Sleeping on an FJR

[OrangevaleFJR]

Sunday at 4am I had to sleep on the FJR because I was too tired to ride and there were no rooms available. I had some stuff I could not secure that I didn't want to lose so I slept on the bike rather than on the ground. I have a large tank bag and I simply leaned forward, essentially hugged the tank and slept for two hours. It was enough for me to wake up fairly awake and got me another 200 miles where I could get a room. If you don't have a large tank bag, try a sidecase bag...I bet they make good pillows too.

Who woulda thought that the Border Motel on Hwy 50 in Nevada would be full? Not me...it was.

I guess it is a testament to my new seat that I could ride 800 miles, sleep on it for 2 more hours, ride another 140 miles and still be comfortable. Bill Mayer Saddles, thank you.

 

[SkooterG]

There is always a vacancy at the Iron Butt Motel.

 

[kaitsdad]

Sunday at 4am I had to sleep on the FJR because I was too tired to ride and there were no rooms available. I had some stuff I could not secure that I didn't want to lose so I slept on the bike rather than on the ground. I have a large tank bag and I simply leaned forward, essentially hugged the tank and slept for two hours. It was enough for me to wake up fairly awake and got me another 200 miles where I could get a room. If you don't have a large tank bag, try a sidecase bag...I bet they make good pillows too.
Who woulda thought that the Border Motel on Hwy 50 in Nevada would be full? Not me...it was.

I guess it is a testament to my new seat that I could ride 800 miles, sleep on it for 2 more hours, ride another 140 miles and still be comfortable. Bill Mayer Saddles, thank you.

OFJR, welcome to the IronButt Hotel. Glad you stopped and rested. JoyfulGirl should be proud of ya !!

 

[chickey191]

Sunday at 4am I had to sleep on the FJR because I was too tired to ride and there were no rooms available. I had some stuff I could not secure that I didn't want to lose so I slept on the bike rather than on the ground. I have a large tank bag and I simply leaned forward, essentially hugged the tank and slept for two hours. It was enough for me to wake up fairly awake and got me another 200 miles where I could get a room. If you don't have a large tank bag, try a sidecase bag...I bet they make good pillows too.
Who woulda thought that the Border Motel on Hwy 50 in Nevada would be full? Not me...it was.

I guess it is a testament to my new seat that I could ride 800 miles, sleep on it for 2 more hours, ride another 140 miles and still be comfortable. Bill Mayer Saddles, thank you.

just a point - and LOTS of folks will disagree with me on this - but I'm sticking with it. Having spent many a night in the iron butt motel - I recommend the following:

1. do NOT sleep on your bike. it isn't good for your butt, back or neck AND it trains you to sleep on a bike. This is NOT A GOOD THING when you are tired and are struggling to stay awake. It creates a habit or at least the ability to sleep while sitting in "that seat" and I don't think it is a good one.

2. I find it more restful to lay down - whether on a picnic table, park or even the pavement

3. sleep in your gear - your helmet makes a pretty good pillow on the ground. just put something under it so you wont scratch it up - your riding clothes have padding and help make the ground a little softer - you can sleep next to the bike

4. don't sleep near the bathroom at rest stops - folks visiting the facilities will wake you.

5. put a note on your chest -- that you aren't DEAD - just taking a nap. Police and parkies and people MAY leave you alone - otherwise they may wake you up to see if you are OK.

6. don't sleep with candy bars in your pockets. you might wake up to ants crawling over you or coyotes giving you a little kiss (my favorite was waking up to wild burros)

7. dont sleep near kudzu - you could disappear

8. be careful - know your area. fire ants, alligators, kudzu - poison ivy/oak

 

[evil_henchman]

I believe I've mentioned that your sleeping position is essentially my favorite LD riding position. Damn cozy eh? :good:

 

[SMC]

Glad you didn't try and push yourself and have an accident.

Your a better man then me, as I don't think I would of been able to sleep on the bike like that.

Sounds like chickey191 has some experience and practical advice that I hope I never have to utilize.

 

[ionbeam]

Sleeping on an FJR

I believe this is O. err, Odot's speciality and an area in which he can be a positive contributor. We've briefly discussed sleeping on the FJR and The O seems to have it down. Looking forward to a write-up with lots of pixs from him. We all contribute where we can. B)

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

What's kudzo?

By the way, after I woke from my nap in the hotel, I was able to pound a total of 1,218 miles when the 24 hour mark was reached....darn...I shoulda kept records and stuff. Oh well, at least I know I can do it and I'm willing to do it again, I'll save the IBA for October

I agree with Chickey on all points but this: I can already fall asleep on a bike. Believe it, or not; I have fallen asleep standing up though it didn't last long. "Geez, a second ago I was standing up!"

