Table of Contents, Winter Moto Tour 2008 (aka MWD)

Approaching the end of November 2008, I set out on what was destined to be a 2,000+ mile loaded journey from the mountains of Arizona to the coast city of San Diego in southern California. Originally planned as approximately a 5,000 mile endeavor that would have included both asphalt and dirt, the trip was cut short when the need to return home early came in a phone call.

The route would go through the Grand Canyon NP, north past the historic Cameron Trading Post in the Navajo Nation and into the painted desert where a mistake in under estimation provided me the opportunity to push my motorcyle four miles to Page AZ after running out of fuel. From there I headed into Zion Utah and came tounderstand how it got its name. South into Nevada by night passing by the infamous Area51 on the creapy Extraterrestreal Highway. Escape the seductive sands of Death Valley and stay in the boiling hotsprings of the Old Highway 395, preparing me for the onslaught of a snow blizzard that blew on the last open pass of the Sierra Nevadas.
After surviving the previous day's excitement I find sanctuary in San Francisco's China Town and eventually head down the historic and amazing Coast Highway 1, all the way to San Diego.

Table of Contents,

Day 0_ Still Here

A Water Poem_Day 3

Zion Part One_Day 4

Seduction: Death Valley_Day 6

Made it Over the Snowy Passes_ Day 7

San Francisco_Day 8

China Town, Golden Gate Bridge & Big Sur_Day 9

Point Montana_Day 16

My Early Return & MWD ends

Official CrossOver: Enduro Adventures will now include Project Strawberri- A Growing Obsession with Creating a long term Overland Vehicle

Indeed.
A glorious day it is today.
For it stands out above the many that have come to pass.

From Hobo Camping

Today EnduroAdventures will integrate my ever developing obsession with creating an Overlanding Vehicle out of Strawberri, my '88 FJ62.


Rideglobally's Nullacruiser, IH8Mud.com Forums


Wikipedia defines Overlanding as,

"...the self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. Typically, but not exclusively, accommodated by mechanized off-road capable transport (from bicycles to trucks) where the principal form of lodging is camping; often lasting for extended lengths of time (months to years) and spanning international boundaries."

According to this quite satisfying description, EnduroAdventures has always been about overlanding, but by moto. Today it shall include the Epic of transforming Strawberri into a capable all-terrain explorer and home for the next 4 years, until I leave for Eastern Siberia in 2013.


The Need:
Long term living out of a vehicle in the form of camping in national forests/wilderness areas and generally traveling from place to place, has its complications. In particular, Strawberri (FJ-62) must become a fully functional "home base." On top of this, I must be able to function as close to a normal citizen as can be, in the local town, ie integrating with the local villagers (just cuz I'm living out of the truck doesn't mean I'm homeless or on vacation...).
This has proven difficult in regards to efficiency as currently the majority of the equipment I am using (to date of this post) is improvised.

From Hobo Camping

What I am talking about is this:

From Hobo Camping

Basic Tarp for Canopy-
has to be tied and untied for set-up, rolled up appropriately to the roof rack with specific folding, and hast to be repaired frequently as it is torn often at the grommets.
-All very time consuming.

Ice Chest-
Needs ice every 3 days!
Water from melted ice contaminates food regularly and has to be drained daily.
Perishables such as milk, eggs and meats have shorter windows of use due to challenge of temperature control. All this equates to frequent trips into local towns and limited time frame in remote areas.

Cargo and Sleeping Area-
Boxes on top are great! Boxes inside are cool, too! But when sleeping inside is needed, each night all cargo inside must be rearranged to the front seats to make room for my bed roll.
A ground tent would be an option, however of all the shelters in my arsenal, none are for all-season comfortable living...they are either ultra, ultra light, or for sleeping on ledges on very high mountains.

From End of June_Friday CGDSR Course work

Kitchen and Food Prep-
Problematic. Sometimes after a long day, the amount of time to set-up the improvised "kitchen" is the last thing I want to do. Having all the necessary equipment in the cargo area in a ready-to-use arrangement, would be most idea.

Hygiene and Water Consumption-
Washing hands at camp, keeping the body clean (bathing) and "relieving the body's system."
Cold water for showers gets old on consistently cold mornings. There is a real need to remain clean to maintain a professional capacity. Water is central and for that matter needs to be managed with great diligence.
I currently have the capacity to carry 18 gallons of water on board. To make this last -in a non desert environment- requires effort. Water is used quickly for cooking, drinking (as an athlete, I consume a lot), washing dishes and basic hygiene.

