TAT Progress

[Mellow]

I thought I'd create a post to keep everyone updated on the TAT. Rick or whomever can give me a call and let me know the general location and how things are going and I'll reply to this post as well as keep this 1st post updated.

Man, wish I had the $ to go get a DS real quick.:rolleyes:

-> 9/21
- Arkansas Mississippi border - Scheduled Start
- 11:25 - Beebe, AR for lunch

-> 9/22
- Rick just called, they are at the western border of Arkansas and Oklahoma, near Stillwell, OK. Just another 50 miles or so for today and they're done. Should meet up w/Chief later. Guy has something broke on his bike, no details but nothing that will keep him from moving forward.
- 7PM - In Salina, OK

-> 9/23
Update: Rick just called and they are at Great Salt Plains State Park NW of Oklahoma City, near the border.

-> 9/24
They are now at Black Mesa State Park, just a few miles from the NM border, still in the OK panhandle.

-> 9/25
They are now at Trinidad Lake State Park in Colorado, Chief needed a new rear tire so today was an easy one.

-> 9/28
They are now in Silverton, CO. Planning on hitting UT on 9/29. They went over a bunch of pretty tough passes. Snow, Hail and Rain were on the menu for Sunday's ride.

-> 9/29
They are now in Moab, UT. Their TAT is done, they just now have to do the White Rim trail and then it's time to come home.

[Mr. Guy]

Thanks Joe,

I'll try to post up to this thread from my cell phone.

Guy

[motomac]

Now I really feel bad about not going 'cause I could have updated this thread daily or hourly if needed. Rick probably could have figured out how to post pics from the phone's camera. Oh, well have a great trip and be safe.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Trailace]

Thanks Joe for setting this up and I will do my best to update ya each day.

[bluepoof]

Hurry up and go on the trip so that the rest of us have something to read while we're at work! :D

[Flingshot]

That's a good idea! My kids are too young for me to live vicariously through them so I'll pick these guys for a while. (at least until my kids get a little older).
I truly am jealous of you guys.

Be safe, GOD bless and keep us posted!
Scott

[Mr. Guy]

Your jealous? We have to plan a trip like this to get to Colorado. That jealous thing might go both ways.:D:rolleyes:

Guy

[Flingshot]

Alright, I guess I need to count my blessings more often but I still think riding to Colorado trumps working in it. (I think) Oh well, Im still jealous. I have issues.

[Mr. Guy]

Don't we all.

Guy

[Mellow]

You're covered.. I'm sure you've packed and thought about everything... or have you (insert evil laugh here he he he)

[Mr. Guy]

I'm on my way. See you tonight Rick. Gota go, Guy

[Mr. Guy]

Almost to little rock
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mr. Guy]

Made it to bebbe ar
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mellow]

11:25 CST BeeBe, Arkansas

Rick and Guy called from Beebe, AR. They stopped to get lunch.

Said there was lots of gravel but lots of fun.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=beebe+arkansas&ie=UTF8&ll=35.095193,-91.894627&spn=0.094946,0.154495&z=13&layer=c&cbll=35.068346,-91.894536&panoid=Q6k36kAhfOplClwKcp7uCw

[Chief]

I didn't hear from them this evening but I'm heading out in the morning to try and meet up with them tommorrow night.:)

[Mellow]

I didn't hear from them this evening but I'm heading out in the morning to try and meet up with them tommorrow night.:)

Probably out of cell range, depends on how close to an interstate they might be. Rick told me you were meeting up later this evening so he's looking for ya.

[Mellow]

Rick just called, they are at the western border of Arkansas and Oklahoma, near Stillwell, OK. Just another 50 miles or so for today and they're done. Should meet up w/Chief later. Guy has something broke on his bike, no details but nothing that will keep him from moving forward.

[Mellow]

Rick just called and there are now 3 riders - Chief has met up with Rick and Guy.

They are in Salina, OK having dinner and are about 1/2 day ahead of schedule.

[Tx White Knight]

Rick just called and there are now 3 riders - Chief has met up with Rick and Guy.

