I wanted some way of carrying the things I would/could need and didn't want to just strap stuff to the rear seat like I have with all my other dual-sports and found a used Happy Trail pannier rack set designed for the bike off the Seattle Craigslist for a fair price and picked it up when we returned Jacqueline back to Seattle after Christmas.
Mounting it took about 15 minutes (it was way easy) and then I began thinking "ok, now what are you going to attach to it so you can carry all the crap you want as you tend to overpack for everything?". I remembered I had two medium ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) from my Army days that I had thought about garage selling the last 10 years but never had, so I pulled those out and lined it up with the Happy Trails rack... wow, this will work!
Stripping off the pack, I attached the frame of the pack to the rack and clamped it up like it was made for it. Attached the pack and viola!, I have soft panniers.
The packs come off with 2 straps for securing (if I need to motel it a night), and if for some reason I have to hike out from somewhere, the packs have their shoulder straps that can be reattached again with all I need to be safe and survivable (canteens, e-tool, compass, poncho w/liner, fire kit).
Now I need a name for the new girl, something that has the allure of unknown destinations in it... I think Mystique fits.
And so it begins.
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