Anyone planning on doing the Entire TAT this summer???

[CReffex]

Hey guys,

My Dad and I are planning on doing the entire TAT later in the summer...

Were from Alabama, so the trek to the start won't be too bad..

Was wondering if anyone was interested in coming along for the whole thing, or just portions.. Would be great to ride the great american trail w/ some of you guys..

Another thing.. Any tips or advice is welcomed.. we've never done a trip over a couple weeks and a couple thousand miles and this is going to be a big adventure, but def. managable.

We'll be riding 650L's w/ clarke 4.7 tanks and all appropriate tank bags, saddles, duffles, Etc. Plan on camping mostly and hitting a hotel about once a week to knock the crust off...

Read several good articles on ADVrider and think i have done my research, but you never can be too prepared..

But any interest or advice welcomed.. Thanks guys, and happy trails...

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

Make sure that is enough fuel to go at least 200 miles. I rode it last year on my XR600 with the Acerbis 5.8 gallon tank, I'm glad I had that tank.

Use a high wearing dualsport tire for TN, MS, AR, OK and NM. In Trinidad CO there is a Kawasaki dealer right on the route that stocks knobbies and will drop what they are doing to help out TAT riders, they will even let you use space in their service area to work on your bike no matter what brand your riding.

Prepare for cool or cold weather on the passes. I got snowed on twice in late July!

Pack very light!!!

[hikeNM]

Make sure that is enough fuel to go at least 200 miles. I rode it last year on my XR600 with the Acerbis 5.8 gallon tank, I'm glad I had that tank.

Use a high wearing dualsport tire for TN, MS, AR, OK and NM. In Trinidad CO there is a Kawasaki dealer right on the route that stocks knobbies and will drop what they are doing to help out TAT riders, they will even let you use space in their service area to work on your bike no matter what brand your riding.

Prepare for cool or cold weather on the passes. I got snowed on twice in late July!

Pack very light!!!

I agree with all points.

I rode the entire trail last year on the exact bike. There were many times I was glad to have the Clarke 4.7 gallon tank. We got lost on the last day in Oregon and ended up riding about 200 miles before next gas. Made me sweat a bit.

To be honest, I wouldn't even run a true knobby east of Trinidad. Something like a Kenda K761 would be fine, unless you're doing more than just riding the trail. I ran a Cheng-Shin C858 and even thought it was overkill.

Valcomm Motorsports is the dealer in Trinidad, and they were great. I called them a week out, I think it was in Clinton, AR, and talked had them order Kenda K270's. I thought they were plenty good for the western section.

Grip warmers are the difference between total comfort and dying, in my opinion. If my hands are warm, I'm good in just about any weather. I bought a pair from Rocky Mountain for ~$25 and wired them directly to the battery. Best money I spent preparing for the trip.

If you want to read more in-depth commentary, our website here has our travelogue's from both trips.

Cheers!

[bogus]

hey creffex thinking about the whole tat this summer i lve in ny but might be able tohooh up with you guys.

[AHRMA17L]

I rode the Oregon and Nevada portions but from West to East in 2005. I would ride out to meet you and ride the Nevada and Oregon sections, to the West.

[Sundog]

I rode the Oregon and Nevada portions but from West to East in 2005. I would ride out to meet you and ride the Nevada and Oregon sections, to the West.

How was it going west to east?? Any confusion with the maps?

[Jeff@TheQuadShop]

How was it going west to east?? Any confusion with the maps?

You can do it with the maps but not the roll charts.

[Black Mesa Offroad]

I live about 5 miles south of the TAT in Western OK. Be prepared for sand for about 3 miles. It's not bad right now with all the moisture in it, but last summer/fall, it was real bad, in fact I had a bad crash in it. I might be up on it tomorrow training, or I might go somewhere else, but if I'm around, I'd be more than willing to tag along for a few miles as long as you guys stay on the dirt.

[bogus]

am thinking about last week of june or 1st or 2nd week of july depending on snow in the high country. have an lc4e pretty well set up and would enjoy some company .

