2016 Pine Barrens 500

Whaaaaaat! I thought there's no witnesses around.... unless you are the person who helped me pick the clutch-level-less bike up! Thanks again!:)

Yup. That would be me. And it was also great to see you fix the clutch lever and finish the day after lunch. And that's what ADV riding is all about!

Sore and smiling. Another great PB 500 in the books ! Thanks to Jack and crew And great ridding with Vinny and Tom !!

What a great weekend!
Thanks again Jack.

You all are welcome. That's a freebie I give away with every bag purchase as a token of appreciation. I find them handy for many things like tire patch kits, change holders, lens cleaning kit. As close as I can figure, it took me 15 hours to make them all. Even though I make them quickly, 200 is a lot of little bags.

Thanks again Jack and all the organizers and volunteers. The event was very well planned and executed. It was a real challenge for a big bike and anyone that made it trough safely (especially with no steering damper) should feel a real sense of accomplishment. I know I got crossed up badly in the deep stuff countless times and was right on the edge of staying in control pretty much constantly. I could barely take my eyes off the trail for an instant.

Thanks for making it all possible.

Just for future reference , could I ride this event on a DRZ 400. I have been led to believe that there is a displacement
restriction.

I have attended all the PB since 2009, though one year there was none but there was the big bike Scrub Pine Enduro :)

That Said, this year the Friday ride was so awesome, last years friday made me think if i want to do the friday again or not, but i am so glad that I did. All three days were tiring and awesome. I totaled 430miles in three days. Did everything barring the last 20 miles on day2, got a flat, and then realized that i had been riding with a flat for half day saturday.

Lunches/Dinner was great as usual. I hope all the money that we all put in goes to the greater good of us doing great rides in future. Jack thanks for doing this, although you keep saying we can come back and ride any time, i have never come back here unless its PB500.

Thanks again to everyone who was a part of the ride. And the countless riders with whom i rode.

Anytime Scott, we had a good group going on Sunday. See you guys next year

This year was my first PB500. Though I'm a huge chicken and pretty much hate the deep sugar sand, I had a great time. Thanks for ordering such perfect weather. That was a really nice touch

Yesterday I was riding slightly ahead of my wingman before the lunch stop. We became separated so I pulled over and waited. And waited. And waited. No wingman. The section that we'd drifted apart on ran parallel to the powerlines and was a little narrow. Not so good for turning around or going head-on with whomever was coming along. I just want to thank the human chain of people who stopped not only to see if he was okay (he was) and if I was okay (i was) and who then relayed the message to me along the way that he was safe and sound. It's nice to know that people will stop and see if you need help, if you're lost, or will help right heavy bikes that pin legs underneath them. Everyone's free time is precious, I know. So when strangers take a moment to give some of that precious time - it does the ole ticker good.

Thank you to the event staff for your tireless work and advocacy.

Looking forward to seeing you again.

Absolutely. Saw lots of DRZ 400s out there this weekend and even had one in our riding group.

Rudy, you're the best. It was great to see you this weekend. I enjoyed working with all of you, loading your GPS' and talking about techniques, etc. Feel free to PM me if you want to argue, posit, wrestle or otherwise on the finer or not so finer points of GPS Nav.

Jack, Mike, Scott, Rob, Rob, Lissa, etc....love yas, very grateful to be part of the family.

Felt my blood pressure drift down to a calm I don't get to visit often:

Another great PB500 behind us.

Sweepers at work


Some "Polska" polish spirit of the ride.



Is there anybody that lives close to Econolodge? I left something in the hotel and I'm looking for someone that could pick it up so it doesn't sit there until I show up...

Love MC shots...but also love these:

WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY AND YOU DONT WANT TO WAIT FOR THE JITNEY ANYMORE...
YOU MAKE RAMEN!

The PB-500 support crew is always there to help. Here is Glen showing one of the young guns how it's done.

thanks to all who joined, organized and supported! this was me on the 701:

Absolutely spectacular event and weather. Must say that the Big Bike routes this year were so much easier to follow, and had plenty of deep sand and whoops to keep the big bikes challenged. I think I got in about 400 miles over the three days, getting to ride with an old army buddy Dr. Ted, Sparky and Scott on Friday, a club buddy Joe and his girl Carolyn on Saturday, and on Sunday with Joe, Chris, Scott and a few others. Great time.

Jack, your GPS routes were super, and the "loading" crew (MoBill et. al.) super as well. Thanks again for everyone.

Final note on the Africa Twin. I never was able to do three days back to back on the KTM 950 SE. That bike took every muscle in my body to keep tracking properly.
The AT with DCT was so easy, even for an old fart like me, that I was able to smell the roses and look at the pretty leaves on many occasions without crashing. Pure pleasure for an older more conservative rider. If I were 30, had Dreadlocks, and had to prove something, I'd stick with a KTM. Otherwise, Honda engineers have finally came through with a decent twin.

This morning, not a sore muscle in the body.

Any word on the 2 guys that were airlifted to the hospital

Hey: They are hurt but OK.

I'll post more info about them and the event in general tomorrow.
Interesting fact is they both got hurt going thru the middle of the same puddle, one that was easily gone avoided.
As we have always said, Go around puddles, if there is no choice go slow down the middle.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...843050483.7528.100002260030782&type=3&theater

I post more info in the morning.

All in all it was a great event, thanks to the crew and riders.

That's all for now.
Jack

Sure can. I rode my DRZ400. The only problem i had (except for falling a few times) was that the gas tank was too small. I burned up alot of fuel blasting through sand so i had to detour on road to get gas and lost trail time. But i bought a bigger tank so good for next year