Trans-America Trail 2016 (TAT-16)
Aug 5, 2015 - Post 1
After successfully completing my second attempt to ride a
motorcycle to Alaska and on up to the Artic Circle in June 2014 (AK2 Blog) I
had a lot of mixed feelings for several months afterwards. Counting my 1st
AK attempt in 2012 I had spent around 4 years (2011-2014) planning and
executing these adventure rides. When AK2 was done there was a great loss
because I had become addicted to working out the minute details of a trip like
this. In addition, AK2 had become more of an endurance ride to reach some
pretty hefty goals:
Ride to Alaska
Ride to Artic Circle
Ride the ALCAN
Do the Iron Butt (1000 mile in less than 24 hours)
My riding partner Jim and I (Gimini my wife calls us)
reached all of these goals. But the trip also caused me to decide to give up
motorcycle riding for several reasons:
1 - Riding the Interstates at 70+ mph for hundreds of miles
is NOT fun.
2 - Mixing it up in traffic with idiot drivers that are
determined to kill you is NOT fun.
3 - Riding hundreds of miles past scenic spots but not
stopping to enjoy the view is NOT fun.
We actually had a much more enjoyable ride on AK1 after we
had to abort the AK plan in Yukon, Canada due to washed out roads. We then
turned south back to the USA but each day would pick a place on the map and
ride at an easy pace to see what was there and have a beer at a local pub each
night. We met lots of great folks who were always interested in hearing about
what we were doing.
As a result, I sold my Yamaha Super Tenere (S10) to a guy in
MO. That was a fantastic bike and I had upgraded everything I could for the AK2
ride. The problem was it was a big bike and hard to handle anywhere below 10
mph; stop lights, parking lots or trying to turn around on a hill. It was great
at speed even on gravel and mud I must admit. Lastly, it was heavy and the
couple of times I dropped the bike I needed several people to get it back
upright. I’m 68 in a couple of months and riding a big heavy bike was just not
fun anymore. After selling my S10, I bought an ATV and that filled in the hole
left by selling all my motorcycles, for a while. What I did finally realize is
that it wasn’t motorcycle riding that I had started to dislike it was the
riding on Interstates and in traffic.
This brings us up to about a month ago. A friend at work had
mentioned the TAT a year ago about the time I was planning AK2. I didn’t think
much about it then but a month ago I stumbled onto a BLOG of a man and wife
that did the TAT in 2009. I read it from start to finish in one setting and
realized that was the kind of riding adventure I wanted. I then read a dozen
other Blogs about the same trip. I knew then that I would do this trip if I
could only find some excuse to my wife of why she should agree. Especially
since I had no motorcycle at the time. I finally found an opportunity to bring
it up in conversation and to my utter amazement, she didn’t say no and even
appeared to support the new adventure. I have to say she is something special
and I’m very lucky to have her.
Things started happening fast at that point. I am notorious
for getting a new interest and jumping in with both feet, sometimes way over my
head. I usually read every book on the subject and then buy every item needed
to do the new endeavor. She knows this and warned me that if I buy a new
motorcycle I better not sell it 6 months from now; at a much lower price (buy
high, sell low is my motto). I agreed completely. My research on the right bike
to use began.
I also started thinking “do I go solo or try to find
compatible riders to take the adventure with me”. This is a very important
decision and pros and cons for each. I was lucky on AK1 and AK2 to have a
riding partner (Jim) that was compatible (most of the time) and we had the same
goals (most of the time). The stress of the ride strains a relationship so it
is something I had to really think about.
Solo Pros:
1 – You don’t have to compromise on your goals or the trip
details
2 – You go when best fits your schedule
3 – Miles per day and when/where you stop is you sole
decision
Solo Cons:
1 – Lonely when out in the wide-open spaces which are
abundant in most wilderness areas you ride
2 – If you have trouble or get hurt it can be a life or
death issue quickly
3 – Cost more since can’t split cost such as motels
4 – Must carry all gear such as safety and tools (can’t
split among all riders)
There are many more but the net result is that making a solo
trip is usually not the best approach unless you just can’t get along with
others.
