The Ventura County Adventure Ride Series - Introduction

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Welcome to the VCARS, sponsored by BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County, California. You don't need a BMW to take part in these rides; all dual sport riders are welcome. The goal of this repeating series of increasingly challenging day rides is – well, they're designed to be fun! We’ll take you out of Urbania and introduce you to some great dual sport riding areas, ripe for exploration. Each ride will take us into the beautiful California backcountry, riding with old friends and making new ones. Rides are rated with a (largely subjective) difficulty rating of R1-R9; R1 being improved dirt or well-graded fire road, and R9 representing challenge at the peak of ability of rider & machine. This series will usually oscillate from R2 to R4. Rarely, a given series may include an R5 ride as well.

Each series includes 3-4 rides. Singly, every ride is a new adventure; as a whole, each series has even more to offer: The slight increase in riding challenge over the course of each series provides riders the opportunity to gradually increase their riding ability in a non-instructional, learn-by-doing setting. The ride leader is eager to help riders improve, and our growing community of riders is a supportive group with many veterans; have questions about riding technique? Fire away!

Although designed with the novice rider in mind, the easier VCARS rides always offer opportunities for more experienced riders to push themselves as well if desired. Likewise, more challenging rides later in each series often include go-arounds, allowing less experienced riders to join in a Series at any time, and giving them the opportunity to choose their level of challenge. Looking for the next step in adventure riding - or instruction to help you take that next step? Check out the EarthRider main site for course offerings, multi-day rides, and more challenging (R5 and above) ADRs.

This website is dedicated exclusively to VCARS ride events. Links to upcoming rides are found in the table at TOP DEAD CENTER, above. There you will also find links to pages of valuable information, and to EarthRider's main website. VCARS IN WORDS & PICTURES, below, allows you to browse through past ride Intros, and related image & textual media. Take some time to browse around! At the bottom of this colmn you will find a host of links to past ride photos, stories, and even video.

High in the Los Padres. '08ADR 01

[Want to find out more about upcoming rides? Scroll back up to the TOP DEAD CENTER section.]

'10 Adventure Day Ride 09/18 - R4

THE FINAL VCARS RIDE

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R4, full day Meet Saturday, 18 September, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

First, the good news:
This will be the last VCARS ride.
Now, the explanation of why that is good news: BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County is now able to provide GS-oriented rides in-house! BMWoVC Service Manager Howard Rantz will be leading monthly adventure day rides from the shop, beginning in October. Even better, shop rides will now be free! You have yet another monthly organized ride available to you.
Meantime, the VCARS repeating series of rides of gradually increasing challenge will continue as well, at least through the end of this year. Furthermore, this change will create time for the reinstitution of EarthRider's well-received Skilzdrills series, last offered in 2009. Follow the EarthRider site for future updates on the Skilzdrill series & other day- & multi-day rides.

See you on the 18th!

VCARS' last ride in this area

Los Padres mtns lunch stop

This ride will take us through mountains, valleys, and plains. We'll cover a lot of miles; bring snacks to hold you through the last part of the day, after our early restaurant lunch stop in the Los Padres mountains on our outward leg.

R1

As easy as it looks?

Challenge of the Month:
The vast majority of this route is R2-3 & even R1, with only a few short sections where the ruts we met in July combine with loose substrate, or become so deep or thick on the ground, to warrant an R4 rating. One short curving off-camber descent may also pose a challenge. What turns this from an R3 ride with a couple extra-challenging bits to a full-fledged R4 ride is the open nature of the terrain: In many places, the lay of the land welcomes speedier riding than is usual for beginning off-pavement rides. Effective line selection is not only more mentally challenging at higher speed, but more crucial. Rider speed is as always the choice of the individual, but it is the fact that the option of higher speed is available that warrants a solid R4 rating for this ride.

For the more experienced riders in our community, this route offers multiple opportunities to choose alternate, more challenging routes (up to about R6), close to or within sight of the main group.

Meandering through the foothils

Brilliant mtn slab riding

Any time you have questions en route about how to meet any of these challenges, the ride leader is eager to help you out.

This is the most challenging ride of this iteration of VCARS - In October we will be going back to basics! Expect a shorter-than average, easy day enjoying our local mountains. We'll be starting off easy, and stretching our endurance - the next iteration of the series will go to R5.

