dm_johnson@manana.DEC (10/16/85)
I don't think you will find much in the way of leather saddle bags. In weather they just aren't competitive with todays super fabrics... in weather that is. Just finished a 3k trip into Canada and back and my Vetter soft bags were superb. No water in them (yes, a couple of bad rain days). Didn't have to worry about the zippers, the exterior, etc. Leather would not be waterproof (buckles instead of zippers on the ones I have seen) and require saddle soap etc to keep looking nice. Plus if you go price leather items these days I believe you will find $150 very competitive with the price of leater bags. Camping: Forget the name of the company but every year they do an encyclopedia on campgrounds. Pretty much oriented around the car crew but I xeroxed the map for the states I was going through (It has a number on the map for each campground in the state) and crossed out the blatently unacceptable campgrounds. That left state, local, and small campgrounds which are better for you. I only had one bad night using this technique. Plus: A plug for September camping. I did a Northeast tour starting in Sept and going into Canada. Gone a couple of weeks. Since most of the kids are in school the campgrounds were quiet (except weekends) and beautiful. I spent a lovely night outside of Sault St Marie on a bay on Lake Huron. Pitched the tent on a white sand beach and was basically by myself in a 180 person camp ground. Temp about 80. Just the loons and me. I can handle. Ride long Denny Johnson