LA to Barstow to VEGAS or DIE!!!!

G-man wrote: It was many years ago, 33 to be exact that I had heard about the infamous Barstow to Vegas desert race. Times have changed these days though and what was once an open desert to ride, race or just take in the beauty of the Southwestern desert has fallen victim to closures and protection of an endangered species. In this case it’s the Desert Tortoise.

For the last 22 years the District 37 guys have had the fortitude to carry on this great tradition by organizing a Dual Sport ride for people to still enjoy. After hearing about it the last few years from my old So Cal moto-buds (Jeff, Donny and CT) and the fact I now owned a dual sport bike I couldn’t think of a legitimate excuse not to join them. So after recruiting some fellow “Zonies,” Bill Arens, Mike Elinski and Jan to drive the chase vehicle, riding close to 500 miles on a dirt bike was now becoming a reality!

If I made it a mile from my house with out getting T-boned things were looking good! (For those that don’t know that story, click here.)

We drove out to my parents home in Eagle Rock, CA Wednesday night 400 miles and eight hours away. It was then that I mentioned to the crew, “do you realize that the distance we just traveled (in the van) is less then we will be riding”?

Thursday was Thanksgiving and we smoked a turkey on the grill. It was nice to spend the Holiday with family and friends at the home I grew up in.

As far as the two days of riding went is all I can say is I survived—barely. Had two adventurous days that could have turned out disastrous and for one guy it did. I learned many lessons along the way and while I love to trail ride with friends, my roots are in motocross which is a whole different world than the unforgiving desert. “How do you work this roll chart anyway?”

The bikes were ready for the long haul......

Thanks to Yamaboy for hosting my pics! s:D s:D



I want to thank the District-37 Club for putting on a great event as well as all the guys from TT and the D-37 message boards for giving me some great advise and tips. As well as a big thumbs up to Yamaboy for hosting my pics!

I will be more than ready next year! s:D s:D

G-man wrote: It was many years ago, 33 to be exact that I had heard about the infamous Barstow to Vegas desert race. Times have changed these days though and what was once an open desert to ride, race or just take in the beauty of the Southwestern desert has fallen victim to closures and protection of an endangered species. In this case it’s the Desert Tortoise.

For the last 22 years the District 37 guys have had the fortitude to carry on this great tradition by organizing a Dual Sport ride for people to still enjoy. After hearing about it the last few years from my old So Cal moto-buds (Jeff, Donny and CT) and the fact I now owned a dual sport bike I couldn’t think of a legitimate excuse not to join them. So after recruiting some fellow “Zonies,” Bill Arens, Mike Elinski and Jan to drive the chase vehicle, riding close to 500 miles on a dirt bike was now becoming a reality!

If I made it a mile from my house with out getting T-boned things were looking good! (For those that don’t know that story, click here.)

We drove out to my parents home in Eagle Rock, CA Wednesday night 400 miles and eight hours away. It was then that I mentioned to the crew, “do you realize that the distance we just traveled (in the van) is less then we will be riding”?

Thursday was Thanksgiving and we smoked a turkey on the grill. It was nice to spend the Holiday with family and friends at the home I grew up in.

As far as the two days of riding went is all I can say is I survived—barely. Had two adventurous days that could have turned out disastrous and for one guy it did. I learned many lessons along the way and while I love to trail ride with friends, my roots are in motocross which is a whole different world than the unforgiving desert. “How do you work this roll chart anyway?”

The bikes were ready for the long haul......

Thanks to Yamaboy for hosting my pics! s:D s:D



I want to thank the District-37 Club for putting on a great event as well as all the guys from TT and the D-37 message boards for giving me some great advise and tips. As well as a big thumbs up to Yamaboy for hosting my pics!

I will be more than ready next year! s:D s:D

BobbyM (MD) wrote: awesome.

BobbyM (MD) wrote: awesome.

Tiki wrote: Damn that looks like fun.

Is there a couple of groups to it? A and B?

Tiki wrote: Damn that looks like fun.

Is there a couple of groups to it? A and B?

