February 2019
Issue 30
OFFROAD ANYWHERE ANYTIME 2019 KTM 690 ENDURO R Take charge of your ride with the new KTM 690 ENDURO R – now armed with highly-capable WP XPLOR suspension, ride-enhancing electronics and aggressive new offroad styling. True to its core, this renowned icon of original dual-sport offers a dynamic slim feel, delivering superior all-terrain action wherever and whenever the urge arises.
KTM Group Partner
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations. European specification model shown.
Photo: F. Lackner
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504 / 505 Series Tire Made for soft to hard terrains, this combo tire offers exceptional traction, braking, stability, and control. ShinkoTireUSA.com
Issue 30 February 2019
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February 2019
Issue 30
LOGO SHEET
THE INSIDER
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Cover Tim Burke Design Chris Glaspell Photography Editor Simon Cudby
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Contributing Writers Tim Burke Simon Cudby Chad de Alva Jon Florea Seiji Ishii
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Contributing Photographers Tim Burke Justin W. Coffey Chad de Alva Ana Hogas Marcin Kin
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SOUTH AMERICA PART 4 TIm BURKE CHECKS IN FROM Ushuaia, Argentina
Story Editor Stefanie Glaspell Business Development Brandon Glanville
ALONG THE SILK ROAD JON AND ANA Ride THE ancient trade route
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Upshift Magazine is published monthly by Upshift Online Inc. 2019. Reproduction of any material requires written consent from the publishers. All photos, editorial contributions and advertisements are accepted upon representation that they are original materials by the author and or advertiser. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff or advertisers of Upshift Online Inc. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements.
Navigating through medevac options
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COLORADO 500
43rd annual Charity Invitational Ride
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED INSIDER: SEIJI ISHII Getting fit after an injury and getting back out there better and stronger? Toby Price just won his second Dakar Rally, a monumental feat, but even more so considering he fractured his wrist only three weeks before the start of the 2019 edition. Price’s ability to rebound after an injury that would prevent most from eating with that hand to winning arguably the most challenging motorcycle race in the world is the stuff of legend. I have witnessed similar superhuman efforts during my time as a motocross and supercross trainer, both in the amateur and professional ranks. Riders are overcoming devastating injuries or illnesses and not only surviving but thriving during competition. I am applying what I’ve learned from these exceptional athletes in my current recovery from an ACL reconstruction gone bad; two consecutive staph infections, five total surgeries, and seven months of struggle to return to my active personal and professional life. I’m also seeing the same in guiding Weston Peick in his recovery after his horrific injuries to his face and skull from the Paris Supercross. Athletes that wholeheartedly accept the challenge of returning to riding and competition in a dominant fashion share mental strategies. Here are the top three I have observed consistently that I am employing for myself and my clients:
1.
That was then, this is now. It doesn’t matter how fit or fast you were before your injury. No amount of
lamenting the loss of the hard work in training will change the current situation. You cannot alter history, you have zero control over events that have already transpired. Have your moment of grieving then put your attention and energies into the only place that can positively affect your future: the present, the now.
2. Make do with what you have at the moment without complaint. Again, it’s all about funneling energies into the things you can control. You have one limb on the disabled list? Three limbs still work. You can always improve mobility, core integrity, diet, and the mental game. Avoid complaining; yes, it could be better, but it is what it is, so make the most of it. I had text conversations with Andrew Short during this year’s Dakar. He relayed that he saw Price racing through the dunes using only one arm. “It blew me away,” said Short. Do you think Price was complaining to himself that he couldn’t use his other arm? I don’t; he had too many other focal points that lead to his victory.
3. Believe. This simple tactic is the obvious trait common amongst the athletes I’ve helped return to competition. Maybe their doctors didn’t have faith, perhaps even I lost confidence at times. But the athlete remained fully invested, every atom of their being committed, every neuron in their brain trusting they would overcome. Unwavering belief obliterated negativity and shielded the athlete from doubts, regardless of source. You can and must do the same. These mental directives are not ancient secrets available only to a select few. They are accessible to anyone using deliberate practice. Write your own story. Adventure awaits.
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Upshift - February
1.
NEMO Ultralight Tents Just Got More Livable NEMO, award-winning designer of outdoor adventure gear that is designed to keep you warmer, drier, and more comfortable, launched its Spring/Summer2019 product line this week. With an understanding of the importance of easy, intuitive tent setup, NEMO also embarked on a series of studies to understand and improve the experience, adding color-coded poles, matching webbing, and easy-to-secure clips. • The patent-pending Flybar™ volumizing pole clip in Hornet™ and Hornet™ Elite adds interior volume at the head where it matters most. • Rocket 2P, weighing just 1 lb., 6 oz., utilizes NEMO’s new T-frame in a patent-pending design that sets a new standard for comfort and livability in the ultra-ultra-lightweight category. • Dragonfly™ was designed to bridge the gap between light and ultralight, and strikes the ideal balance of weight and comfort for many backpackers. • Dagger™ is updated with pre-bent poles and increased livable space. See NEMO’s complete line of products at www.nemoequipment.com
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Upshift - February
2.
Z-Frame Knee Brace From Leatt The inventors of the Leatt-Brace® expands their line of knee braces for 2019 with a new Z-Frame knee brace. Replicating the mechanics of the knee, the Z-Frame brace either deflects or absorbs impact as required. The Z-frame is made of an injected composite chassis with slim hinges for superior bike feel. Engineered to help reduce forces, it limits knee injuries and is CE certified as both a medical device and as impact protection. Certified medical device and top-rated impact protection that won’t break the bank, this is where science and performance mesh to deliver pure, unrivaled Thrill! The Z-Frame is available in size S-XL and retails for $299.99 for a pair. For more information, visit www.leatt.com Leatt® develops personal protective equipment and ancillary products for all forms of sports, especially action sports. The Leatt-Brace® is an award-winning neck brace system considered the gold standard for neck protection for anyone wearing a crash helmet as a form of protection. It was designed for participants in action sports or riding motorcycles, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and other vehicles.
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2019 Dakar Rally Winner - Toby Price
Photo: Marcin Kin
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Toby Price
Photo: Marcin Kin
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally
Photo: Marcin Kin
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Adrien Van Beveren
Photo: Yamaha
2019
STAY AUTHENTIC WITH ECSTAR SUZUKI GENUINE OILS Whether you’re on the open road or exploring an unbeaten path, ECSTAR Suzuki Genuine Oil gives your V-Strom the performance it needs so that you can focus on the adventure ahead. Increasing engine performance, throttle response, and fuel efficiency, ECSTAR is the only choice when it comes to high-quality lubricants specially formulated for your Suzuki motorcycle. Get ECSTAR Suzuki Genuine Oil at your authorized Suzuki dealer, or online at Store.SuzukiCycles.com. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. © 2019 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Skyler Howes
Photo: Justin W. Coffey
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Ricky Brabec
Photo: MCH
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Andrew Short
Photo: Marcin Kin
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Laia Sanz
Photo: MCH
2019
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2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Matthias Walkner
Photo: Marcin Kin
2019
Wide Open
2019 Dakar Rally - Rider: Sebastian Urquia
Photo: Justin W. Coffey
2019
APEX ADVENTURE Carved from the KRIOS DOT/ECE chassis, the KRIOS PRO is the first ADV-specific DOT helmet in North America to integrate KoroydŽ materials and construction. The KRIOS PRO helmet elevates standards in comfort, performance and airflow while leaving traditional compromises behind. The ultimate ADV experience is made possible by high performance Karbon™ Fiber construction, four-ride-mode versatility, aerodynamic superiority and unrivaled acoustical and contact comfort.
