N00bs Rally... by a n00b

[spazegun2213 36]

Preface:

Well, if you don't know me, that isn't a surprise, I'm a n00b.... Last may I bought a tiger and loved it on the pavement, and on fire roads. However, any time the dirt got even a little rough, my skills didn't allow me to stay upright on it. I learned very quickly its heavy and I had no right taking it to places *I* wanted to go. So I sold it and bought a ktm 500, which is a much better learning tool, partly because no tears a shed when I drop the thing... which happens a lot. 

The Rally:
On ADV rider I saw the n00bs rally posted and since I love DV, and want to get better riding offroad I signed up, showed up, and had a BLAST. I knew no one when I arrived. Not a damn person. After 3 days, many rides, camp fires and beers I left having made some great memories and friends. This is my story.

 

I ended up prepping the bike and taking it to "the pink gate" Sunday the 19th and enjoyed myself. The HF hitch rack was new, and I thought it worked perfectly for my little test run. So I packed up Thursday morning and set out. Not even an hour into the trip, a strap breaks nearly sending the bike off the rack at 80mph... Luckily I had more straps. But I stopped at a local Lowes, bought more straps, and ended up arriving at DV with what looked like a 5th graters art project attached to the back. To get the bike off the rack I needed a hammer, plyers and a few other tools which I procured from someone at an adjacent campsite tearing apart them Beta. The reason for the procurement? The bike had to come off the rack for me to access the tools I brought... file that under lessons learned. 

The first organized ride was to Lookout City, which was marked as an Easy, 30 mile out and back to watch the sun go down. Easy, as I found out was... a joke, misnomer, and maybe... a right of passage? This ride was never easy. No one in their right mind would say "Easy" and the rains made it crazy hard. It was my hardest ride of the weekend (and my life?). The first few miles were easy, then we made a turn into what must have been a mile of quarter sized rocks, which were still wet... traction was, shall we say, limited. I'm so thankful I could just lift the 500 out of the whole it would dig. Then there are "the Steps" which are a section of steep rocky steps.  By the time I made it to that point there were 5 guys (one was the ride organizer) helping everyone lift and start their motos. Everyone fell... everyone. Just after that section... guess what... MORE small ROCKS! This was followed by a steep slightly muddy climb. But the end result was a beautiful view of Panamint Valley and the sunset. Turns out about half the riders turned around before the steps. But anyone that made it to the steps, made it up. We paused to take a few photos and enjoy the amazing view. This was about the time I realized I was gassed, and still had to ride back... in the dark. FML. The group stuck closely together on the way down and the only reason I could see anything was someone's high beam behind me.

Friday I went on an "intermediate" ride with the same ride leader as lookout city. It amazing exploring Ballarat, Pleasant Canyon, Kopper Cabin, and a few other spots. I was the slowest rider, and was completely gassed when we got back. But everyone in the ride was cool with my pace and everyone offered words of encouragement and advice... it was awesome. This ride is also where I learned that the bikes previous owner was a forgetful mechanic and I am not as savvy checking out bikes as I thought. The chain tensioner nuts, were missing... and riding on the rocks out in DV meant I was readujsting my chain every time we stopped. When we got back to camp I procured some nuts, and solved that problem. I was invited to more than a few fires that night and had gotten to know quite a few riders from both rides. The fires were nice, and the company was awesome.

Saturday was a ride (of unknow difficulty) organized out of a chat over a camp fire the night before. I was asked to sweep a ride to Darwin, up over centennial flats and over to boxcar cabin. I reiterated I was a noob, but the leader was someone I had ridden with and he had been watching me. We were also taking a GSA1200 on the ride, which meant we'd probably be stopping to pick it up a lot. I was honored, and accepted. The ride started a bit rocky and we were slow going, then sand.... A LOT OF SAND. The 500 is super easy to manage in sand and one of the best riders of the group was giving me pointers as we approached it. By the second mile of sand, I felt like a rockstar and could start, stop and pretty much pick my lines once I got going. We ate lunch in Darwin which is/isn't a Ghost town. Centennial flats was amazing 2 track through Joshua trees, and with the snow capped peaks framing it.... the scenery was epic. The hard packed dirt did give way to sand from time to time, but by then we were all enjoying ourselves and opening up the throttles. The day concluded with a raffle and more stories around camp fires. 

I had a blast, and if you like camping and bikes, I think you would as well. 

Lookout City:

Centennial Flats

[tntmo 887]

We should have coordinated who was all going from SDAR, would have said hi at the very least. This was my first time to Death Valley, beautiful place.

 I did the intro to DV ride on Thursday, nice tour that went to Ballarat, the kilns, Skidoo mine and Aguerberry lookout.  On Friday we went to Darwin, some mines and cabins and up and over a snow covered peak into Saline valley?  Saturday was a long day near Barker Ranch and into Badwater Basin.

 I had a good time, two pinch flats (I got quick at tube swaps).  We had a minor mechanical issue with a bike in the group but some French tourists helped get the rider back to camp, we invited them to stay with us and enjoyed international relations by sharing our dinner and beer with them.

