please note. This ride report has been assembled from a series of blog posts I made almost in real time over this past spring and summer [2018] - which ultimately saw me riding back and forth (three times in total - 17,500 miles) across the United States and up into parts of neighbouring Canada onboard my G310GS fitted with the Rally-Raid Products 'Adventure' spoked wheel and suspension kit.

I trust this story and associated photographs will not only inspire by featuring highlights of some world class adventure riding destinations in North America, but also illustrate just how capable and versatile (and ultimately reliable too) this smaller BMW bike can be for this kind of day-in and day-out multi-terrain long-distance adventure riding...



Introduction: first posted in April 2018...

Catchy thread title huh?

Yes, I've only gone and bought a bloody BMW...


photo. a brand new G310GS - currently already in pieces on the other side of the country...

I have to say, I'm a firm advocate of Japanese engineering and technology when it comes to adventure and dirt/dual-sport bikes - they might not be 'cutting edge', but that's exactly why I like them - they're proven, reliable and they work - and I don't like spannering on bikes unless I absolutely have to. So taking a punt on a 'euro' ADV bike is going to be all very new to me!

As a good number of you reading this may already be aware, over the past few years I've been involved with developing the Rally Raid Adventure [wheel and suspension] kit for the Honda CB500X, and at the end of 2015 - after I'd ridden one across the USA and back again - including the full length of the Trans-America Trail - I bought my own bike and fitted the spoked wheel and +2" suspension kit, and created what I consider is the best compromise (ie. a genuine 50/50 bike that is equally capable both on road and off) adventure bike, certainly for the kind of long-distance adventure riding I like to do all over North America.

I've covered nearly 30,000 miles on my own CB now, and together with 12,000+ on that original Trans-Am bike, plus a good few thousand more on the UK development and demo bikes with John from Rally Raid, I consider myself pretty well versed in regard to that machine, and personally speaking have no intention of selling my own CB any time soon, or indeed ever...

However, while I've been able to handle anything I've thrown at it, I would concede that in some really technical off-road trail conditions (such as the infamous Rubicon Trail adventure Juan Brown and I embarked on at the end of 2016), a 200Kg bike can prove to be a bit of a handful shall we say...

So in that regard, I'm willing to give this new 'baby' BMW a try... especially as John (at Rally Raid) has been working on a series of similar wheel and suspension upgrades that I have fitted to my Honda, for the budget BMW - to give it the kind of high-quality on and off-road performance you'd expect from a brand that has built it's reputation on being 'adventure' ready, if not all that appropriate - especially the larger 1200cc ones! - but at least with this bike, the basic donor would appear to offer a lot of what the unicorn hunters are looking for?

As a quick run-down of the basic bike shows similar overall dimensions to my own LEVEL 2 Honda CB500X - similar short wheelbase, ground clearance, 17/19" wheels and 7" of travel front and rear. However, where the 310GS immediately impresses is that is is a good 25Kg lighter in weight than the CB, albeit is also has around 33% less capacity and corresponding power from it's 313cc single cylinder engine, compared to the Honda's 471cc parallel twin.

Fortunately, the six speed gearbox in the BMW offers a reasonably wide range of ratios, and it geared for cruising at around 70+mph, with a little more for over-taking (it officially tops out at around 90mph/140kph), so other than at high altitude and/or into a headwind, I'm expecting reasonable brisk on-road performance from the little tyke.

And yes, I say 'expecting' because I've only actually ever ridden one about 200 yards in 2nd gear on a cold frosty morning in the UK last month - so I honestly have no idea how this bike is going to ride in comparison to the CB - although I have it on good authority from Adam Mitchinson (from Rally Raid Products) who rode one for over 5000kms in the Australian outback recently, that it's actually a very impressive trail machine, and immediately grows on you - much as the CB does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wko56LMl07c

So a couple of months ago I took a punt, and put a deposit on a brand new G310GS at a dealer in Virginia. The reason I bought one on the east coast is that my initial plan is to ride it back to California (where I'm based when I'm in the USA) across the country - on and off-road, proving it's all-terrain abilities much as I did with the original Rally Raid CB500X back in 2015 - sharing the experience with you here on the HUBB, and ultimately to then be in a position to compare and contrast just how well it performs in this sort of long-distance overland adventure role.

Then later in the summer I'm going to be heading north of the border into Canada (as I did last year) to explore some more, and punctuating that trip with a series of all-terrain 'challenges' wherever I can - in an effort to offer you a longer-term appraisal of what it's actually like to live with this bike on a day-to-day basis, and hopefully entertain you all too with some photos and stories about the people and places I experience along the way...

Of course, being that little bit smaller and lighter than the CB, I will also endeavour to push the boundaries between 'adventure' and 'dual-sport' even more with this new bike over the coming weeks and months - and am confidently optimistic that for a lot of weekender style adventure riders (of which most of us are if we're honest), this bike is actually going to be a near perfect compromise - in other words, BMW have already bestowed a traditional 'trail bike' with more comfort and refinement; while Rally Raid have further enhanced it's all-terrain ability with top quality suspension performance and a heavy-duty spoked wheel-set, together with key accessories such as a substantial engine guard.

So for now, I'm going to have to sign off - since I'm still in the middle of packing everything I'm going to need to not only build/prepare the bike for the journey back west, but also the gear I'll be wearing and carrying with me (including my usual compact camping set-up) into the smallest luggage system possible - as not only do Delta charge per checked bag, but I really don't want to leave anything behind, nor have to shelp unnecessary stuff with me on the bike back home.

I get the feeling this is going to be another epic adventure piglet - time to get in your papoose!

More soon,

Jenny x

Smaller bike - bigger adventure!


Part of the reason I'll be racking up so many miles on this new GS this year is that I've committed to presenting a series of slide-shows and seminars at a number of overland events this summer all over the USA and Canada.

