Ahr 2019 10/16 - 10/20

[cabnfvr]

You southerners seeking cooler weather make me sick....

We are sooooo glad to be back home, but you keep tellin' yourself that darling. Enjoy your next 6 months !!

[aviator]

have you noticed

that you

have never seen Redtail

and i at the same time.

[Bmorganjr]

[justjoe]

First thing I saw was "BM JR Dead end!!"

[Bmorganjr]

Haha...i see it thats the one we talked about the other day....around road 20

[Bmorganjr]

[Bmorganjr]

[Bmorganjr]

[justjoe]

So I want to take a minute to post some things that Bill and I discussed last night. I think it should be said that both Bill and I are fired up about this ride, but with a little bit of concern as well. This is going to be a long"ish" post so I will put the most important piece right here. Nobody will get left behind! But that means that everyone has to follow a few basic rules. We will probably talk about it again the night before the ride and then again the morning of the ride. It is important. And Bill, jump in and correct me at any time or add something that I have forgotten.

So a few definitions. Bill and I speak a different language when it comes to riding. I know how to interpret his language at times, but sometimes I still miss things. So let me try to give y'all some heads up.

Tracks - a track is a route that is laid out using a variety of tools to include GPS software, Google Earth, Google satellite imagery, maps with topography and general knowledge of riding and the area. Tracks consist of waypoints (little flags) and breadcrumbs. A track is a line on the GPS (or paper map) that you follow to the best of your ability. If you get off the track, zoom out to find the track and start going back in that direction, get back on the track and keep on. If you are ever off the track, zoom out, find the line and head towards it. Sometimes you get so far off the track that you will pick up a paved road to easily get back towards the track. But since nobody will be left behind, this shouldn't be a problem. Also, if you are using paper maps you should be familiar with how to spot landmarks and use a compass. But that is another story. You do not need to do this on our ride, just make sure we know that you don't have a GPS.

Dirt roads - there are different kinds of dirt roads. Dirt roads are not paved but may (or may not) be maintained.
Hardpack - Hardpack is a dirt road that is relatively good and usually very easy. I call it hardpack because the base layer has been maintained by compaction machines, graders, or other road machines.
Gravel - self-explanatory but there are differences in gravel roads. Gravel could be thrown over hardpack or it may all be loose. It may be small gravel or big friggin' rocks. The hard to ride gravel can be squirrely as hell.
Double track - self-explanatory double-track consists of only two "ruts" made by the passing of four-wheeled vehicles
Singletrack - the technical paths. A single track is usually just slightly wider than the largest width of an ATV and can be so narrow that you have to stop and maneuver your handlebars to fit through.
Hairy shit - Sometimes we will find that the track will take us down a stream bed, or up a path that is strewn with rocks. This could be a forest service road, dirt road, single track, double track whatever. You will need to be prepared for hairy shit. We just don't know if we are going to find ourselves going uphill in a muddy concoction of wet slick clay and baby heads, but that is part of the adventure.

Okay, so when we are talking about the DS ride, we will use these terms. As Bill mentioned, he has put together a track that is roughly 175 miles in length. The general idea is to take a combination of paved, hardpack, gravel and possibly some double track to go from Jasper to Oark for lunch, then head back to Jasper on a slightly different track. In the best-case scenario, we would have ridden the track before taking the group on it to make sure that it wasn't just a bunch boring dirt roads strung together and that it wasn't some hairy singletrack that is too technical to enjoy. We built this track from 700 miles away using satellite imagery, input from other riders who have been in the area, tracks from ADVRider and Bill's experience. BUT, we cannot guarantee that some of this stuff won't be impassable and that we may have to turn back and find a way around. This is where the adventure comes into play.

When we get out on the ride there are a few things to consider.
1. There are varying skill levels of riders.
2. There are varying degrees of technology at play (GPS's are not required for this ride, but those who don't have a GPS will not have the track).
3. This is an unknown ride but we do know that there will be several water crossings that can get hairy.
4. If you underestimate some situations it can get bad in a hurry. and finally
5. We will be out in the woods and quite some distance off the main roads and help if needed.