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Explore the entire family of V-Strom motorcycles at suzukicycles.com Along with concerned conservationists everywhere, Suzuki urges you to Tread Lightly!® on public and private land. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki trademarks or ®. © 2019 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
Adventure runs in
the family. Pack your bags. Go the distance. Bring back memories. The new 2019 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT Adventure and the new V-Strom 650XT Touring. Superbly equipped for miles of adventures, these seriously capable machines feature side cases, a center stand, and a rugged accessory bar. Both are powered by an advanced, liquid-cooled 90-degree V-twin engine delivering smooth low to mid-range rpm torque and potent performance across the entire power range. Whether it’s the open road or the road less traveled, your next adventure starts with a V-Strom.
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Ushuaia, Argentina: The southernmost drive-to town in the world. It’s not an easy one to get to. Even when the skies are blue, the entirety of Tierra del Fuego makes you earn it. With winds that routinely exceed 80mph (130kmh,) the stark and vast plains of this archipelago are nothing short of miserable when you’re struggling to keep a 2-wheeled machine upright.
A perfectly normal-sized road, all of a sudden, seems far too narrow when you’re getting rocked edge-toedge by gale force winds and opposite-direction tractor trailers, also fighting the wind. Ushuaia lies at the very bottom of Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia which is at the very bottom of South America. It is here that this magical little Argentinean village lies. Between the quaint downtown and the far reaches of the desolate dead-end road, “Road J,” there is plenty to do and see from whale-watching or penguin spotting to hiking and shopping. It’s a shame that so many Overland-travelers say that this awesome little town should be skipped. I can’t help but squint my eyes in confusion when I hear anybody say, “It’s not worth it.” Maybe I’m just biased, but making it up and over the Martial Mountains and descending into Ushuaia created a feeling of accomplishment that’s been one of the greatest highs I’ve ever experienced in traveling. Two days turned into five, exploring the raw beauty of the Martial Mountain Range and the frigid coastal waterways of Tierra del Fuego. The “Dublín Pub” was always the perfect place to end each day with a massive Argentinean burger and an ice cold pint of South American beer. From the bottom of the world, all that was left to do was flip a U-turn. Since I took the epic “Carretera Austral” south through Chilean Patagonia, I’d focus my attention on Argentina’s famous Ruta 40, north. This time, I’d travel through Patagonia on the eastern side of the Andes. I had new sights and experiences to look forward to. Did I mention the Patagonian winds yet? For three days, as I traveled back north, away from Ushuaia, I battled winds, that one time, completely blew me off the road and placed me in the dirt. It was like a giant invisible hand came down from the sky and just swatted me like a bug. I just can’t describe the ferocity of the winds across the open Argentinean plains.
Finally, I made it back to the Andes, where the jagged terrain disrupts the winds and finally allows for some less-intense cross-winds and corrective-leaning! As I made my way north through Patagonia, I was on a scavenger hunt. I was chasing after an old American cowboy tale so legendary that it almost seems fictitious. …The year was 1901, and every policeman and sheriff in the USA was chasing after the most wanted men in the Wild West. Responsible for robbing banks, trains, stealing horses and cattle, their faces were on posters around the country: WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE. They fled the USA via steamship and eventually arrived in Patagonia to start a new life. The life of crime is hard to escape though, and the gunfights, robberies, and debauchery continued in their new life. Eventually, the 2 outlaws were killed by police in Bolivia. It was a wild land back then and it is a wild land now, still. Their names were Butch Cassidy and “The Sundance Kid,” and this is the very cabin, at the end of a dead-end dirt road, that they lived.
After a bit of daydreaming about what life in Patagonia was like back then, I pressed on northbound again through the year-round snow-capped peaks of the Andes. The town of San Carlos de Bariloche is one of Patagonia’s most lively tourism centers. The Aspen, Colorado of South America, it’s a ski resort by winter and an outdoor-sports mecca by summer. An interesting history, just after WWII, lead to its German/Bavarian influenced architecture, European town square, and plentiful chocolate shops. Numerous hostels provide affordable lodging options for homeless motorcyclers like me. …There’s a level of heartbreak associated with “saying goodbye” to a place that you just don’t know when (or if) you’ll ever see again. I had been in the Andes Mountains, from top to bottom, for the past 8 months. As I eyed Buenos Aires, Uruguay, and Brazil, I knew that my eastbound track would take me away from this mountain range that I had called home for so long. With a heavy heart, I took one last, long gander at the Andes Mountains and let the clutch out, motorcycle pointed towards Argentina’s capital city, and moved on. There really is no fascinating way to cover the distance across the flatlands of Argentina, so I covered the 1000 miles in a day’s time. Not much but corn, wheat, and grain passed by as I covered about the same distance as between Denver and Chicago. I rolled into Bueno Aires around 11pm and spent the week because there is just that much going on. From San Telmo Market to the various diverse neighborhoods with brightly colored buildings, Buenos Aires is a happening place. North and across the giant mouth of the Rio de la Plata, lies the country of Uruguay. Regular ferry service brought me across the body of water and into the heavily Spanish-influenced town of Colonia del Sacramento. Cobblestone streets, colonial-style buildings, and small alleyways could fool one into thinking they’re somewhere on Europe’s Iberian Peninsula.
Uruguay is unique. Life moves slower here. For a while, I was struggling to pinpoint just was it was that made it unique. There’s something here that induces a feeling of comfort and familiarity with “home.” As I rolled through the quaint country (I can’t think of a better word to describe it), I’m brought back to times spent in the southeastern parts of the United States. Many of the tree-lined streets that I rode along brought me back to rides in the Carolinas and Georgia. It is the culture here to hang on to items from the past. Old cars and trucks aren’t just kept as antiques, but everyday vehicles. It’s not uncommon to see an old Mack dump truck from the 1940s still hauling dirt to a nearby construction site or an old Ford pickup truck, delivering milk. There was just something special about this laid-back country, and I really liked it. Up next, looming on the horizon: Brazil. Believe it or not, Brazil wasn’t even on the agenda when I first started in South America. The visa application process, which required a visit to an embassy, was a bit inundating and expensive. Just recently though, the whole process was changed before my arrival into the country. Brazil’s State Department has moved the visa process to an online location and can be found by searching “E-Visa” on Google. The visa is $40 USD plus a $4 processing fee. Once a photocopy of your passport and a recent photo are uploaded to their website it’s a one week wait period. Boom. Brazilian visa obtained via email!
