ADVMotoRally2014
Introduction/Definition/etc
Adventure Motorcycle Magazine's inaugural rally, in North Western Virginia back in the end of last month, Sept 2014, now catching up on writing / drivel about it...
Body
Wondered about going to my first Rally, though SpringBreak2013 and later that year Sturgis2013 resemble it, 20070115Rally and o there mental health is a little different, similar characters, just more beer than meds, afaict, or what one guy called Adult Day Care, leading Veterans' with Ride To The Wall heading towards Rolling Thunder.
Adventure has a few contexts, Adventure Cycling Association is a bicycle tour map and magazine organization based in Missoula Montana, IIRC. There is Adventure in Those Maps, some say, and the Adventure is portable over to maps for Motorcycle riding too...
Heard about it from a flyer in Manasass bike store/ dealer...
Not sure what I'd be getting into...
Registration
Online only, afaict, leaving some cryptic message about a money order, not used for something else, as the only means of payment for the additional class, wait and see, as needed gas, food and stuff to make it back at the end of the month...
Costs
$75 entry fee, and another $75 for a training/ class during other more experienced people's rides...
Wants you to register for training online, including it with the Rally, I choose just Rally, uncertain what was really involved...
Friday
Late start, noon out there, and packing hell getting going, what to take, decided to take some parts, tools and
things for fixing the bike. Not sure I'd meet the ride requirements for some various reasons and needed something to do, have all those experienced bikers, maybe a pit crew track like TrackDays2012 ?
Drop Bike
Most people probably don't like to admit it, especially to non bikers, but bikes fall over, sometimes because of the rider and extenuating circumstances....
In my case, a turn around after seeing a high up sign, and thinking it was for the left t stop road going back, and very high crown of the road, plus gear, tools ,etc and I'm down, plunk in the road, worried about people zooming up along the country curves, not stopping and rolling over me, my bike and stuff... Luckily, a neighboring gentleman saw or heard it and came over, a passing Volvo or something stopped, and after taking a side bag off before or as they were arriving, lifted it back up, worried about the older gentleman not straining himself, and check the levers, scratches, etc...
Not a good start to the weekend, likely full of more experienced riders with better stuff, etc...
But Nothing Hurt But My Pride (tm) and Just a Flesh Wound (tm), plus a if that's the only time I drop it, will be lucky, smart arse comment to the host biker sent to check on things/ SAG support/ sweep like rider, with better stuff, a KLR650, made for offroad, equipped, one of the fleet of"project Bikes" as I was to learn...
Long Road In
So following this sweep person into the camp ground area, and it's back in towards the mountains... Off a paved road, back in the back, almost to the WV line, and on to dirt, he's equipped/ geared right and I'm 5-10 percent Dirt compatible...
Nervous and a little hurting, worried/ anxious about things , but glad to have found the location, sign off the main drag towards town helped to roundup the straggling idiot who didn't do a lot of online searching, just get going....
Checkin
Pulled into a camp ground entrance, two bikers and a couple of pickups/ 4 wheel trucks in front of me, left by the Sweep to his other duties, and wait to sign waivers, see if accepted, check out the campstore (soda machine, Ice and firewood only, AFAICT), I didn't stock up on food, thinking less to carry, and some sales from the other provided meals, carried a bit of canned stuff, and something else, IIRC, now almost going on a month from the event, details getting fuzzy...
Long Dirt Road In
SAG/ Sweep guy might have still been around, and getting more interesting riding, there were instructions that trucks would need to be left near the entrance, a separate area, and only bikers pulling into tent sites, no MotorHomes, LandYachts, etc allowed at this one, conjured up lots of thoughts of what am I getting into, some back country site? Performance test on the way in?
Later find out it is almost the most technical of the riding, so not full single track like seen on Dirt Bike only Trails....
Read about a dirt track and firing range, both of which were not seen, nor experienced, in fact probably excluded from those, being who and what I am occasionally... Get the pass and get going in, get a copy of the agreement, learn the rules, the social stuff might be different from say a GeeksRule2014 type messy media event...
Additional Check In
So host camp ground has a checkin/ waiver signing, registration, and the event has it's own at the entrance of the large group campsite...
I had checked with RedneckGarage2013 before going out, hoping to get a Last Minute (read same day) quick repair(s) and told I was being taught a lesson... I've been hoping to do repairs myself and just starting to be forced, read Necessity is the Mother of Repairs to motive me further...
Pass the Tech Inspection, by a miracle , the the fact that I brought the parts, talked about sticking around during the ride day, a Rally Is, it Turns Out a Ride, not so much a keep the home fires burning type of thing, I was much more wait and see what it is like before I commit to what I'm going to do, most likely sleep, set the bar really low, just to manage expectations (more on this in the Training...)...
