SLAP 2013 - May 17-19 @ Byrd's Adventure Center Ozark, AR

Update / Reminder(?):

SLAP early registration deadline is May 1st.

What does this mean?... T-shirt ordering closes. SLAP Swag for early registrants only.

Registration CLOSES on Friday May 10th.

What does this mean?... The paypal link will be disabled and only "cash for scraps" will be accepted. We need to give final numbers to the catering company. Showing up at the event with cash does not guarantee that we will have enough food. We'll do our best to make sure everyone gets fed though.

Most of your questions have been answered well enough, but since I'll most likely be leading a group I thought I'd chime in here.

The terrain at Byrd's and the surrounding area is very diverse. There is everything from beautiful gravel roads, two-tracks, quad trails, all the way down to single track that was originally built for hikers. A 2 stroke 200 would have difficulty with the itty bitty single track, so be careful when asking for "knarly" terrain. It won't be KLR friendly. Your best bet would be to find a group with similar type bikes to join in to. Try to squeeze into a group full of EXC's and WR's and you are not going to have a good time. Jump in with a bunch of other KLR's and you'll have a blast.

It isn't a race or a competition. It's all about having fun with a bunch of other gear-heads. And we always seem to figure out how to have a good time. Even Doc

I also wanted to post up a little more information about the Saturday evening festivities I've got planned . . .

Somewhere around 6pm, there will be a friendly big-bike trials type competition set up in the campground. It won't be difficult or dangerous, just fun. There will be a section set up and you'll have to navigate it 3 times trying not to put your foot down. It will be scored using trials rules.

1 dab = 1 point
2 dabs = 2 points
3+ dabs = 3 points
fail (outside boundary, stalled bike, handlebar touches the ground, both feet on the same side of the bike (you fell off)) = 5 points

Lowest score wins! I don't know what they'll win, but I'm sure it will be something cool and they will definitely have bragging rights

I will adjust the course for the types of bikes that want to compete. If a bunch of GS's want to compete, it'll be more open. If it's all a bunch of little mx bikes, I'll make it a little more difficult. We'll be sure to make it fun no matter what.

Saturday night dinner is scheduled for about 7pm the last I heard, and we'll also have a band Saturday night for your entertainment brought to you by the fine folks at Designated Vaping.

Plenty of goats in the area.
Been a long time man.

just want to say thanks for clearing up questions I had. not to sound sarcastic, but it may have seemed I asked the obvious and that i didn't see the very first post and the dates involved. I've read this thread three times and no one ever said when the majority shows up. Firday morn, friday afternoon, Friday evening with just plans for a full day ride on Sat and some on Sun ,or is Friday a "deisgnated "group ride semi organized thing at some point in the day. My father, a local friend and i are showing up Thur late afternoon regardless. So if this means some will be there to start riding on Friday morn then fantastic. If we are winging it on our own till later then fantastic either way.

As far as my comment about knarly terrain with my KLR or three KLR's for that matter I was just interested in more than a scenic route gravel road type of thing. I definately dont want to get into something that the bike or I can't get out of. I like a challenge but I sure dont want to screw up other's ride because i bit off more than I can chew.

So something that is not quite single track constant work for 8 hours but not just dirt gravel roads that i can do anytime.

I know blah blah, just show up and ride. getting way to deep into the weeds about it right? I get to ride with my dad again so regardless of terrain it is going to be a blast.

See you all there.

Check out the day 2 route from here that Tim O'leary came up with.
http://www.thearkansasearthday500.com/

it's a full day of mixed terrain, river crossings, technical bits, etc.
All three days were great actually.

I'd also go grab some of the routes from the link on the first page of this thread so you have some loaded. I'm planning on getting there Thurs and tagging along with O'leary as much as possible. He seems to be dialed in to the area and also stops to smell some roses and see some sights along the way.

Just talk to people and I'm sure you'll find a group you click with that have similar trip interests.

There is no "show-up" time and there are no "designated" group rides. Show up when you can, talk to folks, and find a group of like-minded riders to ride with.

Ask questions. Find out what kind of bike someone rides and where they're planning on riding. If it sounds interesting, include yourself. If it doesn't sound like what you're looking for, move on and find another group to ride with . . . or make your own group. Do some research, gather some tracks, announce your plans, and I'm sure you'll have a few people interested before you know it. Small groups (3-5 bikes) are usually more fun than large groups (10-15 bikes). Take turns leading. Get lost. Make an adventure out if it.

