Riding on Dirt, Gravel and Remote Backcountry Roads
I do a fair share of my riding on unpaved roads. Not exactly the target marketing segment for Piaggio. But there’s something soothing and restorative about wandering alone away from the thrum of civilization. I’ve been content to ride wherever time and opportunity permits with little thought to much more than “going for a ride.”
Content until I ran into Bruce Leigh.
Bruce Leigh with his Suzuki DR350 Heading North
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a fellow rider from North Carolina who was making his way north along the Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR). A thousand mile journey from southern Virginia to the northern border of Pennsylvania. Mostly off-road.
There’s a danger meeting other riders. They can put thoughts into your head. Just as I finally put to rest the idea of buying a dirt bike along comes Bruce. As we ate breakfast in State College I listened to a fine storyteller weave his magic about the BDR. Before I finished the home fries I was crafting plans in my head to buy a motorcycle and take my own trip on the Mid-Atlantic BDR.
It’s worth watching a short promo video of the ride to get a feel for what the ride might be like.
Bruce is making the ride alone and mostly camping along the way. And a lot of the ride up until we met was in the rain and mud. A slightly different experience than the video suggests.
As we talked I learned a few things. Like he was using this trip as a shakedown of the DR350 for another trip. He wanted to evaluate whether the bike had the guts to do the TransAmerica Trail — a 6000 mile, mostly off-pavement, ride across the country. Here’s a taste of that ride:
By the time we finished breakfast I was thinking my little rides through the sticks were lacking something.
Conversation at Saint’s Cafe
After breakfast we retired to Saint’s Cafe to continue talking. Considering the long trip still ahead, it was obvious that the BDR left Bruce in a pretty relaxed state. Or maybe that’s just his default setting. He was gracious in sharing his experiences on the road so far and we reviewed a lot of the route on the Butler map of the Mid-Atlantic BDR. While the map is nice, Bruce shared that without a GPS device the route would be near impossible to follow. I added that information to my mental checklist. So far I had the following:
- Buy map
- Buy GPS device
- Buy dirt bike
- Figure out how to convince Kim that 10 days away from home is a good idea
Bruce’s wife is a rider. During breakfast a text arrived with a photograph of her blue Vespa GT200. If circumstances allowed, she might be riding the BDR with him.
When Bruce departed he still had a couple hundred miles to go until he reached the end of the trail. And then the ride back to North Carolina. I’ve not heard from him but he did say he had to be back at work today. Perhaps he’ll check in to say he’s safely at home and comfortable that the Suzuki can make the trip on the TransAM trail.
Me — I’m left with more dreams and an un-quiet mind. I’ll have to go for a ride to clear the head and put the BDR in the right place. Maybe while I’m out I’ll stop and look at a dirt bike…
Lots of write-ups of people traversing the MABDR on the AdvRider forum. Seems to be extremely popular.
I’ve been watching videos on YouTube and will explore the Adventure Rider forum at some point too. Does seem pretty popular among a segment of the riding community but I had never heard of it before. Amazing how much goes on in the world that I remain clueless…
http://advrider.com/index.php?search/70977438/&q=MABDR&t=post&o=date
Thanks for sharing the link David.
Steve;
I too have been very intrigued by these trails you mentioned, mainly the TAT (Trans-America Trail). The TAT was one reason I bought my KLR650. However, I have attempted neither the BDR nor the TAT. ADVRider.com contains a multitude of beautifully written and photographed accounts by people who have ridden these routes, and I would suggest reading their account(s) to see if this is really for you.
One thing I know about myself, at age 60, (at least for me), my tent camping days are over…
I’ve ridden on some of the BDR trails that run through central Pennsylvania. The KLR650 would be a fine steed. There are some trails I’ve been on though with the Vespa that would be difficult for me to negotiate with the KLR though. Primarily because the road is so rough with big rocks and pits that I would find myself in many situations where I was going so slow, or stopping, and could not reach the ground with my feet that I would likely dump the bike. It was difficult to stay upright on the Vespa. I’ve talked to some dirt bike and dual sport riders about one specific road and they have dumped their motorcycles there many times.
I still want to tent camp though I fear I may be in the same boat as you. One more time on the ground to make sure though..
