Photo Tour of Dual Sport Events & MC Rallies

[BeerTeam]

A year ago, I rode the Byron/Leaf River ride on my 1988 R100GS. The Leaf River Dual Sport course was run on about 90% of the famous Leaf River enduro loop. This Enduro route was similar to the Brush Popper's Cow Patty Enduro which I rode a month earlier.

I guess that was when , I had a mind changing Revelation. I realized that the BMW was a great dual sport bike, but not an enduro machine. The BMW just doesn't have the ground clearance to make it over stumps and through deep mud without some help from my riding partner MMMotorcycle. At my age of 57, I decided to try not to make it a practice to ride enduro courses on my BMW.

I have had my 2006 KLX250s for almost a year, and this and the (muddy) Bucky were my only two rides on the Green Machine. Fellow Dualsporters ask me where is the KLX and I reply that I love the Airhead GS, and the KLX is at home.

The Leaf River DS ride was originally scheduled for November 1, but because of record rainfall was postponed till November 15. Mid November around this part of the woods could see us riding ice and snow instead of rivers and mud.

The route was a 27 mile loop with the option to run it twice. Dan 888 (young & fast) has a KLX250s just like mine and Dan ran the route twice

most exciting thing I saw-- He *almost* made it all the way across the bridge-

He was fine, and finished the ride
- - -

This was my first time doing the event. To gauge the difficulty, I'd have to say that its a 30 mile loop, of which 25 miles are the kind of stuff you'd find on the "hero routes" of other dualsport rides in the area. Tiring on a KLR... But very fun

I'll be back

[BeerTeam]

Great ride, well marked and put together.

How hard can it be to go 30 miles? Sitting at one of the stops about 1.5 hours in, the GPS was checked. "We've gone 8 miles."

Was fun to watch BENRON's KLR650 in the mudslides. Like a motorboat with a broken rudder

Best line of the day overheard near the stream crossing:

"Are you one of the organizers?"
"no."
"Well we got to get those guys a chainsaw."

One of my buddies said that to one of the Forest City Riders members many years ago at the enduro. His response:

"A chainsaw? So....you want us to drop MORE trees over the trail?"

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LOL I told the guys riding with me that I was going to file a formal complaint, there was one fallen log that they failed to include in the trail

Quite a few trees to duck under too. I bonked my helmet more than once

I couldn't count the number of logs/ trees we went over. Some of them were big enough to bottom out the bike

If you werent going over them you were going through them, rubbing bark off with your barkbusters

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I think they hired the local beavers to clear the trail

Above: Dan888's (3) photos

[BeerTeam]

Below:
The group of riders were attending to an injured rider.
He was really in pain. Hope he is doing well.

[BeerTeam]

. . .This was my first attempt and I was a bit disappointed that I could not finish it . If you noticed a black BMW F650GS that was me . I rode the first section and my riding skills , the weight of the bike , the single track and not having a riding partner to give me a hand in need didn't go along very well . I apologize if you guys had to wait for me to move aside and many thanks to the riders that helped me out in times of need . Even I had a rough time I enjoyed the full of it and I'll be back but not on a 400lbs bike . I finally realized that my 650GS is too much to hassle with it on single track so it's time to get me a real single track toy . I rode TAT on the same bike but let's not forget that TAT is not a single track adventure and most of the sections are relatively easy . . .I love the bike and it performs well on wider trails since I swapped the suspension and converted the bike into a Dakar ( longer forks and shock and 21" front wheel) but the Sunday ride finally proved that I should stay away from difficult single track and get for this type of rides a lighter bike .

f650gsa, nice meeting you
& you are right, it's great to have a riding partner

The biggest issue on this rides was the trees going over and under . The bike will not fit under those trees so I will have to lean it over and going over the rear tire will slide to the side and off it goes . Then try to lift up a 400lbs + all by myself ! I am still in a long process of learning to ride much better off-road and single track is my next move !

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The Route took us along,
over
& through the Leaf River

[BeerTeam]

River Hill Soliloquy
(The Story of An Illinois Farm)
by Clarence Mitchell

[BeerTeam]

I not only enjoy the ride,
but also getting in touch with nature

[BeerTeam]

Here's some helmet cam footage:

http://www.vholdr.com/user/8839

The helmet cam footage is from a friend of mine.
He and I use the ContourHD and it works great.
Glad he got all of the loop since I couldn't make it.

If you want to see some District 17 Enduro footage check out:

http://midwestenduros.comPictures.htm

Great stuff!
ContourHD cam is awesome

[BeerTeam]

Below are action photos of me
taken by my riding partner MMMotorcycle

KLASJM making it though the thick of it



Come on in Klasjm, the waters fine....




Klasjm,Great approach

Michael, Michael Motorcycle -




Thanks for taking the time to ride with me

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Here's to all the gray beards who finished the route
many of them ran it twice