AdamChandler's Rides and Wanderings, 2019 Edition

Good day fellow ADVRiders! My name is Adam and you may know me from such threads as:

• "New Rider here, bought a GS any tips?" - April 2016
• "My Insurance Experience with a Totaled R1200GS (LC)"
• ""Rosie Red" 2018 GS Adventure Build Thread"
• "My Labrador and Newfoundland Adventure - 2018"
• "4,000 Miles across NH/VT/ME (US), QC/NL/PE/NS/NB (CAN)"

Or, you may be familiar with my work over on YouTube, Flickr, Blog or Untappd but as per the rules, I will not even link to those places for the ride-report. I will always put the content in full here. This is not "go here to read my adventure".

The goal of this thread will be to share motorcycle adventures that are not "epic rides" I think this will meet the requirements of this sub-forum. Each post will be a day-trip, overnighter, interesting video from a commute to work or a jaunt down a trail.

I'll also be sharing various rallies and events I attend which will keep these posts out of GS Boxers for which I'm entirely too active on.

At the end of 2019's riding season, this thread will be retired and I'll start one for 2020.

The inspiration for this post was Plawa's Video Diaries thread. I think he does a great job and I hope to do as great of a job showcasing the adventures.

One personal rule I will extend to myself and hopefully others is I don't want mods pruning the thread due to off-topic posts so I am going to do my best to not address any off topic questions in this thread and restrict this only to day-trip ride reports. Please call me out if I break my own rules.

2019 Rally / Motorcycle Event Schedule that will always inspire at least one post here in this thread (will keep this updated):

• JVB Tech Day, Alexandria Virginia - April 20th
• Frosty Nutz, Ascutney Vermont - April 26-28
• MSF Advanced Riders course + Campout @ MaxBMW, Troy NY - May 4th
• MOV Breakfast in Bethel VT, May 5th
• Amsterdam / Brussels for a week, May rent a motorcycle 4/6-10
• Dirt Daze Vermont Planning Ride with Jesse - May 18th
• Horizons Unlimited Ontario - May/23-26
• BMW MOV Bayley Hazen Ride- May 31st
• MOV Puppy Dog ride @ silver lake state park - June 1st
• MOV Breakfast in Bethel VT, June 2nd
• Pemi River Campout with YBers - June/6-8
• BMW MOA National Rally - June/13-15
• Lake Carmi Campout - June/28-29
• JULY OPEN FOR NOW with a promise to GF that I do something with her on her Bday
• MOV Breakfast in Bethel VT, July 7th
• Track Day @ Thompson Speedway CT - July 16th
• NEK Camp and Ride - August 9th & 10th
• Dirt Daze Vermont (ride leader + volunteer) August/15-18
• Dual Sport Drive in with MOV - August/24-25
• BMWMOV Green Mountain Rally, September/4-8
• Purity Springs Rally, September 13th & 14th
• New Hampster Ride with my Group, September/27-28
• MaxBMW Wheels in the Field October 4th & 5th
• MOV Breakfast in Bethel VT, October 6th

If you want to talk about any of these or have questions, please PM me so we keep the thread clean.

March 24th, 2019:

First real riding day of the year! I did go for a ride on January 6th:


Spotted this guy on January 11th when it was 15 degrees outside..brave man:


Rode again for a bit on February 4th:


but these don't really count. These were uncomfortable rides meant to check a box for me of one ride every month so any day in NH that got above 35F and sunny, I'd get on the bike. It's not smart and one day black-ice will bite me in the ass but I had to start this thread up-front and honest about today's 'first real ride of the year'.

Back on topic, this was the first time riding my GS since she was put away for storage on November 17th 2018 with 1400 miles on the odometer. We did about 30 miles today around town. Picked up some coolant for my project bike, got some coffee. here are a few photos:


Every year for the past 3 years, my GF begrudgingly takes a photo of me on my first ride of the year.


I'll update this post in a few days once the video is edited (probably tomorrow most likely)

What's next? It's still cold here in New Hampshire so we're starting slow but first big trip will be April 19th down to Alexandria Virginia. See you all next time something fun happens!

Love the two custom license plates! Looking forward to following along your trip, thanks for sharing!

Adam, what is Frosty Nutz ride like other than being cold? I hope to either have the RX3 back together or be on a KTM by then.

I wonder how many people pick up on the Beta, being the plate reads Alfa........Alfa Beta as in Animal House ?