Below is a list of those already scheduled, and if you're planning on attending any of these meetings and events yourselves, of course I'd be delighted to meet you - whether you're interested in the new BMW specifically, maybe want a few hints and tips for Packing Light, or are interested in the CB500X and how it handled my big trip last summer exploring the northern US states and Canada.


photo. My initial outline plan will include riding through all these States and Provinces over the summer, plus presenting at events (listed below) shown in dark blue - with more to be added as the year unfolds...


April - Horizons Unlimited Virginia (Appomattox VA) 26-29th April 2018. This will be the US debut of my new AV presentation: Northern eXposure which features highlights from my extended trip through Canada and the northern/centre United States on my CB500X last year. It will also be the official debut for the Rally Raid G310GS kit in the US.

May - Overland Expo West (Flagstaff AZ) 18-20th May 2018. Yep, less than a month later, I'll endeavour to be over at Overland Expo in Arizona, and you know what that means - another huge cross-country trip in between!

July - Overland Adventure Rally (venue TBC. Ontario, Canada) 6-8th July 2018. The North American 'tour' will continue with my return to the Toronto area, and the Canadian debut of my Northern eXposure presentation. In addition, by then I'll have plenty of miles on board the G310GS, so will be able to offer a preview [presentation] of my travels with the bike so far...

July - BMW MOA Rally (Des Moines IA) 12-15th July 2018. A week later is the annual MOA rally - this year being held in the middle of Iowa. The presentation schedule is still TBC at this stage, but you can expect to see Northern eXposure, plus a combined Q&A style seminar about the development of the Rally Raid GS kit, and my adventures with it so far...

August - Horizons Unlimited Canada West (Nakusp BC) 23-26th August 2018. I'm really looking forward to revisiting and exploring more of British Columbia again this year - plus the opportunity to present at the Horizons weekend too of course! By the time I arrive in BC I will also have racked up a few more thousand miles on the little GS, and hope to have some entertaining video of my further exploration of Montana and Idaho - in conjunction with my good friend and esteemed YouTube videographer Blancolirio (Juan Browne).

September - Horizons Unlimited California (Mariposa CA) 27-30th September 2018. Currently this is my last scheduled [presentation] event in 2018 - that is not including any additional dealer events, or the possibility I might head down to Baja with the GS in October... by now I hope to be able to debut a brand new AV presentation about this summer spent on board the new GS, piecing together the series of challenges together with some hopefully inspirational travel and adventuring.

Hope to see some of you along the way!

Jenny x

Some new gear...

While the CB is still the star of my [current] Packing Light presentation - and the Northern eXposure slide/video-show too of course - I hope to have some new/additional tips with regard to my latest gear and packing set-up specifically for this new bike (particularly with regard to some additional fuel capacity for those longer desert sections out west...)


photo. New Icon Raiden gear - this is currently my favourite style of adventure/dual sport jacket - it just works so well. The boots are the new Patrol 2 (complete with 'Marty McFly' lacing) - very lightweight, so great off the bike too. Personally I prefer suede palm gloves - hence the Klim Dakar and my trusty Alpinestars wet-weather option.


photo. Piglet gets a new papoose too! This is the Mil-spec Camelbak Mule - enough room for Piglet and my iPad, snacks, essentials, plus 3 litres of water and some maps.


photo. My constantly revised tool-kit. This year I've gone back to individual tools, based around a 1/4" drive ratchet. A few bodge-it spares, plus tyre-irons and a Bestrest compressor in the larger Kriega pouch. All this fits under the seat of my CB500X. Not sure how it's going to work on the GS just yet...

I'll have a few photos of my luggage once I manage to work out how to stash everything I'm going to need to take with me on the plane without falling foul of the TSA rules!

More soon!

Jenny x

Build preview... (from blog).

Ha - now that my friends, is what you might call 'moody' (in black)...



...and just wait until you see it with the tail-chop and the black spoked wheels - I can't wait to get my hands on it now!





Well, its been a manic few days here in Roanoke... but the bike build is finally finished, and I got the chance to get a few miles in this evening on pavement and dirt to shake everything down...


photo. I couldn't resist hitting the dirt - with just 13 miles on the clock!

There will be a full build report with plenty of photos to follow soon, but right now I really need to sleep... going to make a start on the Virginia TAT sections tomorrow!

Jenny x

Final packing...

On the CB all of my personal and camping equipment is contained in a Giant Loop Coyote bag, with all my tools including a 12v compressor stowed under the seat (and a spare tube tucked inside the left front fairing panel) which means the bike has tools and puncture kit on it at all times, while my luggage can be easily removed should I wish to trail ride unladen for a day for example.

However, on this trip on the GS I'm experimenting with a second bag (the Giant Loop Rogue) as a completely separate holdall for my personal effects - clothes, wash-bag, sandals, charging cables etc. - so that in a hotel I only have to open that one bag, and leave the whole camp and spares* etc. in each side of the Coyote with the top rolled down - so I effectively have three 'pods', with the facility to expand the centre part of the Coyote if I happen to find a must-have souvenir or get really hungry while camping ;o)

*It's worth noting that while there isn't room under the seat of the GS for my compressor, nor it appears enough room in the fairing to stash a tube in the same was as on the CB; there are still a surprising number of nooks and crannies under the GS seat to stow everything else (including my three MotionPro tyre levers) except those two items - which are currently carried in the Coyote instead.




Ultimately I'm hoping to refine my packing even further for this bike during these next few weeks heading back west - even to the extent of deleting the Rogue perhaps, although with my original zip Coyote absolutely full with basically the same gear I'm carrying this year, I can't see how the tube and compressor are going to fit without some extra pouch somewhere on the bike?

More soon - the TAT is calling!

