Originally Posted by
chefisaac
If you are on a tour and want to set up camp early and then ride into town, do you ever worry about stuff getting stollen? For example, if I was to camp at a state park or camp ground and wanted to go into town, do you all set up camp first and then explore or???
1. Almost never.
2. I usually do when I am camping at a place near enough to a town I might like to explore.
If I am camping in a campground/area that's not easily visible and accessible to the general public, I don't think twice about theft. I have left my gear behind for many hours while doing out and back rides from camp. The only things I will take with me are some money, credit/ATM cards and ID, but I take those on just about any ride I do anyway. I don't think you are much at risk from fellow campers.
I did learn a lesson about the potential for non-camper theft while in WY. I was camping at a commerical campground on a large, open area that was right next to a dirt road that apparently led to some sort of housing/trailer park area. The only "security" was a short cattle-type fence between the camping area and the road. I was maybe a couple of hundred feet away from my tent reading outside the campground laundry room. I had left my camp stove out in plane veiw. Two teenagers drove down the roadand stopped. I got the sense they were eyeing up my stove. Sure enough one of the kids gets out of the car and walks to the fence. By then, I was walking most quickly towards my tent. The kid jumped back in the car and the two sped off. I created the perfect opportunity by leaving something valuable looking in plain site and within easy reach.