I crossed into Brazil, from Uruguay, on the coastal highway near Chuy. It was an easy crossing (like every crossing since the circus-act of Central American borders), and there I was: Cruising through the State of Rio Grande do Sul on the Atlantic Coast. Throughout my travels, as my photos and stories have gained outreach, social media has opened my networks in the most incredible ways. To a world-audience, we can share experiences and offer varying perspective. It allows people to connect with us. Over the past 20 months, complete strangers have opened their homes to me, and some have even become lifelong friends. At the same time though, social media can be a forum for unqualified advice. I truly feel that this advice comes from a good place in the heart, but really, it can be detrimental. Throughout my travels, I have been deliberate in directly addressing unfounded social-media comments that monger unnecessary fear. It is this mongering that is unnecessarily hurtful to the touristic-economies of many of these developing countries. Brazil was not exempt from these comments. I had heard everything from, “They’ll behead you in the streets” to “The whole place is a war zone.” I learned quickly that Brazil is far from that, and it’s one of the reasons that the country remains at the top of my favorites list. I spent almost two months in Brazil having the time of my life. It was a beautiful mid-April afternoon as I rolled north toward the beaches of Florianopolis in Santa Catarina. Merging onto a highway, I rolled on the throttle: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th…. Redline. Damn it! I back off the throttle and roll it on again. It’s sticky. Then it slips and hits redline again. The clutch: I know a fried clutch when I see one. Just finding the proper brake pads and rear tires down here is challenge enough. “Where the heck was I going to find a clutch for this German cow,” I thought. Clutches for these bikes aren’t cheap and are made even more expensive by S. American import duties and taxes. This is where the people of Brazil showed their heart. Knowing that this was going to have a huge impact on my total budget, likely cutting the trip short, I was stuck. I needed the parts one way or another so I stopped into the “Top Car” BMW dealership to order my parts. My original plan was to get the parts, just tear into the motor in a hostel courtyard and do the work myself. This company, who had been following my photography and journey for months, informed me that they would be replacing my clutch free of charge at the dealership. The word “generosity” does not serve appropriate justice to just how big these people’s hearts are. Nothing but generosity is what fueled this act of kindness.
While I waited for parts to arrive from the factory in Germany, I spent 2 weeks testing the coldness and tastes of various Brazilian beers (for science purposes.) The clutch itself is an easy install and only took a couple of hours. The completion of the work marked the end of my time in Florianopolis. In a place like this, just two weeks is enough time to make friends and establish what feels like roots. It was hard to drive away from here, and I owe a lot of that to the generosity of the Brazilian people but it was time to hit the road again, and each mile that passed brought me further north and just a little bit closer to the equator again. Curitiba, Sao Paulo, and many coastal beach towns left marks on my heart as I made it north to the cobblestoned streets of Paraty, Brazil. Here, colorful fishing boats pack the harbor and houses back up to the river. Next stop, Rio de Janeiro. Anticipation had been building as I inched closer. Arguably one of the prettiest cities in the world, Rio is…well, a funny place. I’m trying to find the appropriate way to describe a unique clash of sheer beauty and… crime. Rio de Janeiro has some issues, and there is no denying that. A city long plagued by drug trade-related violence, which when combined with poverty on a massive scale and corruption at the highest levels of government, make Moto-travel (exploring) in Rio a bit more of a strategic adventure than exists elsewhere. Straight line and shortest-path travel between Point A to Point B isn’t always the best option here. Google Maps, GPS, and Waze can’t be fully trusted here to keep you out of to-be-avoided areas.
With that in mind, and an appropriate level of situational awareness maintained, Rio is an amazing city that shouldn’t be missed. Calendar worthy photos can be taken on Cococobana Beach while sunsets atop Sugarloaf Mountain are almost impossible to beat. Downtown offers some of the most diverse dining options in South America and even boasts a few of the best steakhouses in the world. And the nightlife… The nightlife in Rio is everything that the rumors suggest it to be. Wild street parties exist outside the row of bars that dominate the Lapa neighborhood. At the end of the day, Rio is an absolutely wild time. After a week, another city and another experience were in the books. This place is unique, that’s for damn sure. I made it north to the picturesque beach community of Buzios before some unintended factors required me to turn around. The original plan was to continue pushing north along Brazil’s coast, but simmering political unrest began to rise as the government initiated a rapid hike in fuel tax to counter a loss in revenue due to years of corruption. With prices increasing, truck drivers across the nation started to protest the atrocious hike in the cost of fuel. To make you scratch your chin more, fuel is solely controlled by a monopoly owned by the Brazilian federal government. Brazil doesn’t have many trains, so literally, everything from gasoline to toothpaste to toilet paper is shipped by truck. Without trucks moving goods around, the country effectively shuts down. To avoid getting “trapped,” it was time for me to start heading towards Argentina and Paraguay. I continued to get turned away at gas stations so when the opportunity allowed, I’d load up Gatorade bottles and windshield washer fluid bottles to stretch my range! From afar, protests began to resemble scary and dramatic war scenes, inclusive of black smoke and fire. But they were far from that.
You see, I got to the front of the protests and backups by weaving, splitting lanes, and even riding down the median. Once at the front, friendly protesters waved me right through every time! No questions asked. The goal of these protests was to temporarily disrupt commerce by halting trade…NOT disrupt the everyday schmuck like me. In countries without strong Unions, this is often the only effective way to get your government’s attention. And you know what? While I’m not endorsing burning of tires, I do support these guys rebelling against a government that has no ability to use tax money ethically. The last day was the longest. I had 400 miles to cover to get to Foz do Iguaçu, on the border of both Argentina and Paraguay. I left Curitiba with nothing more than 1/4 tank of fuel and a little bit of faith. I stretched my mileage by keeping it below 50 mph (80kmh) and checking with every gas station on the way. At one point in the day, I even stopped at a small airport to buy 2 gallons of aviation fuel (100LL). I drove away with my motorcycle smelling like an idling Cessna 172. For those curious, normally aspirated engine can run perfectly off this high octane, leaded fuel. In modern, computerized machines, you may get an emissions-related check engine light, but it has never happened to me and mechanically speaking, there is absolutely no risk of damage to engine components by temporarily running “AvGas.” It took nearly 13 hours to cover 400 miles, but I rolled into the city of Foz do Igauçu on nothing more than fumes and prayers! Based on the recommendation of fellow overlander, Neill Drake who is rolling around South America in a Volkswagen Bus, I stayed for a week at “Tetris Container Hostel.” With secured parking for motorcycles, its own bar, swimming pool, and bustling social scene, I highly recommend this place to other travelers. “Foz” is home to the biggest waterfall system in the world. It’s difficult finding words to appropriately describe these waters. Shared with Argentina, there are two separate National Parks to gain access to epic views. The Brazilian side offers a bottom-up view falls from the base while the Argentinean side offers views from the rim. It’s impossible to make a recommendation of one over the other. The only reasonable solution is to visit both!