Find Site
This all probably sounds rather Noob, detailed and technical/ introductory but finding a good site is going to be key to a good experience, so I think at the time...
Pass by some loud early drinkers, they are after all bikers, and got to the campsite, __insert more alienating self justifications here__ I hope sometime to find sober events, I'm not tempted by drinking nor drugging, I do like food, and well whatever, quit being a goody two shoes, pussy footing around, and I keep going, start WeldingBasics2013 type BS with the guys and realize it's not something I want to live like,
Loop around the main taped off demo area 'I'm told to avoid, and check the edges, there is a few roads going off and up, ask is this is a BMW only area, and non plussed / phased older guy says someone else is expected, but a little further over, might be OK...
Keep looking, climb up the hill fully loaded on the grass worried about a grant dumping experience just in sight of all the others... New kid on the playground trauma resurfacing...
Setup Tent
Talk to next door guy/ guys worry it's more drinking time, and well, that might not be good either, some guys further up in the trees, but I don't think I can make it up there, they have real dirt/adv type bikes and I'm almost the most street guy except the Harley type cruiser on the registration way in...
Saturday
Rest
Down early, and back up in the middle of the night, peaceful, though different sounds, crickets, locus, etc outdoor sounds and I'm not that on edge, just more anxiety of what is up at this new event...
Up predawn, likely up in the middle of the night using the outhouse, full of stink bugs, and no country quarter moon cut in the door needed for a sky light/ moon roof. No lightbulbs nor electricity either, we are roughing it/ camping, but not much for ADV types, who knew there were others who went off wandering with bikes and camped? Imagine that, not as crazy as others might have thought, land lubbers, jealous except when it rains...
A little like early morning jitters at TrackDays2012 early in the series of Track Days... After a while it was old hat, at track, as they might say, badly...
A generator is what I hear that lets me know others are up, starting the day... Turns out the food people are up early starting cooking for us, yippee provided meal plan food!
Coffee canopy and that is where most are starting to gather, awaiting further sustenance...
I'm rather loud and talkative, getting this party started, or so I think, in my noob mind...
I'm asking questions, seeing who I recognize and who I haven't talked to, whom I dare approach before coffee kicks in for them, and how I'm Not Going to Alienate myself before it even starts...
Breakfast
Toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, and start looking for ketchup, which I normally have with my scrambled eggs, then a place to sit and eat in peace...
Camera Policy
Talk with photographers/ video camera guys, all with much better street gear, I don't want to be photographed, get to know who has cameras and sneak up behind them and instead of putting hand over my face, signalling no photo, actually do first contact and explain what/ why/ what for...
Breakfast, Continued
Climb the breakwater type rocks/ boulders up into the pavillion Hoover Dam aqua duct half pipe on smooth concrete slab type seating area, asking the rather proper gentleman if this is a board members only meeting, they have large poster size topo like maps of the course laid out and looking like they are the local law enforcement or liability insurance AMA ride approval committee... Make some jokes about rural obstacles Deer, cows, someone says cows are dumb animals, I turn it crude sexist, noting my camera is not on, he might be able to go back home to the wife, if she lets him back in, and find the civilized gentlemen have all been married for a while and/or the WAG all know what they are like, and have let them out on a boys weekend pass away, apparently...
Unscathed and rather amused I continue on to planning my day and hopefully not annoying too many/ everyone, first morning out...
Others are arriving this am, so new people I haven't encountered, fresh meat, as the might say, but Im the Noob/outsider type with the street like quasi faux ADV bike and odd almost avoidant asocial personality type...
Training
Find the training instructor, aka coach, looking a lot like the diesel instructor, but more big 1100-1400 cc BMW and European, than native Virginian Good Olde Boy tell him my limitations, consider me knowing nothing, never done dirt, what I'm here for, find there are no prerequisites, besides the obvious, there is space, and get accepted, but sent to the publisher/ host org for payment, teacher doesn't do the money part, Try finding the Big Cheese and get in, he's busy, talk to registration desk, the second day, get numerous suggestions about how to get the remainder of the money order back, joke break knees, take that conversation frighteningly too close for their comfort, having BS'ed/ shovelled the Sh** major league, or so I think with welding classes, plus learn some real Italian accents stopping in Chicago for a meal going to Sturgis and worry the mountain air/ social scene/ anxiety may be too much for my delicate features....
Training Lecture
Coach reading with one handout and I'm quickly in buffer overflow, I want to film/ record the whole thing, and have been told, at check in and from a trip by the publisher/ editor, and now from the instructor too, that they own it, publisher owns the vent, training owns the training...
