The Fall 2012 RedNEK Rendezvous is ON!

[Canuman]

I've been using DeLorme mapping products for many years. Before the GPS days, I relied on the Atlas and Gazetteer series to guide me around with my thumb on the map. I had one of their first GPS units, which I liked a lot. I still use a DeLorme GPS and Topo North America 9.0. The thing is, the DeLorme products are made in New England. New Englanders have a reputation of being dour and humorless. Or so you might think. . .

Most of the time, you are relatively safe following a road with a name. Not all the time, mind you. At times, roads with names on the map end up in some sort of hell-jumble on the back side of nowhere. Just ask VTBeemer about Old Duck Pond Road.

Then there's the cute designation "local or rural road." Kind of peaceful sounding. A little two-rut path leading through fields of wildflowers, perhaps? That may be so in more civilized parts of the world. Here in Outer Frozaria, what it actually means is this: "Long-abandoned goat path or skidder trail that may have briefly been a road within the nearly 400 years of European occupation of North America. May suck your spleen out through your esophagus. Large rocks, quaking mud bogs and a lonely death far off the pavement likely. Bring spare wheels and a tourniquet."

As you may have guessed, I was out on the Mighty KLR pre-running the Fall Big Bike loop. I've been trying to punch a route up through northwestern New Hampshire bordering the Connecticut River. Not as facile as it may appear. I'm seriously considering dropping a larger countershaft sprocket on the DRZ400 and using it for recon duties. Right now, the DRZ tachs at about 60, and is a bit buzzy for more than a few road miles. However, it weighs in at nearly 100 lbs less than the KAW. I have no doubts that the KLR is one of the finer expressions of primitive engineering. It is a bitch to heave out of a slimy mud puddle in the back woods, however. Ask me how I know. Bikey needs a nap.

Pre-ride report coming up!

[vtairhead]

Got to spend Sunday with a well endowed and capable 17 year old.....

ain't she purty?



We were out doing vaguely possibly related scouting....

[Canuman]

She sure is, Al. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

Originally Posted by vtairhead

Got to spend Sunday with a well endowed and capable 17 year old.....

ain't she purty?

We were out doing vaguely possibly related scouting....

[Canuman]

Al (VTairhead) shared some pictures with me of his pre-ride of the Hurricane Mountain Road and Evan's Notch. To whet the appetite of you crotch-rocketeers, here is a selection:



The Hurricane has a lot of up and corresponding down.



Once over the hill, you end up in a pastoral valley in NH that can only be accessed through Maine! The Baldface range was always one of my favorite parts of the Whites when I worked there years ago. The mountains are truly spectacular.





Unlike the "big name" rides in the Whites, it seems that few know of this area. Even on a busy holiday, you're assured of plenty of solitude. The Mahoosuc Range on the Big Bike ride is much the same.



A good old airhead feels right at home in this country.



Hope you're getting excited. I am.

Thanks for the help, Al.

[devo2002]

I sure am excited!!!

I plan on helping to verify the Northern New England trail either the week before or after this weekend and am seeking riding companions. I'll be on my dr350, who's with me?

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808748

[vtairhead]

Some minor interest here, tempered by you having a dirt weapon and me riding a (KHI) lawn tractor..., along with being older than dirt, and at that time just barely back from an extended anniversary visit to PEI. Got you "pencil'd in" for an 'after'

[akarob]

I'm really looking forward to the campout. Great pictures too.

I'll be bringing the dirtbike, so ....

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by akarob

I'm really looking forward to the campout. Great pictures too.

I'll be bringing the dirtbike, so ....

To borrow a quote from the spring ride, "You are bat-shit crazy!"

[Canuman]

After my trip to the UP of Michigan from Vermont via Ontario, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario again, New York, and Vermont (read my RR, y'all), the mighty KLR was sadly in need of a little TLC. New tires, tubes, chains, sprockets, general de-munging and lubrication all over were in order.

This morning I'd accomplished everything but replacing the front tire, as it was delayed and won't be here until Wednesday. I replaced the stock 15 tooth front countershaft sprocket with one tooth smaller. This took a couple of trips to the hardware store, because the Eagle Mike "prevailing torque nut" is a different size (30 mm) than the stocker (27 mm.) I had the first size in an impact socket, but not the second. Having cleaned the filter, gotten the sprockets wrapped up, the rear changed, oil ditto I was anxious to do a little pre-running for the Fall Rendezvous. A short hop locally convinced me that the 14 tooth countershaft had woken up my baby. Yes, she's now at 5000 revs at 70 mph, but she's a whole different bike. Eager. Questing. That simple change made the mighty Kaw an entirely different experience to ride on and off road.