Nearly 6 months had passed in South America. I spent 45 days in Brazil…45 days in a place where 45 years isn’t enough. It was time to go, and I went through the process of my last border crossing in all of Latin America. I canceled my Temporary Vehicle Import Permit and got a Brazilian exit stamp in my passport. I glanced in my mirrors, one last time, leaving Brazil behind as I was bound to return to Buenos Aires. It was in Buenos Aires that I put my entire life, everything I’ve known for 15 months, on a pallet. The motorcycle, for the fourth time, would be loaded onto an airplane and flown at 37,000 feet. It’s always a funny feeling: Leaving. I keep looking at the dirty wheels on this scratched, dinged and dented machine; thinking about how long they’ve been spinning and how many different environments they’ve carried me through…And how many times we’ve tested fate together. South America Part 4, in Upshift Online, marks the final chapter to this continent. I end with words that ring true to me as I leave so many memories behind: “For I must be traveling on, now…Cause there are too many places I’ve got to see” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
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Along The Silk Road Riding through Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan He’s got two missing fingers, an eyebrow scar and teeth of gold. But it’s not the soldier’s appearance that’s scary, it’s his words. “The bridge is closed,” he says, pointing his AK47 to the only border post where foreigners can cross the Panj River into Afghanistan. “Actually,” he smirks, “you may go, but I won’t come search for your bodies in snow.” Such is the life on the Roof of the World, or Bam-I-Dunya, as the nomads call the Wakhan Corridor. Here, at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Pamir mountain ranges, we are among world’s giants. Their jagged peaks rise higher than 7000 meters and glacier-fed rivers grind into a plateau sitting at 3000 meters above sea level. These mountains are broken up by gaps and passes used by Silk Road traders in centuries past; some are so narrow, that frequent avalanches can block them even at the peak of summer, leaving villages to be reached either on mule, or on foot. Words: Jon Florea, Photos: Ana Hogas
Compared to the local folk, a traveler’s task is a cinch: carry plenty of fuel, pack some sense of humor with the bandaids, and be ready to change plans on the fly. Tonight, we don’t fold. Can’t go south? Okay, then, we shall continue east! But first, we rest. We dip off the road into the soft dirt of the river bank, wind through the labyrinth of boulders, and find a clearing big enough for our tent. While I pitch, Ana fixes dinner, our faces less than 300 feet away from people doing chores on Afghan soil. That we’re sleeping on a complicated border, traced by Stalin to control the most incontrollable provinces of the former Soviet Empire, yet untouched by the Taliban, does not keep me up at night. See, we are nine weeks into riding along the Silk Road, and my mind’s already warped by the trip. We started in midspring: it’s been a patchwork travel plan, tracing the shores of the Black Sea through Bulgaria and Turkey, until the Upper Svaneti region in central Georgia offered the reason to make a detour. For the next week or so, we doodled our way up and down to Mestia and to Ushguli UNESCO Heritage villages, navigating by the fortified watch-towers of the Svan people, soaking in vistas of the Caucasus, thriving on a diet of homebrewed wine, sweet churchkhela, khinkhali dumplings and the world-famous katchapuri cheese pie. The riding in Georgia was epic, even with rain and gale as constant companions, then it was time to bid goodbye to Europe and dip from the cool highlands into the stark steppe which spans the northern half of Asia, all the way up to the Arctic permafrost.
Hangover in Kazakhstan Upon exit from Russia we decided to bivouac together with Merlin, a rider from Germany, who was not comfortable enough to do it solo. Up to that point we had been sleeping on mountain tops, in thickets by the road, or under bridges. We had ducked behind huts held together by twine, steered our bikes through crops and disappeared, hid for the night in forest pockets. Sometimes Ana jogged at the camp, which sounds like a ridiculous idea, unless you know how good it feels to move other parts of your body when the rest is sore. When we got lucky, we couchsurfed in the houses of people we met on the street and on social media. But like many adventure riders, we don’t really care if we sleep on rocks. However, the Asian mosquitoes managed to make our mission difficult, pushing our trio into a field of salt. Everything got weirder as we progressed east. The landscape reminded us of the Sahara, with soft dunes and thistle-loving camels, and its underbelly crawled with creatures: dung beetles, huge dragonflies, hairy spiders the size of my palm. Gas stops were like UFOs parked in a dystopia, deepening our sentiment of the strange. Out of precaution, I made it a rule to top up at every chance we had. This meant walking inside the station, paying for the amount of fuel that we wanted to buy, then returning to the pump to shout the numbers in Russian to the worker, and
finally watching the precious liquid flow into our tanks. Oil is the lifeblood of Kazakhstan. It’s brought upon this huge country both blessing and doom. As we meandered across the steppe, we could see it - the effect of industrial pollution, the skeletons of defunct industries, the radioactive test ranges abandoned throughout the veld. We barely passed any settlements, and when we did, they were another curious mix: mud-brick huts next to ultra-modern multi-story buildings, with the odd tea-house in between. Nothing is more synonymous with the Silk-Road than drinking tea. The Kamaz trucks have long replaced the caravans, carrying Coca Cola and heroin instead of nutmeg and silk, but from China to the Middle East, and to the far-flung corners of Africa, all the way to Timbuktu, guests are still considered a gift from God. I would need several lives to repay the hospitality enjoyed in chaykhanas, where we lounged on carpets alongside strangers, waiting for the customary teapot of strong, dark liquid to arrive, sometimes accompanied by a fresh loaf of lipioshka bread. To a westerner, these Asian establishments run a rather unusual business model. Many are unmarked - learn to spot them by the pile of shoes accumulated at the door - and inside nobody asks for prices or the menu. How much for tea and bread? It’s either free, or less than 50 cents a pop.
Tea is not the most popular drink. Despite Kazakhstan being a Muslim country, we were constantly offered vodka. The final binge was totally Ana’s fault. She ran out of fuel outside Beyneu town, next to a crowd gathered for Betashar. This unique Kazakh ritual introduces a bride to the brood of her future husband through elaborated dancing and prophetic songs. While Ana tinkered with the reserve tap, the music stopped. I heard her shouting: “My battery’s dead!” By now we were completely surrounded: “Do you sell these?” “Is it water cooled?” “What’s the maximum speed?” It seemed that everyone had forgotten about the wedding, and the groom proclaimed: “Now we go home to feast; you and your wife lead the motorcade, da?” Throwing us into the gist of a gargantuan party, that continued well into the night.
Riches to Rags If Kazakhs are a wild ethnic cocktail of Turkic and Mongol tribes and one of the last people to hold on to a semi-nomadic lifestyle in the steppe, the Uzbeks are settled in a much smaller, conspicuously poorer country, that boasts Central Asia’s highest concentration of architectural treasures. To see the highlights, we had to work hard at our riding shifts, as large sections of this marathon cut right through the Kyzylkum desert. From the millennia-old Itchan Kala citadel of Khiva, to the Koranic schools of Bokhara, from some of Islam’s most celebrated mosques that dominate the skyline of Samarkand, to ancient caravanserais slowly dwindling into blobs of dirt, Uzbekistan told us a story of surviving the ebb of empires. The Timurid and the Bolshevik couldn’t crush the spirit of this resilient nation, that is now facing its biggest test yet.
