L.A.-Barstow to Vegas LAB2V 2012 ***RIDE REPORT***

[RAZR]

L.A.-Barstow to Vegas LAB2V 2012


post up your RIDE REPORTS here.

even if it's just your experience and not a fully detailed ride report, post up.

pics and videos encouraged. i saw a GoPro on every other helmet this year, we all wanna see some riding footage!


check the thread in the West Regional if you are unfamiliar with this ride. it is, by far, the best dual sport ride all year!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=825222

[RAZR]

also check District 37 message board.

http://www.district37ama.org/forums/...isplay.php?f=5

Official Website.

http://www.labarstowvegas.com/

[russt]

This ride was a first for me. I have ridden in the desert and much of the area that the LAB2V ride covered, but have never done an organized ride like this, or linked all of the riding together in one day. No pictures or vids this year, hope to change that in the next few months with a GoPro. Here is what I posted on the LAB2V page that RAZR started leading up to the ride:

First time LAB2V for me. Could only ride day 1 due to family commitments on Saturday. Thanks to RAZR for starting and maintaining this thread. And District 37 for a great event.

I only came off once in the sandy whoops the morning of the first day near the wind farms in Mojave. Tweaked my knee really bad. Kept riding wanting to finish and get to Barstow. That didn't happen. Had three rear flats throughout the rest of the day! They sucked a lot of time. Only made it to Ridgecrest. First flat was a nail that I picked up. Second flat was tearing the valve stem, must have spun the tire, 16 psi proved too low without rim locks. Third was a pinch flat on 18 psi, just a few miles from Ridgecrest on that raised gravel section that looked like an old rail bed. Unlucky. Pulled the pin in Ridgecrest as the sweep had already gone through. Called for our truck and hung out in the Subway for a few hours.

Knee was stiff and hard to put weight on. Was going to wait and see how I did before going to the ER. Around 1am the pain and swelling was too much. Worried I had dislocated it I went to the ER. Good news was no fractures or dislocation. Bad news is torn meniscus and MCL. Splint, crutches, pain meds, and follow up with Orthopedic on Monday. Still made it to the family event on Saturday, on crutches.

Started preparing for for LAB2V 2013; ordered rim locks yesterday. Hope everyone made it home safe.

Lessons learned: be prepared for mechanicals. My buddy that I road with said that I should not worry about flats, he has only had one flat on the trail in many years. I opted to change my tires myself when I put new tread on getting ready for the ride so IF I got a flat I would be somewhat familiar with what to do; paid off in spades, three times was just plain unlucky and I almost didn't throw my patch kit in my bag. I used glueless patches from my mt bike kit and they were awesome.

Appreciated everyone that stopped or slowed down to see if I was okay when I was fixing the flats. and I talked to many riders who offered help with the number of flats that I had. bottom line is be prepared and I can not recommend the Motion Pro tire spoons enough. With all of the time I spent with them they have the best cost-to-use ratio of anything in my kit $30 for the set is money well spent.

Great event. Planning for both days next year. Had a blast and learned a lot.

[Crawdaddy]

Headed out to Bullhead City, AZ. with friends/family for the holidays.......

Friday morning we headed over to Oatman for Breakfast........you find the strangest things in the desert.......anyone interested in a speedboat "project" (needs a bit of TLC - HA!)



Took Kathy's cousin Ron to a favorite wash/canyon on the way back to the house......



Sat morning I drove up to Vegas, checked in/unloaded at the Orleans, then rode over to meet the LAB2V gang in Sandy Valley........stopped a short ways out of Blue Diamond and snapped my one and only LAB2V phone pic (Vegas in the distant background)



Sat around in Sandy Valley from 12-1pm........no Gil so I moved on.......rode back to Vegas solo via Mountain Springs/Red Rock.....always a fun stretch of trails/scenery.....saw Gil later at the LAB2V banquet and found out he arrived about 5 minutes after I left.......oh well. that's been our imperfect system for years......."See you between 12-1pm in Sandy Valley.....if not, move on".....

Dinner with Ted, Ben, Kris and Roger Sat night followed by the LAB2V Banquet......Saw some of the ADV gang scarfing down some chow/brews at the banquet....

I was up and out of there early yesterday morning......needed to get back to Bullhead City to clean up/pack up.......

[jrozar]

Chasing B2V on little bikes! HHH and I had a blast on the little bikes he rode a CRF100 and I was on a TTR125...Full ride report here-

http://my2wheels.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9472

Packing up and leaving Vegas



first in line to Tech Day 1



Catching some air-



sand...sand and more sand...



Trying to control all the HP after gasing up...the bike just wants to go...



Finishing Day 1! Yellowjacket gives us the you made it smile!



take the high or low road?



Ergonomics issues on this bike...."You are too big to ride a TTR125" yellowjacketD37




Redrock the hard way! And you thought it was hard on the KTM's



The finish....Until next year, thanks again D37

[RoninMoto]

Looks like you guys had as much fun this year as I did last year! Good to everyone getting dirty!

I'll be back in the states in a few years to do it again!

[jrozar]

Join us on a little bike, Chris M & his dad will be doing it the little way next year also.

Travel safe and catch you back on the west side!

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

Looks like you guys had as much fun this year as I did last year! Good to everyone getting dirty!

I'll be back in the states in a few years to do it again!

[Baja Ho]

Did not make this one, family commitments. But on the way back from Nevada, stoped in Baker and talked to a few B to V riders. Got all charged up and wished I was riding, maybe next year.

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by jrozar

Join us on a little bike, Chris M & his dad will be doing it the little way next year also.

Travel safe and catch you back on the west side!

It depends when I get back into the states. I was thinking of just showing up at the start on my 690 that has been around the world.

[RAZR]

next year is the 30th year. it will be extra special.

[jrozar]

Even better.....if you need a place to stay before or during let me know!

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

It depends when I get back into the states. I was thinking of just showing up at the start on my 690 that has been around the world.

[jrozar]

So 30 year old bikes it is....what was the most popular bike run for the first event? I have a year to get one and get it ready.

Originally Posted by RAZR

next year is the 30th year. it will be extra special.

[RAZR]

Originally Posted by jrozar

So 30 year old bikes it is....what was the most popular bike run for the first event? I have a year to get one and get it ready.

probably a Honda.

[RoninMoto]

Well.. a Trail 70 was my first moto..

[Buster714]

Originally Posted by Crawdaddy

Headed out to Bullhead City, AZ. with friends/family for the holidays.......

Friday morning we headed over to Oatman for Breakfast........you find the strangest things in the desert.......anyone interested in a speedboat "project" (needs a bit of TLC - HA!)

If that's Silvercreek that boat got a lot of love from my 12g!!!