One of the questions we get asked the most lately is where we will sleep. This blog could just as easily be named "The Places I sleep," and it would have an equally dirty feel to it. For the better part of the next two years, we will be camping wherever we finish riding each day. That will mean anything from a mountain pass on the Denali highway with a limitless view to behind a maintenance shed in a city park in Mexico from which we will have to sneak out early before somebody reports us to the police. To give you an idea, here are a few unorthodox camping spots that I have had in my short traveling career.
On the sidewalk in front of a Best Western in Ketchikan Alaska. The bar closed and we had never bothered to find a place to stay. The town was pretty much shutdown and being 19 there was no way we were going to drop $100 on a room.
On top of an Alaska Marine Highway Ferry. They actually let you duct tape your tent to the deck of the boat if you don't feel like getting a cabin.
Stealth camping in Zion. Typically you're only allowed to camp in designated spaces. If you ride your bike through the park just after sunset you can probably find a few huge boulders to hide behind and set up camp.
On a ranch without the owners permission. I woke up to a bull staring me down. I was just on the ground because I didn't feel like setting my tent up. I didn't know what to do so I went back to sleep. When I woke up it was gone.
Inside an abandoned school house. We came across an abandoned village on a hike and each had our own building to squat in for the night.
Belle Isle, Detroit. I actually had permission to do this as part of a biology study. Camping in a city park is a pretty special experience even without the thrill of breaking the law. It's an amazing combination of nature with an urban backdrop
Warm Showers
One of the best sites for bicycle touring is warmshowers. It is a networking site that connects cyclists that are touring with people that are willing to host them. This could mean anything from offering a bed, a place to put their tent up, a shower, food, laundry, etc. We've used it a few times on some smaller tours and it has always been a great experience. There are only a handful of hosts here in St. George, so I do my best to help everyone out that comes through town looking for a place to stay. We want to try to sleep in a bed and have a hot shower at least once per week while on this trip. Warmshowers will be a major part of that plan, especially in the US where it is more prevalent and hotels are pretty expensive.
Golden Showers
Considering the topic and the teasing of content involving micturating into the front aperture of a face; it only seems fair to tell this story. It doesn't involve camping. Circa 2003 I was staying in Hawaii for the summer. One morning I was sitting in the kitchen eating a bowl of cereal and my new roommate walked into the room in a tight black mini skirt. Keep in mind it was about 9am, a bit early for clubbing. Also bear in mind that I was maybe 20 years old and came from the most vanilla and PG rated sort of American dream suburb that you can imagine.
"You either need to leave or go into your room and be quiet until I tell you it's OK to come out."
Not being awake enough to formulate a question or any sort of resistance I complied and went into my room. Not long thereafter I heard the doorbell ring, then a little chit chat, and then the shower was turned on. There was a bit of moaning, but after only a few seconds it was all over. She knocked at my door and told me it was ok to come out. I went back to the kitchen, got another bowl of cereal, and had pretty much forgotten anything had ever happened. She came back in a few minutes later, now in her pajamas. I remember not really noticing her as I was probably engaged in reading the nutrition facts on the cereal. Eventually I became conscious of her standing there awkwardly with her hands in her armpits and sort of rocking back and forth.
"Ok, so remember when I told you that I used to be a madam?"
I vaguely recalled something like that being discussed. I always assumed it was a fancy word for hostess at a restaurant.
"So I still keep a few clients and that guy just paid me $500 to pee in his mouth."
Grosssssssssssssssssssss.
The only thing about Warmshowers I would change is its name lol. Not sure of a better one tho … BikeBnb? CycleStays?