“Our folks have always fished for a living,” said Jana, a retired English teacher who runs a basic diner in Moynak. “Now everyone in town is a drunk.” Had we not slept on the very bottom of the Aral Sea the night before, I’d say she was exaggerating. But I was still haunted by those ships. From afar, they looked like toys discarded in the desert by a careless giant; up-close, the rusty skeletons dwarfed us. It was hard to picture them floating on world’s largest inland sea, when all I could see was sand, until it joined the sky. “We’ve gone from riches to rags within a generation,” said Jana. “All we have left is vodka and our golden teeth.” The failed cotton industry unravels with climate change. The desert is rapidly advancing. Moynak is drowning its sorrow in booze. But across Jana’s diner, in the bazaar, we find hope. What disenfranchised their husbands and fathers, pushed women into the work force. It looks like the fate of the Silk Road is in good hands. For many centuries, it was decided by armored warriors. Now, it’s all up to Uzbek ladies wrapped in silk.
Happiness Hurts Dawn in remote Gorno-Badakhshan province of Tajikistan, and we are already vibrating in the beat of our mono-cylinders. After waving good-bye to Afghani kids from across the river, we continue the ride to Ishkashim town. From this point on, the Wakhan Corridor starts really flexing its muscles. Loose rocks and corrugation, deep sand, river crossings and thawing glaciers, the road has just about anything you can think of. There’s little to no traffic and we don’t use helmet communication, so we focus on the road… no distractions, no schedule, and no fixed itinerary, the way we like it. I’m chuffed. Drifts trigger an electrifying buzz to the tip of my toes. Hairpins prompt me to jump on the pegs and aim the apex. My head is throbbing with adrenaline. Sometimes we stop to photograph long fields of buckwheat against the backdrop of Pamir’s towering peaks, to drink tea with the wonderful Wakhi people, to chat to other travelers. Since Marco Polo made it famous in the 13th century, this route has become quite popular with cyclists, who spend weeks in the valley, wrapped in technical gear lighter than my keychain.
We exit the Corridor three days later, in Langar village, and begin the steep climb to M41, also known as the Pamir Highway. Our lucky strike is finally over. First, a frosty night, then the whiplash of blizzard. Pushing through demands dogged resilience. What makes you strong on a long motorbike trip is everything that hurts. Miserably numb, we keep our head down, keep doing the grind, while snow blows horizontally, drifting against our bikes, and stalling the attack on the Ak-Baytal pass, the highest point of our Central Asia journey. Once on the summit, we fist-pump the air and smile, before mounting our bikes for the final stretch to the Kyrgyz border. Wow, we’ve done it. Let’s have a bit of snow…
Into the Jailoo After a quick refuel in Sary-Tash, we put more and more distance between us and the Pamir. I have anticipated this part of the ride to be laced with new physical and mental demands. It is, indeed, bonkers. First, a continuous downhill that lasts 80km. The bends are perfectly tarred. The slope just right for that speed that lets you sit up and thread your fingers through the air like water snakes. After Osh, we shun tarmac. I picked the scenic route to Song Kul lake, where many herding nomads spend the summer. As Kyrgyzstan lies at the heart of the Tien Shan mountains, with one third of its territory under huge glaciers, most country roads are carved on rock faces and along ravines. There are many technical bits, some blocked by permanent snow which barely offers up a trail. Even the most experienced of riders could struggle. I am glad that Ana only ends twice with the entire 150kg of DRZ and luggage on top of her. In this utterly fantastic mountainscape, days are incomplete without the drum of rain and the call of vultures, and the constant smell of moss has an effect akin to a cup of strong coffee: we can stay in the saddle longer, until the sun starts pulling the mountain up over itself.
Days later, I’m laying snugly between Ana and a barrel of koumys, fermented mare’s milk which tastes of stale cheese and fizzes like champagne. The Kyrgyz love this stuff. As I drift off to sleep, the last thing I see is the round tunduk skylight above our heads. It’s crisscrossed by parallel lines, the symbol of Kyrgyzstan on the national flag. Since descending into the Song Kul jailoos, we’ve been constantly welcomed into yurts like this - the nomads who inhabit them think nothing of letting us huddle in, some even change into their best trousers for the guests. When they make us drink sour tea, eat yak dumplings, hold their babies, and try riding their horses – revered by the nomads for they allow the freedom to roam these burly people with slanted eyes and high cheekbones feel like family. Soon we will exit these mountains to face the ride back to the lives we know. Back to the hubbub of cities like Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, where grass grows in parks, food is cooked indoors, and children are born in hospitals, not into the saddle. But for the moment, I savor the most remote and harshest places I’ve ever ridden a bike in, these last days of a journey that has made me more confident in the kindness of people.
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TESTED
BY CHAD DE ALVA
Fastway System 3 Stabilizer BY Pro Moto Billet It’s always the obstacles you don’t see that get you. Whether it’s a rock, a root, or a rut, that surprise jerk you feel in your bars from your front wheel hitting something can be the signal that a soil sample may be in your immediate future. Likewise, if you’re bombing along and start to get a head shake, well, we’ve all seen videos of what can happen when a tank slapper gets out of hand. Yet with a steering stabilizer installed and set up on your bike, that rock that would otherwise cause a huge steering input becomes a small twitch, and that scary head shake never gets to affect to your pucker factor, which all means that you get to avoid dining on dirt. For the last few months, I’ve been running Pro Moto Billet’s Fastway System 3 Stabilizer on my KTM 500 EXC-F, and it’s proven to be an essential piece of kit that has saved me on many occasions and added a real measure of confidence to my bike. From rocks that have rolled under my front tire to roots that have decided to change my heading by being slick or simply being firmly planted, the System 3 minimizes these surprise impacts to the point where all I notice is a twitch in the bars, rather than the bars getting jerked around in my hands, and the panicked reaction and hopeful recovery that ensues. Yet surprise impacts aren’t the only thing a stabilizer can help you out with, as I was able to dial in additional stability to my bike’s handling with the System 3. This extra stability translates in to confidently carrying more speed on every riding surface. When that riding surface happens to be snow, and I happen to be riding a snowbike, the System 3 can make a huge difference in how my bike corners with a track and ski as opposed to a couple of wheels and tires. The stabilizer makes understeer and ski grabbing a more predictable and controlled event, whether I’m riding a trail or making my own tracks. No matter what surface you’re riding on, a steering stabilizer can help keep things in control which will help keep you on the bike. System 3 refers to the three adjustments on the stabilizer: High-Speed Damping, Low-Speed Damping, and Return to Center Damping. High-speed damping is adjusted by the silver knob and controls how much the stabilizer will step in to monitor impacts from rocks, roots, and trail obstacles. The Low-Speed damping is adjusted with the red knob and controls the bike’s overall stability. You’ll notice the low-speed damping when cornering, or trying to hold a straight line and this circuit also helps combat head shake. Lastly, a screw on the back of the unit adjusts Return to Center damping which is the amount of damping applied when exiting a corner or moving the bars back to center.
