Leaderboard

Hell of an event. This was my first time at this ride, but I'm a long time Mono County "resident". Some of these tracks are my favorites from personal experience, and this area is the main reason I bought a GS a few years ago. It was great meeting so many new friends, and catching up with some old ones. Cyndy Kelso and I met years ago up at Lundy Lake, and it was good to catch up with her as well. I stuck around for another week up there after all of you folks left, and hung out with the Lundy Lunkers, a group of guys who have been gathering up there for the past 50 years. They set up a campsite as a big card room with 3 or 4 tables going constantly. Lots of cash and booze flowing! I came out about 50 bucks ahead...but stayed up until the wee hours, and pretty much wrecked the next day of riding just to recover. Something is up with my phone, and I'm having trouble getting the pics off it. No worries. I'll figure it out and post them soon. I've been checking out everyone's pics and video, and it's great to see others riding the stuff I love. Ok, first thing: Compared to years past, the trails are in generally crappy shape. Drought and a lot of vehicles makes for a lot more sand and chewed up trail than we are accustomed to up there. Two of the routes I consider "super easy" had some tough conditions this year. Bald Mountain is usually a walk in the park, but this year it was mostly sandy on the way up. This one varies a lot because of the road maintenance getting there, and I've done this run two weekends in a row before with completely different results. After riding the main road at 50+ mph one week, the following week saw a fresh load of gravel and a lot of work. So I wasn't 100% sure about this route, and to have it chewed into sand is a bit of a disappointment. But still worth the ride up for the views and that cool little warming hut (I'm pretty sure you can spend the night here without any hassles). I also told just about anyone that would listen that Log Cabin Mine is super easy except for one steep section that gets a little sandy...my apologies for the understatement of the year. I go up this trail every single time I'm up in the area, and this is by far the worst shape I've ever seen it in. But it was great seeing pics and video from the top, knowing riders pushed through that crap anyway. The views alone make it worth it. Did anyone explore the structures up there? Dunderberg Pass...That upper section keeps finding its way into the .gpx file. No idea how, I've never taken a bike up there (or a GPS). Why? Because I know better! LOL!!! I've been up there in my truck, and turned around when my wife started getting freaked out. Sorry to anyone who might have been cursing my name (or Eric's) up there. A small group of us also rode Masonic Road, but stayed on it instead of getting on Bodie/Masonic (this was a mistake I made somehow, but it kinda paid off). There is very little sand on this road (virtually zero) and it has a few decent challenges with rocky areas and step-downs. We came upon three vehicles trying to figure out how to pass each other and went around them on the outside edge with one guy (me) standing there spotting so nobody fell off into certain death and destruction, or maybe just divorce. Same thing, kinda. Brunch at the Bridgeport Inn was great, but I sure do miss Hays Street Cafe, which closed recently after 25 years in business. It's for sale, by the way... The previous day, we did go Dunderberg to Bodie, then out Cottonwood Canyon. From there, it's a quick 1-mile jaunt down Cemetery Road to DeChambeau Ranch, which served Bodie and other townsites back in the day, and is set up like Bodie as a sort of museum. On our rides, we stopped for pics at places like Chemung Mine, Masonic, Bodie, and DeChambeau Ranch. I'll get the others to post their pics. When you see pics of glassy-looking beaver ponds, those are from Lundy Canyon, and might help to explain why I go back there a few times every year. Since something like 1967! Big thanks to Eric for a great event! Also, special thanks to Classy Cowgirl (fantastic food!), June Lake Brewing, Mammoth Powersports, and anyone else who made things happen for us. All of these businesses are now aware that this group will be up there every year, and they are preparing. Very sorry that my buddy Lance Gines got hurt, but he's going to be fine. I've ridden Idaho and a few other states with Lance and Robbie Musheno, those guys are hardcore. It was great seeing them again, but a bummer seeing them leave early. See ya next time, guys. Shout out to my other partners in crime: Rafe Hardy! Rafe bought a new truck and toy hauler when he got home, can't wait to help get it all dirty and scratched up! Mark McClellan, one of my absolute dearest friends in the ADV community, shared the experience with Dan Schoo from BMW of Riverside. Great couple of guys! Rafe, Mark, Dan, and Trinie Lara all stayed an extra night or two at Lundy. Trinie's bike had a persistent flat front tire, and we dropped it off with JW Stoehr of Mammoth Powersports after several attempts to patch the tube. He put in a new one and sold her his last 21" tube as a spare (just in case) to get home. Really good guy. Trinie is a lot of fun to ride with, too. She took a yellowjacket down her collar at one point, and tested Sena's mic gain and speaker output...in our ears...pretty impressive volume, but I was a little disappointed in the massive distortion. Couldn't figure out if she was saying "AAAAAAAGGGHHHH" or "&%$#@!&%$#@!&%$#@!&%$#@!". Gotta get with Sena on that, curse words need to be intelligible. Ross Wenger joined us for the Masonic Road trip, and got to stretch his legs a little on some stuff he hadn't done before. Good guy, we'll be riding again soon. Knows how to curse, fits right in! Need to introduce him to the Lundy Lunkers... My wife Yun arrived just after the event and proceeded to catch a bunch of big trout. She also brought huge King Crab legs, jumbo prawns, ribeyes, portobello mushrooms, and a bunch of other delicious stuff. We ate like KINGS.....after you folks went home. Sorry...not. HAHAHA!!! Between our food and the meals from Classy Cowgirl, I actually gained a couple of pounds. I usually lose a few up there. If anyone is curious about Lundy, have a look on Facebook at pics posted by Trinie Lara, Rafe Hardy, Dan Schoo, or me. It's a little hidden gem in the Sierras, a really magical place. Looking forward to next year...and as soon as I get this problem figured out, my pics will be posted here as well. See ya! Rob Day