Be sure to mark a waypoint for the camp so you can find your way home, though

It may sound hap-hazard, but it really does work well.

yep got it loud and clear. I will be messing with the GPS this weekend with garmin basecamp and the routes and trax I can download.

Haphazard = Adventure!!:eek1


Just mark "home" for the food!!

What Joe said.....

Last year I didn't make it, said I would. Same as the year before, and the year before. So I ain't jinxin it:

I AM NOT GONNA BE AT SLAP THIS YEAR! NO WAY. UH-UH. NOPE. WOULDN'T BE THERE FOR A MILLION FREE GAS GAS PARTS. (my luck, they'd all be the same part, a left hand-euro spec cotter key or something).

But i sure hope whatever I'm doing that weekend, it's at the same campground, with a bike, with other riders, just NOT AT THE SLAP RALLY. At the slap rally? Me? No way! Not gonna be there.

Anyone know if Devro, or Disco, or Dingo, or Dizzy Pete, or any of the Russellville crew will be there?

Look at Post #3 on the first page and you can see who is signed up!

Just an FYI in case you haven't seen your payments posted.

I've received checks and paypal payments. I'll look to update the list today.

Thanks Everybody!

For those of you working on maps and tracks and thinking about the new $400.00 Garmin device purchase and $250.00 of topos, I might suggest an alternative. Please excuse my tech ignorance if you are already aware of this but your can now download off-line maps in the google maps app to your android device(not sure about IPhone).

I have not tested it yet but this is something I was hoping would happen for a long time. So basically you can work on routes from your desktop and save them to your google profile and then utilize them later when you are out of data connection range.

A few of the limitations:

No Bread Crumbs
Conversion of old GPX tracks is difficult
Power Management on Androids phones

I will still use my garmin 60csx but it will be nice to have access to full touch screen interface.

Also: For those planning to rendezvous with others or groups you might try the the Latitude function in google maps. I have found that it is helpful when tracking others on the road. (needs data connection and really kills the battery life but its a cool feature)

If I manage to keep my android powered up during the event you are welcomed to stalk me, just send me a request via latitude at newner77@gmail.com

I am planning on leaving Nashville,Ar on Thursday afternoon and riding to Byrds...

If anyone is along the way, I'd be more than happy to join up!

I haven't decided if I want to ride straight to byrds Thursday afternoon, or camp Thursday night and finish up Friday morning...Depends if anyone else is traveling at the same time.

Funny you mention that. My Garmin gave up a while back, and I'm going to try to run my iPhone with a waterproof case and either MotionX GPS or Trimble Navigator. Both can cache topo maps as well. Trimble Navigator is $2.99/mo for the data, and it supposedly can show forest road info as well.

If anyone wants to add me in Latitude, I'm nate237 at gmail.com. Also, I'm planning on bring my amateur radio HT if anyone else is licensed (I'm know Farscape is), in case we run into another case where someone decides to ride down into a valley and get stuck with no cell service (sound familiar? )

I'll stop threadjacking now.

I wonder how well these cell phone GPS's will work in an area were cell towers are few and far between

Some of y'all may be lost way down in the bottom of a holler...seems all them cell phone GPS apps were designed for city folk to assist in starbuck search.

Am curious tho and hope to see some reports on how it worked way out here..no, really, I am curious!

Smart phone GPS don't need a tower although they can use the towers to get a faster fix.
I used my Driod with great results last time I was in the Ozarks.
link to my review.

I'll bring my Yaesu VX-3R Nate. We can be the emergency services coordinatiors (SAR) We may be pretty busy if it goes anything like last year

I've cleaned up the list with INs OUTs PAIDs and T-Shirts.

So if you've paid and I haven't acknowledged it, please let me know.

Also, please check your T-Shirt sizes. These are going to print very soon and the size on the list is the size that get's ordered. So you can trust that I got it right or double check - your choice .

If you're marked with IN and not PAID - could you please verify your intent of coming and how you can best pay. Not to dun anyone, I just want to make sure everyone who wants in gets in.


There's still time to register if you haven't, just post up your intent and PM me with your payment plans.

Come join the 77!