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There's an Adventure Ride going on, too...

aphillips66

On the road to nowhere
I was talking to the nice people at AltRider about the rally. They are going to put on another Giant Loop/AltRider Adventure Ride like they did last year in Oregon. It's going to be a dual sport ride with a bit of instruction and a lead route.

Here is the info straight from the source:

VIDEO of the 2010 Adventure Ride:

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a2tNkA4QuDI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And more about it:

AltRiderÔÇÖs 2nd Annual Giant Loop Adventure Ride

The day before last yearÔÇÖs rally began, AltRider worked with Giant Loop Moto to lead a complimentary, one day adventure ride open to attendees, taking them through beautiful eastern Oregon on a route planned by a local rider. Now AltRider and Giant Loop are teaming up again: AltRiderÔÇÖs 2nd Annual Giant Loop Adventure Ride will be July 20, 2011, and is free to all RSVPed participants.

Like last year, the ride begins at the BMW MOA International Rally site at the AltRider booth. :earAn 8 a.m. pre-ride meeting will prep everyone for the challenges to come and give riders an idea of the route. Guidance will be provided along the way by AltRider and Giant Loop. A stop for a catered lunch:eat will provide a rest break, as well as a session to review the techniques that worked on the first half of the ride and go over some new ones that will improve off road abilities.

The second half of the route will offer optional challenges for the more experienced riders, while new-to-dirt riders will have plenty of opportunities to practice their new skills in off road terrain. The highlights of the day will be edited into a video to be screened at night during the rally.:lurk

If you are interested in joining AltRiderÔÇÖs 2nd Annual Giant Loop Adventure Ride, go to [http://www.altrider.com/event/detail/id/90/ridesOnly/1] to RSVP for more information.
 
Seven Peaks area in the Bald Eagle State Forest might be the plan

Latitude:
40.76273923975904

Longitude:
-77.61640191078186

Nearest City:
Spring Mills Pa.

Website:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/baldeagle.aspx

The Bureau of Forestry offers two motorcycle trails. The Seven Mountains Ramble and Shade Mountain trails are both located in portions of Mifflin, Snyder, and Union Counties in the Bald Eagle State Forest. The Seven Mountains Ramble trail is designated for dual-sport (licensed for highway use) trail bikes and the Shade Mountain trail is for non-licensed, off-highway trail bikes. If you wish to have copies of either of these maps, please contact the Bald Eagle State Forest office at 570-922-3344.

The Bald Eagle area is featured in a few ride reports on Adv Rider.

This MOA Rally is offering a few adventure rides. The weekend before is the Gypsie tour that is part of the GS Giant. Lots of dual sport riding in western and north central Pennsylvania.

Altriders event on Wednesday.

There are three GS rides from Bloomsburg, two are self guided, a Covered Bridge tour for all, North Mountain which is beginer - intermediate ( I am still sorting this one ). The later depends on gamelands and locked gates.

Then the BMW PC is leading an expert GS ride that is part covered bridge route, part mid 1800 Rail Road line featuring two abandoned tunnels with one filled with 1-2 feet of water ( a water crossing inside a mountain ) then its off to the Peddlers Grave, mountain roads near wind turbines and State game lands, on through the black dakar a massive field of coal dust or black sand, five stream crossings, a stop at Ali's Boxing Camp and lunch at a BMW dealer. This route is tough and expert, I am working on bailout routes around possible carnage spots. Lots of history on this one but if not careful we can be history. :nono
 
That sounds good!

Thanks, Statdawg. Great information you've given. I was hoping to find out about some good places in the area to ride my GSA (with my wife as pillion). These routes could be just the thing. If you do come up with the bailout solutions, I'd like to hear about it. The big bike with a pillion does pose some considerations.

Here was last year on the trail ride at the RA rally in Vermont.
954984532_MD5Jh-M-2.jpg
 
Still being fine tuned

Thanks, Statdawg. Great information you've given. I was hoping to find out about some good places in the area to ride my GSA (with my wife as pillion). These routes could be just the thing. If you do come up with the bailout solutions, I'd like to hear about it. The big bike with a pillion does pose some considerations.

The local dirt roads or the covered bridge tour is doable by cage. Same for the hollow and farm roads south and north of the rally site. There should be a map available at the rally site. Here is a link to a gps file.

The other rides are in planning at the moment. But there is a scenic rail road bed between RT 487 near Ricketts Glen State Park and Noxen. I am having trouble with mapping software because it doesn't recognise that this way is open. Within a few weeks I'll have this way sorted ...... I am concerned about two steep road ways to make this a nice 80 - 117 mile loop of basic to intermediate riding with a nice paved hollow just for fun.

The advanced GS ride is being fine tuned. We are pending permission in two areas, once that is secure this one will be epic. Its designed to put the Ride leaders in real world and uncommon situations. :laugh

Check these local GSers in the Lofty Tunnel. :laugh :lurk I think they need GS Giant training !

<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tVhNyYBudoo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The Shuman Tunnel is drier but its curved so it could spook you.

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/q0tfhAbtjXs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Here is some planning ideas for the advanced GS ride .....much depends on access.