Jenny x

Chapter 1 - Virginia to California

So, how shall we get this ride report started? - with some actual riding of course!

Day 1: Sunday 22nd April 2018: Roanoke VA via Marlinton WV (the official new start of TAT) to Low Moor VA

264.5 miles in total (inc. 135.5 miles of new TAT)


So I stayed up late again messing around with my photos last night, although I was still packed on on the road by 9am this morning:



As I mentioned above, currently I'm experimenting with a two-bag system (rather than cramming everything into a single Coyote) - with all my camping gear and the compressor/tube in the main bag with the top section rolled down, and all my personal stuff in the 17litre Rogue dry-bag on top.

I like the way it's divided now - especially as I don't have to even open the main bag unless I'm setting up camp - but at the same time, I feel it is not as compact as this bike really deserves. note. This evening I've actually managed to get everything into the roll-top Coyote after all, so it must be slightly bigger than the previous zip version!

Anyway, at least everything has proved nice and secure (after my brief 50 mile test ride yesterday evening), and with everything cinched down as tightly as possible, it was time to hit the road, and maybe find a late breakfast somewhere en route..

The official starting point of the new TAT is actually over the state line in Marlinton West Virginia (where there is food, fuel and motels), although the first dirt section is right on the state-line at the appropriately named "Rider Gap" on highway 39.

Marlinton was approximately 110 miles away from Roanoke, so I plotted a nice back road route that would take up up and down a number of ridges as I wiggled north, providing an excellent opportunity to help break in the engine some more.


photo. There were a trio of these lime kilns alongside the river at Eagle Rock.

I stopped at Eagle Rock, hoping to find an open diner for breakfast, but it looked like it was either shut up for good, or maybe just really tatty and everyone was at church this Sunday morning.



The next town wasn't any good either (my GPS needs an update perhaps, or is this simply a sign of rural economies failing... certainly parts of Virginia seem very poor these days), but I finally found somewhere that was in my GPS, that also happens to be right on the TAT route (typically when heading in the opposite direction), although despite it's shiny exterior, in comparison I felt the food was rather lacklustre I'm afraid to report.

cont.

cont.

Still, I was finally set up with sugar and caffeine for the time being, so it was time to press on to Marlinton, via, I have to say, some truly epic twisty backroads!


photo. A quick pre-trail check-over of axle nuts, chain etc. and also to check the settings/dial in the suspension a little, after refuelling at the official start point of the latest revisions to the TAT.

I'm not sure why Sam has chosen this particular spot as the 'official' start of the Trans-America Trail - it's a rather shabby gas station and mini-mart next to an equally insalubrious motel a mile or so out on the other side of town. In fact technically the start GPS coordinate appeared to be a few hundred yards away in the middle of afield, so maybe even Sam thought twice about staying there, and simply camped instead ;o)

To be fair, the staff were of that typically Virginian cheery disposition (we're in West Virginia now of course), and the bathrooms clean, the RedBull cold. Kind of all you need really. And then there is the psychological benefit of hoping that things can only get better from here on in! ;o)

Fortunately there are also a number of other options for gas, food and accommodation closer to the centre of the town, and I spied this mural on the way out which personally I thought would make a much better 'official start' point?!



Anyway, I then had to shlep back down highway 39 from whence I'd come - although admittedly it is a lovely ride next to the river in places - since the first dirt section of the TAT is actually 17 miles from the start, at the aforementioned Rider Gap at the summit of the pass that also marks the state line between Virginia and West Virginia:



cont.

cont.

If I sound a little underwhelmed [with the new TAT extension] so far, its really only because I know I'm under a time constraint this week, plus the forecast is not looking good for the next few days - and the primary reason for me starting on the east coast this year is so that I could ride all of the new sections of TAT in Virginia and North Carolina on my way back west...

I do love the peace and quite in this part of the country though - small and slightly ramshackle rural communities, pretty little farms (those quintessential red wooden barns!), and at this time of year of course - a good number of baby animals in the fields as you roll on by...

However, other than a dozen miles or so of prime gravel forest road along the ridgeback that follows the state line, the initial route was primarily riding on minor paved roads, and though I do love Virginia, I've also done a lot of similar riding here before, so this was both immediately familiar, and a little frustrating, as I knew I still had such a long way to go before I absolutely had to make a run for Arizona in about a week's time.


photo. I feel this is going to be one of those churches that everyone takes a picture of when they ride the new Virginia sections of the TAT.

However, as the afternoon drew on, so too the unsurfaced sections became more frequent, and for an increasingly longer number of miles too - the highlight arguably the snake through a forest and down into Covington - another highlighted food, fuel and motel stop, just off Interstate 64.


photo. At one point I thought the new route had already be thwarted, but it transpired I'd turned up this trail barely a hundred yards before the correct turn - phew!

Although these gravel logging roads were not especially technical (although you had to keep on your toes, as there were a number of washouts due to recent heavy rain), they were the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the new suspension, and how the bike handles in general.

I have to say, I'm impressed with how nimble the bike feels, and how lively it is, baring in mind I am trying to stay below the 6000rpm running-in recommendation for a few more hundred miles at least...

Compared to my Honda (with the Rally Raid LEVEL 2 suspension and wheel kit which gives the CB500X similar ground clearance and travel to the 310GS, coupled with the same size wheels/tyres and wheelbase), the Honda feels a lot more stable and planted I would say - but then that is because I have mine set up soft for grip and traction, at the expense of some outright hammerability perhaps... Conversely, the slightly stiffer sprung (and lighter overall weight) GS really starts to shine once you wick it up to around 40mph or more on the rough dirt roads, where you can really feel the suspension start to work and make the most of the available travel, without blowing though the stroke too quickly.