TESTED: Fastway System 3 Stabilizer BY Pro Moto Billet
Installing the System 3 Stabilizer is a pretty straight forward process. I was initially really happy that I wasn’t going to have to pull my top triple clamp to get the frame mount installed, making installation of the Fastway stabilizer much less involved than other “sub-mount” stabilizers out there. Yet, I ended up needing to do a bit of sanding on the Fastway mount to make it fit on my bike without binding on the dust cap for the steering tube; so I can’t say the installation was any faster than pulling my top triple. I do appreciate that Fastway has a much beefier sub-mount system than other stabilizer brands, which I’ve seen fatigue and crack over time. The System 3 is an excellent option for getting a steering stabilizer on your bike, and mine has certainly saved me from a number of events that could have otherwise ended up with me on the ground. The first time you feel the System 3 protect you from a surprise impact, you’ll be telling yourself “it’s worth it!” before grinning about the fact that you just avoided lawn dart practice and continuing your ride. My only desire for the System 3 is a damping range adjustment so that I’m not having to work against the stabilizer when I’m playing in slow technical sections of trail and making big steering inputs or trying to balance at trials speeds. Learning to ride slow with the System 3 can certainly be done, but if you don’t want to have to learn to ride slowly again, Fastway makes the System 5 stabilizer, which has a damping range adjustment and the ability to adjust how much less damping you have outside of your main damping range. promotobillet.com
YOUR ADVENTURE OUR PASSION At Rottweiler Performance, our focus has always been to ask the question, “How can we take these incredibly well engineered machines and creatively manipulate them into what we, as a unique consumer with personalized needs would want from a motorcycle?” That answer becomes your adventure, and our passion.
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TESTED
BY SIMON CUDBY
GOPRO HERO 7 BLACK For the new Hero 7, GoPro stuck with its renowned image quality and ease of use but added game-changing HyperSmooth image stabilization. This short review is not to cover every bell and whistle of this little media producing gem, but in short, the highlight is no more jittery trail footage, only smooth gimbal-like shots without the gimbal. The imagery coming out of this new little new camera almost makes the footage from any previous GoPro unwatchable. Without getting into the many menu options on the Hero 7, the key features are: HyperSmooth video for buttery smooth action. As stated above this really makes the most significant difference to previous GoPro offerings. It’s really that good! Waterproof to 33 feet with the stock case so if you get caught in a downpour on the trail, you’ll have no issues. No need to have an additional case to weather the elements. Voice control. Hands-free operation with 16 preset commands. I found this worked ok when I was at a stop, or at low speed, but once I got going about 25mph, the ambient wind noise was quite high, making the voice control a bit hit and miss. Super Photo is GoPro’s version of HDR photography. In camera processing makes the 12mp image highlights not so blown out, and opens up shadow detail to produce a more pleasing image straight from the camera. The ability to shoot RAW images in camera for processing later is also a big deal if you are serious about photography and want to get the best image quality. Live Streaming. In the age of social media being the main outlet for much of the press, your Hero 7 produces; the live streaming feature lets you stream your action straight to Facebook Live, YouTube and more. In practice, the system works well when you have a decent 4G phone signal through the GoPro phone app. This takes a little time to get connected going back and forth between your phone and the touch screen on your camera. Touch screen. Changing settings on the Hero 7 is a breeze compared to the early GoPros. It’s easy to navigate through controls to where you want to be with left and right swiping. Video resolution is maxed out at 4K and 60 frames per second for video, and 12mp for stills. In reality, I shot our footage at 4K and 30fps to get more time on our micro SD card. The still photo quality is excellent, but I also did some screen grabs from the 4K video footage, and the results are pretty amazing. I found it’s much easier to let the camera film, then grab some stills from the video footage later. I liked to set the camera up with the Protune settings through the GoPro iPhone app, and our preferred setup is here in the article.
Battery life of this camera depends on your settings. If you just want to switch the camera on and let it run, I got about 50 minutes at 4K/30fps. I’ve learned to switch on and off throughout my ride using the OneTouch setting when I get to interesting sections. Using this method, I don’t have to wade through hours of video looking for the good parts. Also, I carry a couple of extra batteries just in case. In conclusion, the Hypersmooth feature alone is worth the $399 price of admission for the Hero 7 Black. Add in all the other features and the great image quality, and this little camera has become our recent choice for our rides and trips. Tip: Try the Dango chin mount for a better perspective than the standard helmet top mount. MSRP: $399.00. www.gopro.com
TESTED
BY CHAD DE ALVA
KLIm NAC PACK A good riding backpack is an essential piece of riding gear. Whether you’re out for a quick afternoon rip, or a multi-day epic adventure, a good backpack is indispensable for carrying and organizing the gear that you need to support your adventure. On a dirt bike or enduro bike, there really isn’t anywhere else to carry gear if you’re not running bags or wearing rally-style riding apparel. A backpack is typically the one place you get to carry everything you’re going to need with you on your ride., so you better have a good one. For the last few months, I’ve been using Klim’s Nac Pac as my go-to riding bag, and I have to say that I’m quite impressed. When I’m out for a quick evening ride, I can toss just the essentials in the Nac Pac and use the compression straps to make a low-profile bag that stays with me no matter how much I’m moving. When I’m loading up for a big all-day ride, the Nac Pac can swell to accommodate a surprising amount of gear and still maintain a solid embrace of my torso, which is critical if you’ve got some weight on your back – you don’t want that weight pulling you around in a no fall zone. Gear organization on the Nac pack is broken down as follows: Starting at the outside of the pack and working toward your back, there is a zippered pocket that is further subdivided and is great for holding snacks, batteries, wallet and paperwork, or other items that you need to keep organized. The next pocket in is a clamshell where Klim’s awesome included tool pouch mounts, and where you can stash other large items. More on the tool pouch in just a minute. The zippered pocket at the top of the pack is where you can fit a 3L water reservoir (there’s a pocket for it) and any other tall items. And lastly at the top of the pack is another zippered pouch that’s great for storing goggles, a small camera, or an inReach. Klim also designed the Nac Pack to carry gear used when snowmobiling or snowbiking, and as such the Nac Pack can carry a shovel and probe so that they can be quickly accessed.
TESTED: KLIm NAC PACK If you’re looking at the harness on the Nac Pack and wondering where the waist belt is, I’m here to tell you that if you spend some time setting the harness up correctly, you really will not miss having a waist belt. Completely disregard the pack-fitting practice of putting the chest strap two fingers below the top of your sternum, and instead put the chest buckle at the bottom of your sternum. Having the shoulder straps joined further down your chest allows the Nac Pack’s harness to embrace your torso which keeps the pack from flopping around. This part is critical: If you set the pack up right, it will move with you. However, if you adjust the straps to fit like a pack with a waist belt (running the buckle way up high on your chest), it’s going to flop all over. Take the time to learn this piece of gear and it will serve you well. The Nac Pack does all of the standard backpack stuff that you would expect it to, but the big unsung hero here is the tool pouch. Klim clearly put some thought into making a highly functional, high quality tool pouch – and it’s hands down the best included tool kit I’ve ever used. Hell, it’s better than some dedicated tool rolls I’ve played with in the past. With the Klim tool pouch I can securely pack a comprehensive tool kit that includes all of the essentials. The tool pouch can definitely get heavy, but it somehow manages to swallow up a LOT of tools and still retain its small form factor – well done, Klim. Klim’s Nac Pack has proven to be a solid piece of gear and a great riding backpack. While having the ability to carry a probe and shovel on a moto pack may sound excessive, those mounting points can actually be a great place to carry your folding saw or trail tools. The tool pouch is a brilliant piece of kit, and the harness system can work well if you take the time to fit it to your anatomy. The goggle pouch works great for providing a measure of protection to other items that you don’t want to crush, such as a camera, and the zippers, straps and pack material are no worse for the wear after months of use. If you’re in the market for a solid quiver of one backpack, check out the Nac Pack. If you need to carry more gear than even a Nac Pack can swallow, check out the larger Klim Krew Pack. MSRP: $99.99 www.klim.com
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What Happens When You Press the SOS Button? Navigating Through Search and Rescue and Medevac Options for the Adventure Rider By Seiji Ishii
Adventure riders questing beyond the reach of cell towers smartly turn to satellite-based devices to connect and transmit location to loved ones at home. The two most common brands are Garmin, with their InReach family, and the Spot collection of communicators. These pieces of high-tech hardware offer a wide array of features and functions, like mapping, tracking, and two-way communication, but the real value is when things go awry. The ability to reliably and quickly transmit location and initiate a rescue or evacuation is priceless. Riders are aware of the devices, but questions always seem to arise about what happens when they activate the “SOS� button, and what the various rescue and medevac membership programs provide. SAR (search and rescue) and medevac (medical evacuation) services can save lives, but they also can be a tremendous financial strain in the absence of proper planning.