FreshTopEnd wrote: Very cool G. Is there any way to do it staying off the freeway?

FreshTopEnd wrote: Very cool G. Is there any way to do it staying off the freeway?

G-man wrote:

Damn that looks like fun.
Is there a couple of groups to it? A and B?

G-man wrote:

Damn that looks like fun.
Is there a couple of groups to it? A and B?

G-man wrote:

Very cool G. Is there any way to do it staying off the freeway?

G-man wrote:

Very cool G. Is there any way to do it staying off the freeway?

Utrider wrote: Excellent write up, G-Man. I'm glad to see you arrived in one piece. I noticed the same thing about choice of machine on the dual-sport rides I have been on as well.

Utrider wrote: Excellent write up, G-Man. I'm glad to see you arrived in one piece. I noticed the same thing about choice of machine on the dual-sport rides I have been on as well.

kcadrenalin wrote: Thanks for the story. Very cool!

kcadrenalin wrote: Thanks for the story. Very cool!

G-man wrote:

Excellent write up, G-Man. I'm glad to see you arrived in one piece. I noticed the same thing about choice of machine on the dual-sport rides I have been on as well.

G-man wrote:

Excellent write up, G-Man. I'm glad to see you arrived in one piece. I noticed the same thing about choice of machine on the dual-sport rides I have been on as well.

Utrider wrote:

" you hit a rock you never saw! s s s s:D I hope the thoughts were helpful and not a hindrance, I shared the same thoughts with FTE prior to his ride as well. Did you have the experience of being on this ride with 300 people and still feeling like it was just you and your buds? I really enjoy riding with the roll chart, especially if you DON'T know where you're going, or are.

I have considered it, I recently picked up a very clean 02 KTM 520 Exc just for that purpose.

The friend and I are looking to put together a couple of dual-sport events here in Northern Utah, and Eastern Nevada. So gaining the perspective of experience from some of the other well organized events would be a good idea..........................and a great reason to participate in the legendary event that is LA-Barstow-Vegas!!!

I am actually committed right now to a Honda pit support crew next year, this event takes place the week before Thanksgiving weekend. If you watch the deleted scenes on Dust 2 Glory, there are the Baja Fools, ya those guys. So anyway, I met some of them up here on a ride last fall and we have been working it out ever since.

Utrider wrote:

" you hit a rock you never saw! s s s s:D I hope the thoughts were helpful and not a hindrance, I shared the same thoughts with FTE prior to his ride as well. Did you have the experience of being on this ride with 300 people and still feeling like it was just you and your buds? I really enjoy riding with the roll chart, especially if you DON'T know where you're going, or are.

I have considered it, I recently picked up a very clean 02 KTM 520 Exc just for that purpose.

The friend and I are looking to put together a couple of dual-sport events here in Northern Utah, and Eastern Nevada. So gaining the perspective of experience from some of the other well organized events would be a good idea..........................and a great reason to participate in the legendary event that is LA-Barstow-Vegas!!!

I am actually committed right now to a Honda pit support crew next year, this event takes place the week before Thanksgiving weekend. If you watch the deleted scenes on Dust 2 Glory, there are the Baja Fools, ya those guys. So anyway, I met some of them up here on a ride last fall and we have been working it out ever since.

G-man wrote:

The same thoughts were crossing my mind while reading your story. s:D s:D I hope the thoughts were helpful and not a hindrance, I shared the same thoughts with FTE prior to his ride as well. Did you have the experience of being on this ride with 300 people and still feeling like it was just you and your buds? I really enjoy riding with the roll chart, especially if you DON'T know where you're going, or are.
I have considered it, I recently picked up a very clean 02 KTM 520 Exc just for that purpose.
The friend and I are looking to put together a couple of dual-sport events here in Northern Utah, and Eastern Nevada. So gaining the perspective of experience from some of the other well organized events would be a good idea..........................and a great reason to participate in the legendary event that is LA-Barstow-Vegas!!!
I am actually committed right now to a Honda pit support crew next year, this event takes place the week before Thanksgiving weekend. If you watch the deleted scenes on Dust 2 Glory, there are the Baja Fools, ya those guys. So anyway, I met some of them up here on a ride last fall and we have been working it out ever since.