I'd like this thread to be a place where we can put videos of big bikes being ridden well. Videos you look at and you're like "wow, I wish I could ride like that!" Something like this... or

I got to stop in at Klim last summer and thought it would have been cool had I done kind of a "How it's Made" video (that Ride of My Life eventually did). I recently got a tour of Race Tech so I thought I'd go ahead and do that. Race Tech has been around since 1984 when it was founded by Paul Thede. You've heard of the book "The Suspension Bible?" Yeah, Paul wrote that I went through two sets of aftermarket suspension on the GSA and have aftermarket suspension currently on the #xladvproject990 bike and I can tell you this is the one mod that will completely transform your bike. If you're at all considering a suspension upgrade then simply pick up the phone and give Race Tech a call. I'm sure they'd love to help you understand that better.

To me "the wave" is actually more about not getting nailed by overzealous cops writing tickets for minor infractions, and anticipating unseen hazards, than it is about "good vibes" (thought I guess that's cool too). When I give someone "the wave" and they do not respond with anything, I don't get offended, I just have no indication of what's ahead, out of my view. If they give me the helmet pat, I know there is a cop, accident, or other hazard in my near future. If they simply give me a wave back, then that's usually a fair indication that all is good ahead. That doesn't mean I let my guard down, or assume there is nothing to worry about, it's just a little extra help, and maybe I can ride with a little extra gusto on that next turn. Also, I'm surprised to hear everyone using Harley riders as the example of people constantly waving. Whether I'm on my GS or Triumph Bonneville, those Sons of Anarchy wannabees are usually the LAST guys waving in my direction because they are SO TOUGH!

A big ole Hello to everyone from Vancouver Island!!! I have been a sportbike guy most of my life and entered the XLADV realm in 2009 with a BMW R1200GSA and my wife on a BMW F800GS. We walked away from our jobs, sold most of our stuff, and went on the road for 6 months in 2010! Since then we have lived all over the place, including Mexico for almost a year. We love Vancouver Island so we ended up here and likely will use it as our A.O. for the time being. I upgraded to a 2015 KTM 1290 Super Adventure, sold it and now own a 2016 Ducati Multistrada Enduro. The bike just fits me well, and pretty much does what I want out of the box. I do need to improve my offroad skills, but have never been afraid to explore the limits, not always smart as I found out while trying to get the KTM up a steep rocky slope with the stock Conti's. I love the ability to explore areas that are not filled with RVs, cars, trucks, and such, so here I am. I am looking forward to learning as much as I can!!! Great site here BTW!

