Hacking West by West: The TAT….

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by MarineandFamily

PAPA,

This is a great thread. I am deffinately going to use it when I make an attempt at the TAT with some friends of mine.
I know HondaChopper is definately missing out on a trip of a life time. Ok its off to work for me as it is 0630 Wednesday morn here in the land of the rising sun.Love ya

Aye, my Native son. Oh, how so much I wished that we could do these things together: You, me and Liam, all of us on DRZ400s...! Hurry back to the USA!

Papa-san

[VespaMamma]

love the field of purple flowers and other sights....as for the muddy/dirt/gravel roads, ahem...I'll leave that to you I'm enjoying pics and glad to see you hydrating yourself on TAT and not getting lost in the woods

[pennymiler]

Howdy kraut Elmar!

Making great progress across the state which is as long as its name!

I see you are finally entrering the panhandle.

Appears that Ken has jumped ship for good??

Alas the flowers!! betcha your woman is mighty happy to see them!

Way to go Elmar out to west via many visits to Sta'bucks! Good luck and I am with you all the way.

I hope to join you in whatever endeavors may have you next summer if things go well for me!!

[Abenteuerfahrer]

I've been exposed..eh, not riding ATGATT..Hmmn...come on I am on a sidecar rig..but..! This is my standard dress when running through the high desert. All white long sleeved wicking shirt; open helmet; piggyback water pouch(90%water/10% gatorade)...bicycle open finger riding gloves with keflar pads; BMW long summer riding pants; BMW knee height riding boots. If I seem to drink more than needed I revert to putting on my full ATGATT BMW Rallye Pro 2 jacket with vents open; this is to retain body moisture. How do I know: ask the Arab tribesmen in the Sahara..works everytime!

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Basically it's a 178-200 mile trip depending which TAT route(s) you've taken or having to re-route which I had to do.
I am in no hurry, am on vacation and wanted to smell the flowers, divert to some towns, visit historical places. The actual route I designed was to run from Alva, OK to Boise, OK- which is a distance of 305 miles...hot weather and personal interest made me break the route in half..thus a stop in Liberal, KS land of Oz! And to my amazement they have NO St'Bucks.

More Faces of the Oklahoma TAT-Day 3

Even encountered traffic .



Then this is what I have been seeking. Obligatory stop for a TAT'er. Located at: N 36 57.996; W 099 08.985

THE COWBOY CEMETERY










Forgot to take the coordinates of this re-route. Since I carried the old Oklahoma TATmaps that's probably why. I also normally ride and look if I can squeeze through of whatever the "closed" or "dead end" has to show. I saw a truck coming up and asked the guy what was down there. It's fully closed and he himself had to turn back..so I did follow him to a re-route: #64.





A short re0route onto #64 led me to this Town..forgot the name...aarrgghhhh...
















Senorita Laurie no habla Ingles! Sign language did itUniversal language of the world





Back on the TAT..



More traffic...



The high desert of Oklahoma...notice the terrain and vegetation. Not far away from the western section: New Mexico



Survival food ?? No idea what it is...maybe some Okies can chime in..





Gotta do some laundry today but the laundromat is closed...sniff, sniff



Tribute to the old girl "Brunhilde" that has carried me far and wide....

[Abenteuerfahrer]

[Ginger Beard]

Absolutely loving your thread!! Planning to do the TAT this coming year. Really looking forward to seeing how the big rig handles CO, UT and OR . Looking great so far!

[hondachopper]

That video where you turned camera on to yourself was cool beans. To see a live person on bike barreling down the TAT is different than seeing nothing but miles of roads and land. That human touch was a cool idea!

Elmer---you're a bad influence on all of us armchair dreamers!

Ride on my friend---what your doing at this moment is the stuff that dreams are made.

Tom

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by Ginger Beard

Absolutely loving your thread!! Planning to do the TAT this coming year. Really looking forward to seeing how the big rig handles CO, UT and OR . Looking great so far!

Hi, thanks Ginger Beard for reading my blog. Remember my rig can do about... hmmnn...say =75% of the TAT. Colo should be reasonably OK, Utah too..! New Mexico's "Long Hill" is out. Have to re-route from Bosie, OK > Branson, Colo...snatch . My goall was to reach Colorado...will I try to scale some of the passes..this also remains to be seen. It's a big rig..a la Jeep but only one power drive. Do do the TAT..it's awesome..at times taxing..take your time and do your home work well...

Cheers..

[Abenteuerfahrer]

Originally Posted by hondachopper

Damn...
Fuckin insane! That video where you turned camera on to yourself was cool beans. To see a live person on bike barreling down the TAT is different than seeing nothing but miles of roads and land. That human touch was a cool idea!

Damn...I'm getting all hot, sweaty and bothered now. Fuck...

Pennymiler---did you say something about next year???

Wheels are turning in my head now...

Dang Elmer---you're a bad influence on all of us armchair dreamers!

Ride on my friend---what your doing at this moment is the stuff that dreams are made.

Tom

Hi Tom...hear Maryland is hot as hell...BUT you gotta feel the heat here, ya get baked, ya get cramps, ya get monkey butts if you don't stand up occassionally to cool your nuts you'll sterilize em' . My goal was to reach Colorado, period! Go half way and do the other half another time with a proper group...is that you guys?? .

Yeah like you said above about dreams..

My adventure has no doubt left me with great memories for life and stories I can tell my children and grandchildren. I can feel the trails are leaving me wiser, more patient, and with a tiny bit more focus on the things that matter.



And now to do this..................



To do this trip you will need...



1-a sense of ridiculousness
2- buns of steel
3- the occassional desire to get away from people
4- at least a month
5- not much else I can think of..$$$, maybe!



Cheers

[mrprez]

I was going to skip OK and truck the bke out to NM, now I am thinking about riding out there. I can leave the house and be on the TAT in MS in 8 hours or so...

[DirtyDog]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

Survival food ?? No idea what it is...maybe some Okies can chime in..

Coyote melons, IIRC.

Here's hoping that the epic sand you pictured yesterday is actually the worst of what is to come.

I think there is worse sand to the West of you, not only in the Western states, but still some sandy 2-track in the panhandle.

[DirtyDog]

Originally Posted by Abenteuerfahrer

Hi, thanks Ginger Beard for reading my blog. Remember my rig can do about hmmnn...say =75% of the TAT. Colo should be reasonably OK, Utah too..! New Mexico's "Long Hill" is out. Have to re-route from Bosie, OK > Branson, Colo...snatch . My gaol was to reach Colorado...will I try to scale some of the passes..this will remain to be seen. It's a big rig..a la Jeep but only one power drive. Do do the TAT..it's awesome..at times taxing..take your time and do your home work well...

Cheers..

Huh? Why? I don't recall anything treacherous in NM.

[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by DirtyDog

Huh? Why? I don't recall anything treacherous in NM.

There's the one hill when you turn left at the "Long Ranch". Not sure it's something he should automatically bypass without at least looking at it. The road is certainly plenty wide for his rig and I don't recall it being too steep or loose. Mainly remember it for being the first real hill since the Ozarks. But remember, he's pretty much running street tires.

[bigdon]

I think you can do New Mexico. That hill is not much problem.
The 75 miles of New Mexico is not to be missed (IMO) it was some of my favorite.
If you do the New Mexico part ,stop when you get to the paved section that takes you back into the Valley. You'll know the spot when you get there.
When we stopped 8-10 horses came up to us wanting a hand out I guess.
It was pretty cool!