I like it! But I feel you do have to ride a little more 'on it' to get the best from this bike, whereas the Honda - certainly in regard my own example which has a lot more settling-in miles on it too of course - flatters you if you decide to just kick back and cruise a little more sedately along similar terrain.

Obviously all this is very early days still - the bike has barely 300 miles on the clock yet, so any appraisal is really only a first impression at this stage.

More soon as they say!

Jenny xx

Day 2: Monday 23rd April 2018: Low Moor VA to Chantilly VA

332 miles (inc. 76 miles of new TAT)


I’d decided to book into the hotel [a nice modern Travelodge, albeit expensive] next door to Penny’s diner where I’d stopped for brunch earlier that day - since it appeared that the majority of the next sector was paved which I reasoned would have offered little opportunity for [wild] camping, while it was probably too far (time wise) to make it to the next town with accommodation before nightfall…


photo. the next morning I finally managed to consolidate all my belongings into the Coyote - including the rolled up Rogue bag inside too - much neater!


As it turned out, while the TAT continues to follow a series of minor paved roads for much of the next sector, it also passes by the entrance to the Potts Mountain Jeep Trail (and associated campgrounds near by) which ought to offer an entertaining diversion*, while allowing you to rejoin the main TAT route a few miles further on... Had I not made commitments to be in Chantilly (in the very north of the State) by that evening, I certainly would have liked to have seen how the GS handled a more technical OHV trail, even though it currently had barely 300 miles on the clock.

*It’s worth reiterating here that while the TAT is a defined route, at the same it’s almost inevitable that you will have to divert at some point along the way - if only due to weather, flooding and other road closures. Indeed in that regard, Sam Correro himself suggests that the most rewarding way to ride the TAT is to consider it as more of a guide - taking you though some excellent off-road riding areas, and close to some unique points of interest too, which in turn offer further opportunities to personalise your trip should you have the time and inclination to explore away from the main route.


photo. the TAT leaves town on a minor paved road, and like the sections though Tennessee and Mississippi, the paved sections offer a unique glimpse of how life in rural small-town America can be very different to what [foreign] tourists might expect it to be?


photo. I definitely need to come back and explore this trail one day!

While much of this morning was spent on minor paved roads, unlike yesterday, there was now far less a sense of frustration, and I'd settled into the swing of riding just for the fun of it again - so much so that I decided not to break at New Castle (on hwy 311 which leads back to Roanoke), but continue a little further south and west on the TAT towards Newport, before I conceded I’d absolutely have to turn round and head north again, to ensure I was in Chantilly by early evening.

To my delight this indulgent endeavour turned out to be the best section of the Virginia TAT so far - Tub Run Road, despite it’s title, is actually far more what you’d consider a traditional ‘trail’ - a rough and rocky in places (but not too rough or rocky) terrace carved into the side of a steep hill, that wound around the contours in a series of hairpin turns - slow in, fast out, typically snick-snicking between third and fourth gear (and sometimes dropping to second on a particularly tight or soft corner) - the little GS was really in its element here, the suspension working and the smooth transmission making it all seem very easy to rag this bike at around 40-45mph on this kind of terrain.



photo. Colour coordination gone mad!


To make a comparison with my CB500X here - while the Honda can be equally entertaining on this sort of terrain (not least due to its overall composure and linear/torquey power delivery), I have to admit that the GS certainly felt noticeably more nimble and eager - allowing you to take a few more liberties by braking later in to the corners, and really cranking the bike over (more like a dual-sport/enduro); and would concede that I found it easier to ride this bike faster than I would probably chose to do so [or consider prudent at least] on the heavier Honda.


Another observation that this trail particularly highlighted was just how good this latest generation ABS on the 310GS seems to be when riding off-road - it feels very much like the Honda system in that it seems to work very well on loose trail conditions like this (ie. not cut-in too early, and/or ultimately then let go and run away with you like the earlier systems used to!) Certainly I never felt the need to disengage the ABS, even when I’d been braking hard into corners - in fact I tended to simply forget it was even switched on - so that’s a big tick for BMW at last.


As I rejoined a minor tarmac road just outside Newport, there was an old wooden covered bridge that had been bypassed, so stopped to take a look:



The Clover Hollow covered bridge was built in 1916 as one of four in the area that crossed over Sinking Creek, although it is the only one left [standing] on public land that you can visit. The town raised funds to repair this local landmark (the names of those who donated have been inscribed the brick paving footpath that approaches the bridge), although I was disappointed to see that someone had spray-painted graffiti on the historic woodwork inside - which is not the sort of thing you tend to see in the USA generally I’ve found.


It was now well after midday, so I marked a waypoint where I left the official TAT route (to rejoin it here in a few days’ time, after Horizons Unlimited), and headed back north, dropping into Roanoke again to refuel the bike and myself before embarking on the long shlep north on highway 29:


photo. yes, it’s a cliche I know…


Although I’d been doing my best to keep the revs below 6000rpm during this initial running in period, I factored that by now any damage would have already been done, so as the odometer passed 450 then 500 miles, I progressively increased my speed to 70 and even 75mph where appropriate (for info. 6th gear seems to equate to 10mph per 1000rpm or thereabouts), and I have to say, the GS continued to impress beyond what you might consider is a rather meagre on-paper specification.

More soon - although perhaps not terribly soon as I’m going to be camping at Horizons for the next four days...

Toot toot for now!

Jenny x

Ok then, a quick update to try and get everything up to speed...

The last week has been pretty hectic, as not only had I agreed to ride all the way to northern Virginia to meet with the editor of ADVmoto magazine (plus a guest appearance from British travel author Sam Manicom), but then I had to rush back south again to Appomattox to attend the Horizons Unlimited meeting, where I was scheduled to host four separate presentations (the bastards, I only really agreed to three!), over three days...

Day 3: Tuesday 24th April 2018: Chantilly VA

27 miles!