Steve;
I can understand that a modest trail bike might appeal to folks living in as beautiful an area as rural Pennsylvania, but most of the videos and stories I see from Adventure Rider and other sites seem aimed at those well heeled enough to afford a $30K, 500 lb. BMW R1200GS or who can sign up for expensive guided tours.
I’ve become a big fan of the Ed March approach. He’s the engaging Brit who’s ridden his his venerable 1960’s 90cc Honda Cub around the world, from jungles of Malaysia to the mountains of Peru to across Canada in the middle of winter. He insists that almost any small, nimble motorcycle, even an aging 250 Vespa, is more than adequate to handle most of what our domestic gravel road and modest trail rides can throw our way, and I’ll bet that includes most if not all of the Mid-Atlantic BDR. Lord knows, I’m not a skilled nor even competent off-road rider, but I do enjoy riding the back roads. In the past, I’ve had my scooter down many of our local southern Ontario gravel roads and several well-established trails over the years with little ill effect. I’m looking forward to doing more of the same this year.
I admit a little wonderment at the big adventure bikes. I understand the need for them if you’re crossing the country on Interstate 80 to get to your 200 mile off-road trip. But off-road — geez, they are hard to manage unless you’re experienced and skilled. And I suspect there’s no small amount of style driven decision making on the GS bikes. Not unlike it is with Harleys and sport bikes.
Ed March is fascinating. So is Mike Saunders with his 50cc Honda Ruckus. Seems what they do is far more difficult and challenging than a trip on a bigger motorcycle or scooter. But to each his own.
I’m certain my Vespa could do the Mid-Atlantic BDR trail. The only misgivings I would have would be water crossings. One of the videos I watched showed a couple that would have swamped and killed the Vespa with it’s very low air intake. I would have to make the trip during a drought.
The GTS takes a beating on rough roads. The suspension wasn’t designed with rough roads in mind. Often means traveling much, much slower than you would on a good dirt bike. But if time isn’t an issue, it’s a fine trip.
I think you should do it! You don’t need a huge off riad bike to do this, there are lots of folks travelling the world on Honda CRF250L’s and other small displacement dual purpose Suzuki DR’s , very light and easy to manoevre bikes.
I always think of Lois Pryce riding her Yamaha XT225 Serow from Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. By herself. With no GPS. The BDR routes seem pretty tame in comparison…
If you get serious about another scoot…DR650 Suzuki is worth a sniff…its magic for THIS old, short, crippled retiree….
dirt road joy, groomed single track adventure…highway speeds and stability….and dead simple mechanicals….no computers, simple routine maintenance…leaves KLR’s for dead….rock solid OLD design….lotsa farkles available…Aussies love em on ADrider.
Affordable entry to boot…
It will no doubt be the last mosickle in my garage…
I’ve looked at a few DR650s. Went as far as getting an out-the-door quote on a lightly used one at a local dealer. But I’ve not taken the plunge on that model or others.
Steve,
Looks like a lot of fun, I think I’d need a lot more practice and some exercise. Hummm
Doug
I wonder myself if some things are better left dreams…
Riding the TAT on a Vespa….now there’s blog fodder!
I wonder if someone has done it with a Ural…..and no, it won’t be me….I’ve not even done the Colorado BDR! Sad, very sad.
Not only blog fodder but three or four months on the road. Can’t picture it Dom.
So when are you planning to do the Colorado BDR?
Not in the foreseeable future Steve….
I’m sorta with Jim on this one: having had my semi-hardcore off-road dalliances in the distant past, I’ve become fairly resolute in keeping my pursuits (whether pedal- or engine-powered) on the mostly-beaten path. Hell knows there’s more road out there than I’ll cover in this lifetime, so I’m far more content with what this lovely Vespa of mine will help me discover along some of them. In the end, it’s not about how many others have covered those paths before me – it’s about how those paths affect me as I cover them. 🙂
There’s nothing wrong keeping the Vespa on the pavement. God knows there are plenty of new roads left to ride. My own BDR thoughts might be nothing more than pleasant daydreams…
Watching those videos may be the closest I ever get to those trails…
I was surprised there wasn’t a BDR route in Alaska. Maybe everything is a backroad there!
Hi Steve,
I also find the new MABDR very enticing. Being the newest BDR and its location in such a heavily populated part of the country, I expect you will see a lot of folks riding through Central PA this summer. Personally I hope to ride the PA part from North to South this summer on my R100GS. Maybe I can time it to coincide with a MotoHang.