Ride Prep
Let out air in tires, can and must go toward half the rated max air pressure on these tires,say 30 down to 15 psi, for traction/ contact patch they called it in track days, but more mud/ dirt grabbing action/ surface area, plus bouncy protection on rocks/ roots, pot holes, etc...
Others easily adjust the rebound / load setting springiness of the rear wheel, forgot the technical name, look it up... PreLoad...
Rider Stance
Where track days are on balls of the feet, in a horse race type fast stance, the ride stance for ADV is on balls of feet pegs/ stirrups and up off the seat, leaning forward and head first into whatever obstacle we stop inadvertently, AFAICT. What, oh what have I gotten myself into? And signed multiple waivers, picturing Christopher Reeve horse riding accident type learn to walk again MayBe type disability....
Who Knew You weren't just showing off, the few riders I'd seen standing up, probably in magazine covers, thinking they were celebrating the finish line on something like Dakar, but much cleaner for the cameras...
Exercise
On and off with the jacket and helmet, gloves, climb on the bike, off the bike, listen to feedback, get instructions, what is next? how to do this, try something else, basically lather, rinse, repeat ...
Getting wearing and a workout, what in track days were 15 minutes sessions with lots of breaks, rushing to make a good start line, anyone has an accident/ down on the two point two mile track and it's watch for hazard, yellow/ red stop flags to all stop, wait for ambulance/ tow truck, worry who it is, what happened, if people are OK another MediVaced out? Then debris on the field, what to worry about so we aren't next?
Riding Exercises
Up and down on the legs, thighs, and have to start up, from a stop, each marking flag, not a small safety cone like driver's ed, nor motorcycle classes, but a hard to see flag in the grass somewhere.... Watch what others are doing, and try not to fall, it's a biker's kickstart type or bicyclists start going on pedals with pop up action and sync up, I'm getting ready for bicycle starts, favor the right leg as stronger, more used to it, and foot controls are Not over there, just brake not to hit, hand throttle controls are, let out the clutch with the left and use the kick of the clutch motion lunging forward to counterbalance the jump up motion required on my out of shape older legs
Not bad once I do that, very nervous worried I'd be the first to fall, and on the main left turn too... Positioning going into the stop helps, down shift, no we are all in first, I'm probably geared wrong, maybe much louder than others but turns out to help in where I'm at in the campground...
Completing the first part, we go for an adventure, on long the drive in the camp ground...
I'm hoping for a chance at the soda machine, as the water is good, but I'm getting hungry after a light breakfast, at home I'd have overeatten and gone back to bed hopefully, using my overfull stomach to control my sleep...
Out Front
Somehow I'm in the front of a pack of people, not the first ones, they zoomed up fast starting, and I'm thinking they went left before the gate, and others follow, not seeing anyone we all turn back down the hill. My Bad... Follow instructions better...
Gate Stopped
Instructor eventually comes back looking for us, I'm to blame, but not too mean about it, they meant all the way out of the campground not just out to the part way in gate...
Up Hill K Turns
Looking more Adventurous/ read scary, almost a logging road, turns out they are wider fire lanes so they stop a burn by having a gap in trees, or similar, I have learned from proceeding lecture
Walk Up The Mountain/ Hill, I'm OLD Out o' Shape and pissing and moaning, maybe we need a ski lift, I now think, but at the time, bikers only admit defeat by walking, it's not something we do, and I learn sometimes you walk ahead to see if you are a lemming off a cliff and IF IT'S PASSABLE/ FORDABLE/ mass or singular suicide to continue, etc
One at a time, we walk down to switch while others practice individually with some spectators how to do a K turn with their bikes, a deep washed out area in between...
Lunch
So end of hill climbing/ K turn exercise we vote/ decide to decide at the camp site whether we do one more stopping exercise or go to lunch first...
I'm told I stnk and need a shower/ at least a shirt change to be acceptable, I don't have much of any money, worried I'll be out enough for gas to get back, my margin of safety slowely eroding like the stream likely on the hill we just climbed and went back down...
I go change, and people zoom off, I'll not likely catch up, so out to the entrance and two others are waiting there, yippiee, not lost, follow them, they go left, and keep going, I'm back on pavement, with a posted speed limit on country roads and not left in the dust
Ride
A few stops and mis turns, they ask if I'm going with them or to lunch, I've though were were way far away from lunch, I'll tag along with them, the girl cute and nice, and the guy has a nav (GPS) turn by turn system, so all I have to do is not crash and follow along, at a reasonably fast pace...
Gravel/Dirt
Try my new stand up. crouching tiger whipped old guy stance and ride goes fairly well, hoping not to wipe out, but keeping others within sight/ horn distance if I go down, worried about how i would get back, fixed, get around, etc...