I was searching "Lost for a Reason" on YouTube and found this video by Pat T from our ride

Love Vancouver Island. Used to visit when I lived in Portland Oregon. My wife's dad was born in Prince Rupert. Does riding rented scooters in Victoria count as ADV'n?

Hello Jessica , that's a lot of motorcycling experience at 26 y.o. ! Once you get on a bike that can navigate just about anywhere , the road only bikes lose their favor ! We need more adventurous women out there on on/off road bikes! Keep blazing your trails and ride to live:)

Eric, when you decide to come up we have room...I was thinking about a quick blip up to Hyder, AK from here before the snow flies. I have a ton of places to show ya if you come up!

A few months back my family and I scheduled a trip to Portland, Oregon to see my wife's dad who was turning 95. Frank is one of the remaining WWII vets who saw battle in Europe, including the Battle at Anzio. Frank Watts holding sand from Iwo Jima Beach. The sand was personally collected by his grandson who was in the Marines at the time. He gave it to Frank for his birthday last month (7/26), thanking him for inspiring him to serve his country. Awesome moment! We love you Frank! As luck would have it, my best friend (Steve Claus) also had to be in Portland for his father's 73rd birthday. We've known each other for over 35 years and have logged many, many off-road miles together. However, for the last 5 years, we've not lived in the same state, so we don't get to ride together. Wait! Once we take care of family stuff, this is an opportunity to ride! I called Steve and told him that we needed to rent some bikes. Of course, he was all in (as always). I did some googlin' and zero'd in on a rental company in Portland that looked like they'd be able to hook us up with a couple of ADV bikes. I soon discovered that even with 60 days notice, everyone was booked out! I guess staging in Portland and riding to Alaska is on the bucket list of just a few, and it was killing my riding plans! I dialed my butt off and found one bike, but not a pair, or dates/times that would not work. I was getting discouraged! Then, a name popped into my head; someone that I came across in running ThumperTalk.com: Uwe Deimer, the owner of AdMo Tours! Duh, why didn't I think of him first? I'm old, so it happens... Long story short, Uwe was also booked up, but he took the time to broker out a deal with a vendor in Klickitat Washington named Cascade Back Road Adventures & Rentals. I got to know the owner (Coit Stone) a bit, learning that he's a passionate off-road guy that started the business not all that long ago, so that he could live close to his mother with health issues. Not a big outfit, but he did everything promised and the two BMW F800GS machines he brought were well outfitted, maintained, and ran flawlessly. Good job Coit! We'll do business with you again in a heartbeat! Oh, and Coit delivered the bikes 100 miles each way to us just outside of Portland, Oregon for a reasonable fee, so don't hesitate to contact him if you stage in Portland. He'll make it happen. At Love's Truck Stop in Troutdale Oregon w/ Steve Claus, where we staged from. So, where'd we go? That's where Rever comes in... As luck would have it, the day we rode was the hottest all week, with temps reaching the mid 90s in some places. Being from central Florida, a welcomed retreat from the summer heat/humidity. Steve, being from high elevation and dry Colorado, didn't necessarily agree! One problem that I have in gathering content for ride reports is that I'm having so much fun riding, I don't take as many pictures as I probably should. So, I'm sure that this report simply won't do the ride scenery full justice. But, I suppose that's probably the case with most rides. Crown Point was our first stop of the day. Unusually calm winds and very, very clear. Pic is looking to the east. Steve Claus and yours truly. Pic is looking to the west, towards Portland, OR. From Crown Point to the last on-ramp to I-84 there are several beautiful waterfalls, some of which you have to hike to to see. We were out to ride, so we only took pics from the road... Steve Claus @ Latourell Falls Bryan Bosch @ Multnomah Falls Sorry, didn't notate the name of these falls. Just a couple of miles east of Multnomah falls. PS - Don't park in the dirt anywhere along the Columbia River Scenic Highway. Ranger Rick almost lit us up with some federal tickets for this "stunt"! Smooth operator Claus silver tongued our way out of it. Getting closer to Lost Lake on the NE side of Mt. Hood (Steve Claus) Lost Lake, Oregon Interesting fact! Lost Lake drains itself every year! Steve testing out some non ADA compliant wonky-ass steps Da money shot! - Lost Lake, Oregon w/ Mt. Hood in the background Solera Brewery in Parkdale, Oregon for some food, relaxation, and cold beer! Ok, no beers. They sure sounded good given the hot day, but not a good mix with motorcycles. Service was a bit slow, but we were in no hurry, food was excellent, and I really like to frequent local establishments vs. chain stores. Walk out the back of the place and there are tables overlooking a fruit tree orchard w/ Mt. Hood in the backdrop. Great setting! Timberline Lodge Ski Resort - Mt. Hood Oregon (looking south towards Mt. Jefferson) Lodge look familiar? I didn't take any pics going down the mountain b/c I had my Go Pro running. But, I later learned that they suck at filming with dead batteries. Where's the face-palm emoji? Before I forget, a big thanks to the folks at Sena for hooking us up with a pair of SMH10 bluetooth headsets. I've known how awesome they are, for whatever reason, I've never taken the plunge. Old habits I suppose. My ride with Steve really took on a whole new dimension by being able to talk and laugh during the whole ride. Don't get me wrong, it would have been fun regardless, but the Sena communicators seriously added to the whole experience. Don't wait to get some like I did. I've been missing out! We finished up the long day with a dip in the Sandy River. Water was coooooooold for this now Florida boy, but after getting used to it, it felt refreshing. Great way to end an awesome day with my best friend! But, now I'm itchin' something awful for the next adventure! It's never enough, is it? 👍 Steve, what's next? COBDR is in your backyard my friend. Or, maybe the Tennessee mountains?

