DS Overnight 01 - May '07 - Orientation

DUAL SPORT OVERNIGHT RIDE:
ROCK FRONT LOOP

What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dualsport Overnight, 1.5 days
When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet Saturday, 12 May, 2:00 PM
Return late Sunday, 13 May
Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of VC

DS OVERNIGHT 01: ORIENTATION

As usual, new stuff is in green...

As expressed in the VCDSRS Master Plan (see the blog), the Series is about presenting riders with the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to become competent on- and off- road dual sport motorcyclists able to undertake multi-day trips over variable terrain with a high degree of self-reliance. On the one hand, we are jumping right into the breach: There are no amenities where we are camping – there are not even well marked sites. There will be no bathrooms, no benches, and as far as I could tell during research, not a ton of flat ground either. On the other hand, this should be a pretty easy overnight even for inexperienced campers: it’s not too far from home, it’s only one night, and hey, you’ll have your homies at your side. If you can unroll a sleeping bag, you’ll make it through the night.

THE GENERAL PLAN

is to leave from BMW of Ventura at Newbury Park after meeting at 2 PM, arrive and set up camp in Rock Front at about 5:30, explore the area to our heart’s content on Sunday morning, and around noon (perhaps earlier, if we get an early start at Rock Front), head for home via the Sierra Madre Ridge / Coulson Canyon route. I have more pavement-free roads in mind for the ride home if we have the time / inclination – all of which will eventually lead us to Santa Barbara, from which locale we will whisk ourselves homeward on the freeway.


SOMEWHAT MORE SPECIFICALLY,

I expect that after leaving the shop on Saturday we will fuel up at the 76 Station in Ojai (and perhaps meet riders from Ventura / Santa Barbara). That should happen around 3:30. The next fuel stop will be about 75 miles away, in Cuyama Valley. We should all top off here: There will be opportunities for plenty of riding before we next see a gas station. (Be warned – fuel in Cuyama Valley ain’t cheap.) I expect us to be hunting down the ideal campsite by about 5:30. That should leave time to set up camp and maybe take a quick ride around the neighborhood before dinnertime.

Our campsite is about 40 miles away from the station at Cuyama, and perhaps 50-60 miles from the next refuel stop, on Sunday’s (indirect) homeward journey. Add to that about as much mucking about in the Rock Front area as you care to do Sunday morning, and you are looking at something in the neighborhood of 150 miles between the station in Cuyama and the station in Santa Ynez I am aiming at. If that range is beyond you, you have at least five options: 1) Bring extra fuel. 2) Buy a bigger tank. 3) Zip off to Santa Maria for gas at some point (30 miles one way). 4) Bring a siphon and (literally) suck up to a couple of big GS riders. 5) Do no mucking about in the Rockfront area (that puts you at about 100 miles between refills – and this would likely be the least fun option).


GEAR

Having survived telemark tours, bluewater sailing tours, bicycle tours, small plane tours, backpacking trips, kayak tours, muti-day climbing trips, and having my house tented for termites, I feel pretty confident that one could handle this overnight with a sleeping bag, a gallon and a half of water, and a Ziploc full of trail mix. So if you can swing that (maybe throw in a small flashlight too), you’re in good shape. However, future overnights (and no doubt your own future riding plans) are sure to require a little more prep and pack. Feel free to bring and experiment with any and all the longriding gear you want to bring.

We represent a broad range of overnight riding experience. I request that all of you who already have a gear list email it to me as soon as possible, regardless of its state of completion: I would like to create a sort of über-list that I can post on the blog or email to riders, so that newbies can benefit from the experiences of seasoned motorcycle campers. So if you have questions about what to bring, contact me. And if you have answers about what to bring, contact me.


FOOD

In keeping with the goal of self-reliant touring – you are on your own (at this point) RE meals. Here, in no particular order, are some random thoughts on the matter:

The nearest restaurant to our camping area is probably over 30 miles away. * I can survive more or less happily for at least a week without eating much of anything. * The world is full of simple snack foods that require no cooking. * If I were riding across Mongolia – as would be (all else being equal) my preference for this weekend – I would bring a small stove, and at least make a hot cup of tea (or fermented yak milk) in the morning. * If you aren’t comfortable with cooking for yourself on a camping stove (and would like to be), now is an ideal time to get comfortable. * If you are all willing to share emails / phone numbers, we can team up on dinner as we see fit. * There were a few raised grill setups at the camp I examined. * A fire permit is a possibility. * My own position on the matter is that one’s initial goal should be to become confident RE preparing all of one’s own meals; once that goal is achieved, I would prefer to group up on meals because it is more fun that way. * It’s a National Forest… Is it deer season yet? * Maybe Goldstein will bring food for me like he usually does… * I think I’ll bring something pre-cooked for dinner, that I can just dump out of a Ziploc and heat up.