I also ordered a 15 tooth sprocket -- they're under ten bucks. If I was riding long miles. I'd likely slap that one on and replace it with the 14 when I got to the good stuff.

Laid out some magnificent route today, without wasting more than 25 miles in stuff that did not go through. The big bike riders from the Spring Rendezvous asked for tech sections. We have tech sections. I had a great day. Lemme something to eat and change my clothes, and I'll furnish pics. It's a lot quicker than writing a thousand words.

[AdvRich]

Linky to UP RR. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=808201

Looks like a good time Canuman... on the reading list.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by vtairhead

Some minor interest here, tempered by you having a dirt weapon and me riding a (KHI) lawn tractor..., along with being older than dirt, and at that time just barely back from an extended anniversary visit to PEI. Got you "pencil'd in" for an 'after'

I've been riding my KLR on the pre-rides -- I see you have one. I'm only slightly younger than soil myself. If you want to ride the big bike loop, you could even take the TW200. We're no speed demons here; just looking for a good ride at a pretty time of year. I've found that falling down scratches the bike and bruises me, so I try my best to avoid it. As long as you can carry a tent and sleeping bag, there should be no problems. Neither the Palace of the People nor the camp at Wilson's Mills are so far from civilization that you'd need to bring a ton of food or survival gear. There are three rides offered for the Rendezvous: the Bat-Shit Crazy small bike, guided by Big E, the Big Bike, which I shall guide, and the road loop, which is pretty much a self-guided affair, as we figure an ADV rider ought to be able to read a road sign.

[vtairhead]

That was clumsy on my part - I was replying to Devo2002's notion to ride the Northern NE trail either before or after the RedNEK... I'm planning on the Big Bike for the Rendevous - figure I've a fighting chance of keeping the pack in sight there. The Bat-shit loop probably would offer some entertaining spectating, I'll betcha'.

[Canuman]

Originally Posted by vtairhead

That was clumsy on my part - I was replying to Devo2002's notion to ride the Northern NE trail either before or after the RedNEK... I'm planning on the Big Bike for the Rendevous - figure I've a fighting chance of keeping the pack in sight there. The Bat-shit loop probably would offer some entertaining spectating, I'll betcha'.

If you like to see a lot of people recklessly throwing their bikes away. . .

[Canuman]

I managed to patch together another critical section of the Big Bike route. It was 200+ miles of riding to get a 40 mile section "throughed", but that's what one has to do. At least this time I didn't run into any four-foot deep water crossings as I did the last time.

Here's the pertinent sections. Ignore the long northward tail. It was a route that came within a half-mile of hooking up, but the last half-mile would have been a lulu.



This segment starts on NH 110 west of Stark, NH. I've been working my way eastward along 110 trying to put in a route that points north. I came up with several promising possibilities, but up until yesterday they ended up in sections that were far more technical than I wanted to handle, or of questionable legality.

This route features a gate several miles in, but the gate was open. The surface is fairly good, although there are some heavily pot-holed sections and a wash-out that snuck up on me. I stomped the brakes, and the rear locked. I guess the Shinko 244's I just put on don't have the bite the T63's did in gravel. It was Mr. Toad's wild ride for a moment.

As in many places here, there is a recent wind-farm on the route. What was once a snoozy woods-road is now a gravel highway.







There's only a few miles of the gravel highway, however. Pretty soon, one turns onto smaller roads:



Which become two-track:



There are some technical sections. Over the rise in the last picture, things become narrow, steep, very rocky, and reamed out from quads. This section is not optional. I also discovered some optional tech sections. One, a quad trail, is a sporty, sandy run along Millsfield Pond. My KLR decided to take a lil' nap at the end. There's a large berm, with deep sand on the back side. I ran out of momentum and ideas all at the same time. There's a mellow run-around, however.

The upper part of the section runs through some very hilly terrain -- there's about 2000 feet between the lowest and highest points. It's not as technical up there, but I found dozens of roads worth further exploration.

There's cool sporting camps like this old fellow:



And plenty of this:



This segment ends close to Errol, NH. I've always liked Errol. It has a sort of lawless, wild-west feel to it. It will be one of the closest sources for supplies on Saturday night.







Net time, I'll get even further north on the Rangely chain. I'm hoping I can convince Jackpiner57 to ride along. It sure would be nice to have some company up there.

[swathman]

At this past weekend's Pachaug Camp-n-Ride my good friends alcontrast, akarob, and devo2002 all said I shouldn't miss this... Please put me on the "small bike" list. I'll be riding the WR450 (not the zed).