Prior to 1996 a long motorcycle ride for me was a weekend. The desire to take off for two weeks or a month had always been there, but time availability was a limiting factor. The dream to ride to destinations like California or Alaska was just that, a dream.

But then in the spring of that year, two of my close riding friends started talking about the fabled trip to Sturgis, S.D. The distance from the Pittsburgh area to Sturgis is about 1,500 miles, and at the time that seemed just daunting. Two questions seemed to keep coming up: What route should we take and what should we pack? Two of us rode Harley Ultra Classics, and the third person rode a Harley Fatboy. Naturally we talked to as many people as possible to gain some knowledge regarding the best route and how much time it would take to ride 1,500 miles on a motorcycle.

As it turns out whatever route we would have chosen would have been fine. We all had relatively new and reliable bikes. Road experience was what we all lacked. In short, a long road trip is simply being able to ride about 350 to 400 miles a day every day for however long it takes to get to your destination. Of course you need to compensate for sightseeing side trips, bad weather days or mechanical problems. All three of us agreed that the ride and not the destination was paramount, so we followed the old U.S. routes to Sturgis and enjoyed every day and everyone. If it isn't obvious by now, I should mention that for me motorcycle riding is a social event. So we put a lot of planning into the route.

The part we sort of glossed over was what to pack. How do you pack for a long motorcycle trip? Looking back the plan was simple: Take everything you would possibly need for a two-week trip. Two saddle bags and a tour pack (top case for you non-Harley riders) plus a duffle bag bungeed to the passenger seat were all filled to the brim. In retrospect I couldn't tell you what all I took with me, but it was too much. Fortunately there was no passenger or I would have needed a trailer. Maybe I should also mention that we stayed in motels and didn't need to pack any camping gear.

Here it is 13 years later, and things are different. I pack the same for a one-week trip or a one-month trip. Unless my wife is going along, everything fits into the hard cases with room to spare.

Over time an itemized list of essentials has evolved. The list includes clothing, personal items, bike maintenance items and emergency items. From time to time the list is revised. For instance, if your trip takes you to Canada, you now need a passport or similar form of identification. I'm not going to list everything here but just some of the bare essentials with two recommendations: You can do laundry every few days, and if you forget something you can always buy it along the way. Naturally you will need underwear, socks and T-shirts, three each. Take only two pairs of jeans. Wear one pair for a week and then change when you launder the other pair. It works. Part of the evolution of items is the conversion to synthetic fabrics that can be washed in the motel sink at night and will be dry by morning.

Items such as gloves, rain gear, chaps and sunglasses are seasonal and of a personal preference, so make wise decisions here.

There are so many motorcycle dealers today that unless you are traveling out of the country you need only a basic tool kit and some spare fuses. Oil, light bulbs and spark plugs are available at dealers or big box stores. I also have a roadside assistance insurance policy that is highly recommended in the event you have a serious mechanical problem.

Personal items: Tooth brush, razor and deodorant should do it. I carry a first aid kit and, because I am of the senior citizen class, a bunch of medications and a list of those meds.

Pack the cell phone and charger, credit cards, cash and maps, and you are ready to hit the road!

This is what works for me. Everyone is different and will need to adjust the list to accommodate their individual requirements. The bottom line is to develop a list and then add or remove items based on your limitations and needs. Then each time you plan for a trip use that list as a reference. Ride safe.