Adventure GearLab 8: Giant Loop MoJavi Saddlebag

Carrying stuff on a dual-sport day ride is easy, right? You toss it in a backpack or bum bag and head for the hills. Or maybe you bungee it to the back or drop it into saddlebags. These conventional methods have worked for years, so why change? Comfort and performance come immediately to mind. I don’t like a big load on my back when I’m riding and don’t want to land on a fat fanny pack positioned to bruise my spine. Having gear strapped on behind hampers my movements and the bike’s handling. Saddlebags aren’t bad, but they also position the load behind the rider. [Read more]

Dual-Sport Riding in Big Sur

It is curious how dual-sport riders are willing to ride for an hour or two on good pavement just to get to a couple dozen miles of bad dirt road. A couple of friends had never had the dubious pleasure of riding up the old South Coast Ridge Road–a rare opportunity for dual-sport riding in Big Sur, so Kurt and I decided we would take them up one summer morning. As Mark Twain once observed, “The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco.” And Big Sur has the same foggy climate.

Counting heads at Gorda; last chance for gas.

We met up in Cambria, at the south end of Big Sur, with two Suzuki DR650s, a Kawasaki KLR650 and a BMW R100GS…average age of the four bikes was over 15 years. Which is quite suitable, as no one sensible wants to bang up something new and shiny. It was overcast, the fog about 1,000 feet above our heads. And downright chilly, in the 50s.

We rode 40 miles north to the gas station/restaurant/motel complex at Gorda, then another mile to the turn-off for Los Burros Road and 23 miles of dirt, mostly in pretty acceptable shape. This was built long ago to haul supplies from where ships would off-load them at Cape San Martin to the mining town of Manchester. That town was the center of the Big Sur gold rush back in the 1880s, played out by 1900, the remnants destroyed in a forest fire in the 1970s. After a couple of steep miles we got into the fog, and after another two miles had risen above it. We passed the turn-off for Alder Creek campground, a steep downhill road going to the few remains of the old Manchester.

Coming out of the fog on Los Burros Road at about 2,000 feet.

A couple more miles and Los Burros Road turned into South Coast Ridge Road, built to supply the miners from the Salinas Valley – it would have been a long haul in an ox-powered wagon. The ridge road twists up and down and around, a delight to ride. We arrived at the turn to Prewitt Ridge, where the Los Padres forest service has a campground – no facilities, but at 3,300 feet right above the Pacific Ocean it is a wonderful place to spend the night. Though all we could see that morning was fog.

Another five miles along the ridge road, and we were on the pavement of the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, which connects the coast with the Salinas Valley. This road goes through Fort Hunter Liggett, a 165,000-acre US Army training site, and then comes out on County Road G14, which led us to Lockwood township and the Lockwood Diner. The temperature was now in the 80s, and the lunch and iced tea was well-appreciated.

Where Los Burros Road ends, butting into South Coast Ridge Road.

Standing atop Prewitt Ridge at 3,300 feet.

Fording the Nacimiento River in Fort Hunter Liggett.

The Lockwood Diner, at the intersection of Monterey County roads G14 and G18.

Escape from White Canyon, Part 4: Road Gang

(We left our tired riders having to cross a sandy chasm while the solid pavement of the highway taunts them from just yards away.)

The rain clouds are darker and closer as we dismount to examine the sand ledge in front of the culvert. What would be child’s play with a dirt bike looks too steep and soft to risk with heavy dual-sports. “Better get some rocks,” Kail says, as he starts kicking down the sand to decrease the slope. There’s no shortage of rocks in southern Utah, so it’s not long before we have a rough ramp set up. After unloading his luggage and carrying it across the creek, Kail makes the first run down the slope, across the creek and up the ramp. Roger and I stand by on either side of the culvert to lend a hand, but Kail cleans the section and parks his KLR in the escape tunnel. As usual, it’s easier than it looks. Roger’s next with another clean run and I make it three for three. We celebrate briefly, pack up the bikes and are soon on our way down highway 95, heading for the gray mass that hangs over the Abajos. [Read more]

Escape from White Canyon, Part 3: Lost and Found

(Part 2 ended with our party of three moto-men parked somewhere east of Hite, Utah, and north of Highway 95…and wondering just where the heck they are.)

The clouds to the north and east are getting darker, curtains of gray beginning to form in the distance. I know the area the best of any of us, and I’m pretty sure that rain is already falling on the upper reaches of White Canyon. I also know that the canyon lies between us and the highway. When I mention the potential for flash floods, it’s apparent that Kail and Roger have already considered the possibility, and with it, the possibility that we’re just a little lost. [Read more]

Escape from White Canyon, Part 2: Water, Water Everywhere

(At the end of Part 1, we had one smart guy taking a sure bet – pavement – while three riders with more bravado than brains pin their chances on the whims of the weather as they slosh their way across southern Utah.)

