Trans America Trail

[sail2xxs]

Has anyone on here run the TAT, especially the eastern end? I'm trying to figure out how doable splitting a TAT trip into multiple 4 day weekends would be. 1 day out, 1 day back, 2 days on the TAT. (When I say one day out or back, I mean up to 1500 miles.) Once past that point, I would try to do the remainder in one trip.

Thanks for any thoughts, suggestions, or experiences!

Chris

 

[HoebSTer]

Chris, Have you read some of the reports on ADV? I think the west is slower moving, but the east is still sorta slow. I wouldn't think doing more then 250 each day is doable, but I haven't done it. I just know from riding forest service roads, mostly gravel, tends to make the miles rack up much slower while staying in a safe margin level. I'd be interested to hear how you did.

 

[Yamaguy55]

I haven't rode it, but a riding associate has. His take was great ride, not much distance per day. As stated above, the ADV website crowd has multiple reports, on a variety of machines. Skierd and Dr Rock's are the ones I'm most familiar with but I have seen lots of others. Be very wary of wet and the OK section, everyone states the same thing about the mud.


http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=500618

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=344776&highlight=Mobius+Trip

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614433

 

[sail2xxs]

Thanks guys! I think I've read just about every TAT report on ADV at one time or another. ;D

I was hoping someone on this forum might have done some or all of it, and have thoughts about how it might go for an S10. Totally agree on 250 being close to max per day on the TAT - first, no sense in riding all that way just to blow by everything, and second, one of the most consistent things I've seen in trip reports is getting lost... ::025::

The earliest I'll be able to start this little project would be around Thanksgiving... got a bunch of sailing to squeeze in before then!

Chris

 

[lkurth]

just got back tat trinidad,co. to moab,ut. and back to tnidad via blacktop great ride sam carerros roll charts are flawless 3days to monticello,ut. 1day aound moab 2days back to trinidad bikes 650 honda xrl 650 klr 400dz suzuki. i have a super tenere icould have ridden it on all the trail but would have been pretty tired some nights

 

[sail2xxs]

Sweet! Thanks for posting your experience, and assessment of how the S10 might have done. Hope to see pics!!!

Chris

 

[tomatocity]

There is a Super Tenere currently on TAT. Saw it in a photo. He is traveling with a restored 1973 Honda CL-250. They were in deep sand and not having fun.

 

[Rasher]

Theres a guy on the UKGSER forum that runs trips from the UK stateside at least once a year, he has posted quite a lot of reports and info that may be worth trawling through.

 

[wfopete]

I live on the TAT (well not literally but my driveway comes off it) in Arkansas. I've seen many a of tired, worn out D/S riders go by my place so I know it will wear on you AND your bike. I helped out a couple of KLR and 990 riders this summer having tube/tire problems. They were a bit lost and didn't know how long it was going to take to get to their planned overnight stop, their bikes were ailing and so they were too. After camping on the TAT for several nights, they didn't know how close they were to a good sleep and food. I offered them my barn but they declined. Being a fellow KLR rider I directed them to hotels, tires and food just 20 minutes to their south.

 

[sail2xxs]

There is a Super Tenere currently on TAT. Saw it in a photo. He is traveling with a restored 1973 Honda CL-250. They were in deep sand and not having fun.

I've been in deep sand once with the bike, and did not have much fun with it either! You really notice every pound then!

Chris

 

[sail2xxs]

I live on the TAT (well not literally but my driveway comes off it) in Arkansas. I've seen many a of tired, worn out D/S riders go by my place so I know it will wear on you AND your bike. I helped out a couple of KLR and 990 riders this summer having tube/tire problems. They were a bit lost and didn't know how long it was going to take to get to their planned overnight stop, their bikes were ailing and so they were too. After camping on the TAT for several nights, they didn't know how close they were to a good sleep and food. I offered them my barn but they declined. Being a fellow KLR rider I directed them to hotels, tires and food just 20 minutes to their south.

Some of my best and most memorable nights sleep have been in barns during trips. Can't imagine turning that down! Riding the TAT is getting more and more tempting than before.

Chris

 

[stevepsd]

I've been in deep sand once with the bike, and did not have much fun with it either! You really notice every pound then!

Chris

::026:: And I was on the stock Tourances to boot!

 

[JaimeV]

I'm planning to do a big trip on summer 2014 (my present to my 55 years anniversary (I know…very old :'( ).
This TAT could be a nice option!! I’m going to read about it.
Do you know if july-august is going to be too hot in there?

 

[wfopete]

Jamie,

I hope you would have other business over here other than the TAT. Nothing against the TAT but I certainly would not travel across an ocean to ride it. It's ok for locals to play on but once you've been there done that, it over. Hell, it's mostly just a dirt road with a few scenic spots thrown in.

 

[JaimeV]

Jamie,

I hope you would have other business over here other than the TAT. Nothing against the TAT but I certainly would not travel across an ocean to ride it. It's ok for locals to play on but once you've been there done that, it over. Hell, it's mostly just a dirt road with a few scenic spots thrown in.

Right, can you recommend-me something else? I'm stanting now to look for this ride
Thanks!!

 

[Checkswrecks]

It all depends on how long you have to ride and what type of riding you want to do.


If you like the technical off-roading you posted photos of from the Pyrenee, then Utah and the bigger parts of the Rocky Mountains would blow you away.


If you like the Swiss Alp type of roads, not much can touch from Glacier National Park to Jasper, Alberta, up the Canadian Icefields Parkway.


Hundreds of miles of exploring forest and coastline? Maybe the Trans Labrador.


The single thing that baffles Euro guests to be aware of is scale over here. All of Europe fits about between the US Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River.

 

[tomatocity]

Right, can you recommend-me something else? I'm stanting now to look for this ride
Thanks!!

Jaime you might listen to more than one person about TAT http://www.transamtrail.com/

You could do TAT and other rides. The Continental Divide might be to your taste...
https://www.google.com/search?q=riding+the+continental+divide+motorcycle&aq=2&oq=riding+the+Continental+Divide&sugexp=chrome,mod=11&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

or a Google search...
https://www.google.com/search?q=motorcycle+off+road+rides+of+America&sugexp=chrome,mod=11&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=motorcycle+off+road+rides+of+America&oq=motorcycle+off+road+rides+of+America&gs_l=serp.12...0.0.0.17845.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.Wpp6_7xbMGs&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=ba9a35dc39c5822a&biw=1366&bih=681

There is a lot of riding in the America's. This forum and ADV has many riders that ride a ton of off-road.

Hope this helps.

 

[JaimeV]

Thanks guys. I'm just starting to think about it so I'm looking for different alternatives.
My original idea (or dream) is go to Mongolia and Siberia. I know a guy that is doing this trip and is amazing, but for that I must have three months and I doubt I can have such a lot of time... so I would like to have a second option (more realistic) that must be done in a month/month and a half (July/august).
I like off road tracks as much as possible, I don’t mind if they are difficult but they must be able to do it with the S10.
I liked the idea of crossing USA, I had a wonderful time riding in Idaho, but Canada, Alaska... could be great! ::008::

 

[sail2xxs]

::026:: And I was on the stock Tourances to boot!

Same here! I just HAD to go out and give it a shot.

Chris

 

[sail2xxs]

JaimeV,

Another web site that might give you some ideas is http://graveltravel.ca

If you're thinking July/August, getting north to cool down a little might be nice.

Chris