 

[DSM8 360]

There is another event in April up in Kernville called WARPED.
here is the link if you want to continue your adventure riding experience with like minded people.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/warped-xvii-2023-the-next-generation-april-27-30-2023.1606989/

@tntmo I did not know you never been to DV would have brought you along on one of the tours I ran thru for Dan Diego and others like him.

[moto_rph 177]

Welcome @spazegun2213!

Great writeup and I commend you for forging ahead and going to the rally solo.  Sounds like you found what you hoped for; supportive and friendly people that look out for each other.  I too have a KTM 500 and love the trails so I'm sure we'll get together soon.

[spazegun2213 36]

3 hours ago, tntmo said:

We should have coordinated who was all going from SDAR, would have said hi at the very least. This was my first time to Death Valley, beautiful place.

...

 I had a good time, two pinch flats (I got quick at tube swaps).  We had a minor mechanical issue with a bike in the group but some French tourists helped get the rider back to camp, we invited them to stay with us and enjoyed international relations by sharing our dinner and beer with them.

We should have coordinated! I didn't really think anyone from this group was going. 

 

Wait, you were French tourist dude? I was hanging out with one of the French riders and then suddenly we were drinking with a bunch French tourists that "rescued" a rider. HA! what an epic story! Sounds like you had quite a weekend and I might need to ask you for help changing tubes. I'm still not great at it.

 

2 hours ago, DSM8 said:

There is another event in April up in Kernville called WARPED.
here is the link if you want to continue your adventure riding experience with like minded people.

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/warped-xvii-2023-the-next-generation-april-27-30-2023.1606989/

@tntmo I did not know you never been to DV would have brought you along on one of the tours I ran thru for Dan Diego and others like him.

 

I'm actually going to be in Louisiana that weekend 😭 or I'd totally be down for another one! 

 

1 hour ago, moto_rph said:

Welcome @spazegun2213!

Great writeup and I commend you for forging ahead and going to the rally solo.  Sounds like you found what you hoped for; supportive and friendly people that look out for each other.  I too have a KTM 500 and love the trails so I'm sure we'll get together soon.

As soon as I get my rear shock rebuilt (sprang a leak late in the day on Saturday) I'm 100% game! This event makes me want to find some cool out of the way 2 track to explore. 

[SANRider 71]

4 hours ago, spazegun2213 said:

 

Wait, you were French tourist dude? I was hanging out with one of the French riders and then suddenly we were drinking with a bunch French tourists that "rescued" a rider. HA! what an epic story! Sounds like you had quite a weekend and I might need to ask you for help changing tubes. I'm still not great at it.

 

I was the one that got rescued. We pulled into Stovepipe Wells and discovered I had a massive gearbox oil leak. With 30 miles and a 5000' pass to get through I decided to take the ride with the French tourists and come back for the bike with the Jeep. I took it apart today and turns out a water pump seal had failed pressurizing the gearbox with hot coolant and forcing the mixture out the gearbox vent. All and all it was a great trip. Can't wait for next year.

 

[shutterrev 468]

Sounds like it was a good trip - maybe one to add to the calendar for next year 🤙🏻

[spazegun2213 36]

11 hours ago, SANRider said:

I was the one that got rescued. We pulled into Stovepipe Wells and discovered I had a massive gearbox oil leak. With 30 miles and a 5000' pass to get through I decided to take the ride with the French tourists and come back for the bike with the Jeep. I took it apart today and turns out a water pump seal had failed pressurizing the gearbox with hot coolant and forcing the mixture out the gearbox vent. All and all it was a great trip. Can't wait for next year.

Sorry about the bike, and I hope its an easy fix. I'll be waiting to sign up for next year as well. I have a feeling it'll become a yearly pilgrimage for me. 

37 minutes ago, shutterrev said:

Sounds like it was a good trip - maybe one to add to the calendar for next year 🤙🏻

Not a lot of the trails are BBF, but that doesn't stop people from coming along. A Boss named Jani took his 1290SAR along with us on Friday and was faster than me in most places, lol! He did drop it more than a few times, but he loved the ride. He was one of the truly hardcore guys, that rode in, camped, rode trails, and then rode home. 

[Zubb 1061]

19 hours ago, SANRider said:

 

Ouch!  Glad you got it sorted, and sounds like the rescue was easy enough.

[CVRick 42]

On 3/27/2023 at 3:18 PM, spazegun2213 said:

We should have coordinated! I didn't really think anyone from this group was going. 

 

Wait, you were French tourist dude? I was hanging out with one of the French riders and then suddenly we were drinking with a bunch French tourists that "rescued" a rider. HA! what an epic story! Sounds like you had quite a weekend and I might need to ask you for help changing tubes. I'm still not great at it.

 

 

I'm actually going to be in Louisiana that weekend 😭 or I'd totally be down for another one! 

 

As soon as I get my rear shock rebuilt (sprang a leak late in the day on Saturday) I'm 100% game! This event makes me want to find some cool out of the way 2 track to explore. 

The Kernville ride is tempting.

 Is anyone planning on attending?

[DSM8 360]

9 hours ago, CVRick said:

The Kernville ride is tempting.

 Is anyone planning on attending?

I am going but still vasilating between big or little bike

lots of snow so no idea whats going to be open out there this year