Dust isn’t an issue with the rain-damp surface, so we ride in a pack while sneaking peeks of the red rock the skyline. The desert is fresh and inviting, and we leave clean, clear TKC-80 tracks in the bright red soil. It’s all good for awhile, but the farther we go, the wetter it gets. Damp earth turns to small puddles; we splash on through. Then small puddles slosh together into larger ones. Water floods only one wheel rut at a time, so we slalom over the crest of the two-track to stay in the dry zone. Later, puddles on both sides force us to ride the crest itself, and when that’s below water level we navigate through the puddles, gingerly guiding the heavy bikes through several inches of water and mud. My KLR’s front end wiggles in the mucky bottom and the rear slides like a boot on a banana peel with the slightest throttle movement. [Read more]

Escape from White Canyon, Part 1: Monticello or Bust

The A/C was on, the ranger friendly and the news encouraging when I walked into the information office at Hite Marina on Lake Powell to escape the heat. I’ve studied my maps of southern Utah pretty well over the years, but was surprised when the ranger asked, “Did you know that you can ride dirt roads all the way from Hite to Monticello?” [Read more]

Adventure GearLab 7: Asterisk Knee Braces

Two of my best, most loyal friends live just a femur’s length below my waist. They are my knees and they’ve been with me through decades of motorcycling, bicycling, running, backpacking and other activities where they could have failed me – but never have. A couple of years ago I got smart (hey, it’s never too late!) and quit relying on my good luck to keep them in shape. My brilliant idea was to start wearing knee protection whenever I ride my dual-sports off the pavement. And based on the experience of two friends who’ve spent a lot of time falling off their trials bikes while learning the skills necessary to stay on them, I popped for a set of Asterisk Cell knee braces. [Read more]

Around the World the Hard Way – Mondo Enduro DVD

Ready for your big adventure?  Have you seen enough of Ewan and Charlie going the Long Way here or there that you want to hop in the saddle and leave your cares behind in a cloud of dust? Well, there’s no better place to start planning a big trip than in front of your TV with the Mondo Enduro DVD. This is the story of seven Brits who decided to ride around the world by the longest route in the shortest amount of time on Suzuki DR350s. This is not a Ewan and Charlie adventure by any means. No film crew, no trucks, no satellite phone or FedEx’d parts. This is seven normal guys with small bikes, a few tools, and some camping gear pitting themselves against an aggressive schedule and the great unknown. [Read more]

The Dangers and Thrills of Africa on a Bike

The security of solo motorcycle travel in Africa is crucial. To stay safe and limit opportunities for theft and robberies I came up with a few strategies that I continually adjust as conditions and situations require. Because I carry soft motorcycle luggage and a locked waterproof bag, I try to keep the bike’s luggage in sight. While there are times when I don’t, so far I’m fortunate to have avoided mishaps. Most important has been the assessment of conditions and anticipation of tricky situations. I try to constantly stay aware and assess whether I’m in a country that is less safe (Zimbabwe), in an area that is less secure, at a time of day that is more prone to problems and if there any suspicious characters around.

While I came across a solo Russian BMW rider who fought off two robbery attempts on his crossing of Africa, most stories I heard and my own experiences have been fantastic and positive. The African people have been overwhelmingly helpful and honest. When they see an orange, strange-looking KTM approaching, they smile with wide open mouths, give me thumbs-up, requests for wheelies, air kisses and various other expressions of joy. It feels like the moment a circus comes to their village and I’m the ringleader. These are the moments that take the journey from being great to being superb and give me an extra boost of energy as I push the occasional 600- and 700-kilometer day ride.

The author keeps an eye out for wildlife while riding in Africa.

The primary danger of riding many of the Southern Africa’s roads is animals. Botswana’s roads, for example, perform double duty as the country’s pastures. There are cows, donkeys, goats, hogs and–every 20 to 40 kilometers–a cattle grates to cross. One advantage of riding a single-cylinder bike is that it makes a loud, unfamiliar noise that scares these animals from hundreds of feet away. On rare occasions I have had to use my horn, or come to a complete stop.

Amazing landscapes and wild game can be seen just riding Africa’s roads, especially those adjacent or running through national parks and game reserves. While riding a 300-kilometer stretch through northeast Botswana, the wild animals by the road were not donkeys, but wild elephants and 500-pound Oryx antelopes. By end of the day I had counted 20 elephants, some grazing within 15 feet from the road. When they heard the unfamiliar “ta-ta-ta-ta” sound of the KTM engine many of them flared their ears and did an about turn into defensive positions. An Oryx, startled by the bike, ran alongside me at 55 kmh for about two minutes before jumping onto the road in front of me, and eventually crossing to the other side and continuing its gallop.

Southern Africa’s roads are in mostly good shape, and often deserted. In Namibia, Botswana and South Africa’s Karoo region an hour or two would pass without seeing another vehicle. Africa’s road network is changing quickly. Chinese road construction companies and Chinese laborers can be seen from Mozambique to Lesotho to Botswana, laying asphalt as part of China’s development aid to the continent.

As of early February, after nine weeks and 9,000 kilometers in Africa, I have traversed nine countries: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.

To read and see more about this project and donate to the Riders for Health organization, please visit www.AfricaHeartbeat.com or its Facebook fan page.

Touratech 2010 Streetline

HITTIN’ THE STREETS. Touratech, best known for its wide-ranging catalog of adventure riding kit, has just released its 2010 Streetline catalog, which features 324 pages of accessories for sport-touring and naked street bikes, including Triumph’s Speed Triple. Touratech’s new Streetline range combines quality and functionality with modern elements of style. “Since we started devoting our attention to street touring bikes, we’ve been identifying more and more potential improvements with every model that we ride,” says Herbert Schwarz, Managing Director, Touratech Germany. [Read more]

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