Well, I could have random thoughts on that all day, but I don’t want to hog the airwaves; your turn…

HOW WE GO

Pavement

— Formation —

The lead rider rides to the left (usually) of the lane, with the second rider to the right and a few lengths back. The third rider is a similar distance behind the second, and so on. When the road gets more technically demanding, open up into a single-file formation. When we come to a stop at an intersection, tighten up into a two-abreast configuration at the stop. This will help us get through stops without spreading the group out much.

At the start of each section of riding, I will designate a sweep rider. That rider will stay at the back of the group for that entire section of the ride. Every rider needs to recognize the sweep rider. If you drop out of the group for any reason, please alert the sweep rider (or me, if you can easily reach the front) – otherwise the group may end up spending a lot of time looking for a rider who simply went home…

There will come times when I at the front will be out of visual range [Sheesh. I watch way too many Star Trek re-runs] of riders in the back. In this situation, go to long-range sensors… No! In this situation, when we make a course change at an intersection, or anywhere I think a rider out of sight of me might have difficulty figuring out which way I went, I will signal to a rider immediately behind me by pointing at the rider and then pointing at the ground. That means, “Wait here and direct other riders until you see the sweep rider.” The results of this should be that 1) everybody leaves the intersection in the right direction; and 2) the rider I pointed at is now in second to last position – right in front of the sweeper. That rider is welcome – once they have shown the sweeper the correct direction – to move back up through the ranks; could be fun… Which brings me to –

— Passing —

Other vehicles — When the group is passing a slower vehicle, assume that the rider in front of you has no plans to leave room for you between himself and the vehicle he is passing, once he has passed it. It’s nice when the rider in front of you can leave you a space to follow behind, but it is not a requirement, nor is it always even possible. Look out for yourself.

Other riders in the group — Ride your own pace, and let others do the same. If you are behind a rider who is taking the turns a little slower than you would like, you should feel comfortable tapping your horn / flashing your lights to request to pass. Likewise, if a rider is maintaining position right behind you in the turns, keep an eye out for his high beam: If you see it, or hear a horn, slow and let the rider past.

The leader — Honk or flash, I’ll letcha by. If you get to an intersection and aren’t sure which way to go, just stop and wait. Keep in mind that if you are in front of me you have effectively left the group; if you miss a turn, well, see ya back at camp.

— Communication —

I have included links on the blog (in the sidebar) concerning hand signals for riders. We seem to make use of them rarely, but it is nice to know it when the rider in front of you is waving for you to pass him, and not swatting at bugs. The ability to recognize a quick obstacle warning from the rider in front of you is also quite useful. The MSF-USA link is particularly valuable in this regard.


Un-Pavement

— Technical Issues —

Here are a few technical suggestions regarding off-pavement riding that I often forget to share:

At this point, we are still just developing riding skills, and aren’t focused on learning about longriding equipment. Consider removing extra items that won’t be much use on these short rides, but could easily get broken. The most obvious leave-at-home at this stage is saddlebags, but you might consider removing GPS units, extra lighting, etc.

Consider lowering your tire pressure before beginning long unpaved sections. It increases traction. I found that becoming more comfortable with partial traction saves me the stop and the pumping up the tires later, but until you are comfortable sliding around a bit, enforce a tire pressure stop whenever you like. Remember though: Sliding the rear end around can be extremely useful off-road, and just being comfortable when it happens is itself of great value. I think it is easier to learn this skill on fully pressurized tires.

Crank up the preload on the rear shock to provide a firmer, more stable ride on bumpy roads.

You might want to turn that little flathead screw on the bottom of your rear shock (I am talking BMWs here; I don’t really know re other makes); it seems to greatly improve off-road suspension. It is especially helpful on moguls. I recommend turning it completely to H, for starters. Check your manual on how to do this if unsure.

You may want to bring along a wrench with which to remove your mirrors. The mounting bolts are only about six bucks, but they are about the most likely thing to break when you tip over, and they are easy to remove and install.

Remove the rubber inserts in your foot pegs – if not before leaving pavement, before leaving home.

We stand up a lot. If your brake and clutch levers are angled up high, sticking more or less horizontally off the handlebars, it will tire your wrists and forearms unnecessarily, to try to use the controls while standing. I find that when I turn the levers down so that they angle downward from the bars (on my Dakar, about as far down as possible) it makes controlling the bike while standing much less tiresome. You will likely need to loosen and lower the hand guards as well.

Disconnect your ABS before leaving the pavement!

— Formation —

Standard — This is the same formation as that described in the Pavement section; designated sweeper, leader posting a navigational guard at each course change… We’ll have a go at it, although how I am supposed to get photos of you all for the Recap is beyond me, if I am in front the whole time. Maybe instead of designating the guard by pointing, I should toss him the camera…

There will be short sections which do not include intersections, and at both ends of which we will be regrouping. Such sections can be ridden in no particular formation. A good example from last month would be Bouquet Trail from Sierra Pelona Ridge to Bouquet Canyon Road. I may likely start in front, stop to shoot, and end up in back, on such sections.