From Hobo Camping

Hauling all the tools of the trade-
The Bicycles.
The Moto.
Climbing and Guiding Equipment.
Not too hard one would think. However, to haul the motorcycle through minor 4x4 terrain requires a special high clearance rig...which I do not have. This limits the range of options for exploration and camping. All of this equipment, as well as everything else listed above, equals into a whole lot of weight, and the FJ-62's rear suspension is very much maxed out.
Storage Space is a real factor here and the current digging around for stuff slows things down to a depressing level.

And so, I have decided to commit to developing a very capable Overland Vehicle out of Strawberri with an emphasis on living conditions. From here on out, this Journal will include that specific endeavor.

I suspect this will be a very, very fun and interesting journey.

World Class Endurance Athlete, Steve Larsen, passes away

Wow.

At first it was suspected he died from cardiac arrest or blood clot, but the latest news is it might have been viral or related to allergies...the man was having breathing troubles.
What the heck happened?

"Mike Larsen said the autopsy ruled out a heart attack and a blood clot. The cause of death may have been viral or related to allergies, he said.
'The last few weeks he had been having serious troubles with his breathing,' Mike Larsen said. He said his brother had been seeing a doctor about his breathing troubles and had been unable to finish his workouts. "
-Velo News Article, MAy 20, 2009


It's said he collapsed in the very beginning of a running workout.
How do athletes contemplate such a thing -we go about training despite "ailments" as a matter of practice when performance objectives are in mind.
And then one day we collapse and it is all over for this lifetime?

There is no control.

What I remember the most of the Steve was the controversy over this dominating National Champion's contested slot for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney Australia -a points race that went to Tinker Jaurez in the end after he broke a chain in a "winner take all" single event.

He initially vowed, after that misfortune, that he would turn his back on NORBA and USA Cycling- ultimately leading to his discovery and success in competing in Xterra and in Ironman triathlons. Tinker is brilliant and a hero, however Steve might have been a great Olympian and many have argued he should not have lost his slot because of that one race. He really stood up for himself -though very colorfully- and publically raised many questions concerning the political failings of USACycling, that so many felt was making very poor decisions concerning the country's top athletes.

Steve Larsen was one of the phenomenal athletes of our time.



Links:

Retired racer Steve Larsen dies after collapsing during running workout --Velo News
Autopsy shows Steve Larsen did not die of a heart attack --Velo News
A conversation with Steve Larsen A new gig and maybe a new outlook --Velo News
Fun Q&A with Larsen -- GUEnergy.com
2000 Olympics U.S. Long Team Announcement -- Jan 2000, Cyclingnews.com
2000 Olympics MTB Long Team Final Announcement --July 2000, Cyclingnews.com
Juarez back on the Olympic road after claiming Olympic long team spot --Racedates.com

Project Announcement: Exploring Asia on a Loaded Mountainbike 2013

Some years ago I developed a desire to participate in the Iditarod Trail Invitational (Iditabike), an infamously gruelling winter event that follows nearly the same 1,100 mile course of the also infamous Iditrod Sled Race , along the Historic Iditarod Trail in Alaska. Many other ridiculous adventures came and went in my mind since that time, but the Iditabike remained on a personal pedestal of grandeur. Then I watched a documentary by the name of Long Way 'Round, by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. The two well known actors and their camera man Claudio, set out on matching BMW GS1150 motorcycles, to ride from London to Magadan in Siberia Russia, ultimately ending in New York, USA. They were trailed by a support crew that would help produce a television show in route and provide aid in case of disaster and to help assure the success of the business side of the venture.

Inspired,
I started to fantasize more
and wondered if I could do that.

Too much money would be needed to ride my own moto through a similar route across Asia and Europe, so I just about let that concept go.

However, as my curiosity was fed more and more by this new interest, I began to find blog after blog of other people from all over the world who have either done an intercontinental tour by moto or by pedalling a bicycle.

Of course!! By bicycle! Why not?