"Pimping my ride"

Having arrived in time for dinner that evening, I was welcomed by ADVmoto editor Carl Parker at his family home, who was also paying host to British travel writer (and a personal friend) Sam Manicom, who over the years has ridden pretty much all over the world, and written a series of books about his travels.

It was great to catch up with Sam, and to actually meet Carl in person (until now we've only communicated via email and Skype), along with his family - and the atmosphere was relaxed and informal - a perfect way to unwind after a 250+ mile highway shlep on the little beemer.



The next morning, we were fortunate to be blessed with some grey skies before the rain came later that morning - and the opportunity to bag a few photos for the magazine, plus a short video interview for their associated website.







note. There are currently a few more photos on the ADVmoto Facebook page, plus will be part of a follow-up feature in the magazine once I've reached The west coast in a few weeks' time.

After another lovely family evening meal, we retired slightly more early this time - having once again put the ADV market in general, and world to rights... as I really had to be be back in Roanoake by the following evening, so that I might pay a final visit to Frontline Eurosports who had supplied my bike, and been so generous in allowing me a corner of their workshop to build up the bike.

Unfortunately the next day was teeming with rain, and despite a leisurely restaurant breakfast with the boys, I had no choice but to brave the weather for another 250 miles south again...

cont.

cont.

Day 4: Wednesday 25th April 2018: Chantilly VA to Roanoke VA

256 miles

Having just passed the 600 mile mark on my arrival in Chantilly the day before, I was able to change the oil in Carl's garage after our photo session on Tuesday:





...and yes I can confirm you can change the oil and filter without completely removing the Rally Raid engine guard - result!

In that regard, I felt the bike was as run-in as well as it was likely to be now, so I could press on south at full pelt and try and outrun this rain...

Fortunately, as I approached Charlottesville, the rain receded, and I even felt confident enough to jet-wash the road-grime and general filth off the bike in preparation for my attendance at the Horizons meeting the following day, and the subsequent show-and-tell about the new bike and Rally Raid kit...



I then elected to ride the whole length of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Waynesborough to Roanoke (110 miles) in the emerging afternoon sun:



What a way to end the day!

Jx

Day 5: Thursday 26th April 2018: Roanoke VA to Appomattox VA

109 miles

I won't bore you with the details about the Horizons weekend, but suffice to say it was a wonderful social event, with plenty of interesting presentations and attendees from all over North America and much further beyond (including Europe, the Philippines and even Australia).


photo. that is my tiny little tent on the far left, next to a useful bench seat.

We all awoke to a rather damp morning on the Friday (well, those of us camping, and who had not had the forethought to set up under the canopy of one of the pavilion buildings... while other attendees had seen the forecast and booked a cabin or bunkhouse), but none-the-less, the G310GS show-and-tell went down a storm with a lot of interested people in both the bike itself and of course what Rally Raid had done with it.




photo. this made me laugh - an etch-a-sketch, perfect for when you're stuck in traffic presumably?

I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the women's meet-and-greet seminar later that afternoon, which culminated in us all being inaugurated into the exclusive club known as the "Tequila Swilling Whores", complete with shots and a silly dance to earn ourselves a badge and sticker - priceless!

With zero miles ridden on the Friday (due to a combination of a morning presentation, and afternoon of drinking, and rain that didn't really lift all day), I decided that I would head back west towards the point at which I left the TAT earlier in the week on Saturday afternoon, after my final two presentations (Packing Light, and the US debut of Northern eXposure) that morning.


[riding] Day 6: Saturday 28th April 2018: Appomattox VA to Roanoke VA

96.7 miles

It seems I really can't escape this town, well, not until tomorrow at least when I will do my best of course!

I decided to only ride as far as a familiar hotel and get an early night tonight - plus the opportunity to hook up to some wifi and update you all, which as you see I have done - despite absorbing a huge bucket of Margarita in the local Mexican restaurant earlier this evening ;o) hic.


photo. this made me smile/happy... on my way back from Appomattox this afternoon, I noticed I'd marked a waypoint in my GPS during the Trans-Am500 ride as I thought this was a particularly twisty and fun road to ride. This alternative route back to Roanoke was a perfect opportunity for the GS to be in it's element, and I was delighted that my marker sticker (on the back of the aluminium sign) was still here three years later!

With my gear now all nice and dry, and everything repacked and ready to hit the trail tomorrow, it is my intention to roll out of here in good time, and see how far along the rest of the Virginia TAT (and who knows, even as far as North Carolina) by tomorrow evening - in a vain attempt to try and ride it all the way to the previous start in Andrews NC, near to the southern end of the Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap (hwy 129 - ie. 318 curves in 11 miles, just in case you were in any doubt what I was talking about!) and therefore will have ridden all of the new TAT sections to connect up with those have ridden previously.

From there I'd like to ride the first few sectors of the Tennessee TAT, just for old times' sake, but by then I will really have to make a bee-line for Arizona if I'm to make it there by this coming Friday evening...

Wish me luck!

And much more to come of course, just as soon as I can get online again...

Jenny x

Day 7: Sunday 29th April 2018: Roanoke VA to Damascus VA

273.3 miles (inc. 190.4 miles new TAT)

I'd set my alarm for 6.45am with the intention of heading out early to try and nail as much of the remaining Virginia TAT as I could today... however, the after-effects of a bucket of Margarita the night before in the adjacent Mexican restaurant meant I was nursing a new kind of migraine/hangover hybrid, which only began to be alleviated after a waffle and crispy bacon at the local diner.

I hit the road just after 8am, and stopped off to top up on fuel and cash on my way out of town:


photo. I still get a kick out of these drive through ATM machines... we have nothing like this in the UK you see...

It was about 45 miles to the point where I'd left of the TAT last Monday, and I was soon back into the swing of things on the minor [mainly paved] roads that wound their way up and down over the mountain ridges that make up the Appalachians in this area.