Pace-line — Another formation we started experimenting with on DSR 05 is a sort of revolving pace-line formation. In this formation rider spacing is not a concern, but rider order is, and it changes continually: The lead rider pulls to the side after completing any section of notable challenge (a river crossing, difficult turn, rocky climb, etc), or after a mile or two of riding at most. The following riders continue on with the rider who was previously second in line as leader. The previous leader watches to see that all riders come through the tricky section, and then joins on at the back, becoming the last rider. Riders never pass each other, except to pass the leader who is on his way to the back. To do this well, each rider needs to keep track of how many riders are behind him at a given time.* This formation is valuable because it arranges that each rider is observed during challenging sections, the ride flow is not interrupted by repeated stops, it makes the ride itself feel more like a team effort, and each rider gets to experience leading, following, and sweeping. This seems to work fairly poorly with larger groups. One of its main drawbacks is that it requires everyone to either know which turns to make, or to wait at every intersection for the “leader”, who could be anywhere in the group. It seems to work best with half a dozen or fewer riders on a section with few intersections and many short challenging sections.

* You should always do this when off pavement: It is a common courtesy on narrow unpaved or challenging roads to alert oncoming traffic to how many riders they should expect to encounter behind you. You do this by holding up a hand with the right number of fingers extended (if there are more than five riders following you… improvise). If, by the way, the road is so challenging that you can’t spare a hand to alert an oncoming rider, it might be best for you to slow down or stop for the rider to pass.

— Sub-Formations —

Within the above formations, riders may like to experiment with riding in different relative positions:

Single-file — Single-file formation will allow maximum maneouverability for avoiding obstacles. At slow speeds on easy terrain, we can ride closer together, but as speed increases, dust and danger will likely force us to loosen up ranks considerably.

Two-by-two — In the past, dust from other riders has kept us widely spaced. A workaround is to ride in pairs. Ideally, the more experienced rider rides a few bike lengths behind and to one side of the less experienced rider. The front rider has only the road ahead to worry about, and the back rider has the road and the front rider to watch out for. The back rider can adjust his distance from the front rider such that billowing dust passes below his face. This formation is never a requirement, but can be fun, and will serve to keep us a little closer together. This is not a safe formation at high speeds: If the road becomes straight and level enough to allow a significant speed increase, this formation should be abandoned.

— Cruxes —

A crux is a short section of trail that is much more difficult that the majority of the trail – so much so that many riders will want to stop and scout / discuss it before riding it. The lead rider generally stops at the beginning of a particularly challenging section of trail in order to allow other riders to gather. This way, information about the best lines can be shared. The lead rider then rides through the crux, stopping just past the end of the difficulty. Riders then follow, one at a time, through the crux section. This ensures that if a rider has trouble in the crux, help is available from both directions. We go one at a time so that if one rider falls in the crux, the next rider is not obliged either to do the same, or ride over his downed comrade.

— Passing —

Remember to let other riders ride at their own pace, whether slower or faster. Passing on fire roads may requite the slower rider to stop briefly, depending on the terrain. If Phil comes up behind you on his 650 and honks, let him by! If we are making conscious use of the Pace-line formation, though, the only passing is the entire group passing the leader after a tricky spot.

— Communication —

The information we want to share off-pavement is sometimes different from what we communicate during a slab ride. A good example is a group of riders on a hilltop staring at a downed rider a quarter mile away where the road climbs up the face of the mountain. I would like to adopt some SCUBA signals for this sort of situation, until something better comes along: If you are concerned about a rider at a distance, put your hands together over or on top of your head, forming an O (for “Okay”) with your arms. If you see some one giving you this signal and you need assistance (or simply, if you need assistance), wave your arms around over your head. If you are okay, make the O sign (and remember not to wave your arms, but hold them steady for a moment in an O position). Feel goofy waving your arms around? Get a radio:

We always have new riders on these rides, and are creating experienced riders: As a result, we often divide the group for brief periods, when some riders choose an easier / more challenging trail than the main one. If someone gets into trouble while separated, radios will suddenly be extremely valuable. Bring one if you have one. Consider it safety gear. Speaking of communications, Pete Maclachlan, GM of BMW of Ventura County, has offered a discount to VCDSRS riders on Autocom communication system parts and installation. Contact the shop for details.


PRIMARY CHALLENGES

This ride is sort of a hybrid between the Rides we have been doing and the Overnights we will be doing. As such, I planned it to be not too challenging in either case. Trail-wise, there will be an optional riverbed section on the way out, which may be quite challenging: If you are not familiar with sand riding, and have saddlebags on, I recommend skipping it.

There are many trails at Rock Front. I have not explored the most challenging trails, but of what I have ridden, the most difficult are the steep inclines on loose substrate, often with sharp curves. There are plenty of fairly straightforward fire roads as well. I recommend leaving the camping gear at camp while exploring Rock Front, just to increase your riding options.

If we return via Sierra Madre ridge we will make several rocky crossings of a usually dry streambed. These will require a little care. Most of the roads in this area are fairly tame at trail riding speeds.


Consider yourself oriented! Email me with your gear answers – and questions. Remember that on the blog you can append Comments to posts; if you want to use my posting of this document to share information, feel free.