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Top Motorcycle-Travel Gift Guide of 2021…
Following are six biased gear suggestions.
What makes my suggestions biased? I don’t like spending other people’s money or wasting their time. I purchase and use the stuff I’m analyzing and recommending—or discouraging you from buying.
Bottom line, while everything here is beneficial for the motorcycle traveler this holiday season, you’ll find THE single most important gift suggestion at the end of this list.
Butler Motorcycle Maps
California-South Backcountry Discovery Route Map GPS units and smartphones have seemingly made the paper road map obsolete but there’s still good cause to own one. Example, your electronic navigation system of choice fails you — through a dead battery or another tech glitch — an analog alternative will keep you on course. Butler Maps were created by motorcyclists for motorcyclists, they’re suitable for any type of motorcycle rider.
Each map is region-specific, so you can get a ground level understanding of where you’ll be traveling. With paved road and backcountry road and off-road options, you pick your riding pleasure accordingly. With each map you get a one-state big-picture overview on one page and great little breakouts of individual points of interest on the next. These are benchmark quality scale and highly detailed maps.
What Butler Maps has done that’s so interesting for motorcyclists is they give a color code for good, better and best riding segments. The California-South Backcountry Discovery Route map featured in the photograph covers 820 miles of single and double-track dirt roads. Riders could adventure through ghost towns, visit ancient petroglyphs and motor amongst Joshua trees.
Waterproof and tear-resistant, Butler Maps are heavy-duty and will last the length of your trip and many to come.
COST: $14.95 US
Butler Maps Home
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Pinlock Earplugs
Pinlock Earplugs In 2 Sizes w/Case Once your hearing is gone, it is gone. Pinlock Earplugs provide premium hearing protection. Developed specifically for motorcycling, these are high quality, long lasting ear protection. Every set includes two sizes for a comfortable fit. The interchangeable red filter is designed to cut out harmful wind and exhaust noise, yet remain intercom and engine-rev friendly.
COST: $25.00 US
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Fuel Canister
MSR Fuel Canisters Onboard You plan your ride so you won’t have to range much further than 200 miles before needing to refuel. On many routes the space between gas stations is close enough most adventure motorcycles will comfortably reach the next filling station without incident. But depending on haw many times you venture off the beaten path between waypoints and how much added weight from all the gear you’ve packed—one spare bottle of fuel might make all the difference between riding, or pushing, your bike out of a jamb.
A safe storage method for carrying extra gasoline and other fuel on your motorcycle is the MSR Liquid Fuel Bottle with up to a 30 fl oz capacity. Pack at least one spare fuel bottle to hedge your bets and ride assured.
COST: $23.95 US
https://www.msrgear.com/stoves/stove-accessories/msr-fuel-bottles/msr-fuel-bottles.html
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Satellite Messenger
The Whole World Is inReach Good things come in small packages. The first benefit of the Garmin inReach mini is that it’s a satellite communication device running off of the Iridium network. The satellites of the Iridium network cover the entire earth with connectivity unmatched by any other communications provider.
The second benefit is the mini is the smallest of the Garmin inReach family. It’s smaller than the Garmin explorer and smaller than the Garmin i-66. When space is at a premium, as it always seems to be when traveling by motorcycle, the mini fits the bill.
Third, the Garmin inReach mini plays well with others. If you have other devices: Garmin Overlander, a cell phone or a tablet you can actually sync these devices with the inReach mini via Bluetooth. The inReach mini acts as the GPS location as the data connection allowing you access to things like text messaging and weather.
Fourth, although the Garmin inReach mini is small it’s mighty. This device comes in a rubberized, ruggedized housing and it’s waterproof up to one meter for up to 30 minutes.
The fifth and final feature of the inReach mini is probably the most important one and that is the SOS feature. Located on the side, you press the SOS button to send an emergency signal that will send help so if you’ve been injured, found yourself lost or ran out of gas. inReach will coordinate with local law enforcement and search and rescue to come assist
One more thing that we need to mention is features like SOS and data transmission through the Iridium network is subscription based, so you can pay monthly or annually or pay as you go just for the months you need service. When the subscription is off inReach mini still functions as a GPS device for location, you just won’t have access to SOS or data services.
COST: $350.00 US
https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/592606
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Emergency Medical Kit
The Moto RESQ Kit, specially curated by DanDanTheFireman As adventure motorcyclists we roll a lot of miles beneath our tires. Odds are each of us will end up at a crash scene—hopefully not our own. In the U.S., which is one of the most developed countries in the world, the average ambulance response time is between five and fifteen minutes. When riding motorcycles on back country or mountain roads that response time is easily closer to 30 minutes or more. Minor wound care items might be the difference between being able to ride out of the situation or this being the last ride.
First aid kits don’t cut it for our needs. So, what does? It’s best to have a purpose-built kit with staged items inside ready to go at a moment’s notice. The time it’ll take to cut a shirt, find a stick for a windlass and tighten a tourniquet may be the difference between life and death in a severe bleed scenario.
The Moto RESQ Kit from DanDanThe Fireman (who as his name implies is an actual firefighter) was designed just to fill this need. Included with purchase are the RESQ Kit, Training Pak, RESQ Booklet, Training Tourniquet, Safety Vest, RESQ Card and RESQ Kit Training Video.
