LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Edit: Tsorfas' journey to IOMTT prompted me to re-live my own "big" organized ride event. Upon review, the "ride report" was nothing short of dis-satisfactory. So this edit re-visits an attempt at re-telling my story.
April, 21 2015
Browsing the ADV rider forums, a thread pops up about this:
http://labarstowvegas.com/images/frontpage/lab2v01.jpg
I remember owning a whole 1 issue of dirt rider at 12 years old, and seeing pictures and reading a mind-blowing ride report about LAB2V. It sounded like heaven to me; all those miles of trails, trekked on what I considered the most capable, most (relatively) inexpensive modern day version of the lone rogue cowboy's steed.
~500 miles
~Easy and hard ways
~epic
Was it possible? I had half the battle covered - my bike was street legal. But the rest of the battle was answered in the hours of forum threads and ride reports of years past.
May 2, 2015: My headlight sucks. It was a baja designs incandescent 40w bulb running on what felt like a 30W stator. After a full charge in the garage, the headlight would drain the battery in less than 7 minutes; so I needed to keep the engine pinned, just to be seen. I had good luck with a 20" light bar on my F-150, so I decided to test an LED "fog light" as my headlight. I also don't like a lot of weight slung over my back...but I needed to carry some dead weight because the 2-stroke had such a limited range. So I googled some advrider options and found a drz400 thread about luggage racks.
so I was thinking:
-kolpin system + tank over the rear tail (try not to overload weight in the rear or it affects the bike's handling)
-inexpensive saddle bags hanging over the sides (maybe even cycle gear) for spare tools, food, water, spare air filter
-some sort of tank panniers for my spare 2-stroke oil
-small front fender pack - tubes, tools, fasteners, zip ties
also trying to piece together what sort of items I'd need...I'd like to travel as light as possible, but at the same time I'd have to carry a couple quarts of 2-stroke oil and gas which will take up a good amount of room and weight
good to bring a pre-oiled 2nd air filter to swap between first and second day
FUEL:rider instructions on the district 37 AMA website from 2012 here says there will be a sweep truck and an optional gas stop that makes the longest range 92 miles = my 3.4 gallon desert tank + 1.75 gallons of gas in a rotopack with maybe a single MSR fuel bottle in a backpack attached to my rear fender will be sufficient gas for my thirsty 2-smoke (total gas 5.15 gallons - estimated range 110-128 miles depending on jetting and throttle position). The tricky part is estimating gas mileage during 17 mile WOT sand washes...I will be getting an endurance II and heading out to the desert in advance; this will be a good chance to see what the real world mileage becomes
need a roll chart for navigation - it's tried and true - sold @ day of event
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...psrekmuygn.jpg
This is so rad!!
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...psnixcw9ue.jpg
Finished day 1 yesterday and just woke up for day 2! Sore!
240 miles to go...next stop VEGAS!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
We can start at 6, but riders are already staged and lined up to go...gonna be a long day so we need the early start
Big LOL @ all the 4 strokes getting roll starts or too tired to kock over with theor dead e-start
4 kicks on the smoker AND SHE LIVES!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
MADE IT
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...pszcnfqdqt.jpg
Shit, shower, shave...drink...banquet...hit the town, gamble, strip clubs!!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Not really :spit:
I only had 2 batteries...so I didn't run it on the easy/boring sections...
Then my mount snapped off when my helmet fell off my bike in the wind as I was helping a rider get a bike down a hill
I will wait to get home because mobile pics is a PITA, but:
-first day, first half pretty easy...got through it by 10:30am LOL...got confident and unloaded the rotopax...then 2nd half of the day gpt gnarly on hill climbs! Got worried about running out of gas! Whoops sections on the end of the day are TIRING. Was cold in the morning...like 30's...had UA, textile riding jacket, insulated rain suit, balaclava, winter gloves and glad I did! Just fingers and gaps in helmet got cold. Friends crashed...nothing for me! Did get groggy amd tired...wish I brought food for energy
-Second day: LONGER - so we left promptly at 6am. Really wanting to make to the last hardways section at red rock canyon, we took the first 90 miles on the easy way...some was easy, some of the deep gravel sand, rolling hills with ditches, and rocky sections were not! Trying to get good time I was holding a good 40-50mph through sketchy sections..., bars all over the place in the sand washes, came over a rolling hill too fast and saw a sudden 3 foot ditch! If I fell in there I was going over the bars for sure...so I rear braked as soon as I could (mid air) rear wheel locked, tried to steer the bike away (which doesn't change your direction...just orientation!) bike landed sideways dragging the rear wheel already, I somehow narrowly missed the ditch but slid sideways amd wiped out in a pile of rocks. Everywhere I was properly geared I was fine...except my hip. It is do sore! Made it tough to lift my leg over the bike and kickstart
sideway. Kept riding...more to come later!
sidewa
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Congrats on the accomplishment!
(No comment on the "trophy girl")
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Being chased!
None of em caught me though! #Leaderproblems
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps5gaxnuws.jpg
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
rad ! you called me crazy but now you're ready for the 5 day Hollywood -to- Vegas, aren't you? :D
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
that would be awesome!!!
long desert rides are so much fun!!! do it once in your lifetime!!
I checked the admo list...I have a bunch of GPS tracks around Rangsburg/Kramer Junction all the way to Vegas...I bet I can find some GPS tracks for death valley too, but I heard you need a 200+ mile range on your bike (= not possible on my smoker)
I also have all the GPS tracks for easy/hard ways for the LA-Barstow to Vegas ride from last weekend too...I have next weekend off, so I might try to work Saturday and ride Sunday!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Was it a race? Cool experience!
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
Did you meet that guy from 2 fast 2 furious at the start?
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
not a race!
the original Barstow-to-Vegas race was closed down in the late 80's due to an endangered species of desert tortoise
the dual-sport ride always ran alongside it, and is currently all that's left
I didn't get much gopro footage...but here's 1 min of the more fun parts of the easy way/day 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJO...ature=youtu.be
Re: LA-Barstow to Vegas 2015!
ba, da, daaaa...just bumping along through the desert! :wub:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...psedtyubrq.jpg
Photos by Grumpy!!!!!!!
