Reise - For Adventure on the Trans America Trail - Page 5

Exile · 07-25-2010, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blazer1717

Wow, Good to see you guys hanging in there. Suzy and I met yall just west of Telluride. We were on the ktm dirtbikes, from Bama and Deal's Gap.

Yalls DR's and hard luggage were beginning to show the wear and tear of the trip. What fun huh? You guys have the right attitude for sure. Glad I finally had the time to check out your report,,good job.

My offer to haul a your bikes back east is still good. I"m soloing the T1 of Idaho in a week or so, then trail riding around Idaho for a while. Will be headed home around Sept. 1st, probably back thru Colorado.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure!

Hey, glad you found the post. I ended up finding a nice Toyota pickup in Oregon that I will buy to bring us and the bikes back but I appreciate the offer. Look for some PM's from me in the future as my next bike will be the one you were riding.

larryboy · 07-25-2010, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exile

Eventually we made it to the spec of green in the middle of The Great Basin that was Baker, NV. I like to call this area of the country, God's outhouse. I just looks like crap...

Interesting perspective, that is my favorite stretch on the TAT and I'm going back to Baker in September just to ride that section again.

Thanks for the updates.

Have fun tomorrow, I hope you like sand.

Exile · 07-25-2010, 11:57 PM

Nevada, so far, is like the last half of Utah...it would be a nice ride if we weren't baking in the sun, choking on dust, or eating sand in a crash. The morning started off with some two tracks through the middle of nowhere.

Then we got to Sam's Dual Sport Bypass. I elected to take the bypass because I can't help but push it pass the limit with this bike and am tired of crashing. Chris and Tavis took the trail through the 5 miles of single track and deep sand.

After waiting for a short while for them to get to where I was, I learned that Tavis had taken a spill in the sand not 2 miles in. I also found part of his headphones wrapped around his rear wheel, and then he discover his case holding his new iphone4 was open and his phone wasn't there.

So we all went back through looking for it to no avail.

So I got to go through it anyway...twice. We never found the phone, so for those following us, keep a look out for an iphone in a plastic ziploc bag.

Then it was through the range pastures of Nevada where both Chris and Tavis went down.

Coming down a hill, there was a small water runoff that the cows had been walking through. Chris and I went on the outside of it. Tavis did not...

The mud stopped the bike dead and Tavis went flying off. Both he and the bike are fine.

Chris and I waited a little while down the trail before realizing he wasn't coming back. Chris was the first to get there and couldn't control the bike down this hill.

But there was one nice thing to look at during this ride.

Then down the mountain to Lund.

Since the search had cost us so much time, we finally made it to our halfway gas stop in Lund, NV around 4:00 in the afternoon. We were exhausted. We voted to skip the other 100 miles on the trail for 100 miles on the highway so that we could make it to our next stop in Eureka, NV. Its a good thing that we did because we made it into Eureka at sundown and promptly set up camp at a RV park.

We packed up the next morning after camping on this small patch of grass and went to get breakfast before setting out again to bake and choke.

Right out of Eureka we ran into roads closed as described here.

No wind today. The dust just hung in the air.

Not long into the trail, I'm moving along at a steady pace until I hit this.

I was doing about 40 mph and tried to just blast through it because there was no stopping. I leaned back putting weight on the rear and let the front float and then it catches the side of the rut...

It may be sand but it still hurt. After the dust coated me and cleared, I found out that the force of the crash sheared the grade 8 bolt that was holding the whole right side together. Sub-frame is still intact. Chris went down shortly after we got going again but I didn't see it.

So we put that box on Chris's bike and continued on.

The crash also broke my windscreen. So I have come to the conclusion that everything that I spent my time building has been broken...I will be posting how to build a damage resistant rack when the trip is over since I have had a lot of time to think it through now.

One more day in Nevada to go.

Exile · 07-25-2010, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryboy

Interesting perspective, that is my favorite stretch on the TAT and I'm going back to Baker in September just to ride that section again.

Thanks for the updates.

Have fun tomorrow, I hope you like sand.

Meh, I suppose I'm a little biased since I like trees. Plus it hasn't been an easy past couple of days with all the crashing, but we are enduring.

Benjava · 07-26-2010, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exile

Eventually we made it to the spec of green in the middle of The Great Basin that was Baker, NV. I like to call this area of the country, God's outhouse. I just looks like crap...

mototwin · 07-26-2010, 08:52 AM

Ryan and I are following along and I like to see that you still have the slow down reminder on your battered screen. I know from experience that the more you fall the worse it gets, remember to stop and take a long rest to collect yourself before continuing on the trail.
Thinking back on Ryan's crash, we were hot, tired, and anxious to get to the end of the day and air conditioning. I should have slowed down and gotten there a little later but safely.
Remember that your reflexes and ability severely decline when your body and mind are stressed.
You guys are continuing on our dream as well and we want you to finish in one piece.

