Hey I am looking for some one to ride with too. The one guy has backed out on me. I have planned on June 6th starting in Virginia riding south to NC then west. I ride a R1200gs. Bringing camping gear but might hotel if weather is shit.
I forgot to mention I have Sam's maps. I bought the first seven. I don't know that I will make it past Co. I only have 20 days. But would really like to have a 2nd rider to help pick my bike up when it falls! Lol. John
Hey guys, I'm Geoff from Iowa and I'm getting ready to head South and ride the trail West on my DRZ400. It would be nice to meet up and ride the trail with some others on here. My plan is to camp all the time unless it rains. I'm looking at June 1 to June 8th as a start date, but am flexible. btw: I'm 35 and probably ride a little faster than my guardian angel would like
Geoff, Glad to hear it mate. In fact I am looking for someone to ride with me as well. I live in Virginia (DC area) and would like to ride west as well. Are you thinking of starting on the East coast? I was planning on starting in N.C. Right along the Smokey Mts. I have off June 6th -26th. That would work out if you wanted to ride from East to West. So far it's just me, had someone else but their plans changed. I was planning to Camp if weather holds up, otherwise I will just grab a cheap hotel. I am 42 and ride a R1200gs. Experienced enough to know, I want another rider to help me pick up that beast when it falls! Lol
^Hey John, no, I'm just planning on doing the Western half of the TAT. My plan is to come up with a good route that connects me to the TAT in Southern, Colorado. It is too bad we are not riding more of the same portions.
I understand and kind of thought that might have been your plans. However, if you feel like riding East and then TAT'n West, please give me a shout! Safe riding!
I just rode the Trans-SD trail this week. No problems with gas in towns with more than 200 people, some of the private campgrounds did not have facilities open yet, but they did allow me to stay if I wanted to. I used Sam's trails and none of the roads were difficult.
My bike is in Tulsa (1200GSA) and did the TAT that far from Asheville last year. Looking at returning East to Asheville in Mid June. Is it ok to ride the TAT in reverse or are there similar routes either further North or South ?.
Or this, which doesn't cover the area that contains Marshall Pass, for example, but does seem to have updated info for passes in or around the San Juan National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sanjuan/maps-pubs/?cid=fsbdev3_002300
Amending our plan. We are now 6 riders (picked up another DR rider), and we are shutting down just south of Salt Lake City due to time/work constraints.
Anyone going to be doing the west in the next couple of weeks? I’ve got the rest of this month to ride and might do a west to East for about ten days this month something like Oregon through Utah.
Quick info post. Rode the entire NM section (sam, but I think they are the same) yesterday. All in good shape / dry and pretty fast (average of say 35-40, YMMV of course). The climb out of long canyon road is the toughest part (on the map it is the very squiggly part near the end of NM, the CO border is on the mesa you climb onto), but it is dry and was no problem on my GSA fully loaded.
Small further update and response to a pm question about eastern colorado. Rode all of CO from the border to the river crossing at Cotopaxi (just before Salida - Sams route). All clear well maintained, etc. No problems other than very short sections where recent roadwork has left some loose gravel or sandy conditions, but nothing alarming at all. Note that high passes start AFTER this, so no new info on these. I second the recommendation above for bushducks.com, it is normally the most updated site.
I'm leaving Iowa tomorrow on my DRZ400 and heading Southwest through Nebraska to join the TAT in Southern Colorado.
I'm leaving the 22nd and heading north out of Reno to meet up with Kevins tracks in Cedarville, CA. We will take Kevins tracks to Crescent, OR, then pick up Sams tracks and head east through OR and ID and loop back around to Kevins tracks and head back across NV. Basically an 8 day loop around. If you guys see us wave. 450 XCW and FE501.