# 1. It will include part of the covered bridge loop near the town of Catawissa. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZgs8Bk4i_w This is a beginner or warm up area.

# 2. The next leg needs adjustments because there is a 20 mile stretch of private holdings going back to colonial times with thick forested gamelands that we may or may not be allowed access. We are also discussing using part of the old and abandoned Catawissa Railroad line because there are two tunnels to travel through. The second one is the Lofty tunnel which is partly flooded that can reach two feet deep on the east side. Lofty will be for "experts" only because if one goes too fast you could flood your boxers.

# 3. Further southeast we will cross a mountain that has huge windmills from Spain and we will stop by the Peddlers Grave.........this area is haunted. :laugh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OSt9_ZTt14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flKAhCN2-rM

Mahanoy City Train Tunnel could be another stop by http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IoQlfqY7I Very nice engineering before wind tunnels were used as.......... wind tunnels. We can walk to the area just off the road for a photo op however this is private railroad land so no riding through this active tunnel. Plus its long and the oncoming head light moves quickly.

# 4. Reading Coal Company land has great riding and features a black sand desert, daunting hill climbs or just long ridge runs on rocky roads. We could also stop by an abandoned coal breaker.

Again, we have to secure permission since the coal company usually issue a annual pass at 35 dollars for each rider vs free to us for one day being a group ????? Some of the planners know people so confidence is high.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUrF0ZAeE_8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIdEijgxq2c&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q767PVtML9w

# 5. Other stop by could be a restored rail road stations, the Molly Maquire monument if Mahanoy City to the MM old meeting house south of there that is now an Irish Pub owned by a grandson of one of the innocents that was hung for a crime against a company.
 
And of course...

...riding the ALTrider ride will score you some GS Giant points.

Ditto for the big dog ride Statdawg describes above. Thanks to Hermy's BMW and the BMW Performance Center for helping us put this ride together.

:thumb

Ian
 
Wednesday ........ ALTRIDER GS RIDE !

If anyone is in Bloomsburg on the Wednesday, you shouldn't miss this opportunity... ~ap

It should be a great one I hope we can get a nice number for them because Altrider is filming the GS Ride ......... which I hope will be shown to the membership ! :thumb

The Seven Peaks area is outstanding ! Another pre-rally warm up.
 
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It should be a great one I hope we can get a nice number for them because Altrider is filming the GS Ride ......... which I hope will be shown to the membership ! :thumb

The Seven Peaks area is outstanding ! Another pre-rally warm up.

Sign me up. That is the wednesday after the Gypsy tour right?
 
Sign me up. That is the wednesday after the Gypsy tour right?

yeah, you can head there on wednesday morning, after an early breakfast.

i'd get over to the rally site no later than 8:30, earlier if possible, as there could be some logistics involved in getting in and finding the ride start point.

i've been speaking with Jeremy of ALTrider, the plan is to show the day's video on our 9' x 12' monitor (yes, that is feet, not inches) during the ride-in movies.
 
Sign me up. That is the wednesday after the Gypsy tour right?

Yes

Tuesday night the Gypsie Tour ends at Whispering Pines Campsite with food and drink of course.

Wednesday morning it should be about a 17 mile rural twisty ride to the Fairgrounds to meet and greet Altrider.

Altrider is also going to offer training during this ride and make sure everyone has a great time ....plus you will be part of their adventure film series for time and eternity in adventureland. :brow .......and earn points towards being a GS Giant.
 
What could be better than waking up early, :hungover, breaking down camp and heading to another adventure ride. Where you could be immortalized forever on film:thumb

I am really looking forward to this week of total riding awesomeness.

All this fun and riding might be illegal in some states.:brow
 
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Statdawg

Whats the details on the Hermy's Big Dog ride. What day and time is it starting? I can't see to find any schedule.

Thanx
 
Statdawg

Whats the details on the Hermy's Big Dog ride. What day and time is it starting? I can't see to find any schedule.

Thanx

There have been schedules published in the last three editions of BMW ON, in the GS Giant thread, and on ADVrider, and in the GS Giant article on our web site.

There will be signs all over the rally with the schedule, as well as a spread in the rally program with the schedules.

We got your schedules right here! :deal

The BMW Performance Center's Big Dog ride (aka the Black Dakar) will leave EARLY on Friday morning. BUTT.... if you didn't register, you may be outta luck, as the ride filled during pre-registration. Be sure to check at the GS Giant area to see if there are any cancelations.

Ian
 
The BMW Performance Center's Big Dog ride (aka the Black Dakar) will leave EARLY on Friday morning. BUTT.... if you didn't register, you may be outta luck, as the ride filled during pre-registration. Be sure to check at the GS Giant area to see if there are any cancelations. Ian
:thumb

Sorry , this has to be a registered and restricted ride due to the request of the landowners and as prominant as two of them are, I am awestruck. One section of ownership goes back to revolutionary times and the other is a private company that allows permits to ride their land, but not where we are going. Our team was lucky to be able to get around the gate keepers and talk directly to the controllers of the holdings. We can't take the chance ruining future opportunities for our Mid-Atlantic GS Communities and the dealers that support them.
 
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