Oh not does that mean the Three Musketeers are on the loose?? :)

Thanks for the updates Joe

[Black and Blue]

:couch1: Guess I'll be a couch potato and wait for the news on the Three Amigos to come in:D Man, I wish I was having fun like them:(

[Mellow]

Oh not does that mean the Three Musketeers are on the loose?? :)

Thanks for the updates Joe

Yes, that's how it's starting out.. but we'll see what they're like at the end:

1 - Almond Joy
2 - Mounds
3 - Milky Way

[Mr. Guy]

Hi All,
I'm back at home now, the TAT turned out to be more of a challenge than I wanted to tackle. Had a lot of fun for 3 1/2 days but it was starting to not be fun any more. The roads, for lack of better term, were getting worse and worse, and mile after mile of fighting to keep the bike upright is not as much fun as it sounds like. Trailace and Chief are great riding companions and I hope to ride with them again someday, just not off-road. I owe them a big thank you for letting me tag along, this was an experience I am happy to have had. I have pics to share and will right up a story soon, but a little tease for now. Where the fun starts.

Guy

P.S. Joe, whats a good photo hosting site.

[Mellow]

Google offers a free one that I know lots of people use:
https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?hl=en_US&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Flh%2F login%3Fcontinue%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fpicasaweb.go ogle.com%252F&service=lh2&ltmpl=gp&passive=true

Update: Rick just called and they are at Great Salt Plains State Park NW of Oklahoma City, near the border.

I can only imagine the workout that ride must be.. I have a hard enough time on little dirt roads once in a while but it sounded like some of this stuff was pretty thick.. Kudos to you for knowing when you've had enough, better than making a mistake. Not sure I'd last very long.. my butt is too used to a nice big seat and nice smooth roads.

[Black and Blue]

Hi, Guy
Sorry to hear about the roads:( I glad nothing bad happen:) But I guess that's part of the experience. Glad your home safe. I was hoping for more adventuress stories to read while safely at home....but what the hey.
Take care. Hope nothing seriously happened to your Thumper.

[Mr. Guy]

Thanks Joe, I give it a try.

Don't worry Black and Blue, the roads are suposed to be that way. When it wasn't fun anymore it didn't make sense to push it anymore. I had my fun and was ready to stop before I made a mistake. A mounting tab on the frame where my luggage rack bolted to broke off. Nothing about an hour in the garage won't fix. It'll be ready for my next ROAD trip soon.

Guy

[Black and Blue]

Good! I'm glad you enjoyed what you could,Guy. Also happy to hear your Thumper is okay too:D
Take care.

[Tx White Knight]

Well Guy, we all have our limits and as I learned when scuba diving, if it is not something you are comfy with or does not feel right, dont do it.

Glad you are home safe to enjoy another day :)

:tent8:

[motomac]

Guy glad you made as much as you did, that's 3 1/2 days more than I did!!! Looking forward to some pics.

[Ironheadziggy76]

Guy, glad you had a good time, I hope to give it a try some day.

[Mellow]

They are now at Black Mesa State Park, just a few miles from the NM border, still in the OK panhandle.

Sounds like a lot of interesting sand issues today... :eek:

[Mr. Guy]

Chief was telling me he HATED sand about as much as I do.

Guy

[Flingshot]

Hey Mellow,

Did I miss the route of the trail on here somewhere? What part of Colorado are they traveling to? And when are the scheduled to be here? I would love to go out and buy them lunch somewhere if I could make the schedule work.
Thanks,

Scott

[Mellow]

Hey Mellow,

Did I miss the route of the trail on here somewhere? What part of Colorado are they traveling to? And when are the scheduled to be here? I would love to go out and buy them lunch somewhere if I could make the schedule work.
Thanks,

Scott
They're taking it one day at a time.. I know they are planned to be in the Trinidad area in SE CO maybe today or tomorrow?

[Mellow]

They just called and are at Trinidad Lake State Park.

Chief needed a new rear tire so they just took it easy today.