[Okie1]

I won't be able to do the whole ride but I would like to tag along from the Arkansas/Oklahoma border west. Do you have any firm dates yet?

[GASGASMAN]

i;m looking at leaving minnesota heading south to ok and riding the rest of the tat. and the back could hook up with you my time line is open, have you set any dates yet?

brian

[KLX450R]

I remember us talking about you ordering the maps back in September 2007. We were going to hook up with you guys and try and ride the TN sections last year before the weather go too cold. But, unfortunately for us the season didn't allow us to make it.

Two of us are leaving the last week of June or the first week of July, as well. We are planning on doing the same with camping the whole route with maybe one day a week to perform maintenance or R&R. Our trip schedule is open to allow about 30-40 days for the entire ride out and return via rental truck or U-haul. The return trip may not return from the end of the trail. If we make better time than expected, we may return through some of the rockies and rent a truck closer to home if time allows. Although we have planned for that many days, we may ride hard throughout the first states to make some extra time for riding out west where we want more time to explore. I have Garmin GPS maps of the whole route with waypoints charted and have track drawn the entire route through Colorado at this time. I only have a small portion of that charting to finish(But this weekends weather is nice, so Sunday we are going to hit the dirt and ride while the weather is nice). We are running the Continental TKC 80 tires which from what I have seen and read are the tire of choice, and have ultra heavy duty tubes for pinch resistance and ease of tire changes later in the route if needed. Even the article I mention later in this post used them on BMW 1200 and KTM 950/990. I am not sure of your plans for the ride, but from one Alabamian to another we welcome your company for some or all of the trip if you choose.

If you haven't seen the magazine Roadrunner travel, they have over the last three publications written about the ride beginning to end with some incite on the Oregon trail problems with blockages, and routing problems from the wildfires that have ravaged the area over the last few years. You can order the magazines or read snippets from the articles at http://www.roadrunner.travel/

Hey guys,

My Dad and I are planning on doing the entire TAT later in the summer...

Were from Alabama, so the trek to the start won't be too bad..

Was wondering if anyone was interested in coming along for the whole thing, or just portions.. Would be great to ride the great american trail w/ some of you guys..

Another thing.. Any tips or advice is welcomed.. we've never done a trip over a couple weeks and a couple thousand miles and this is going to be a big adventure, but def. managable.

We'll be riding 650L's w/ clarke 4.7 tanks and all appropriate tank bags, saddles, duffles, Etc. Plan on camping mostly and hitting a hotel about once a week to knock the crust off...

Read several good articles on ADVrider and think i have done my research, but you never can be too prepared..

But any interest or advice welcomed.. Thanks guys, and happy trails...

[CReffex]

Sorry about the delay in reply guys... We've been on a week anventure in the Mt. Cheha area... But our dates are not set in stone.. Planning on late June, or the first week in July as well.... Got the TKC 80's on the Way...

As far as the return trip, we were thinking of riding till we were ready to load them up, and do the U-Haul deal.. Hear the back of the truck makes a great hotel room...

But it would be awesome to meet up and go for it.. The Alabamians and whoever else is in for the entire ride, or anyone else who wants to meet up for some portions..

[Sundog]

Just an FYI for those planning on doing the TAT through Colorado this summer. Several buddies of mine have said they have huge amounts of snow this year....which means some of the high passes won't be open up early in the summer.

[KLX450R]

Thanks for the update! Hope the global warming melts it soon, SORRY AL GORE!

[GASGASMAN]

? i am planing on leaving for the tat late july to miss the snow and doing the fat fred in mo:bonkmontrose co. labor day weekend

infr at daviscyclecenter.com

[Pitchman]

Just an FYI for those planning on doing the TAT through Colorado this summer. Several buddies of mine have said they have huge amounts of snow this year....which means some of the high passes won't be open up early in the summer.

Same goes for Oregon...we got dumped on pretty good. Make sure you have a back-up route over the Cascades in mind (paved), we'll be skiing until June this year easy!!