Father & Son take on the whole TAT

Just starting the thread because I need the url to make some business cards. Will edit this post later today or tomorrow to give some info, but departure date for this trip is set for 9/8 or 9/9; yes, I do plan on trying to keep this RR updated as we make our way across. Right now it's just the two of us going, but there might be a few others joining us; we'll find out in a couple of days. Let's just hope we're not leaving too late to make it up and over both the rockies and sierras!

Are you taking camping gear? If you are camping along the way I'm interested in tagging along.

Hola...been waiting for you guys to do the TAT after AK. A 1-2.....AK + TAT........

So cool to go with your Dad... SUBSCRIBED

We'll be camping a majority of the time; at least that's the plan.

Hola my friend! Glad to see you found us. I'll be doing my best to try and keep this RR updates as we make our way across the country.

Four, maybe five days until we get on the bikes and ride!

Alright so here we go. Two years ago I ran the TAT (Trans America Trail) solo, leaving Virginia on a 2005 KLR 650. I made it a little past Denio Junction in Nevada when I broke down. To make a long story short, I abandoned the bike on the trail, had a little 12 mile hike (in motorcycle boots), retrieved the bike with the help of some kind folks from the Department of the Interior, then paid a local miner $100 to haul me and the bike to Winnemucca, NV where I found out I had bent some shift forks in the transmission. I had a brother living out in Carmel, CA at the time so I got a U-Haul truck (the smallest they had was a 17' box truck! ) and went to my brother's place in CA. I then sold the KLR and bought a 2001 Suzuki DRZ400S from a buddy in San Francisco. After getting the bike outfitted, and about a little more than a month since my break down, I returned to Denio Junction, NV and completed the trail. During this trip I kept a ride report here on ADV (you can check it out, the link is in my signature line) and in doing I must have inspired my father to try out dual sport riding because he soon bought a 2003 DRZ400S. Since we've done some DS riding together and last summer we did a 4 day trip out in West Virginia. Since the beginning he'd been talking about possibly doing the TAT some day, and finally around this past Christmas I asked him how serious he was because if he wanted to ride the trail this summer, I had some planning to do. Turns out he was serious so here we are! We're getting a slightly later start than I initially wanted, but maybe this will provide for some cooler weather on the eastern end and some interesting colors as we enter the western states. Like I said, we'll both be riding our Suzukis DRZ400S. We plan on camping as much as possible, getting a hotel/motel room maybe once or twice a week. We plan on taking out time and enjoying ourselves; I'm counting on about 1 month to do the whole trail. We may or may not have some people joining us; I've been contacted by several people so we'll just have to wait and see who shows up! And I'll be doing my best to take a LOT of pictures and updating the RR as often as possible.

Here's a little shot of my dad and I out on Flagpole knob, just west of Harrisonburg, VA on the return from our WV trip last summer.

My western TAT trip was postponed until the first of October and even then that is up in the air. We were to have been in Clayton NM today (9/4) and hitting the trail tomorrow, but that all went up in smoke. So, I have a few days to ride and camp and this looks ideal. I will meet XC Rider and his Dad in Jellico, TN and will ride to the AR/OK state line and then turn south and head back home from there. I'm looking forward to getting out on the DRZ with the camping gear. Planning 2 short days to Jellico stopping over at Horse Pens 40 the first night to camp there and then head on in to Jellico the next day. My route avoids all major cities along the way, so should have a nice relaxing ride. See you guys in Jellico!

Family trips are great!

Yo senior and junior XC! Did the rains slow you down a bit...or are you gasping from the Texas smoke. Hope all is well.

Cheers....

Nope, all is well, we just haven't left home yet!

You may not have seen it in my first post, but our departure date was set for 9/8 or 9/9. Turns out we're leaving the day after tomorrow, so Friday, September 9th. We'll be taking two days to ride down to Jellico from Madison county, Virginia. Joining us from Virginia will be two friends, one on a KLR 650 and the other on a DR650 I think? In Jellico we'll be meeting up with MrPrez from Mobile, Alabama, so on Sunday there will be five of us leaving from the Jellico Day's Inn! Bikes are pretty much all set and packed, just need to take care of a few more projects at home so as to have our furlough approved! It's pretty hard to concentrate though because I am so itching to go right now!!! To tide you over, here are a few pictures!

My bike, ready to go, just need to finish loading it up. All the stuff that needs to go on it are on the saw-horse table on the right. Look at that shiny, new, rear tire!




Dad's bike, same as mine, also with new shoes front & back!



And the "not quite as fancy as I hoped for" business cards that I had made up for this trip. If you can believe it, it took me two hours, yes TWO HOURS, to get 100 of these printed up at the Charlottesville Office Depot! :huh And to boot, they were unable to get it so the picture extended to the edges of the card, like I'd done for my cards for my Alaska trip, so finally I had to settle for this dark grey border. Not quite what I wanted, but it'll do the job.

Denis,
Just met with Clarence (Agstacker) and we are both in for the Tennessee section as a minimum. I'll be riding the KLR650 and Clarence is on another DRZ400, so it looks like I'll be in the minority for this ride. Sort of glad we are leaving on Friday, as I think I will put a new tire on the rear of my bike and maybe cut an inch off that damn kickstand so it stops trying to lay down and go to sleep on me. Warren

Looking forward to meeting everyone and riding the TAT again. It'll be one year and 3 days since I started the trail in 2010. I'll be riding as far as the AR/OK line and will return to start the western TAT from the OK/NM line on 10/1/11. I am 97.3% packed and ready to go. Just made a reservation at the Days Inn in Jellico for Saturday night.

i can't wait, as well
subscribed, too
enjoy every single mile
thanks for taking us along with you

This sounds like a fun one,Id like to get out and ride this next year. No locals seem interested so far but I'll figure it out.

Likewise, looking forward to meeting/riding. It should be a memorable trip.

Denis,
Lookin' forward to your TAT ride report, which of course will delay me finishing up MY report from June/July LOL
Good luck!!
Dave

We just finished the TAT a week ago.

I'm all signed on to follow your ride.

I still remember reading your 1st RR..and still consider you a hero for doing it SOLO, and having to walk out, etc., then, go buy another bike, come back and finish it. THAT was an accomplishment few could do.

Doing the trip with your Dad will make this trip something special.

Good luck, and be safe out there.
Doug

Don't forget the Jim Beam sitting there, too.

We just finished the TAT a week ago.

I'm all signed on to follow your ride.

I still remember reading your 1st RR..and still consider you a hero for doing it SOLO, and having to walk out, etc., then, go buy another bike, come back and finish it. THAT was an accomplishment few could do.

Doing the trip with your Dad will make this trip something special.

Good luck, and be safe out there.
Doug

I'm in. Looking forward to another great TAT ride report!

Subscribed! Looking forward to following this. You guys live just across the Mt. from me.