Both Garmin and Spot partner with GEOS, and offer their SAR options. GEOS Global is a worldwide safety, security, and monitoring company; their travel safety group provides the initial response and coordination of rescue or assistance when the “SOS” button is activated. The outgoing signal from the satellite messenger device goes to the company’s International Emergency Rescue Coordination Center (IERCC), an underground bunker near Houston that houses redundant communications technologies required to reliably communicate at all times around the globe. Dispatch operators, who can speak upwards of 210 different languages and dialects, send the appropriate first responders to your location, whether that be medical personnel or other assistance. The IERCC then reaches out to the listed contact on the rider’s account to make them aware of the situation (some messenger devices do not perform two-way communication) and stays “on the line” with the rider and the SAR providers throughout the rescue operation. The GEOS global SAR memberships help cover the costs of SAR (including by air), and medical stabilization and transport to the appropriate medical facilities when deemed necessary by emergency services. The cost of the GEOS SAR memberships ranges from $17.95 to $179.95 annually and provide coverage up to $100,000 USD per year. At the lowest level (SAR 50) a member can use up to $50,000 USD per incident. At highest level (SAR High Risk) GEOS members can use all $100,000 USD at one time. Significant exclusions include racing and organized expeditions. The high-risk options extend benefits to cover racing, professional riding, and expeditions.
GEOS also offers domestic and worldwide medevac memberships, which cover expenses related to stabilization for transport (up to $10,500 USD), repatriation to a hospital near home (up to $1,000,000 USD,) and return of mortal remains (up to $10,000USD), starting at 99 miles from home. GEOS provides a medical director and logistical support necessary to execute these services. Costs are $109.95 for thirty days of coverage for one trip, $175.00 per year for excursions up to ninety days, and $249.95 for an annual plan that covers trips over ninety days. Finally, GEOS offers “360°” coverage options, which cover security evacuations and logistics for violent crime, political threats, terrorism, hijacking, disappearance of persons, blackmail/extortion, kidnap for ransom and natural disasters. This comprehensive add-on could be valuable if adventuring in less stable locales. This coverage is $399.00 annually. All of GEOS’ services are also available for couples, families, and groups and in bundled packages that combine their offerings with additional benefits. The GEOS memberships provide a great base of support for both domestic and global adventures, but other companies offer different benefits. Two establishments providing expanded coverage are Global Rescue and MASA Assist. Global Rescue offers travel services that are similar to GEOS SAR, GEOS Medevac, and GEOS 360° memberships, with some variances. The most critical difference is Global Rescue offers “field rescue” and not search and rescue; this means that the location of the incident must be known and two-way communication with someone on site must be established for operations to commence. Another difference is that Global Rescue doesn’t exclude racing, so no need for a more costly high-risk program. Global Rescue also has higher annual limits in coverage; $500,000 USD for transport, $100,000 USD for security evacuation, and $15,000 USD for return of mortal remains.
Global Rescue services commence once 100 miles from home, and temporary and annual memberships are available. Prices range from $119.00 for seven days of medical evacuation coverage, to $1275.00 for an annual, unlimited trip length coverage, with security extraction. Family and student plans are also available. MASA Assist memberships aid with the expenses of medical evacuation (including mortal remains); they do not cover SAR or field rescue, but their global medevac coverage is extensive. MASA Assist covers all air and ground related medical transportation as well as these benefits not found in the other programs: Air transportation of an organ used for transplant Air transport to the nearest airport where an organ transplant is scheduled to occur Air transport from treatment facility to home, air transport for spouse, family member, or friend to act as escort for emergency air transport Air transport for family member to visit if hospitalized for more than seven days away from home Air transport and qualified attendant to return children or grandchildren to home airport if parent requires emergency air transport Return of any vehicle to home or rental office if medical air transport is needed Coverage starts 100 miles from home, and there are no financial limits. MASA Assist costs $390.00 per year for American Motorcyclists Association members, $450.00 for non-members and $490.00 annually for families (prices through RiderSurance Insurance Services).
Globalstar coverage map for Sport Gen3 shown. Check Here for device coverage.
It is essential to thoroughly review any of these membership policies. Each has exclusions ranging from certain countries, pre-existing conditions, age, even travel north or south of certain parallels. It can be overwhelming to comprehend all the exclusions and specific requirements at the time of an accident for benefits to be applicable. RiderSurance Insurance Services is a resource with specific expertise. Brandon Parrish, president, was a former professional motorcycle racer who became frustrated with riders and racers having problems getting or using insurance. He started RiderSurance in 2007 and has become a trusted and credible resource for obtaining and understanding SAR memberships, medevac memberships, and insurance that will cover riders and racers. Mr. Parrish has helped this author obtain SAR and medevac memberships that not only cover adventure riding but also for climbing adventures around the globe. RiderSurance services many professional motorcycle racers and athletes domestically and internationally, including world rally competitors. The SAR and medevac memberships are complicated, each offering different attributes, and cost is always a factor. Do your homework, read the fine print, utilize resources like RiderSurance, and make sure you understand exactly what you are purchasing and what is required to enact the benefits. We all ride motorcycles for the adventure, but an adventure can quickly morph into a nightmare with a disastrous financial aftermath without the proper coverage. LINKS GEOS: http://geostravelsafety.com/index.html
MASA Assist: https://www.masaassist.com/
RiderSurance: https://www.ridersurance.com/
Global Rescue: https://www.globalrescue.com/
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My good friend Kenny and I had been in the tech-inspection line for all of 35 seconds when I felt a pair of eyes on me. I turned to meet the newcomer to the line, but stopped before my eyes made it to the man, for he was standing next to an immaculate early 80’s Honda XR500. My mind instantly jumped to the 1980 Honda XL 500 that I learned to ride on, and after what was most likely a too-long to not-be-awkward moment while I took a trip down memory lane, I met the man’s gaze and complimented him on his bike. The man smiled back, and with a twinkle in his eye that would do Santa Claus proud he said “There’s nothing quite like riding the old goat in the hills. Guys, this is the start of the best week of the year.” If that’s not an endorsement of an event, I don’t know what is. Photos And Words: Chad de Alva
Kenny and I had just arrived at the 43rd annual Colorado 500 Charity Invitational Ride, and we weren’t entirely sure what we had gotten ourselves into. What we did know was that over the course of the next five days we would ride several hundred miles on a route that would take us from Basalt, CO to Crested Butte, CO on day one, and from Crested Butte to Ouray, CO on day two. We would then base out of Ouray so that we could ride to Silverton for the day before returning to Crested Butte on day four, and back to Basalt on day five. Based on the topography that lies between these towns, there was no way that we could possibly have a bad time riding in such awesome country, yet I couldn’t help but feel like we had just joined something so much bigger than a multi-day ride. Coming into the event, we had spent hours geeking-out with Google Earth, forums, and friends, trying to figure out the best routes and where all of the choice single track was between each destination. We put all of our route-finding into our GPS units, and felt like we had a great plan – until we found a giant map of the state at check-in and got to talking with some of the rides’ many year veterans. Over a good old-fashioned paper map, we gleaned insight that would lead to some amazing riding that all of our research failed to turn up. I couldn’t help but appreciate the value of a map and think about how Wally Dallenbach Sr. and Sherm Cooper felt 43 years ago when they set off on their dirtbikes to go explore the heart of the Colorado Rockies.