Fortunately, just when you think "I could do with a bit of dirt now" Sam dishes up the goods, in this instance about 30 miles in with the entertaining Sugar Run Road (note that the bottom half of the Virginia TAT appears to share a lot of the [exact] same routing as the new Mid Atlantic BDR does - I guess there are very few through dirt-roads in the region).



As I was razzing along Sugar Run', followed by an entertaining uphill climb on Flat Top Mountain Tower Rd (I could imagine this being a special stage sprint in a rally ;o), I thought I might confirm the ABS functioning on the bike - sure enough, if you've disengaged the ABS using the bar switch, it remains off if you stall the engine and/or use the kill switch. It only defaults back to ABS on if you switch the bike off and on again with the key. Nice.

Looking at the bigger picture on the GPS screen, I did wonder why Sam had seen to divert north towards Tazewell, rather than continue diagonally south west at Ceres... I should have known really - a corking climb over another ridge on dirt, followed by a wonderful sweeping decent into town where you can get gas and food, and accommodation should you require.

Best of all, the TAT route then starts up (or is that down - heading south) highway 16, aka. the BF Buchanan Highway, aka. the Back of the Dragon - a fabulous 19 miles (each way) of twisty country road that doesn’t have an absurdly low speed limit, nor is blighted by Sunday drivers on this sunny afternoon - result!

Of course all this tyre shredding put me a little behind on the TAT schedule, but then I hadn’t come all this way [not least flying across the county to buy this bike in the first place] to miss out on an opportunity like this!



The TAT actually turns off highway 16 precious few miles in, so I’d definitely recommend passing by and riding the whole thing to Hungry Mother Lake and back, before getting off onto the dirt again.


The next section had me feeling a little uneasy. Poor Valley Road lived up to its name exactly - a twisting dirt road though a valley, that passed through some very poor communities indeed. Ramshackle and abandoned houses, and amongst this shabby property and junk, those that were occupied were populated by some pretty scary looking people too - the kind you imagine spend what little money they do have on ammo and booze, and certainly not repairing the heaps of broken vehicles that littered their yards.



Only once before (in Africa) have I been this embarrassed that my motorcycle was worth more than someone's house...



photo. Southern Virginia is littered with abandoned property - you wonder what happened to make someone leave a house like this to ruin (it had been completely gutted of internal fittings)…


Time was pressing on now, however, once I refuelled at Atkins I factored I still had enough daylight to probably make it to Damascus VA - the technical end of the Virginia leg, and start of the North Carolina sections… and where I should be able to find a comfortable bed for the night.

The Virginia TAT ends on a metaphorical and literal high - climbing to over 4200ft on a cracking rough road though the woods (plenty of camping opportunities here, which I would have considered myself were it not so damn cold today!), while the final paved section into Damascus another epic twisty river road: the Jeb Stuart Highway.

So that’s the Virginia TAT - done!

Jenny x

Day 8: Monday 30th April 2018: Damascus VA to Mars Hill NC

224 miles (all new TAT, other than slight detour due to a locked gate)


I’d rolled into Damascus pretty late the previous evening, and there seemed to be a dearth of traditional hotel/motels, only odd B&Bs that either looked really fancy/expensive, or closed.

I was getting desperate now, when I spied this joint set back from the main road:



The sign on the door said to call the number (the owner lived a few blocks away) to make a booking - although my phone seemed to be on the wrong network for this town, so I ended up using the landline from a local gas station… ah, remember the days when there used to be pay-phones?!

Anyway, to cut a long story short - the Appalachian Trail Town Inn is a delightful property, very much like a home stay (I was sharing with a couple of hikers who were walking the whole length of the Trail - hardcore!), very clean and newly decorated, and with excellent wifi, and the kitchen at your disposal. It would be great for a group (three double bedrooms plus a nook with two further single beds), and especially as a jumping off spot for mountain biking - ah, duh, turns out I was in the epicentre of southern Virginian cycling country!

Anyway, despite some confusion about how to pay my bill, it was a very nice place to stay, and plan the next stage of my attack on the TAT...


Having not left until after 9am, I felt there would be no point in rushing now, so dipped into the local coffee house on the way out of town - excellent coffee and great food too!


photo. I’d certainly got mine back this morning with a quad shot espresso and warm sticky cinnamon roll!


Again, the North Carolina section/s started out on minor paved roads - and the crisp morning sun picked out every crest of white water in the rushing rivers and creeks that I was riding alongside first thing…

Some observations of the new TAT sections so far: First of all, having ridden the TAT twice now in its entirety, and certain sections more times than that - if you are looking for a primarily dirt [road] challenge while crossing the country, I would have to concede that you’re really better off starting out in Colorado (or at least Arkansas) and heading west from there… That is not to say that further east does not have it’s own kind of charm - but the ‘trail’ is very patchy with regard to unsurfaced roads, and offers very little of what you might consider an actual ‘Jeep trail’.

However, if you want to ride some absolutely epic twisty minor highways and paved backroads, plus glimpse at a life that much of the modern world has passed by, then the Virginia and North Carolina sections are an excellent way to warm up for your complete cross-country ride… you’ll just have to allow the corresponding extra time for this indulgence, particularly if you want to say you “did it all”.

And I have to say, the G310GS seems to be absolutely perfect for this kind of sub-60mph backroad riding. The engine is peppy (especially when you’re rolling on and off the throttle in 4th gear), and the bike feels perfectly at home pointing and squirting between corner after sweeping corner, and flick-flacking from side to side as you carve through even the tightest turns - I do love the TKC80s in that regard.