With that said, we will have a few things that we need to do as riders to be safe, have a great time, and do shit that we will talk about for years to come. Hopefully, the weather works in our favor and things go smoothly. Here are some guidelines for us all to make sure that we all get back having the time of our lives.
1. I think the biggest thing that must be done to ensure that nobody is lost or left behind is to always wait on your buddy. If the trails are dusty then it sucks being right up behind someone and the farther the pack separates the easier it is to get lost. So, make sure you know who is in front and most importantly, who is behind you. If you switch positions in the pack, make sure you know who is in front of you and who is behind you. ALWAYS WAIT ON THE GUY BEHIND YOU! If the guy in front of you leaves you he is a dick.
2. If you get stuck at a water crossing or other technically hard spot, wait. Bill and I discussed how we are going to handle water crossings already. And if we come upon a spot that is a little hairy we are going to stop as a group and get through it. This doesn't mean to take a water crossing or hairy spot for granted if the pack hasn't stopped, because you never know, but if we do come across something harder than normal we will be there to support everyone. And if you are unsure, wait and we will come back to you. No need for taking undue risks.
3. There will be several spots to bug out during the ride that will be notated on the track. Please let someone know you are leaving the group. If you are in the middle of the pack, let both the guy in front and the guy behind know you are bugging out.
4. Our "emergency rally point" location is Deer, Arkansas. https://goo.gl/maps/AgmYKS9GisLb8pMk9 If you get lost, or there is a bike malfunction or any other kind of issue, we will meet back in Deer. This is also where there is fuel for both the outbound and the return trip to Jasper. If something goes wrong, Bill has marked the track with that verbiage. Follow those directions to get back to Deer and we will all meet there.
5. Fuel up when the group fuels up. Period. Have a set of tools that are specific for your bike. I am taking my KTM kit. If you have tube tires (I run Tubliss and will still take a 21" tube) make sure to bring at least one tube of the biggest tire you have. For example, if you have a 21" front and an 18" rear, bring a 21" tube as you can use this in both the front and rear of your bike.
6. Drink plenty of water and bring some along with you on the ride. You may also want to bring a snack as we will be stopping several times when we are in the woods for breaks and to take pictures. We have locations marked on the track for scenic picture spots.
7. I don't know if this has been mentioned, but the guy behind you is your most important buddy. If something happens, he will be the first one to you. Make sure you don't leave your buddy.

That's it for now. I am sure that I missed something. We will talk about it more as the days get shorter and will most definitely talk about it the night before the ride. If you have any questions please throw them out.

One last thing, just for me and it doesn't mean that you can't change your mind. But as of right now these are the folks that I know of that plan to ride with us. Let me know if this is correct and if you have a GPS that can take tracks.


Bill M
Karl B
Rob G
Joe L
Matt B
Mani R
Curt P
Jeff S
possibly Xman

[Lee]

I checked the list to make sure my name was NOT on it

[justjoe]

I asked Debi if she wanted to go into the woods of Arkansas with me and she pulled a pistol. So I invited MattB instead. He's kind of pretty like her.

[justjoe]

Changed verbiage to "emergency rally point" to be more concise.

[Bmorganjr]

Whooooohoooool, this is gonna be a good day fellas,

[MattB]

Whooooohoooool, this is gonna be a good day fellas,

Bill, thanks for what you've done here. I don't know whether I should also slap you... can't believe that I'm gonna go 1200 miles from home and STILL not end up in Colorado.... that is messed up.

[aviator]

Thanks guys, strong work!

[cabnfvr]

So I want to take a minute to post some things that Bill and I discussed last night. .....

Joe, need to toss in one more thing, BRING A SPARK PLUG WRENCH FOR YOUR BIKE! With all the water crossings it might come in handy.

Enjoy !!!!!!!! We'll will ride to Oark on Friday but will skip the off road!!

[Karlb]

Good point

[justjoe]

Absolutely correct! My kit comes with a spark plug socket. I'll also have some gloves for dealing with the oiled air filter that will need to be wrung out.

[cabnfvr]

BTW, we have adventures of our own planned for pavement but a big THANKS to Bill and Joe for getting the Harry Chit Ride 2019 set up !!!!

[Karlb]

[justjoe]

Yeah, I cannot thank Bill enough for all the work he has put into this dual sport ride. I am really excited to get to it!

[MattB]

I am working on getting El Burro setup.

You are ahead of me.

[cabnfvr]

First time I've seen an after picture, before.

[MattB]

No comprende. Are you talking about my custom backrest (subframe)? Gotta be comfortable while in the woods.

[955i]

Lee, looking at this list of goobers, some of these dudes might be lost forever . . . meaning there should be some great street bikes left at the Gordon Motel without living owners. Lawyers recognize that where there's problems, there's opportunity! Be prepared to choose one or two for yourself and Deb.

[justjoe]

Nobody is left behind. NOBODY!

[Rob]

[justjoe]

I didn't think of you when I said that. Disregard.

[Bmorganjr]

[justjoe]

I have confidence in you! If it ain't fun, you'll make if fun!