What an AMAZING adventure! Bryan Bosch and I have been best friends since 1979 and have done a lot of riding together over the years....and the rides just keep getting better! The hardest part of this trip was saying goodbye and then making the 20 hour drive back to Colorado, knowing it would be a while before Bryan and I would get to do it again. So, what did I take away from this trip? It doesn't matter how long it's been between rides with Bryan, it only takes us a few minutes to get back in our tandem-groove. Something about logging many thousands of miles, riding side-by-side in the woods with the same person, just doesn't exist with others I ride with. Love and miss ya Bry! Being a KTM990 Adventure pilot, I didn't like the BMW GS800...before I rode it! I'm not sure why. Maybe because I always had my heart set on the GSA1200 and my Financial Advisor (wife) wouldn't allocate funds? Maybe I'm a KTM-snob? Regardless, after a full day on the BMW I think this is a very cool bike! I still prefer my KTM, but had I purchased the mid-sized BMW before the KTM I'd be perfectly content. I'm not sure how Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman jumped on their adventure bikes and rode 20,000 miles in The Long Way Round, because MY ASS HURT after only 250 miles! I guess I need some additional long-distance seat-time before setting out on longer trips. They say that it's not the bike, but the rider...which I completely agree with...but the gear on the rider makes all the difference in being able to ride comfortably for long distances. I can't thank the guys at Shoei, TCX, Moose Racing, and Sena enough for hooking me up, and making this ride as comfortable as possible. I will be publishing reviews shortly for these amazing products, so stay tuned! 👍 So, to sum it all up...I drove 20 hours each way, to spend an epic 12 hours with my best friend, doing what we love most...and I'd turn around tomorrow and do it all again!

Birchy on his 1190R

The usual suspect, Isaac Feliu in the snow w/his new Woody's 21/18 wheels