You do get a great glimpse of rural life here in North Carolina too, although much of it is also very poor and run-down, such as it is in Virginia (and similarly in the Tennessee and Mississippi sections too) with abandoned and tumbledown properties.



photo. This barn was surprised (and perhaps even a little disappointed) to see I wasn’t on my Honda!







Personally speaking, I can’t help but think that there is a more obvious and direct route towards the dirt proper sections, ie. those that become far more regular as the TAT progresses west… but at the same time, I think what Sam [Correro] is trying to offer here now is not simply a ‘straight line’ from coast to coast, but rather the opportunity to explore a little more of each State as you pass through - which is increasingly important perhaps for those choosing (or only able time-wise) to ride the TAT a few sections at a time, rather than end to end in one hit - something that is increasingly going to the be the case for more and more riders I imagine, the longer and more elaborate the route becomes?


The TAT almost touches the Blue Ridge Parkway (you actually ride along side it for a short distance) just outside Blowing Rock, and it turns out that here is where all the [property] money resides in North Carolina. The town itself is full of restaurants and boutique shops, although not one traditional coffee shop/cafe that I could see, so I had to make do with a huge ice cream for lunch instead!


photo. I thought this sign was cute - one little guy is even trying to fly!



photo. Very fancy!


The trail sections south of here (and the Blue Ridge Parkway) are finally what I’d been waiting for... still well groomed for the most part, but more a traditional ‘trail’ than simply a gravel road, that even now you could still drive a car or SUV along with no bother.



I realised I was starting to run rather low on fuel (for info. I finally filled up after 173 miles this afternoon, with 21 still showing on the range display), on the second dirt section, so took it easy and popped out at the top of highway 181 (aka Jonas Ridge - another infamous and epic motorcycle road in the region) to finally refuel.

Interestingly, I must have came this way in 2015 on the CB500X as I’d actually marked a waypoint in my GPS along highway 181 as “Hoontown” - having clearly already enjoyed it on that bike too!


The TAT route once again flirts with the Blue Ridge Parkway, and detours along highway 226A, and Little Switzerland, before finally joining the BRP for some of the best (and highest so far - 5500+ft) sections as you head south west towards Asheville.







Sam does send you off and downhill on some dirt roads, then back up to rejoin the Parkway (personally, unless you’re looking to camp round about now, I’d just stick on the main BRP, it is an utter delight and the views are wonderful over either side here), but when he finally decides you’ve had enough, the trail down from the ridge turned out to have a locked gate:


photo. Yes I know I could have ridden around the gate, but I was worried that there would be a more substantial/official obstruction at the bottom of the hill, and I didn’t fancy riding down just in case…

Instead I continued on the Parkway a few more miles, briefly debated about heading for the familiarity of the Motel 6 on the outskirts of Asheville (just off the BRP btw), but then elected to try and get back onto the TAT as soon as possible, and aim for the stop that Sam had noted (complete with a hotel) at Mars Hill, a few miles further north of Asheville, and right on the TAT route.

Despite feeling I’ve broken the back of North Carolina today, there is still a long way to go before I reach the previous start point in Andrews, and can consider the current route joined up.

I also fancy having a quick blast down and back up highway 129 (The Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap) before I absolutely have to head due west for Arizona later this week - especially as the weather forecast is good for the next few days, and being a weekday, is likely to be less busy with traffic and police.


Wish me luck!

Jenny x

Day 9: Tuesday 1st May 2018: Mars Hill NC to Andrews NC

197 miles (all new TAT)

So having comprehensively availed myself of the facilities at the Comfort Inn in Mars Hill (I note this primarily for anyone else wishing to ride the NC TAT sections, as it's really the only place in town - not cheap, but clean and comfortable, with a laundry plus the requisite waffle machine for breakfast too - of which I am a firm advocate of course), I hit the road again a little after 9am...

Something had been bugging me since my first [600 mile] service - I'd taken what the dealer said with regard to the oil capacity [1.9L] as read, rather than actually read the manual - and was concerned my sight-glass was full to the top. Sure enough, the actual capacity for this engine is only 1.65L - so basically I had a whole can of Redbull extra oil in there, not ideal - as it could potentially start to damage the oil seals under pressure.


photo. yet another abandoned house in this part of the country...

So I took the opportunity once I hit the first dirt section after Mars Hill (which I have to say is around 40 miles into the day's route, after some utterly epic Supermoto style paved back roads - a luverly way to warm up for the day ahead!), and effected a ghetto oil-tapping, in true 'Mondo Enduro' style:


photo. I used a trash bag (always carry a roll of them in my back-pack for cleanliness around camp and/or as a emergency rain-cover, or simply an impromptu trail-side clean-up if I'm feeling particularly socially minded...), plus a stack of leaves to soak up the extra oil I was about to drain.

With my trailside 'workshop' set-up, I brewed a quick cup of coffee in my Jetboil, in an attempt to allow the now hot engine oil to cool a little at least... unfortunately, it wasn't quite cool enough, and while I was able to restrict the initial flow of oil reasonably carefully, the hot oil glugged over my hand causing me to flinch and drop the drain plug from the end of my socket wrench - so the only option was to lean the bike away from me to stop too much oil pouring out... Of course the bike was parked pointing ever so slightly downhill at this point, and I'd [stupidly] forgotten to put the bike in gear - so the result was the bike now rolled forward a few inches, enough to give me no option but to lay it right down on it's far side to stop an otherwise environmental disaster* from befalling rural North Carolina that morning...

*If I'm honest, it was more to stop any more/too much oil from draining out, having none with me to top up again - and let's face it, there is enough trash and general junk road and trailside in this part of the country that a splash of two of used engine oil isn't exactly going to cause any major concern to anyone, sadly. Hell, I'd actually be doing my bit to return the processed dinosaurs back to whence they came ;o)

With the mess cleaned up and contained in the trash bag and leaf/dirt combo, I packed up and continued on to where I could refuel and dispose of the waste safely.