G-man wrote:

The same thoughts were crossing my mind while reading your story. s:D s:D I hope the thoughts were helpful and not a hindrance, I shared the same thoughts with FTE prior to his ride as well. Did you have the experience of being on this ride with 300 people and still feeling like it was just you and your buds? I really enjoy riding with the roll chart, especially if you DON'T know where you're going, or are.
I have considered it, I recently picked up a very clean 02 KTM 520 Exc just for that purpose.
The friend and I are looking to put together a couple of dual-sport events here in Northern Utah, and Eastern Nevada. So gaining the perspective of experience from some of the other well organized events would be a good idea..........................and a great reason to participate in the legendary event that is LA-Barstow-Vegas!!!
I am actually committed right now to a Honda pit support crew next year, this event takes place the week before Thanksgiving weekend. If you watch the deleted scenes on Dust 2 Glory, there are the Baja Fools, ya those guys. So anyway, I met some of them up here on a ride last fall and we have been working it out ever since.

FreshTopEnd wrote: You know, the deal my friends put together for Reno to Vegas is a really nice gig, and given it runs the same time, would probably be my big ride of choice if I am to do something. Nice sized group, almost all dirt (no major highway, just a few miles of pavement), with support at various places along the way. B to V has to be awesome, though.

The dual sport ride I'd like to do is the Sheetiron in spring, which goes from Stoneyford out to the coast at Fort Bragg, and then back again. Unfortunately it's run on the Hangtown weekend the last couple of years.

FreshTopEnd wrote: You know, the deal my friends put together for Reno to Vegas is a really nice gig, and given it runs the same time, would probably be my big ride of choice if I am to do something. Nice sized group, almost all dirt (no major highway, just a few miles of pavement), with support at various places along the way. B to V has to be awesome, though.

The dual sport ride I'd like to do is the Sheetiron in spring, which goes from Stoneyford out to the coast at Fort Bragg, and then back again. Unfortunately it's run on the Hangtown weekend the last couple of years.

G-man wrote:

You know, the deal my friends put together for Reno to Vegas is a really nice gig, and given it runs the same time, would probably be my big ride of choice if I am to do something. Nice sized group, almost all dirt (no major highway, just a few miles of pavement), with support at various places along the way. B to V has to be awesome, though.
The dual sport ride I'd like to do is the Sheetiron in spring, which goes from Stoneyford out to the coast at Fort Bragg, and then back again. Unfortunately it's run on the Hangtown weekend the last couple of years.

G-man wrote:

You know, the deal my friends put together for Reno to Vegas is a really nice gig, and given it runs the same time, would probably be my big ride of choice if I am to do something. Nice sized group, almost all dirt (no major highway, just a few miles of pavement), with support at various places along the way. B to V has to be awesome, though.
The dual sport ride I'd like to do is the Sheetiron in spring, which goes from Stoneyford out to the coast at Fort Bragg, and then back again. Unfortunately it's run on the Hangtown weekend the last couple of years.

G-man wrote: I don't know about you guys, but remember the days when you were a kid and you rode your dirtbike in the street to get to your favorite local riding spot. Or maybe just to terrorize the neighborhood?

Well check this out, the best part is you can wave to the "Man"! s:D s:D lol

Just a teaser, he said he's going to put up some more. Man now I know what to get myself for Xmas! lol s

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6537363400447209788&pl=6537363400447209788,-4909795828041565179,

G-man wrote: I don't know about you guys, but remember the days when you were a kid and you rode your dirtbike in the street to get to your favorite local riding spot. Or maybe just to terrorize the neighborhood?

Well check this out, the best part is you can wave to the "Man"! s:D s:D lol

Just a teaser, he said he's going to put up some more. Man now I know what to get myself for Xmas! lol s

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6537363400447209788&pl=6537363400447209788,-4909795828041565179,