Transamerica Trail.....live it up

Last summer I heard about the Transamerica Trail and was instantly captured by the thought of riding off-road across the country. As a student at Virginia Tech, I found looking at bikes in class was a lot more interesting than thermodynamics. Next thing I know, I have a '07 XR650L in the back of my truck and I'm buying TAT maps from Sam Correro. Riding dirt bikes has been my thing since I can remember but this trip is topping the charts of my shred sessions.

I'm about to graduate so needless to say I'm not gonna study for my finals. Instead, I've been mapping out this trail in Google earth and transferring that to my GPS. I gotta say, the eastern stuff is pretty tame but I just got into Colorado and it looks epic. My plan is to take off June 2 and do about 5 weeks of riding. Despite the obvious, I'm pretty intent on doing this trip solo. I think with my diligent planning and preparation, I should be able to complete this with minimal issues. I've been riding some dirt trails around Tech but they don't have much to offer compared to what I'm used to. I'll be heading home in a week or so and the shred training can really start up again then.

So follow along as I prepare and take on this trail and I hope you enjoy......

Good luck!


Have a great trip.

Chris

I'm in, did it last year and had a great time. You'll never forget the trip, be warned you do one successful trip and you'll be constantly dreaming about the next adventure!!!

Check out my link below for a novice's experience on the TAT.

Have a blast! Good Luck! And Go Hokies!

j-mac (VT '89)

Never use tame and the TAT in the same sentence..it will jump up and bite you in the ass...


Here is a picture from NVTS taken 2 weeks ago on the TAT in Miss

TAT is the ride I want to do as well.....

I'll be watching this thread as I'm a novice to the dirt and the trail....

if it rains in Miss, you're gonna regret calling the Eastern section tame. Plus TN isn't what it used to be and that's probably a good thing. I'm looking forward to someone reporting on it soon.

Best of luck and good riding, I will be looking forward to hearing and seeing your TAT trip

Subscribed. Doing the TAT from Utah to Oregon this year hopefully!

Might be better served in "Trip Planning" forum than here as it is not yet a RIDE REPORT.

Anyhow...!!

Anyone reported on the NEW stretch in Tennessee yet. Starts in Tellico Plains, TN which is approx. 105 miles south of Jellico, TN.

1) Jellico on the top near I-75(old route). Can still be used if you don't mind 90% tarmac.

2) Tellico Plains at the bottom (blue Flag)..NEW route heading West

..

Im in!

Curious to see what the new Tn and Ms portions are like. I will be leaving in mid August to ride the eastern half. Good luck and lots of photos please!!

Brad

I've ridden a portion of the new route in MS. It goes further south than the original route. I want to say that Paris, MS is the point where it turns and starts heading west and north back up to West Helena, AR. I bailed out in Paris due to what I thought was a sprained wrist...turned out to be a fractured wrist! The part that I rode on was a blast! There is one point there where the sand is pretty deep and was a challenge. Great scenery as well. I'm on the lookout for a trip report on the new TN route.

Megashred, the TAT is an awesome adventure! I really like how Sam has the route laid out in daily chunks of riding that will get you to food, lodging (or camping) at the end of a day's riding. I also like all his foot-notes that mention the time that it may take to do some sections. Live it up dude!

Ok.....

I'm thinking if you're going it alone you should invest in a Spot locator beacon.....just in case. Like a GPS insurance policy.
Enjoy your ride. It's something I'd like to do one day but I don't think I ever will. So I read all those reports and do it vicariously. Cheers.

Yeah. What he said

Ill be doing this next year, im already planning for it, good luck with it!