Shift work while in the USAF conditioned me to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime so I certainly don't ride when I start falling asleep. I took a nasty ride in a 1987 Hyundai Excel due to falling asleep.

Factoid: Telephone pole guy wires stay put when hit by a Hyundai at 50 mph.

Hey, we are all lucky to be alive and I take plenty of chances, but I don't ride when I get uncontrollably drowsy.

I guess I ought to get some work done...cya

Waking up with ants swarming on you would suck. Especially in Costa Rica (army ants)

Sleeping on an FJR

I believe this is O. err, Odot's speciality and an area in which he can be a positive contributor. We've briefly discussed sleeping on the FJR and The O seems to have it down. Looking forward to a write-up with lots of pixs from him. We all contribute where we can. B)

Speaking of Odot, I was listening to a Peter Gabriel song last night and he clearly sang "Odot" twice. No lyric sheet with the CD...damn!

 

[donaldb]

what is kudzu you ask? Welcome to my world! You can eat it you know! it's a darn shame you cant smoke it :drag: if you could we would not have our problems

 

[chornbe]

Kudzu... who'd have thought?

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Speaking of wild Burros...were any of these the ones? If so, thank goodness you are alive! This wild band of burros has been knocking off travellers at rest stops in Arizona and are wanted by the Fish and Game department. Their MO is to approach sleeping travellers and stomp their heads and steal their food. Apparently, sleeping in your helmet saved you. Even wild burros respect a nice lid when they see one.

Be careful out there...here is the gang last spotted in Northern Arizona by a guy who woke up just in time as he was being cased:

Their Leader; Wild Bill Burro

The gang's training camp taken by secret F&G operatives that concealed themselves under burkas (taliban women are known to wait on these insurgents hoof and foot.)

Be careful out there guys. Wear those helmets while you sleep and you might get lucky like Chickey!!!

 

[Bounce]

1. do NOT sleep on your bike. it isn't good for your butt, back or neck AND it trains you to sleep on a bike. This is NOT A GOOD THING when you are tired and are struggling to stay awake. It creates a habit or at least the ability to sleep while sitting in "that seat" and I don't think it is a good one.

+1 Chuck's posted these personal rules in the past in other forums. Before I ever read them, I'd already been practicing them (for the same reasons). Over the years, the number of people who have reached the same conclusions independantly of each other seem to strongly validate them.

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Rules to go by like this are very valuable, especially when you are in an area that you aren't familiar with. I grew up in Colorado and backpacked to the extent that I could live off the land in the rockies. The Sierra are a completely different ball game, and while you can live off the land there too, you have to learn a completely different set of rules. I would imagine that people up North might not even consider that fire ants would be a major problem, or worse, when checking in at the IBA hotel. Thanks for posting sharing everyone!

 

[SkooterG]

what is kudzu you ask? Welcome to my world! You can eat it you know! it's a darn shame you cant smoke it :drag: if you could we would not have our problems

Cool. I learned about something new today. Thanks for posting the link.

 

[odot]

Sleeping on an FJR

I believe this is O. err, Odot's speciality and an area in which he can be a positive contributor. We've briefly discussed sleeping on the FJR and The O seems to have it down. Looking forward to a write-up with lots of pixs from him. We all contribute where we can. B)

Don't remember talking aboot it but, if you say we did....then we must have. Hopefully, we were yapping about sleeping on it while it was stationary. If one is tired enough...one can sleep naked in the bathroom in a puddle of puke....er...nevermind that statement.

Speaking of Odot, I was listening to a Peter Gabriel song last night and he clearly sang "Odot" twice. No lyric sheet with the CD...damn!

Which song was it? Sure it wasn't biko? Now I have to break out the gabriel cd's and listen for it. :glare:

 

[ionbeam]

O. from the light of a sober day, start from post #5.

 

[odot]

Yeah....I was loaded when I posted that. My bad...memory.

 

[ionbeam]

My bad...memory

It's always nice to have an open and clutter free mind :yahoo: Kind of like my grandfather got to be, every time he watched the same old movie he was thrilled to see it for the first time

Uhh, back to the main topic [/hijack]

 

[tripletango]

Sleeping on an FJR

I believe this is O. err, Odot's speciality and an area in which he can be a positive contributor. We've briefly discussed sleeping on the FJR and The O seems to have it down. Looking forward to a write-up with lots of pixs from him. We all contribute where we can. B)

Odot relaxing on FJR