I then contacted my AK1-2 partner Jim and asked if he would
be interested. Jim had the same after AK2 feelings I did and was actually
selling his Harley Davidson; something I thought he would never do. He had
other reasons also but we talked a long time about what went right and what
went wrong with AK1 and AK2 and both felt about the same way. He did say the
TAT trip sounded interesting but Jim is not a dirt rider and the thought of
sand, mud and river crossings did not sound like something he would enjoy. He
left it open and I will continue to press him until he finally says yes or no
for sure.
This now meant I had to consider other possible companions.
During a staff meeting at work a couple of weeks ago I passed out a map of the
TAT and asked if anyone would like to have a real adventure, not just go to the
lake this week-end to fish. Interesting enough three of my co-workers actually
wanted to know more. I’ve worked with these guys for many years so I know them
pretty well. I knew we could all get along so the only issue would be do they
have the desire and finances to commit to the trip. We all had several meetings
where I described the trip and details that would have to be defined and ground
rules we would have to agree on; i.e. motels or camping, etc. They had followed
my AK1 and AK2 trips so knew that if I said I was going then this was a fact.
This past week-end we 4 went to the four major motorcycle
dealers to see the bikes that would best meet our requirements; Honda, Yamaha,
Kawasaki, Suzuki. We decided on these manufactures because of the availability
of the bikes, price range and engine size selections. KTM, BMW and others were
just too expensive or repair facilities along our route were not adequate.
I had already been researching all the possible bikes that I
would want to use and had settled on a 250cc size and the Yamaha WR250R as my 1st
choice.
Reasons:
1 – I settled on 250cc after reading numerous TAT blogs that
said a lite bike would make the trip much easier once you hit the sand and
mountain passes. I had originally picked the KLR650 based on great reviews but
after seeing the bike and setting on it I quickly realized it was too heavy and
I would have trouble getting through any kind of mud/sand without dropping it.
2 – I picked the Yamaha WR250R because it was rated as one
of the 250 class dual-sport bikes. It was also one of the most expensive. You
pay for what you get.
3 – Another decision point was I wanted fuel injection if
possible due to the higher elevations out west. A carbureted bike losses power
the higher it goes where fuel injection does not. The KLR650 is carbureted.
4 – I also wanted 21” front tires if possible. My mountain
biking experience on 29” bikes made me a believer in big wheels ride over rocks
better than small wheels.
5 – Finally, the TAT is almost totally 2 lane-paved roads,
dirt and gravel roads or trails so highway capability is not that important. A
250 cc can do 70 mph if needed so I was willing to sacrifice highway comfort
for off road capability.
As I walked out the door to visit the dealers with my 3
possible riding companions I was asked by my wife to NOT buy a bike without
discussing it with her first. She knows me so wellJ. I agreed and left to meet my
buddies.
We 4 visited all the dealers, tried out different bikes then
found out that the bikes we wanted weren’t available because everyone else in
the country wanted them also; CRAP! The Yamaha WR250R, as a result of all the
reviews, was selling like hot cakes. The only ones available were in Utah and
California. I would have to pay $1000+ just to have one shipped to Arkansas. I
do have to say that this may not have been true so if you find one local please
don’t tell me. My second choice had been possibly the Suzuki DRZ400Z or the
Honda CRF250L. Couldn’t find a local DRZ to evaluate plus by this time I was
sure I wanted a lite 250. The Honda dealer had three CRF’s. I liked what I saw.
A basic bike, very reliable but no frills and $1700 cheaper than the Yamaha or
Suzuki. I could use that $1700 to buy the extras I will need to outfit this
bike for the TAT. I did go home without buying the bike outright as promised.
After discussing with my wife and calling several dealers to get the best price
I called the original Honda dealer and told him to get it ready, I was coming
down to pick it up.
My wife took me down to the dealer, we paid the agreed price
and I rode off for an enjoyable 40-mile ride in near 100-degree temperatures. I
rode it again this morning to pick up donuts, breakfast of champions. My
initial impression is it is great fun to ride. It is quick and responsive and
can turn on a dime. I can actually move it around in the garage without fearing
it my drop over. Acceleration is definitely where it falls short. I was used to
the S10 which would throw you back just by twisting the throttle a little bit.