At age 67 I still like to camp and the MABDR goes right through Penn Roosevelt State Park, where I camped for a couple nights 2 years ago. One of the best write ups on the MABDR is:
http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/a-cannonride-up-the-mid-atlantic-backcounty-discovery-route-mabdr.1295608/
A lighter enduro bike is in my future, and the new BMW G310GS or the Royal Enfield Himalayan are more in my price range. As you are well aware, you don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot of enjoyment. Hope to get back to the State College area this summer.
I’ve heard the North to South ride is more difficult for some reason. Perhaps the way the GPS coordinates are arranged in the downloadable file. Something to look into I guess.
The ADV link to the ride report is fantastic. Gives a great feel for what to expect. Didn’t realize the MABDR goes through Penn Roosevelt. I knew where it was a few miles north of there. Great riding. If you do come through it would be great to see you at a MotoHang. Or if not, drop me a note. Maybe we can have breakfast or lunch.
I think a lighter bike makes a lot of sense. Especially if you’re traveling alone. A better chance of picking up a downed machine. Both the BMW and Royal Enfield look good. Honda and Kawasaki make some nice 250s as well.
Thanks for checking in and sharing the link. I’ll need to revisit it for the full effect!
Hi Steve,
It was really nice meeting you after following your blog all this time. Breakfast was great and it would be easy to spend half a day at Saint’s Café. The folks at BDR really laid out a wonderful route through the forests, farms and quiet back roads. Sometimes, it was a little too quiet – it would be nice to find more places like Saints. I had mentioned to you I wanted to use this trip to determine if my DR350 would be adequate for the TAT. I’m happy to report my bike ran like a champ the entire trip, with plenty of power, and averaging 54mpg.
Before I try this again I need to replace my stock seat, those things are just painful. Invest in better rain gear. Aggressive knobby tires, while sticky on asphalt kind of wore me out when I was on the highway. When I head out for the TAT I think I will start out with some milder tires, then when I reach CO I will have some aggressive tires put back on to finish the trip through the mountains.
So, I’ve been back to work for a day now and I’m already daydreaming of the next ride. I’d better hurry up and order that seat.
Bruce
I’ve certainly polished ways to while away the day at Saint’s and other leisurely venues.
Glad the DR350 met your goals for a machine to do the Trans American Trail. So you best get that new seat in development. Departure time for the TAT will get here before you know it.
Work… it’s becoming more and more a distant memory.
Brings back memories, in the 70s had a group of us that were cycle fly’s at Two Wheels Cycle shop was our hang out, Did dirt road riding for a couple of years exploring the northern area of pa, tons of roads & trails most of us had 250, 360 Yamahas enduro’s, there were a couple of hodaka’s. We did rail riding up north, this is before rail to trails, we hop in the middle of the track and ride rail ties, talk about peg riding, my knees today tell me how much fun it was. Like you Steve I would love to do BDR stuff, My Brother in law wiped out up in Tamarack area, Boggered himself up, I ended up picking him up at Bucktail Med center, My Bride reminds me of that every time I mention motor cycle off road.
Perhaps you need to devise a new strategy at home regarding a motorcycle off-road. It’s not a motorcycle — it’s a dirt bike. And it’s not a big machine like your brother-in-law was riding. It’s a little starter bike for slowly wandering the seldom used forest trails around here.
Quiet repetition is the key to new message development Mike!
I’m not sure if I should curse you or thank you for opening my eyes to the BDR. I had no idea such a thing existed. I’ll make a deal with you… buy a bike to ride the ride and I’ll ride some of it with you. ‘Kay?
I figured everyone needs some ride to dream about. Right???
Wow, good for you dreaming about BDR rides! I’ve done a bit of off road, on a 125, a 250, and my 1200. Now in retirement and enjoying the heck out of seeing the country, I can’t risk my healthy bones for a BDR kind of trip. Couldn’t resist the Burr Trail and the Moki Dugway in Utah last spring though…less than a day of dirt is fine by me!
Dreaming but uncertain the wisdom of pursuing the reality. Guess I just see what the days reveal…
Just a note to let you know I follow and enjoy your daily blog. Ride safe, have fun.
Glad you find some enjoyment from the things I post.