Again, for those particularly interested in these new sections of the Trans-America Trail, it's worth noting that with regard to the [numerous] paved sections here in Virginia and North Carolina, that there simply isn't clearly isn't an obvious and direct 'dirt' route though these states, so instead Sam has chosen to incorporate some of the finest and most remote/lightly-traffic'd paved roads as part of his odyssey west.

Now this ought to be considered nothing new of course - the whole purpose of the TAT was never to simply to offer a [direct] dirt route from one side of the country to the other, but more the opportunity to see some corners of the USA that you might otherwise never have reason to ride/drive - and that fundamentally, if you're on the right bike - ie. a genuine dual-sport or 'Adventure' bike, rather than think you're going to need a dedicated 'dirt bike' for those few technical off-road sections that you might/will come across - then and from a personal perspective, then mix of back roads and dirt roads/trails is wholly welcomed - "It's all good" as the saying goes.

However, I would counter that with the suggestion that if you're ultimately going to be limited by a time constraint (as most people tend to be of course), then you may need to take some time before you start the TAT and consider where you might streamline your own personal attempt - fortunately there a good number of opportunities to bypass certain sections if needs must, although I'd ultimately end by suggesting it would be a huge shame if you did, as you're more often than not going to miss a visual and/or visceral treat if you do end up cutting the route simply because of time... the moral of this story being that if you intend to ride the current TAT in it's entirety, then you really need to allow an extra week (ie. a good 5 weeks in total) to really do it justice.

Certainly, although I was aware of personal commitments right across the country this coming weekend, I was not planning on forfeiting any of the current new route on my way to join the previous start point in Andrews NC.



Back on the dirt, I came to 4-way track junction high in a forest, and noticed on my GPS that Sam had included an alternative 'hard' route to the main gravel forestry road. As I considered the option, I heard a pair of trail bikes climbing up the hill from below, and they emerged from what would be the hard route down hill via Hurricane Creek Rd. That was all the incentive I needed to take it myself of course!

I chatted with the two riders for a while (one was from the UK!) - who actually work at the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley NC (located a few miles south of where I currently was), which, as it turns out, is also on Sam's new TAT route of course!

I have to say Hurricane Creek is really the first really 'technical' trail section you encounter on this new TAT route - in that it is a dedicated 'jeep road' with numerous creek crossings (some of the muddy) and some rocky terrain to navigate - nothing impossible, but on a larger Adventure bike especially laden with luggage, you might start to sweat. As it was, since it was in the 80°s already, I freely admit to perspiring myself even on a smaller and lighter machine!

A couple of notes I made with regard to the bike at this point: the first is the stock pegs are truly atrocious to try and stand on for any length of time - certainly in the boots I was wearing - not only were they painfully thin, but also so short that my feet were hanging uncomfortably over the ends too.

The second thing I noticed was that the tank side covers (the grey plastic parts on the 310GS) actually splay your knees rather wide and awkwardly when standing up - certainly more so that the comparatively narrow [and yet significantly more capacious] tank on my CB500X for example. This wouldn't be so bad if BMW had actually chosen to fill those voids with actual fuel tank, rather than only looking like it has a 5 gallon capacity!


photo. I recall I crossed this bridge (in the opposite direction) many years ago on my XT660Z when I was exploring this part of the country en route to the Tail of the Dragon and the original start of the TAT in Tennessee!

The trail sections came thick and fast now on my way south through the eastern end of the Great Smoky Mountains NP, and I bopped out in Maggie Valley, albeit with not enough time (or admittedly inclination) to visit the museum after all; instead I was eager to try and complete the rest of the North Carolina TAT to Andrews by nightfall...

After an entertaining climb past the North Carolina Ski resort of Cataloochee, the TAT ultimately rejoins the Blue Ridge Parkway for another particularly entertaining and scenic section (it's all pretty entertaining and scenic of course!), although once again, it turned out that a side spur that forms [a loop] part of the new TAT was currently closed with a seasonal gate:



Still, the main BRP is more than enough compensation, and I was able to rejoin the TAT route at an underpass a few miles further south west, where again I recognised the junction (and trail number, which I'd previously logged in my GPS as a waypoint) from when I rode though here with some ADVrider inmates as part of the Trans-Am 500 ride in 2015 - as with the Old Cataloochee Turnpike through the east side of the Great Smoky Mountains NP that I'd ridden both previously and earlier in the day, it turns out this particular trail is now part of the official new TAT route too!



As the TAT finally left the Blue Ridge Parkway behind and headed further south (and west) towards Andrews NC, it encompassed a particularly entertaining climb up a huge powerline cutting, and crossed over the Appalachian Trail:



...and followed this surreal pipeline for a good few miles on fast and easy gravel roads before finally giving way to tarmac again for the final stretch into Andrews:


photo. I always like riding in the late afternoon/early evening (although you do have to watch for deer of course!) - and this final stretch of the new TAT was a delight to encounter at this time of day.


photo. Piglet emerged to make sure we had actually joined up with the previous TAT start point on Locust St. Andrews NC.

It was now getting dark, and having grabbed a burger at a local stand (I subsequently heard via the internet that there is a great bar/restaurant at the other end of town - the Hoppy Trout), I considered my accommodation options...

Having only Sam's GPS tracks, not his full maps and roll-charts that offer a wealth of additional information, I did not realise there was a proper hotel in town [I previously had elected to stay a further 15 miles away in Murphy] - turns out the Comfort Inn (yes, another one) has been there for 25 years, right on the edge of main highway, where Locust St/ crosses over to begin the TAT. I felt like such a fool for not making a note of this the last time I was here!

I booked in and bedded down. There was a Dragon that needed slaying in the morning before I could start to finally head resolutely west.

More soon!

Jenny x