A sandy get-off provides one rider
an excuse to wander off and
smell the flowers.
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Spring is here; time to go ride through the flowerbed again!
"One thing we can say about the
Fire Swamp Mojave Desert; it
certainly keeps you on your toes."
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What began a year ago as a weekend dual sport ride of the Mojave Road has morphed into a challenging and fun three-day desert camping tour. This spring we will cover a portion of our winter route, as well as new terrain, where we will meet familiar challenges… in unfamiliar scenery!
Camp 1, getting ready for
the breakfast run.
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Our trip will start at a soon-to-be-disclosed west Mojave desert meeting site. Our route will – as always – be largely unpaved. Our first night we will be in a remote area with few amenities; we will be camping in the southern portion of Mojave National Preserve. Saturday we will bed down in rustic tent-cabins in the northern section, in a remote, isolated, one-dog “town”… and there will be hot tubs & showers!
Floating over the top of the
really loose stuff.
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This excursion will require intermediate dual sport skill level. Beyond the fitness level needed for long days in the saddle on unpaved terrain, the primary challenge we will encounter is sand in various forms. If you want to come on this ride and are concerned about your sand handling capabilities, contact Earthrider about the possibility of setting up a pre-ride group or individual sand clinic.
"All right; which one of you parked
your GS across my helicopter
skids? I'm late for patrol."
Three hands shoot up.
[Typical lunch stop...]
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As with all DS Overnights, we aim to travel light, at a steady pace. You will need very little more than you bring on a typical day ride: As well as the few personal items you need for a night decidedly OFF the town, add a sleeping bag and pad to your usual day ride kit - tents are usually not necessary in late spring.* Riders will be responsible for their own meals, which will take the form of flexibly arranged group restaurant stops, “brown-bag” on-the-trail lunches, and completely unregulated between-meal snacking! Cookware, then, is unnecessary - most riders find a tail bag to be sufficient for their packing needs, although saddlebags are acceptable. New to motorbike overnights? Contact EarthRider with any questions you have about gear and packing.
Packing tactics - tailbag, sleeping
bag, & hydration pack on an
R1200GS; saddlebags, tailbag, &
tank bag on a DRZ400.
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- Pre-ride packing guidance
- Inexpensive rental camping gear (small stock; ask early if interested)
- Route planning, logistics
- Guided riding at all times
- All camping fees
- GPS tracks if desired. Note: you do not need a gps or a roll chart for this ride!
*[Contact ER for further camping equipment suggestions / rentals – or with any questions you have.]