R5 ability, especially solid sand riding skill, opens the door to vast unpaved riding opportunities. Ready to move into the realm of solid intermediate level adventure riding? Have a look at the more advanced ADRs offered on EarthRider's main site. Ready & willing, but not sure you're able? Fear not: Private instruction and in-depth, skill-specific classes are also available.

RIDE ROSTER

Blake "Towstrap" Hill ER - '10 Spring Mojave 3-DayKTM 990 SuperEnduro Neil Reynolds VCARS - '10 ADR 01/09BMW R1200GS Mark "Duffy" Morong BMW F650GS Chris Portzel VCARS - '08 DSS 05/10BMW R1200GS Bruce Gillies VCARS - '08 ADR 09/27Yamaha WR250R Kevin Donoghue BMW R1200GS

'10 Adventure Day Ride 07/10 - R3

SANTA BARBARA MOUNTAINS

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R3, full day Meet Saturday, 10 July, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

We will cover some terrific (paved & not) Santa Barbara area back roads on this, the second ride of the repeating shop ride series. Steep tree-crowded grades await us; twisted one-lane hill routes and sections made up more of pothole than pavement – and that’s before we even hit the dirt!

Knobby tires are helpful but not necessary for this ride. For further general information about this & all VCARS rides, new riders should peruse the information available in the Top Dead Center section of this site (just above this article). email any remaining unanswered questions to EarthRider.

Challenge of the Month: You can expect more water crossings this month, but curving unpaved climbs & shallow ruts are what make this ride slightly more challenging than our June ride. Also, near the end of the day we have the option of a short out-&-back route which has historically been as hard as R5, though when last reconnoitered was easy R4: A chance for individuals to further stretch their off-pavement abilities into the intermediate realm if desired. Remember, this series is all about helping you become a better rider, gradually. If you have questions about how to meet any of a ride’s challenges, the ride leader is eager to help you out.

BYO lunch & expect a stop shortly after midday. Our homeward route has lots to offer in the way of refreshment / meal stops; an impromptu dinner stop in / around Santa Barbara is (optional &) likely.

Adventure rider rest stop.

RIDE ROSTER

Dale Velador Suzuki VStrom 650 Greg "I-Lean" Drevenstedt EarthRider - '10 DSO 04/30-05/02 Kawasaki KLR 650 Paul "Capt. America" Beck ER - VCARS - '10 ADR 03/13 BMW R1200GS Brian HodgesBMW R100 GS/PD Chris Klausner BMW R1200GS Neil Reynolds EarthRider - '10 ADR 06/26 - R6 BMW R1200GS Pete Mosinskis BMW F650 Funduro Kevin Donoghue EarthRider - VCARS - '10 ADR 04/10BMW R1200GS Andrew Wheelwright '10 ADR 03/27BMW F650 Dakar

'10 Adventure Day Ride 06/12 - R2

NORTHERN MOUNTAINS

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R2, full day Meet Saturday, 12 June, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

Although a rider can change the level of challenge of any ride with a slight movement of the wrist, this ride - representing a new beginning for the BMW GS shop ride series - has been created to be within the abilities of riders with no off-pavement experience. Our route will take us into northern mountains for a day of long sweeping mountain road curves, broken up by shorter out-and-back explorations of some of the area’s more manageable unpaved and – well – pseudo-paved roads. Whatever your level of ability, we are in for some beautiful scenery.

Challenge of the Month: Most of the terrain on this ride is smooth & well graded. Water crossings will require prudent line selection. One sandy section is solid intermediate riding, but is only yards in length and can be walked around or dog-paddled through.

Knobby tires are not necessary for this ride. For further general information about this & all VCARS rides, new riders should peruse the information available in the Top Dead Center section of this site (just above this article). email any remaining unanswered questions to EarthRider.

Riding a Big Bike off pavement requires a unique skillset. Take advantage of this chance to start (or continue) building those skills. The more experienced riders within our community are always supportive of new riders, and the ride leader is an off-pavement riding instructor eager to field whatever questions you may have as the ride - and indeed the ride series - progresses.

BYO snacks for a mid-day break that will tide us over until our late restaurant lunch stop.

RIDE ROSTER

Todd LaBrie KTM 990 Adventure Neil Reynolds VCARS '08 ADR 04/04BMW R1200GS William Portzel VCARS - '08 DSS 05/10BMW R1200GS Robert Lamishaw BMW F650GS Chris Ogden BMW R1200GS Sung Kim VCARS - '09 ADR 09/05 BMW R1200GSA Moss Rosen VCARS - '10 ADR 05/08BMW R1150GS Gary "Emmy" D'Amico VCARS - '08 ADR 04/04BMW R1200GSA

'10 Adventure Day Ride 05/08 - R4

MAY MTN MEANDER

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R4, full day Meet Saturday, 8 May, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

It's flower season!

