Alt Rider's Conserve The Ride Rally | Matt Neundorf

New Roads

Alt Rider’s Conserve The Ride

Adventure Rally

The hardest part of any adventure is leaving home. Home is comfortable, convenient, easy. It asks little of you other than to be present. Adventure takes work.

It takes planning, sweat, tools, know-how, and commitment. Especially on a motorcycle. I’m toying with my levels of these essential ingredients as I strap my duffel across the pillion seat of my Triumph Tiger.

Story and Photography: Matt Neundorf

The destination is Alt Rider’s Conserve the Ride Adventure Rally in Woodward, Pennsylvania, an event that promises all of the terrains my bike was built to tackle, including a winding route through the Alleghenys just to get there. I should be chomping at the bit but something this morning feels “off”.

I’m nervous about pushing myself harder than I should. About falling into the trap of a racer’s mindset when I should be taking it slow. About finding myself in a situation I can’t get out of and, worst of all, wrecking my bike to the point of being stranded. Which, ironically enough, is exactly how I find myself right now.

That duffel is back on the grass as quickly as the expletives start firing from behind my helmet. Thumbing the starter has given me nothing but a mechanical cough. Repeatedly. If this ordeal is a sign, I’ll give it an hour to actualize.

I hook up my trickle charger in the hopes it will solve all, brew up another cup of coffee and start typing a pre-emptive mea culpa to friends I’d planned on meeting at the event a day early. Thankfully, I need not hit send. An extra hour of sweat and tools is all the bike needs to wake up and my anger, confusion, and new found relief are enough to displace those previous reservations for now.

“Woodward finds itself in an idyllic setting for motorcyclists looking for great riding.”

I find Woodward at the end of some beautiful and winding routes.

In between the bumper-to-bumper slog across the Queen Elizabeth Way from Toronto to the border and a short stint being shoved around by semis on I-80, the south bound portion of my ride along route 219 has marked the perfect start to this weekend.

It winds and undulates through some of the prettier bits of Upstate New York while worming its way into the heart of central Pennsylvania. If someone out there is looking for a road trip route, this is a good one.

Nestled into the outskirts of the Bald Eagle State Forest, Woodward finds itself in an idyllic setting for motorcyclists looking for great riding. Surrounded by lush forests, an extensive trail network and elevation changes around every corner, every sense is tickled as I make my way to camp.

A large Amish farming community surrounds the area and I’m greeted by waves from horse-drawn carriage more times than I can count.

“If someone out there is looking for a road trip route, this is a good one.”

Arrival into the campgrounds is equally welcoming. Handshakes and registration are followed by impromptu invites from friends old and new to go explore the area or check out some of the routes on tomorrow’s map.

I jump at the chance for a preview as after hours of slab I’m looking to get my dirt legs back and the conditions around here are rumoured to be exceptional. This is thanks to the Seven Mountains Conservation Corp (SMCC), a non-profit group comprised of off-road motorcyclists that had grown frustrated by the lack of open or cared-for trails. SMCC members dedicate their time -- often fifteen to twenty days per year -- to making sure the trails are traversable yet still challenging while also ensuring the environmental fallout due to their use is kept to a minimum. They are an admirable bunch.

After setting up camp, my afternoon begins with my Tiger getting a good and proper work-out. A small group of us head out and pre-run five of the ten option routes, most in reverse and I’m completely blown away.

It’s no wonder AltRider has decided to call this place home for two of their last three events. Winding two-track routes comprised of shale that’s been pounded down to pea-gravel sized spheres collects in berms at every kink and wrinkle, just waiting to slingshot rider and bike around deciduous obstacles.

The shale-trails link to rocky passes that climb and descend along Strong, White, High and Jacks Mountains. My arms, legs, suspension, and tires all take a beating but the gritty grin in my helmet has long since displaced whatever mental gremlins I’d felt in Toronto.

