think it will be okay though. I just have to remember that I have to carry extra batteries and make sure they and the pump get packed. I don’t think I’d like the alternative of sleeping on the ground, without any padding whatsoever!
Another thing about an air mattress is the chance of leakage. So, that means keeping a repair kit handy for just such an emergency. Overall, the air mattress will be more comfortable, but it also comes with a higher maintenance regimen. However, keeping the pump, batteries, and repair kit doesn’t exactly mean it isn’t worth the effort. On the contrary, the value of a good night’s sleep when motorcycle camping shouldn’t be underestimated when on an extended camping trip – or even overnight. I think it will be a good choice in the long run, and I might even upgrade to an even better self-inflating mattress at some point in the future.
I guess we’ll see. I’m just getting started in this motorcycle camping hobby thing and I know there is a lot of equipment I don’t have, but might need in the future. I find it exciting though and can’t wait to get back out in the wind and find places to camp and write about. So, thanks for hanging out with me to the end and if you found this type of environment interesting, leave a comment below and until next time – Keep the rubber side down and the shiny side up!