Mike & Ryan

achesley · 07-26-2010, 09:18 AM

Nice ride, thanks for taking us along with you.

b00t · 07-26-2010, 01:42 PM

Well, there goes my afternoon at work...jockeying some RR action...
great RR the images are some of the best I have seen. Hang in there guys, looks like you are starting to tire out and stuff is happening...you are close and got a crew following. Ride hard, ride strong, ride smart...can't wait to see this finish.

One Less Harley · 07-26-2010, 06:34 PM

I see why your having problems w/ the rack, too small of box sections, and add gussets to the welds to strengthen the welds, soft bags are easier on the racks too as they absorb the vibes.

Great pictures. Keep em coming.

NOTAR_520 · 07-26-2010, 08:33 PM

Nevada has some GREAT riding, but riding anywhere in dust and 100 deg heat will leave a DEEP impression on ones self.

You guys are grinding through, congrats, and thanks for sharing the story and pictures.

I still haven't ridden the TAT from Richfield to BattleMountain NV, someday, but seeing the pictures is drawing me there, maybe in Mid Sept, I'd like to ride the entire NV section. Any of you guys up for an encore? I'll need someone in front of me to show me where the mud, and silt beds are. I had a Nice get off in Utah this year, downhill into a silt bed, and that shiz didn't taste good either,lol.

I fall down too. But so far I've had no issues with a Giant loop bag, my daughter even tortured one with no damage, I'm glad I spent the $$ on them, I'll but them again(we have bought 4 of them). No racks to bend or break, and they have saved the bike from damage during our sloppy riding times.

Rock on

larryboy · 07-28-2010, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exile

Plus it hasn't been an easy past couple of days with all the crashing, but we are enduring.

Hope you guys are doing ok, that's a rough section thru there. Let's see, we last heard from you when you were in Battle Mtn...hopefully you're close to Lakeview by now.

Can't wait to hear the stories...

NOTAR_520 · 07-29-2010, 01:15 AM

Looking at Travis's Spot page, at least Travis is in Cresent OR, they left Lakeview Wed AM. They got in past 9pm mountain time.

Great riding Battle Mtn to Lakeview, they can almost coast to the coast now,lol.

ROCK on guys, just a couple days until the beach.

NOTAR_520 · 07-29-2010, 01:16 AM

http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6238

larryboy · 07-29-2010, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOTAR_520

http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6238

Well, that takes the fun out of it.

BaRbEndEr · 07-29-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryboy

Well, that takes the fun out of it.

But helps find the stuff they are dropping and loosing

07-25-2010, 11:57 PM	#63
Exile ^OP The Mundane and The Magic Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Illinois Oddometer: 195	Nevada Nevada, so far, is like the last half of Utah...it would be a nice ride if we weren't baking in the sun, choking on dust, or eating sand in a crash. The morning started off with some two tracks through the middle of nowhere. Then we got to Sam's Dual Sport Bypass. I elected to take the bypass because I can't help but push it pass the limit with this bike and am tired of crashing. Chris and Tavis took the trail through the 5 miles of single track and deep sand. After waiting for a short while for them to get to where I was, I learned that Tavis had taken a spill in the sand not 2 miles in. I also found part of his headphones wrapped around his rear wheel, and then he discover his case holding his new iphone4 was open and his phone wasn't there. So we all went back through looking for it to no avail. So I got to go through it anyway...twice. We never found the phone, so for those following us, keep a look out for an iphone in a plastic ziploc bag. Then it was through the range pastures of Nevada where both Chris and Tavis went down. Coming down a hill, there was a small water runoff that the cows had been walking through. Chris and I went on the outside of it. Tavis did not... The mud stopped the bike dead and Tavis went flying off. Both he and the bike are fine. Chris and I waited a little while down the trail before realizing he wasn't coming back. Chris was the first to get there and couldn't control the bike down this hill. But there was one nice thing to look at during this ride. Then down the mountain to Lund. Since the search had cost us so much time, we finally made it to our halfway gas stop in Lund, NV around 4:00 in the afternoon. We were exhausted. We voted to skip the other 100 miles on the trail for 100 miles on the highway so that we could make it to our next stop in Eureka, NV. Its a good thing that we did because we made it into Eureka at sundown and promptly set up camp at a RV park. We packed up the next morning after camping on this small patch of grass and went to get breakfast before setting out again to bake and choke. Right out of Eureka we ran into roads closed as described here. No wind today. The dust just hung in the air. Not long into the trail, I'm moving along at a steady pace until I hit this. I was doing about 40 mph and tried to just blast through it because there was no stopping. I leaned back putting weight on the rear and let the front float and then it catches the side of the rut... It may be sand but it still hurt. After the dust coated me and cleared, I found out that the force of the crash sheared the grade 8 bolt that was holding the whole right side together. Sub-frame is still intact. Chris went down shortly after we got going again but I didn't see it. So we put that box on Chris's bike and continued on. The crash also broke my windscreen. So I have come to the conclusion that everything that I spent my time building has been broken...I will be posting how to build a damage resistant rack when the trip is over since I have had a lot of time to think it through now. One more day in Nevada to go. __________________ *What is it here that tempts the night to stab the day and kill the light?* -Dark Tranquillity My Site! TAT 2010 RR! My DR650 Build DR650 Stator Rewire

