![\"IMG_20160430_122220143\"](\"https:\/\/diomederacing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/IMG_20160430_122220143.jpg\")
<\/a>\nAfter a fair amount a ribbing that I can only flat foot an 85cc dirt bike\u2026 L I left to head home to finish getting ready for the test run. I loaded up the Tiger. I could tell right away it\u2019s going to need a fair amount of preload in the shock when I load it up for the trip. I can\u2019t imagine why. The Right pannier was 34lbs the left was 26lbs the top box was 26lbs the jerry can was 3lbs and the wolfman bag was 5lbs. Each of the cases empty is 11lbs. So in all I had ~ 95lbs more than normal on the bike (58lbs of gear) I had been trying to keep it under 50 lbs. I should be able to get it down. Here\u2019s the bike loaded up.<\/p>\n
The Tent and my sleeping bag are my heaviest and bulkiest items they are the two items on the top of the panniers in the dry bags. Which worked just fine in the rain and snow, yes, snow.<\/p>\n We rode up to the Valle Caldra to see what the bikes would feel like and how they would handle loaded. Must remember to add preload! I don\u2019t like bikes that feel like a copper. In all, the bike handled great, I was comfortable on it, the hard part was getting the comms to work. We found a camp spot we liked in the woods that we could all set up in we started to set up camp. Of course, we got rained on, but at least the tents were up by the time the rain started.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to need to do some practicing with the camp stove so I don\u2019t burn dinner\u2026. That\u2019s all I have to say about that. We had some great neighbors for the evening.<\/p>\n Now I had checked the weather forecast, so knew that it was likely to snow on us, but I was really hoping we\u2019d be lucky and it wouldn\u2019t\u2026.<\/p>\n We were going to make breakfast, but decided to just leave and go get a hot breakfast down the hill someplace\u2026<\/p>\n Jaime, in one of the many\u2026 OMG I can\u2019t feel my fingers moments!<\/p>\n Unpacking the poor over loaded bike… I think CJ is right I need to rethink all the stuff I’m taking with me. \u00a0There is just too much stuff on the bike. \u00a0I’m not going to need it all. The poor Tiger covered in snow. This is a first, I’ve never had my bike covered with snow. I’m liking my pink Rok straps more and more too. \u00a0They really stand out!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
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\nI think I need to look at a tarp to make a rain shelter to cook under. Heather had one that we used that night. The best part was para cord that was reflective so I didn\u2019t walk into it and straggle myself on it.<\/p>\n
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\nWe weren\u2019t lucky. Jaime wasn\u2019t impressed. I heard a lot of swearing in the morning\u2026 I woke up about 1 or 2 a lil chilled, dug around for my hat and bag liner. Went back to sleep, I have to say I was really pleased with all of my gear. As long as I stayed on the sleeping pad I was plenty warm, the couple of times I woke up, chilled, never cold, I realized I had rolled off the pad. Once back on it I was plenty warm. Heather, wasn\u2019t happy with her sleeping bag, and Jaime wasn\u2019t happy with her tent. I thought my tent was a bit small but I\u2019m actually okay with that\u2026 I still don\u2019t get how they thing two people would fit in that tent.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n