COST: $250.00
https://motorcycle-training-concepts.myshopify.com/products/resq-kit
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Adventure Rider Training
Learn Skills and Techniques In a Controlled Environment Piloting a motorcycle is a highly technical exercise requiring a precise mix of knowledge, skill, and muscle memory. There is simply no substitute for a well-trained rider. A competent and confident motorcyclist values the practice, teaching and coaching available at a dedicated riding school. A rider is at his or her best when the actions necessary for controlling a motorcycle become completely second nature, requiring no conscious thought to perform.
Across the country and around the world there are literally hundreds of different riding schools tailored to the needs and desires of every different kind of motorcyclist. Chances are there’s at least one rider course not too far from your beloved motorcyclist. I’ll make one recommendation to get you started in your quest for classes above the level of basic rider training in hopes it spurs further research… MotoVentures is likely the best investment in motorcycle riding I’ve ever made. You’ll receive excellent instruction from experienced riders who know how to teach the techniques required to get the most out of your riding experience. It was a great weekend of training and it was a lot of fun!
COST: Ranges $225.00 – $795.00 US
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Mormon Battalion Meets Spanish Adobe
The historical site signage placed by Mission Viejo’s Heritage Committee reads, “This site was part of Rancho Canada de Los Alisos, a land grant given to Don Jose Serrano by Mexican Governor Pio Pico on May 27, 1846. Two historical plaques are located at the park’s western edge.”
Sycamore Park is well appointed with an open meadow, tot-lot, tree shaded barbecue and picnic areas, concrete walking paths and drinking fountains.
One large stone and bronze historic plaque reads in part, ”Dedicated to the valiant members of the historic Mormon Battalion who stopped here on March 20, 1847, as they marched from San Diego to Los Angeles… The Battalion played a major role in maintaining the peace, establishing political stability in the territory and shaping early California history.”
The other large dedication plaque reads, “This spring and the sycamore trees mark the area of an adobe house and outbuilding built in the 1840s by Jose Serrano, whose Rancho Canada de los Alisos stretched to the north. Within a short distance were the two adobes of Juan Avila’s Rancho Niguel, which extended to the south. The stage road, following the old Spanish ”El Camino Real,” passed between the two haciendas. This glen was a welcome stop for travelers.”
Unfortunately the adobe site was inaccessible in November of 2021 due to a freeway widening project.
Located at 25101 Charlinda Drive – parking is available in the cul-de-sac, or nearby Alicia Towne Plaza, or La Tierra Early Childhood Center at 24150 Lindley St, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. There are a number of local food sources: Five Guys, Denny’s, Casa Franco and Surfin’ Donuts. If I were there early in the day I’d choose Surfin’ Donuts for the breakfast burrito, fresh-squeezed orange juice and warm blueberry donuts. Hangryness aside, if it were later in the day I’d choose Casa Franco for their authentic Mexican food.
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Ancient Trails
The historical site marker reads: ”This trail is the remnant of a private ranch road that ran east to local canyons. According to legend, the notorious 19th Century Outlaw Joaquin Murieta used the Sycamore tree near the road for a hiding place.” Wilderness Glen Ranch Road parallels the north side of busy Los Alisos Blvd., access is near the intersection of busier Trabuco Road.
The trail is mostly covered by a canopy of oak and sycamore trees. A creek is visible on the north side of the trail and was streaming storm drain runoff when I visited in late October of 2021. Though the trail runs along a busy street, it is below road grade and pleasantly secluded.
Visitors should beware; even though this trail cuts through a suburban area, wildlife abounds. There was a coyote napping in the sun at the bottom of the little canyon formed by the creek. Two people have been bitten by coyotes recently in an open space trail in Mission Viejo. It is not unreasonable to see bats, birds of prey, bobcats, coyotes, ducks, mountain lions, opossums, rabbits, lizards and rattlesnakes on or near trails in Orange County.
Parking is available at any one of the three shopping centers at the intersection of Trabuco and Los Alisos or at nearby Glen Yermo Elementary School. There is a Taco Bell nearby but given the choice I’d dine at Taco Mesa across the street—where your tastebuds will discover the most delicious blackened chicken tacos ever!
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(Pre)historic Past
Near the intersection of La Paz Road and Chrisanta Drive is a site where a partial whale skull was found. The fossilized remains were unearthed in 1976 while the Mission Viejo Co. was grading. The 14.5 foot long by 9 foot wide skull enclosed the brain of a 58 foot long Baleen Whale (a member of the Bowhead or right whale family) which lived about 3.5 to 5 million years ago and weighed 50 tons. This is the only fossil skull of its kind on permanent scientific display in California. It is easily viewable in a curated gazebo where the city’s first post office stood.
Established in 1966, a historical landmark placed by the city’s Heritage Committee for the first business, cultural and religious center of Mission Viejo, is also found at this location.
Parking is available at the Animal & Bird Clinic of Mission Viejo located at 24912 Chrisanta Dr, Mission Viejo, CA 92691. There are a number of restaurants nearby, some of my favorites are: TK Burger and Beach Hut Deli. If brand name dining is more your style there’s a Taco Bell and a Starbucks located in the parking lot of the shopping center across the street.
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