Wondering this myself?

http://www.yankeebeemers.org/events_FrostyNutz.html

I've had more people tell me my plate is a little d-bagy / macho not realizing the bike's brand is Beta. It's just not a popular enough brand for people to get the joke. They know me, myself, I'm not really what you'd consider a macho guy. I may have alpha tendencies but I'm not exactly a walking example of "alpha" at least I don't see myself that way.

2019, off to a slow start since it feels like Winter is never ending. Managed to get out on the GS and shoot a quick video..first ride of the year but my new microphone failed so I had to voice-over like an idiot.

I think the plate is pretty cool myself, and Anyone who can take on what you did with the New Bike, rip it down to the bare nothing and bring it back to life is allot more Alpha then 95% of the Muscle bound Gym Rats who have Alpha tagged across their underwear, but can't achieve half of what you do. It's a mind set, not a requirement to be " Top Dog " I wouldn't cut your self short just yet, the Hater's are gonna hate regardless of what your plate says because they don't get it.

Awesome pajamas. a ride to Wal-Mart I take it.

As seen in Vermont


Tonight, editing video footage from the weekend:


There is the first riding video of 2019:




I'll have another up in the next couple of days.

Travel: JVB Productions' 2019 Tech Day in Virginia

Color me jealous

4-26/4-28, Frosty Nutz in Ascutney Vermont with the Yankee Beemers:

Looks like a fun loving bunch!

What's the Puppy Dog ride all about?

I actually just sent out an email to the MOV Members. Copying it below:

The 2019 PDR is Upon Us! Register now

This ride is one of the MOV's signature events, arguably second only to our Green Mountain Rally in September. The idea is to ride the length of Vermont from north to south, or south to north on mostly town-maintained dirt roads. This first weekend in June join other riders or go solo, as you wish; there are no group leaders this year.



May 31—Bayley-Hazen Ride, Wells River, VT. Groups leave P&H Truck Stop on Rt 302 at I-91 in Wells River, VT at 10 a.m. sharp, ending up at Hazen’s Notch, then on to Char-bo Campground on 371 Hayward Rd (RT 105 east of ) Derby, VT in the late afternoon. NOTE: This is a new place, nearer to this year’s start. Cost is approximately $10/ea. Sign in at the office. We have sites 6 and 8. Motels are available in the area. The Bayley-Hazen Road is a Revolutionary War road that travels through some beautiful back country. There are several memorials and markers along the way for those who wish to stop and read them. P&H has a great breakfast for those of you who arrive early.

June 1-2—Puppy Dog Ride—Free Club Event but registration is required on our site. Derby, VT or Greenfield, MA. Two-day mostly town-maintained dirt ride from Canada to Massachusetts (or vice versa). Start at the South (from the gas station across from Friendly’s on Rt 2 west of I-91 exit in Greenfield, MA) or North—we meet off I-91, exit 29 at the Duty Free America parking lot. You must access from I-91 BEFORE going into Canada, NOT from Derby Line Leave as ready or at 9 am in small groups. No one has been assigned to meet people in Greenfield at this time, and Muriel will be in Derby. Camping is available both at Char-Bo Campground in Derby (see above) and near Troy Friday night at Barrewood Campground on Rt 100 in Westfield ($16). Whether you complete your ride in one weekend or in fits and starts throughout the year you'll join a special group of riders who rightly have earned bragging rights. Complete the entire length following a route available on bmwmov.wildapricot.org. and earn the "highly" coveted Got Done pin and maybe even a certificate! Saturday night camping at Silver Lake State Park in Barnard. Saturday supper by Eric Rossier, Director of Fun, and friends. MOV breakfast nearby in Bethel on Sunday at Tozier’s.

See you there!​

On Saturday, Rosie and I took an Advanced RiderCourse with the Yankee Beemers. This course was partially subsidized by the BMW MOA Foundation. Total cost per person after subsidy was $100. Nice deal and a lot of fun.



The day started out pretty rainy (4 weekends in a row of riding & sleeping in the rain)

Camped at MaxBMW (thanks to the crew there for allowing some of us that privilege!

Planted myself at a BBQ restaurant and read for a few hours. Just one beer since I don't like to mix drinking & riding.


Next morning, up at 6AM to get a bagel & coffee in town


The training was fantastic (see video above). Here's my GPS traces for the day:



On Sunday, Rosie and I went to the May MOV Breakfast:


and I finally received my official name-tag which was awesome! I'll wear it proudly.




I'm off to Benelux now for a week. Maybe I'll get to ride while there!

Good time for sure!!!