Did you ever carefully pack the unfamiliar travel items you’ll probably need, then casually toss the work gear in because “it’s always ready to go” only to discover something terribly essential is missing?

Happened to me as I was getting up for the final sprint into South Dakota. Since I knew my camera battery was running a bit low, I decided to put the batteries on the charger while I was driving. One of the big advantages of RVing is that you can do that. Power comes with you via inverters, generators or a shore hook.

That’s when I realized that changing from my normal camera bag to my camera pack I’d left two things: the battery charger and the extra batteries.

It’s surprising how a small thing like that can occupy your mind enough to wipe out several hours of driving. I dialed up my usual camera source in NYC and checked pricing on two spare batteries and a replacement charger. The price was very reasonable, but their overnight shipping charge doubled the total price. I passed, realizing my stubbornness might turn my iPhone into my primary imaging device. I love it, but even with all the cool things can doe, it’s still not the image quality of “real” camera optics.

Getting off the interstate in Rapid City, I saw a Best Buy and decided to give them a shot. They had a replacement charger - with a battery- that is working just fine. Less than $50 for the ability to shoot very wide and extreme telephoto images after a bonehead mistake wasn’t bad.

With fresh batteries, four lenses and two bodies give lots of photo options. Without power, they’re useless. The more familiar you are with your gear, the more you need to double-check everything before starting a big road trip.

But here’s a hard-earned lesson for you: the more comfortable you are with your gear before a big trip, the more you need to go through the mind-numbingly boring job of laying out everything, function checking it, then repacking it with peace of mind. A friend of mine calls it his “stupid check” but it’s actually your “stupid prevention” program.

Speaking of gear, I’ve been using a three pieces of gear that aren’t just useful, they’re ecologically responsible. When traveling in a small RV, space is at a premium. Things that fold up, collapse and are reusable mean you don’t have to worry about replacing disposables or collecting garbage. That’s why I jumped on an offer to give GoSili’s Ocean Collection of silicone glasses, straws and cup covers a try.

GoSili’s silicone cup, lid and straw combination (above) make a cold drink possible without creating waste or spills. When you’re not using them (below) the straw and lid go inside a carrier that fits inside the cup - or in your pocket for later.

They’re made with 100% platinum silicon, making them dishwasher safe. They’re even boil-able if you’re really into sanitization. Before you pause to remember how you dislike the way  soft reusable cups get “squishy” -stop. They have a patented embedded stainless steel ring that makes them “un-squishable”. My test unit came with a reusable silicone straw and stretch cover. You can see from the photos how it keeps my drink from splashing onto my computer, then the cover and straw fold into a handy carry-tin (think Altoid-size) that conveniently goes inside the cup when storing them. A six pack of the straws are $9, and the 20 ounce cups are $11/each or a set of four for $38. If that sounds like a lot, consider how many cups and straws you routinely use and toss…then factor in the amount of trash you’re not creating. Plus, GoSili donates 1% of each purchase to ocean cleanup and conservation.

Since Motoschutzen 2021 isn’t officially underway until this morning (we’ll be riding out into the Black Hills to test out some new guns, then riding sport bikes from Yamaha and an awesome new Ram truck this afternoon), there’s not a lot of action to report-yet.

But here’s another great sunset.

South Dakota can do sunsets.

As always, we’ll keep you posted.

— Jim Shepherd