07-26-2010, 08:52 AM	#66
mototwin Adventurer Joined: Sep 2009 Location: East Tennessee Oddometer: 38	Keep on chooglin Ryan and I are following along and I like to see that you still have the slow down reminder on your battered screen. I know from experience that the more you fall the worse it gets, remember to stop and take a long rest to collect yourself before continuing on the trail. Thinking back on Ryan's crash, we were hot, tired, and anxious to get to the end of the day and air conditioning. I should have slowed down and gotten there a little later but safely. Remember that your reflexes and ability severely decline when your body and mind are stressed. You guys are continuing on our dream as well and we want you to finish in one piece. Mike & Ryan __________________ Never ride faster than your Angel can fly

07-26-2010, 09:18 AM	#67
achesley Old Motorcyclist Joined: Mar 2003 Location: Jennings, Louisiana Oddometer: 3,136	Nice ride, thanks for taking us along with you. __________________ An '00 KLR 650, An '07 1250S, An '03 5.3L Chevy Truck + '43 style dude , Simper Fi ;-)

07-26-2010, 01:42 PM	#68
b00t errrr, yes uh-huh? Joined: Apr 2008 Location: Ashevillan Oddometer: 285	Well, there goes my afternoon at work...jockeying some RR action... great RR the images are some of the best I have seen. Hang in there guys, looks like you are starting to tire out and stuff is happening...you are close and got a crew following. Ride hard, ride strong, ride smart...can't wait to see this finish. __________________ '06 DRZ400s - JD, 3x3, Yosh and a cheese eatin' grin '86 CT 110 "Honda Trail"

07-26-2010, 06:34 PM	#69
One Less Harley OH.THAT'S GONNA HURT Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Oddometer: 3,814	I see why your having problems w/ the rack, too small of box sections, and add gussets to the welds to strengthen the welds, soft bags are easier on the racks too as they absorb the vibes. Great pictures. Keep em coming. __________________ 2004 BMW R1150RS 1984 BMW R80G/S (wrenching index) 2003 Suzuki DRZ 400S (TAT Prep) One More DRZ does the TAT (Ride Report)

07-26-2010, 08:33 PM	#70
NOTAR_520 Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City Oddometer: 595	Nevada has some GREAT riding, but riding anywhere in dust and 100 deg heat will leave a DEEP impression on ones self. You guys are grinding through, congrats, and thanks for sharing the story and pictures. I still haven't ridden the TAT from Richfield to BattleMountain NV, someday, but seeing the pictures is drawing me there, maybe in Mid Sept, I'd like to ride the entire NV section. Any of you guys up for an encore? I'll need someone in front of me to show me where the mud, and silt beds are. I had a Nice get off in Utah this year, downhill into a silt bed, and that shiz didn't taste good either,lol. I fall down too. But so far I've had no issues with a Giant loop bag, my daughter even tortured one with no damage, I'm glad I spent the $$ on them, I'll but them again(we have bought 4 of them). No racks to bend or break, and they have saved the bike from damage during our sloppy riding times. Rock on

07-29-2010, 01:15 AM	#72
NOTAR_520 Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City Oddometer: 595	Looking at Travis's Spot page, at least Travis is in Cresent OR, they left Lakeview Wed AM. They got in past 9pm mountain time. Great riding Battle Mtn to Lakeview, they can almost coast to the coast now,lol. ROCK on guys, just a couple days until the beach.

07-29-2010, 01:16 AM	#73
NOTAR_520 Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Salt Lake City Oddometer: 595	http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6238

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