I thought of the guys of Riding the Spine and how they have been traveling for several years trying to get from Alaska to Ushaia in South America on Xtracycle-equipped mountain bikes. My imagination ran wild and I shelved this cracked-pot idea on the same plane as the Iditabike. The route that began to formulate in my head would take me through Siberia, Mongolia and then southbound through the former Soviet Block countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. I would pass over the icy roads of the Karakoram Highway in northern Pakistan and into India where I saw myself spending a significant amount of time riding from one holy site to the next. After Nepal, the tour drew me into Southeast Asia and down into Singapore,ultimately eastbound ending somewhere in Papua New Guinea.

Oh, to dream.

Time moved on and more immediate and firmer adventures required my undivided attention.
This particular dream would have to remain as merely a possibility for the future, right alongside the Iditabike Trail Invitational.

After recently returning from an amazing four weeks in Europe, traveling by train, bus, or plane, I decided that the next time I visit this area of the world I would not do it without a bicycle. Then it suddenly occurred to me: I would be taking a long bicycle tour the next time such an opportunity comes, only it wouldn't be through Europe.
And so I resolved after that moment of clarity, that in the year 2013, I would take a loaded Xtracycle-equipped mountain bike to Magadan, Russia and begin a pedal stroke that would last at least two years in length.

I reassessed my immediate goals and far off dreams with this now numero uno project in mind. The coveted Iditabike would have to wait and from now until that day, I have to prepare.

2009 Iditabike Begins

Check it out here.

(Thanks to Chad for posting about this, otherwise I would have totally forgoten...so needed with all the stuff I going on!)

Looks like this year will be a 1,000 mile finish in Nome, Alaska...which 9 of the 38 cyclists hope to accomplish. Jill Homer, a rider from Alaska whose blog I have come to enjoy reading, will be competing in the 350 mile distance to McGrath.



The Famous Iditarod Sled Race will begin on March 7th.

It is a dream of mine to ride the Iditabike Trail Invitational, one day. I suppose when I'm a little older and have done other things on the pile of lists I seem to accumulate, it may become so.

All in good time and if it's meant to be.

To all this year's racers:
Good Luck and congratulations on getting to the start!!

Website is Officially Up! Velocitramp.net

It's official, Velocitramp.net is on-line.

Update: Sierra Winter Project on Hold...Loaded Touring of Europe and Eastern Europe Instead!

Okay, okay.
So hopefully you all get the deal by now...things are very much in flux with me, ready and willing to change at any moment.

The Sierra Project is on hold now. In its place I will take a mountain bike and Xtracycle to France
and wander aim-fully through Europe and parts of
Eastern Europe.



Why?
To be around for Sahar of course!
Believe me, it was an EASY choice to make.

And so, Here's what I've been up to lately for the month of January:
Through a series of serendipitous events I have reunited with and made more close-friends in one month than I have ever made in 10 years! The kind of friends I speak of are the type that I can relate with on the most important issues of life and love, its exploration and pursuit.

And all these people are connected to each other in some way, shape or form.
It's been great and
well,
lovely really.

Drive to SoCal and spend wonderful time with Roshan and reunite with James G. after six years.
New Year's Eve- I meet the lovely Jaise and head to Vista with James and Roshan, to spend it at the Kingdom of DJbootie. There I meet Seth & Jenny , Nate, Sarah and Sean. This evening I realize many things. Among them I discover what a spiritual vehicle ecstatic dancing can be.
January Full Moon- Gathering in the Anza Borrego Desert. I reunite with Mike and meet Tania of Flagstaff. Tania moved to Flag' at the same time Sahar and I did, but never ran into each other there. However in the California desert we met for the first time and vowed to explore a potential friendship. In the desert I fell in love with the Moon and recognized why so many different cultures consider her as The Goddess. That event graced me with many revelations as well concerning the life ahead.
James and I head to Flagstaff mid January with Marmu. That week I am introduced to Jerry Jean-Louis. With the internal brilliance of a firefly and the most contagious personality I have ever seen, Jerry seems to inspire any who brushes past his presence and in Jerry I have found a wonderful friend. This kind and energetic soul moved to Flag' on a whim, leaving behind a closing past and is determined to embrace exploration and growth as a soul. He and I came from the same background in religion and is following a path that is remarkably similar to mine as it were.
Back in SoCal I ride Palm Canyon with David See and Brendan Collier (Siren Bicycles). The trip was both epic and hilariously fabu! On this ride I get flat after flat after flat. It quickly became contagious and mutated into all sorts of other bloopers; from peanut-buttered pretzels seasoned with dirt to sitting on dried out cholla bulbs! It was such a good time.
Now back in Flagstaff for the final time, I have visited Sedona twice and spent several occasions with my new found friends.
I can't help but feel as if I am being prepared for how this year will unfold and blossom.

