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2019 SPRING RALLY

Started by Lonesome Dave, November 26, 2018, 08:04:57 PM

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greatbuffalo

Did I ever tell you: " I HATE MUD!" ?

Fletch

ughh.. never fails. the girls are coming home that weekend and want to go hiking. Why couldn't they have got hooked on dirtbikes instead?? anyway I'll probably be only ride Thursday and hopefully Friday.  Well, unless I'm busy working on the Ark.....
stupid is my middle name, but my first name is Mike

grubbie

I wonder if the snow and rain will be done by June or if I need to figure out a way to put outriggers and sails on my bikes. I blame the guys on the 2-smokers for climate change.

Fletch

Quote from: grubbie on May 20, 2019, 01:24:39 PM
I wonder if the snow and rain will be done by June or if I need to figure out a way to put outriggers and sails on my bikes. I blame the guys on the 2-smokers for climate change.

we do what we can........
stupid is my middle name, but my first name is Mike

locopny

I think I'm out for the spring rally.  Everything is behind this year.
87 XL600R 89 CBR600R
'17 CRF1000L
When can I go riding again? Crashing sucks!

revmaaatin

Unless we get a lot of sunshine the 5 days prior, the trails will not be much fun.  shrug. 
The second time I have to pick up my bike, I pretty much done in.

Ah, we are dual sport!
Even if the trails are closed, with a little map study, you can easily ride 2-300 mile loops of gravel roads and see a lot of SD/WY you would not normally see...as well as a day of canyon carving.  and there will be little or no dust!

If you stop in where they sell hunting licenses, or the SDFG office,  they offer a free publication  called/titled SD Hunting Atlas (the year is not relevant) which shows all the gravel roads as well as open section lines.  It is essentially a miniature copy of the SD DELORME that easily fits on the tank bag.
Use a highlighter and chart a course.   
   
One of my favorite 200 mile rides is to go East from Sturgis on Alkali road all the way to Wall (with some jags and jogs, [see comment on map study]) for a buffalo burger (you really need an excuse to go to Wall (cough).  You will usually see some Eagles, antelope, white and mule deer, and some ruts!
After Wall:
Exit Wall back to Wasta (see the private military arms collection) and ride along the Cheyenne River back towards Rapid, or
go South from Wall into the Badlands via Sage Creel Rd.  All of which is Big Bike friendly.  MOre map study will take you to Orient or other places....

NOTE: When using the GPS/Hunting Guide, or Delorme, all 'gravel' roads, = non-paved surfaces,  may NOT be graveled at all, or only lightly graveled and are nearly impassible when slightly wet or drying after long periods of rain,  due to the gumbo content.
If you enter one of those sketchy trails/roads and you are leaving a full tire print, 3" deep, it is likely to get worse. 
an example of that:
The road going East from Midland to Cappo, then further East to the VanMeter Rd is a case in point. That stretch from Cappo to VanMeter Rd has approximately 5+ miles of prairie gumbo that is impassible on the motorbike when wet. 
(After hitting the VanMeter Road you will go N to the Bad River Road for a view (usually) of Ted Turners Buffalo herd.

You can avoid the mess by going N from Cappo to the Bad River Rd, East to VanMeter intersection to see the buffalo and then further E to Ft. Pierre along the Bad River.
That will be a 400 mile ride from Sturgis, 450 mile ride from the campground.

Other similar rides are available by riding S from Rochford all the way to Elk Mt lookout tower and the further S to Hot Springs, etc. on Gravel roads, and perhaps, you won't drop a bike.

If it is muddy, that is what my posse will be doing.

(c.  605.870.0012) if any of that is of interest to you.
HTH.
rev.   


ADV Piglet

Today looking out of my office just outside of Rapid City SD.

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Bogus Jim

Posting at work again, Piglet. tsk tsk.   ::)

If my math is correct it rained yesterday for 15 straight hours (and then started to snow overnight).

ADV Piglet

Quote from: Bogus Jim on May 22, 2019, 01:12:24 PM
Posting at work again, Piglet. tsk tsk.   ::)

If my math is correct it rained yesterday for 15 straight hours (and then started to snow overnight).
I get two 15 minute breaks + hour lunch break every work day.  On break now, again.

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Fletch

You get breaks? I need to come work for you.   
stupid is my middle name, but my first name is Mike

revmaaatin

Vanocker Canyon road was free of snow on Friday afternoon.
There were many 'shallow' stream crossings and sandy spots as the snow melt carries sand onto the road. 

These conditions were mostly N of Veterans Peak. 

Cjones

It was coming down almost as fast as it was melting and we still got 8"+ accumulation at one point, not sure how much actually fell but it was quite a damn lot more than that. We got more trees down, not as bad as 2013 but I'm going to be set for firewood for the foreseeable future.  I heard RC dodged it for the most part but I was without power and snowed in for a couple days and I'm only a few minutes west of RC. 

I think we are done with snow but I'm a ways south of guaranteeing that. If winter is any indication of spring it could be a soggy year deep in the sticks.  Dont look at me, I'm working to increase global warming by riding a smoker, it's you 4 stroke guys that are responsible for these late spring flash storms and cold soupy rains with your boring, efficient, low emissions  bikes haha.
06 KTM 250 XC-W
99 Vmax
89 Venture Royale

Wacked


SCOUTING - A Shy 2 Weeks before Rally


Water and Snow - Yep, it's legit.  Dave and I struck out at 11:00 on a west-ward loop to fiquire out how Rally can happen. 

I read the official bulletin from the forest service - all trails (those are labeled with 4 digits) and seasonal areas  (trails and roads bordered by grey) have been closed due to the wet weather

First stop was Victoria lake area.  It's fairly wet but there are several fun/entertaining roads that run thru there.  We may not be able to go on all the trails we have explored in the past but there's still some fun to be had in this zone

Next we headed towards Hill City and Deerfield.  I thought it was suprizingly dry.  We talked to a group of UTV's that had been south of Ditch Creek - their report was positive and we are fairly certain that the SE will be quite passible.  Dust was kicking up on the roads as we headed further west.  Dave spent some time smoozing-up a local land-owner for some land access.  After some heavy but kissing, he got the go-ahead.  We went further west and that region is very passible. 

Eventually, we turned around and snaked back thru Black Fox and headed east to Rochford and Sugar Shack

Thats where things got interesting.  Just after Rochford, it got WET.  It's wet all the way to Nemo.  That whole area is more than saturated ....  and .... we still got a couple of days with a lot of rain.

So, it's my opinion that the FS will not open the trails and seasonal areas before Rally

BUT

I do think we still have some decent riding.  It's just that we will have to travel to get to the riding.

For those of us Jones'in for some single track, I'm afraid it may not happen in the next 2-3 weeks.  My poor, sexy Beta, will likely be grounded for the Rally.

Keep this in mind as you consider what bike-weapon-of-choice and gear you are hoping to bring.

Wacked

greatbuffalo

Thanks for taking this fact finding mission Brad ad Dave. I am just hoping for warmish and dry weather. We will find places to ride just want good weather. This crappy weather is getting very old.
Did I ever tell you: " I HATE MUD!" ?

Lonesome Dave

GB, are you planning on doing a scenic ride again this year?

Older - Wiser - Faster !