Pavement
About the time I'm too tired to continue standing up on dirt, we have switched to Pavement again, good course planning, workout like cross training changes in road surface to fight fatigue and boredom...
REPEAT
Gravel/Dirt and Pavement, several times, the course was 90 miles but we haven't gone even half that yet...
Still a good ride, learning / using newly acquired skills...
Mountain Top
Probably near a windmill / turbine and/or a radio tower we start looking for GAS ASAP, he's down to almost nothing, I've got a little more, and no idea, worried that gas in the rural mountainous areas are too far for all of us, picturing doubling up and getting gas, bringing it back...
Dairy Queen
Turns out the gas station has a frozen dessert type place in the other half of it, gas station has a convenience truckstop type general store and maybe a subway or something too...
Sign on the door is of a missing person/ a country looking woman, get a photo/ video of it, in case we encounter anyone...
Letch
Guy pulls up getting gas as we are pulled up just past the pumps allowing others by, but still in the mid day shade of the overhangs, drinking water, repacking, chilling and he starts hitting on the girl/ young woman, I glare at him, he eventually gets the hint, maybe...
Phone Call
One of the two gets a message, someone they know is stranded/ blew out the clutch, and needs a tow/ parts/ service, on an exotic red type bike, in the rural mountains, it's rapidly approaching Close of Business Saturday Afternoon/Night...
Searching for dealers/ parts, distances, and who does what...
They decide to go get parts for their friend, and I, of course tag along...
More miles, worried about gas money, and still getting a little tired, but having some fun too...
Dinner
Whole Pig Roast scheduled, lunch was on our own, and we want to get back for food, also there is daylight running out, and lost in the rural mountains to worry about...
Cross River
Stand UP, this is a useful technique, looking over the jersey walls of the bridge and into the sunsetting river below, taking pictures, KEWL, glad I did this training/ rally...
BBQ
Hit traffic going across state lines, and a farm stand type thing, I want to stop, but they want to keep going...
Part Pickup
Stashed part, found, and we take a break, redistribute stuff as he has the part to pack, I've left all my normal baggage behind, no cases, not duffel bags, no backpack, very little, feeling rather naked without gear, actually...
Welding Metal Place
Across from the motorcycle dealer/ parts place, need to remember that, they sell metal and weld, nice combination...
CHECK BACK LATER...
Gas Station
Milkshakes, sold a frozen hard thing, turns out cashier says you have to run it through the automated machine to whip it up, OK, but others are waiting, guard is odd, she has kids, I'm making jokes, about over the age of those listening...,
Something about a cold witch? /grin
Riding Off Into The Sunset
Heading back, over river bridge, into other state, less traffic, but into sunshine, difficult with dirty helmet visor, but cleaned one of them with what is like a special NJ baby wipe just for helmets and that bug or few that found me, and getting tired from a long day...
But have a frozen milkshake in my bra/bro action camera strap taking sips which is keeping me going, cold on the shirt, but warming enough to avoid brain freeze, good frozen strawberry milk sugar dessert, this just might work out...
Stops
At the last stop, they've donned headphones, one is legal I say, my helmet has built in, they are connected by wires to phones...
"What?"
Water Bottle
Goes flying off the guy or guy's bike and I jump onto thick gravel roadside to fetch it, they kept going, I wait for a bit, but putting flashers on and not wanting to be hit by someone driving into the sun, keep going, I know roughly where I'm at, not going on the interstate, as don't want high speed into the sun, I'll stick with across town, hoping to hit something I know it's not that big a city/ town, It MIGHT Work Out (tm)...
Speed
Basically getting back quickly going to get to camp, my first gravel day and need to do it in the daylight, so pavement, having done track, try to make up some lost/ waiting time, and get to dinner/ camp before sunset in the mountains...
Dinner
They are not there, but heard they knew I could find my way back...
They are very pissed/ worried, but had called ahead and saved some desserts for themselves...
I'd had DQ and milkshakes, so no bread pudding for me, boo hoo...
Movie
Sit for the first part, told we could ask questions, but ignored my hand up, probably saved me embarrassment, I'm back to bed anyway, I've been up too early anyway...
Noise and Flashes
Loud cheering, flashes, but not lightning, while I was trying to rest/sleep...
Sunday
Another Early Start
Just careful with the noise in the early AM waking everyone, and eventually just rolled down the hill before starting...
Mountain Dew
Not the soda pop drink, the wetness on the tent and everything, need to dry before packing it up, to store, don't want mildew/ mold developing on a stored til next ADVenture / getaway tent...
Shower
Find the shower up on the left up the hill/ mountain near the main entrance camp store gate.
Needed
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
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