[Flingshot]

That is a beautiful area. Way too far south for me to get there though. Are they going to come further north on this trip?
Anyway, here is a link to the State Park website to that area. Man, I wish I was there! http://parks.state.co.us/parks/trinidadlake
Scott

[Mr. Guy]

Hi Scott,
This is the route they are taking:

http://trailace.smugmug.com/photos/320036397_aQSVw-L.jpg

Mostly across southern Colorado, then toward Moab, Utah.

Guy

[Flingshot]

Bummer, I think they are too far south for me considering my current schedule. Oh well, maybe next time. Thanks for posting the map Guy.

Please tell me one of them is wearing a helmet cam........!!!!

[Mr. Guy]

No helmet cams, but Trailace takes a lot of pics while rolling down the road. :eek: I couldn't do that, both of my hands were stuck to the handlebars.:rolleyes:

Guy

[Trailace]

Quick update.

We made it to Gunnison CO and are camping at the KOA they have free web and a computer for me to use. Everything is going great but not all to plan. I would upload some pics but no cord sorry. We sure do miss you Guy and wish you were still with us. :D

Chief had a little bit of a hard time today but I will let him tell that story. The weather has been great until this afternoon when it started raining and the temp drop to 50 degrees. More later but I need to go check my e-mail.:)

[Chief]

Quick update.

We made it to Gunnison CO and are camping at the KOA they have free web and a computer for me to use. Everything is going great but not all to plan. I would upload some pics but no cord sorry. We sure do miss you Guy and wish you were still with us. :D

Chief had a little bit of a hard time today but I will let him tell that story. The weather has been great until this afternoon when it started raining and the temp drop to 50 degrees. More later but I need to go check my e-mail.:)

my bike decided it didn't want to carry my big butt up Hancock Pass any farther so it lay down in the middle of some big rocks! we had to turn around and use the big bike bypass. I am having a great time anyway.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Tx White Knight]

Glad you guys are doing good Rick, you guys are having to enjoy it for the rest of us :)

:tent8:

[Trailace]

One more thing we should be done with the CO part of the TAT tomorrow and will be heading to the White Rim Trail.

[Mr. Guy]

We sure do miss you Guy and wish you were still with us:D

I wish I had roaded it to Great Salt Planes and then to Black Mesa and rode the New Mexico and Colorado parts with you. I DID NOT want to ride that sand though.

Guy

[Mellow]

-> 9/28
They are now in Silverton, CO. Planning on hitting UT on 9/29. They went over a bunch of pretty tough passes. Snow, Hail and Rain were on the menu for Sunday's ride.

On one part the smallest rocks were the size of bowling balls... yeehaa.

[Mellow]

-> 9/29
They are now in Moab, UT. Their TAT is done, they just now have to do the White Rim trail and then it's time to come home.

[Tx White Knight]

Cool, thanks for the info Joe
:tent8:

[Chief]

Cool, thanks for the info Joe
:tent8:

We did the White Rim trail today. It was very tough. I dont think I could have made it at the start of the trip but I have improved. We head home tommorrow.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Mr. Guy]

Good luck, have a safe ride home.

Guy

[George]

Please include route data. I gotta do this some day. On an ST. :D

[George]

Now I really feel bad about not going 'cause I could have updated this thread daily or hourly if needed. Rick probably could have figured out how to post pics from the phone's camera. Oh, well have a great trip and be safe.
Posted via Mobile Device

Mac, never heard why you bailed. Meant to ask this morning but got distracted.

[Tx White Knight]

Thanks Chief for the info, have a good trip home,

:tent7:

[Trailace]

Well I made it home and have lots to do so it will be a little while before I do a ride report. However I will say this I had A fantastic trip with a few great friends. :D

[Mr. Guy]

Glad you made it home. Now, no excuses, wheres the pics!;):D

Guy

[Trailace]

One more thing Chief is still out on the road he said he has no home to rush home to. :(

[Mr. Guy]

I can't even begin to imagine what that's like. He can rush over to mine and hang out a while if need be. But I imagine he has stuff to do.

Guy