Fashion Friday

With all the pictures around the NoDak trip this week, I'm going to use fashion Friday to talk about what I packed. When traveling by motorcycle, there are a couple things to consider.

1. We have 2 saddlebags and a pack for the back. The pack is to fill with our jackets/leather vests when we inevitably take them off (but you don't dare travel without them, because you WILL need them!). It also holds our bag of toiletries (which is a packing conundrum in and of itself!), the netbook, and we each have a side pocket. I use mine for wallet and extra sunglasses. If I don't have my camera around my neck, which is rare, it goes in there too.

2. like shoes? Forget about it, there is no room. I wear boots that I can pull off with a skirt if I need to. I pack the smallest, most functional pair possible for my second pair: Tevas. They are flat and take minimal room. They have to work for exploring, going to a river (this time, we spend time in 3 of them), and jogging (I ran 7 of the 11 days). The bonus on this trip is for the days in NoDak, I can borrow my mom's shoes if I want to rock a heel or something. ( I did borrow some black wedges when I was there.)

3. We had the advantage of being able to do laundry since we were spending the few days at my folks'.

4. I want to look cute. I only see my family once a year and I know that I'm also going to take a lot of pictures. Plus, I like it when JJ tells me I look nice, and I want to look nice when I'm on vacation with him.

Here's how it worked:

I wore one pair of jeans and took one with. In theory, I could survive with one pair. But, if we get stuck in rain, I need that other pair. Also, when you wear a pair of jeans on the bike, you kind of want to change them after the day is over. I had riding jeans and going out jeans and they did not overlap.

I took 8 tanks tops. I did better than last year, but still could have lived with 2 less. The only problem is that you don't know what to cut out ahead of time because you don't know what mood you'll be in once you get into your trip. I did not wear what I expected to. The tank top range has to be from river wear to dinner wear.

I opt for skirts instead of shorts, I think they are cuter. I took a jean skirt and a skirt I made out of one of JJ's t-shirts.

Workout wear: I know myself well enough to know they I will have to work out on the trip. I took one pair of shorts, one tank style sport bra top, and my lightest pair of workout pants (more to combat mosquitoes than cold). These would also have to double as pajama pants if I needed them to.

2 swimsuit tops, one swimsuit bottom. The swimsuit tops would also double as a bra if needed. I didn't pack a real one.

essentials: 3 pairs socks, 4 pairs undies.

Since my look on the bike is basic black and jeans, I packed 4 different colored bandannas to have some color flair and not look exactly the same in every picture. On a similar note, I packed one make-up case of jewelery. I pick pieces I know that I'll wear and it's a good way to make a basic shirt different from two nights earlier. I also pack minimal makeup: eye shadow, mascara and lipstick.

As much as you hate to pack big things, you need a few, so you have to keep them as small as possible. I packed one thermal and one hoodie. I was glad to have both. I also had to have a pair of leggings to wear under jeans if it got cold. They were unused on this trip but a life-saver last year.

Last but not least, the leathers. I have a vest and gloves and a jacket.

If this was any other trip, I'd have left home with about three times this much stuff. Plus a shoe bag :)