When we return to camp, the empty field has exploded with popped tents and eager riders unloading and prepping their bikes for Saturday’s run. Tires are being aired down, chains are being cleaned and lubed, and tool pouches and tail bags are being stuffed with emergency supplies.

These essentials mostly amount to granola bars, patch kits, and a collection of tubes which, I’ve already learned, disappear pretty quick around these parts. I take stock of my own collection and gather around a tapped keg to start rubbing elbow pads with the rest of the gang.

Jeremy LeBreton, the president of AltRider, interrupts the camaraderie to gather the entire group of giddy adventurers around the mess tent area. As a man in charge of a motorcycle accessories company, you’d expect this point to be his pitch.

Armed with necessary information, the next order of business is grub. Unlike other similar events Conserve the Ride is a fully catered affair. Chef Michael Marx, the man behind World’s Fare Catering has whipped up a Mexican feast that would cause any rider relying on a pouch of space food to rehydrate it with their tears. Six tacos disappear down my gullet and I have to mentally remind myself to share with the others.

I have the same quiet conversation when the churros hit the table too. The breakfasts and dinner that follow over the next two days are just as delectable, making the food almost reason enough to sign up for next year. But really, I’m here for the riding.

“...the conditions around here are rumoured to be exceptional.”

That he’d try to convince a few hundred more captive riders that what they really need to survive tomorrow’s routes can be found in the online catalogue, but that’s just not his style.

Jeremy is here to ride. And to make sure that everyone else who made the trek for this weekend can do the same, safely. So, he addresses things like body positioning and the mechanical modifications you should be making to make your bike easier to ride off-road.

Things like rolling handlebars forward for better comfort and control from a standing position and how to raise a rear brake lever so you can actually reach and feel it when you need it most and how to adjust hand controls so there’s no need to reach or bend to maintain control.

Groups of bikes take off on the GPS-led run in intervals throughout the next morning. The groups were broken up depending on skill levels or how gnarly you wanted to get, and each rider could slot in with one that met their needs. The entire run consisted of over 240 km of off-piste action with the ten optional challenge trials all linked via a scenic logging road. Arrows had been posted at every intersection to keep people on track and every option had its own sign with a brief description and skill recommendation posted at its start.

A couple of SMCC members had left camp at the crack of dawn to set up the signage and it made navigation a cinch for riders like me who’ve yet to splurge on a dedicated GPS. Those same SMCC folk will be running the route again at the end, as sweep, to make sure no rider is left behind. Like I said, a truly admirable bunch.

1819“Adventure takes work. It takes planning, sweat, tools, know-how, and commitment....”

My group is small, just myself and two others, but we quickly catch up to various other pockets of spackled and dusty riders. Some are in need of help, usually a pinch flat has claimed a tire or tube and some extra muscle for a trailside swap is appreciated, while others are just enjoying their surroundings at a lessthan-race pace.

Of the ten options, I dart my way through only a handful today, skipping those I’d run the day before and seeking out others that promise not to destroy my bike. The notion of being able to make the ride home repopulated my brain after having to make a couple of timely dabs to keep things upright.

My reaction time feels off a bit this morning, so I figure there’s no need to chance things, so I don’t, and my experience doesn’t suffer.

Even the scenic route has its share of spots to get slide-ways and the overlooks are pretty stupendous.

As the energy from my granola bars starts to wane and my hydration pack hits empty, the ride winds itself back to into camp. This day in the saddle and up on the pegs has easily been one of the most challenging and fun experiences I’ve had in a long time. The mixture of people, scenery, terrain, food and liquid rewards at the end are truly unparalleled.

Adventure takes work. It takes planning, sweat, tools, know-how, and commitment, sure. But at Conserve the Ride the bulk of that is tackled by others. All any rider has to do is show up with a positive attitude and an adventurous spirit. And that begins with leaving home, which shouldn’t be that tough at all. Provided your bike starts.