The CRF just plows ahead at a steady rate. I’m not really pushing hard on the
CRF yet because it is still in the break-in mode but I will miss the power from
the S10. On the other hand, the S10 was a hand full at low speeds where the CRF
is like a racecar. I knew this would be the case from all the reviews but I’m
counting on the CRF shinning when I’m having to ride through mud and sand and
make a river crossing in a foot of water on slippery rocks.
That’s my status as to date but I want to say a few words
about my potential riding mates.
Steve has already stated he’s going for sure in front of
witnesses and I warned him he would receive unmerciful ragging if he backed out
later. Steve is actually the one who enlightened me about the TAT a year ago.
He has lots or riding (road and dirt) experience and will be a welcome addition
to the pack. He does not currently have a dual-sport and is leaning towards the
DRZ400Z if he can find one. He has two other road bikes so we’ll wait to see on
that issue.
Terry has ridden motorcycles but I don’t believe he has a
lot of off road experience. He has not said for sure he is going but I’m 95%
sure he will. Especially since he bought a new Kawasaki KLR650 yesterday after
our group dealer visit. Now that’s what I call commitment. Terry is a big guy
and this size bike will work for him.
Ed is a novice. He does not have a motorcycle and not sure
he has ever ridden one. He is very interested in the concept of the adventure
and I have explained what we will encounter on the trip and the estimated cost
for bike and expenses. He is about a 10%
possible participant at this time. He would have to buy a bike (CRF250L would
be his choice), take a motorcycle safety course, and get a motorcycle
endorsement on his license. I explained that he needs to act quickly
considering that we plan on launching early next year (more on the trip later).
His heart is there but not sure he can make it all happen in the time
available.
Trip Details:
The TAT has a lot of variations but the version we are
taking is from Eastern Tenn to the Oregon Pacific coast. That is about 5000
miles total and would take a month or more to complete in one session. We
aren’t going to do the TAT in one session. I’ve experienced two different month
long non-stop motorcycle trips and it is just too much of an effort if you want
to enjoy the trip. It can be done and the bragging rights are extreme but those
are not important to us. In addition, considering the crew, mob, team or
whatever you want to call us, I don’t think hitting the TAT from end to end in
one go would work. Our plan is as follows:
Leg-1 – Eastern Tenn to Beebe, AR
Start in early spring while it is still cool considering
rain months in TN, MS and AR. We will shuttle the bikes and riders to the start
using a pickup and trailer driven by my wife or other volunteer. We will end at
Beebe, AR and returned home for a break. I expect this leg to take maybe 5 days
but this level of planning has not been accomplished yet. The goal of this
first leg is to the test the bikes and the riders. We won’t have to carry all
the items we will need out west because we will always be relatively close to
civilization. Any bike or rider not up to this leg needs to be either fixed or
consider dropping out of the ride. All the TAT blogs state that TN and MS have numerous
river crossings and if it rains, extreme mud. Getting a 400lb motorcycle across
a water crossing 1-2’ deep with moss on the rocks or burying it up to the
engine on a muddy road will quickly dampen your adventure desires if you are
not prepared to deal with it.
Leg-2 – Beebe, AR to Eastern Slope of Rocky Mountains, CO
Start in June-August time frame based on snow conditions in
mountains. It will be extremely hot across OK, TX, NM and CO but if we plan on
doing any mountain passes we need to be there when they are free of snow. We
have not planned our detailed route yet so this may not be a big issue but more
on that in future posts. Terry has a family cabin in the CO area so that will
be our Leg-2 destination. This is over halfway across the TAT. We have several
options on returning to AR. My wife may drive the truck to ABQ to visit her
daughter and we would ride down to meet her for the return trip. We may rent a
U-Haul truck and load all the bikes in the back to drive home. With 3 bikes and
riders this would work but 4 bikes and rider would make it pretty uncomfortable
in a U-Haul truck cab unless one or more flew home. This is TBD.
Leg-3 – Eastern CO to Oregon Coast
This will be a 2017 ride. This section is by far the more
difficult and the make up of the participants will be based on who survives Leg
1 and 2 in 2016. We will shuttle bikes and riders to ABQ then ride up to CO to
connect with the TAT. Once we get to Oregon I would expect to use a U-Haul
truck back to AR. This subject to change after we do the 2016 ride of course
learn all the lessons you can only learn on the trail.
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