I feel that the only guidance I have at my disposal that is consistent, are my fears.
When hesitation arises, I have decided to first openly consider its relationship to my physical well-being and then look it in the face to dismantle my self.

And...So far soooooo goooood!

Be well!
Be Loved!
Listen to your dreams!
And stay tuned!

2009 Sierra Project

March.
April.
May.

Three winter months,

15 Peaks,

An alpine rack and various mountaineering equipment,
cross country skis?? and sled to haul with,
and a winterized dual sport motorcycle.

The objective for this little project is to climb all fifteen 14,000+ft peaks of California, known as the California 14ers....mostly ranging from 3rd to 4th class difficulty, I hope to take the 5th class options some of the peaks have to offer, respectively. Of these, the hardest will be shared with a climbing partner (thankfully various friends want in..), while the majority of the climbs will be solo jaunts, free or with the use of a soloist device ... (unfinished post)

Mount Whitney _14,495ft, Sierra Nevadas
Mount Muir _14,015ft, Sierra Nevadas
Mount Russell _14,086ft, Sierra Nevadas
Mount Langley _14,042ft, Sierra Nevadas

Mount Williamson _14,375ft, Sierra Nevadas
Mount Tyndall _14,018ft Sierra Nevadas

Middle Palisade _14,040ft, Sierra Nevadas
Split Mountain _14,058ft, Sierra Nevadas

North Palisade _14,242ft, Sierra Nevadas
Starlight Peak _14,200+ft, Sierra Nevadas
Mount Sill _14,153ft, Sierra Nevadas
Polemonium Peak _14,080+ft, Sierra Nevadas
Thunderbolt Peak _14,003ft, Sierra Nevadas

The last two peaks are not in the Sierra Nevada range and honestly I may not be up for the ride and fuel it would take to get to their base.

White Mountain Peak _14,250ft, White Mountains

Mount Shasta _14,162ft, Cascades

I am considering various ridge traverses of interest as substitutes. Peter Croft has covered nearly all of the best in a fairly well known book of his authorship: The Good, The Great and the Awesome.

Reference Links:

1. BackcounrtyResource Center (Paul Richins Jr)
2. GlassMountains.com
3. Somewhere Out There

2008 Sierra Project

From March to May in 2009 the KLR, myself, and a simple rack of alpine climbing hardware are off on an adventure that will take us into the depths of the Sierras in California.

The objective is to spend the entire winter climbing all of the California 14ers as well as a few other peaks and ridge traverses.

The KLR's job is to deliver me as far within the mountains as possible while still allowing an escape back into town. The plan then is to crosscountry ski pulling a sled of equipment to a proper point for a base camp. From there I will attempt the climbs, mostly solo as I have my well tested Soloist device (RockWren). A few of the climbs I will join up with some friend's who intend on a rendezvous.

The KLR, now in San Diego, will be gaining a few more upgrades and mods to better meet the project demands:

1. Jesse Odyssey II Panniers
2. Happytrail.com 58L top box
3. Brakes: Stnl Stl lines, front and rear
4. Centerstand
5. T-Bob, radiator bypass
6. RoxFX Vibration Damping Risers
7. Heavier Duty Pelican case for laptop
8. Windshield installed over fairing prototype

Here is an equipment wishlist as well:

1. Heating: Gloves, Battery kit for vest (already owned), and Control Module
2. Hanging kit for Jetboil (I already have a hanging stove, but the Jetboil is so much better).
3. Shoei Hornet DS Helmet and PacSafe helmet bag
4. Large storage voice recorder with easy/safe operation while riding

Sierra Update

I arrived late into Lone Pine CA...8:30PM late.
At the end of town is the reasonably priced Mt Whitney Motel that will house me for the evening. Riding from Tonopah and through Death Valley took all day though it was some of the best riding I have ever done.

There is a storm rolling in with some places getting snow and others rain.
Tomorrow I'll make the push past Bishop and Mammoth straight up to Bridgeport.
On Wednesday I'll attempt Carson Pass. Hopefully with a full day in San Fransisco I'll get the writing caught up.

Wish me luck!