They didn’t have GPSs built into their bikes, phones or watches. They didn’t have fuel injected bikes or Gore-Tex riding jackets, but they did have an absolutely outstanding time following old mining roads and exploring historic mining towns over the course of a several-day ride. The two riders had such a great time on their initial adventure ride that the next year they were back, and Wally brought along a few of his Indy car buddies to join in on the adventure. Wally’s friends were so blown away that they couldn’t stop talking about the ride in Colorado - and the next year even more friends got in on the adventure. The group decided to make the ride an annual, invite-only event, and the men took to calling the event the Colorado 500 – a nod to Wally’s Indy Car racing career and to the distance the riders covered during the event. By 1981, the Colorado 500 had grown to the point that the riders felt compelled to start giving back to the communities that the ride visited. As Wally put it “We really needed to do something to give back, we were having too much fun,” and so the CO 500 Charity fund was born. To date, that fund has awarded more than $2,400,000 to the communities the ride visits and has been a driving force in defining the trajectory of the event – and the riding is better than you can imagine.
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Unlike many events that hand you a specific route, the Colorado 500 has a much more open format, where you just need to make it to the check presentations, and the destination for the day. Riders bring all manner of modern and classic road bikes, adventure bikes, and dirtbikes on the ride, and the routes these riders take are as varied as their bikes. Kenny and I opted to bring dirtbikes on the ride, as we were after all of the singletrack we could find. Yet, no matter what kind of bike a given rider had, there was an ideally suited route for that type of bike – there’s just that many awesome options to choose from in this part of the world. On our first day of the ride, Kenny and I got to enjoy dozens of miles of quintessential Colorado single track. For miles we rode a narrow ribbon of trail that wove in and out of timberline up and down valleys and over saddles between towering mountain peaks. We spent hours flowing through hundreds of turns in endless dark timber stands. When we finally emerged from the woods, we were riding in the alpine tundra where staggering views awaited in every direction. The trails just kept on going and going, and what we expected to be a several hour ride turned into a thoroughly satisfying all-day ride, and a humbling reminder that country you can scroll across in a split-second in Google Earth is significantly bigger when you’re actually on the ground. Each day of the ride would offer new and memorable experiences both on and off the bike. On day 2, 30-year Colorado 500 veteran Ben Cheatwood offered to show us the way from Crested Butte to Gunnison, and Kenny and I were more than happy to follow Ben rather than a line on a screen. The three of us had a great time dual-sporting nearly 200 miles over mountain passes and down into high desert brushlands as we rode from Crested Butte to Ouray. On day four, Ben was once again riding with Kenny and me, and seemingly in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road in a canyon somewhere in Colorado, he stopped us to let us know we missed a turn.
Confused, Kenny and I followed Ben back to a tired gate that controlled access to a seldom-used road that looked like it led up on the ridge above us. Neither Kenny nor I had a clue where this two-tracker went, and our intercom conversation quickly turned to postulating on where we were heading as we set off at a solid pace. We were starting to realize that this road was perfect two tracker for dirt bikes, complete with hero dirt and bermed turns, when Ben shot by us and raced off into the distance. After exchanging comments to the effect of “Where did he come from?” and “Did that just happen?” Kenny and I kicked it up a gear and chased after Ben. We spent the next few miles grinning like kids about to open presents on Christmas morning as we blasted down this awesome section of trail that the internet doesn’t know about. Kenny and I were now talking over whether Ben had been sandbagging on us the last few days, as he was now not riding slow by any stretch of the imagination. Getting to ride that section of trail with Ben made a riding memory for me that I won’t soon forget. Yet, there were also many memories made off the bike during the event, as the Colorado 500 is so much more than a multi-day ride. In every single town that the ride visits, there’s a gathering of riders and a presentation of some white envelopes. The entities receiving these envelopes are local first responder agencies, non-profits, social services, and schools. At the Silverton school kids get to sit on rider’s bikes and break up the routine of another school day by revving a few bikes out and discovering just how awesome motorcycles are. This practice of giving back, and supporting the communities that support the ride is what makes the Colorado 500 so much more than other pay-to-play events. As the mayor of Ouray said, “I certainly don’t come to every event that comes through town, but I always come to see you [Colorado 500 riders] because you’re always giving back beyond simply spending money here.” At every check presentation, I could see it in the faces of folks from school teachers to social workers who received money for their respective organizations that the Colorado 500 makes a difference for these communities. This is why companies like Klim support the Colorado 500 - they realize the value in rides that give back, raise money for trail advocacy, and show the world how much more motorcyclists are than their stereotypes.
Even when I was riding in places I’m extremely familiar with on the 500, I was making new memories and having an excellent time on my dirtbike. I chased a 91-year-old rider up Corkscrew Gulch and rode the Alpine Loop in some of the thickest fog I’ve ever seen. (Who needs to see where the edge of the trail is when you’re riding on the edge of a cliff anyway?) Kenny and I may or may not have been chased by some local wildlife, and we potentially may have had to use a tow strap to help another rider out. Let’s just say the incident with the tow strap involved a missed turn and the top of a mountain. Each day of this ride is the kind of day that gets recounted around a campfire later on because the adventure is that good. The riders in the 500 come from all over the world, and their backgrounds are about as diverse and entertaining as the stories they tell. Throughout the course of the event I had multiple riders admit to me that the Colorado 500 was a talking point in their job negotiations and prenuptial agreements, because the ride is that important to these people. Folks will also try for a long time to get an invitation, because the ride is that good. In one case, a certain rider had been trying from the time he was 16 to get an invitation. Yet, it took nearly 40 years before a random encounter with a Colorado 500 veteran half a world away got this rider his invite. In his own words: “The wait was worth it.” The modern age has afforded us many awesome tools, so use them and figure out who you know that has participated in the Colorado 500, and get them to invite you. If you can secure an invite you’re going to have an outstanding adventure in some of the best country on this continent that will make an impact in your life and in the lives of others.
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