Those Jersey Boys Ride The TAT To The Continental Divide

Our plan was to ride the TAT all the way to the continental divide in Colorado with an added day in Kentucky.
Ill let the photos tell the story this time. I would like to say this though. Sam Correro deserves every dime and any guy wanting to scab his route should be hung or destined to ride only a 650GS for life. Sam, if your reading this by chance I thank you, I can't imagine the work that went into this.
Second, the folks who live west of the NJ turnpike are the nicest, most friendliest people I have ever met bar none.
And last, if you ever wanted to see our country in the raw, without the facade of the interstates and chain franchises, then you should make it goal to ride the TAT. And if you want to see dramatic landscape change, ride it to the Rockies at least. You'll pass thru the Tennesee hill country, the bible belt with it's cotton fields and towns that time forgot in Mississippi, then the Ozarks, the wide open plains and grasslands of Oklahoma and finaly the colorful mesa's and huge mountains that make up New Mexico and eastern Colorado. You will walk away in awe. We never thought this trip would match last years Idaho trip, but we all agreed, it came close.
So here is our trip on the Trans America Trail to the Continental Divide. My trip surviving riding partners and close friends DK and John will also be posting some very impressive photos.

Tennesse





The county fair in Lawerenceburg





MISSISSIPPI



DONT ASK






Yup we made it, as the video clip at the end will show




High Cotton




1st puncture. Mine, time lost: 35mins





That way to cross the "Big Muddy"


ARKANSAS

Crossing into


Clarendon for the night








The best Bar-B-Q. The former Box Car Cafe is now Big Mammas City Cafe. I told Big Mamma being from NJ I have a real problem with her using the word "city" to describe Beebe Ark. When on the trail fellas make sure you stop here for lunch.
















Siloam Springs
I'll let John explain the sudden switchup



I'll be back with Oklahoma, NM & Colorado

So how long was the trip all together? How did you get the bikes there and back?

Tom, The TAT itself for us ran like this: Sparta Tn- Lawerenceburg Tn - Holly Springs Miss - Clarendon Ark - Russelville Ark - Siloam Springs Ark - Alva Okl - Boise City (city ? :huh ) Okl - Trinidad Colo.

DK & John are still out there meandering thier way back east. I rode to Denver dropped my 950 off at Federated or Federal, bike shipper and flew back. I got home last night.

OK, Let me say something about Oklahoma. Some guys give it bad press. Well. I can speak for all 3 of us, Oklahoma left a very deep impression on us. You will feel very small and be in awe when riding through this state. I was very glad I was on my 950, in fact imo, the 950 is the ultimate weapon to ride the TAT, at leat to the eastside of the Rockies. I would not want to ride the TAT on a 400 thats for sure, The 950 ate those 2,500 miles up like a meatball. Oklahoma, impressive, very impressive. We loved it.
Oklahoma:

Lunch close to the Ark/Okl border


My Stealth Bomber would ingest roads like this & blow them out her twin Akra's for the next 650 miles.
"Got 6th Gear" ?








Tall Grass, as far as the eye can see. An ocean of it. Breathtaking.




Much needed fuel stop



You actually see tumbleweed blowing across the street



Dinner just outside of Alva


She rests


Very remote, we are loving it.

Little House on the Prairie comes to mind here.



2nd puncture. Time lost: 1hour.



Like I said, I just loved Oklahoma


OK, 5th gear now


Notice the blue sky and the yellow flowers. The temp was perfect and dry.





Our 1st Pronghorn Antelope sighting in western Oklahoma. We would see many more.

City ? Ah, no way. But it had character and we loved staying there. Nice down to earth folks.



Next up NM & Colorado and a video to piece it all together

LOL no I meant how many days, looks like 10 total? What is the Fedearted website, I can't find it?

Love the off the beaten path feel.

And here we go:







We loved riding this road.




Colorado


SIDE TRIP






And now up to Denver where she went on a bike pallet and I flew back to that shit hole state I live in. I honestly don't know how I will ever be able to ride the same old stuff in NJ again. I could pack my bike away for a year and only ride it on epic trips like this and be perfectly happy.


Strike the Max speed. The 950 is fast but not that fast !

Video clip next.

Vicariously this year, reality next year! Very nice pictures.

And now the video. And notice the terrain change as we ride west.


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As I mentioned, John and DK are still out there and will be posting thier photos and narrative I'm sure soon.

Awesome trip indeed. Whats for next year you ask ? Well I hear a voice in my head saying "continue west my son"........

Enjoyed it again!
Many thanks...

BTW, I know what happened here.. I can feel it, slip sliden-way...

Frank, man I wish i could have rode along thru OK, hell for that matter on to Colorado. I know we had a blast on the Vintage Ride this spring on ole ass Yahama's.

I just got the TAT 1976 DT400 Bike ready for the Western Section in the Spring, and still hope to pull off the Eastern Section this winter somehow.

Glad you enjoyed Oklahoma, it really as a wide ass open place to get away from the world in places.

Congrats on a great trip.

2007 - Vintage TAT Ride - OK, NM, CO - Page 9 - ADVrider

Looks like a sweet ride. Are you planning on continuing west for the rest of the trip on the 950?

Nick

Tom, here it is
http://www.funtransport.com/?gclid=CIqPjqyz9Y4CFRoRgQodazzDJg

Really about a week from Sparta to Trinidad.

Thanks Vinnie. We absolutely loved riding through your state.

Nick, next year. Not sure on the bike choice yet. I'll have to do a little more re-con. I'd love to take the 950 but may end up with the XR650. We'll see. But we'll be in the same place we left off to start the trip west to the Pacific with any luck next year.

Frank, get a Husaberg FE 650E so I can come over and ride it!

http://www.husaberg.se/FE-650e.72.0.html

I cannot wait to do this next July. I've seen lots of opinions on what the "best" TAT bike is. Care to explain the reasoning behind your statement?

Also, what did you take? What gear did you wear? What didn't you need (that you took along)? What did you need (that you didn't take). Would you do anything differently? Any other knowledge that you would care to impart on those of us contempating this ride?

Thanks for all the pics, the report and the two videos - Dave.

Rob, yea, that sure is a sweet ride ! Town & Country Cycle will have them too ! Dam, don't temp me.