Craig Leonard - before his street ride leading days

Gary D'Amico cresting a poppy- laden hill

Spring lingers in the local mountains. This month's shop GS ride will take advantage of that. Join us for a day of zig-zagging up canyons, down valleys, and over mountain ridges. Minimal R4 sections will be linked by long stretches of R2-3 riding and pavement. We will have a restaurant lunch stop, but every adventure day ride is just that; an adventure! Bring snacks in case the unexpected alters our lunch schedule. See you at the shop!

RIDE ROSTER

Steven Atkin ARC '07BMW F650GS Dakar Neil Reynolds '09 ADR 03/07BMW R1200GS Moss Rosen VCARS - '10 ADR 03/13BMW R1150GS

'10 Adventure Day Ride 04/10 - R3

POZO LOOP

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R3, full day Meet Saturday, 10 April, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

Winding Santa Barbara County backroads

California Valley rest stop

Coastal roads swathed in sea mist. Steep, Narrow mountain passes. Broad, green, winding valleys. Gently undulating short-cropped farmland. Winding stream-crossed fire roads. Arrow-straight, paveless grassland highways.

April finds us on an epic loop of moderate terrain, spanning three counties. This ride includes a restaurant lunch stop - bring snacks too; we’ll be covering a lot of miles!

Taken two weeks prior to ride date. The colour show will be epic this year!

RIDE ROSTER

Scott Gibb VCARS - '10 ADR 03/13 Suzuki DR650 Kevin & Sherene Donoghue BMW R1200GS Tim New VCARS - '10 ADR 03/13 Honda XR400 Doug McGinnis VCARS - '10 ADR 03/13BMW F650 Bill Wensel VCARS - '08 ADR 09/27Yamaha TTR - 250 Gary "Emmy" D'Amico VCARS - '10 ADR 01/09BMW R1200GSA

'10 Adventure Day Ride 03/13 - R2

TEHACHAPI LOOP

What When Where To Register Registration Fee Dualsport Ride, R2, full day Meet Saturday, 13 March, 7:30 AM Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County email EarthRider $25.00 Registration Options Meet @ shop $25.00 Remote meeting $45.00 Enter date of ride you wish to register for:

Road to nowhere? Perfect.

Desert grassland

Descending into the Central Valley.

The BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County shop ride series begins anew! Though requiring minimal off-pavement experience, this will be one of our higher-mileage rides. Crossing two mountain ranges and the desert in between, few rides offer as much variety while remaining accessible to riders just beginning to develop off-pavement riding skills. We will have a restaurant lunch stop in Tehachapi, with significant paved and unpaved riding both before and after.

Owning the Grapevine - part of our route homeward.

Riders familiar with the general route will enjoy a few new twists and turns, either in the desert, or the mountains – or the OTHER mountains – or all three. Bring your camera; there’s always a chance we’ll catch an early Spring poppy bloom in the Mojave. And if there is time after lunch, we’ll make a short detour to go see the REAL Tehachapi Loop...

RIDE ROSTER

John Schulte BMW F650GS Mark Morong ER - '09 ADR 03/07 BMW F650 Blake "Towstrap" Hill ER - '10 ADR 02/27 r6 BMW R1200GSA Neil Rifenbark Sr. BMW R1200GS Kurtis "Slick" Heidolph VCARS - '10 ADR 01/09 BMW F800GS Wayne "Crazyhorse" Tidwell EarthRider - '09 ADR 09/19 BMW R1200GSA Darrel "Daz" Byard RawHyde Adventures BMW R1200GS Doug McGinnis BMW F650GS Scott Gibb VCARS - '10 ADR 02/13 Suzuki DR650 Moss Rosen VCARS - '10 ADR 02/13 BMW R1150GS Neil Rifenbark Jr. BMW F650GS Gary "Emmy" D'Amico VCARS - '10 ADR 11/07 WUSSOUT! BMW R1200GSA Paul "Magic Boots" Beck VCARS - '10 ADR 01/09 BMW R1200GS Jordan Eller VCARS - '08 ADR 09/27 BMW Dakar