|
ROGUE NEWSTHIS IS WHERE WE SOLVE ALL OF THE ADVENTURE PROBLEMS!
|
Download GPX Files when you Purchase IRR XcursionsNow you will have the opportunity to download GPX files to your navigational device. We are providing these as an alternative to REVER maps for the more tech savvy riders who use the Garmin Zumo or other GPS devices. Check it out when purchasing a Backcountry Xcursion Route withh IRR. Basecamp users will be thrilled!
Adventure Moto TRaining
Having the right gear and learning to pack with a low center of gravity can bring much more confidence to your adventure riding.
The Sport of Adventure Touring and Dual Purpose Motorcycles continues to grow at a rapid pace. Sales in America show that there are a lot of new Adventure Bike Riders coming in to the market. Many new adventure bike riders come from a Sport Bike and Cruiser backgrounds looking for something with a more upright riding position that can still give them a rush. Other riders come from an off-road and Moto or Enduro background and they are looking to extend their range by linking backcountry roads with some asphalt in between. Many are completely new riders and have just discovered their dream is to travel the world on a motorbike. Some folks just want the friendship and the experience, others just desire to get to the out of reach places everyone else seldom visits. One thing that is true with just about anybody who is new to the sport is that they all have the same questions but are afraid to ask for fear of ridicule. Often I hear questions like... “What is the best way to start, or how should I pack, along with how can I learn to ride the back country without trashing my Adventure Bike?”
IRR has developed a training program that is specifically designed to get you started on the road to adventure. We offer an introductory training day that is designed to familiarize you with your bike along with giving you the basic training you will need to develop your off road riding experience. Our goal is to get you on an adventure and we know you can do it! 
All participants must have a valid motorcycle endorsement, wave IRR of any responsibility for loss of life or property, have a basic sense of adventure and willingness to learn. We will provide you with a half day of riding instruction and fun, help you familiarize yourself with your machine and provide comprehensive suggestions for gearing up. We do practical hands on instruction in typical riding scenarios and terrain. Cost is $150. Phone us at IRR 541-621-8814 to schedule a training day or to just brush up on your skills. APRIL 19-21 FORKS OF SALMON
Contact IRR at 541-621-8814. The cost is $125.
Registrations for Trips in April and May are now open. Register ASAP to secure lodging! See the opportunities listed below.
 
2019 Backcountry xcursion schedule
I may seem early for some but there is a great deal of preparation that goes into planing each season Here at IRR. Please take a moment to look at your calendar and plan your 2019 season rides with IRR. Anyone who registers for one of our 2019 Backcountry Xcursions will automatically receive a 10% discount off each Event or Xcursion, if you call and schedule before December 31st, 2018.
It's going to be a great season with new adventure in the schedule. We hope have you with us! Check out the 2019 schedule at IRR. Just click the banner below and go! 
 Register for the Coastal Range ride coming next week!
There are also plenty of population centers along the coast where you can find lodging, restaurants, tourist attractions and camping. We will place our focus on the Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston area. These are the most northern cities in this area and located right on the bay. For those coming to the region for the first time, this is a great place to see on your adventure. You will also find three lighthouses in this area to explore, and the Oregon state parks in this part of the state are some of the most lush and attractive.
There is so much too see! The best part is that you'll get to ride some of the best backcountry through cool, lush, smoke free, rivers, and woodlands of the coastal range. 
 September 21-23
|
|
Medicine Lake is a large shield volcano in Northeastern California about 30 miles northeast of Mount Shasta, rising about 3,900 ft above the Modoc Plateau to an elevation of 7,795 ft. It contains a large caldera in the middle of The Lave Beds National Monument.
The shield volcano is composed primarily of basaltic lava flows and is the most voluminous volcano of the Cascades. |
Although it probably has not erupted for 1000 years, there have been at least 6 eruptions during the past 4,000 years, and it is likely to erupt again in the future. Its proximity to inhabited towns, roads and other infrastructure, keeps it designated as a "high threat volcano" by the USGS.
PURCHASE & REGISTER BELOW
Donor Box and Stripe are Trusted and Secure Systems for making this Purchase.
|
Our recent ride |
Not to Late! for The Umqua Divide Backcountry Adventure Route.
This Friday -Sunday. 2 nights of camping in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide. This ride has the family man in mind and gets you into excellent backcountry! This is an Adventure Bike Ride. We will see places like The Little River which flows from the east out of Glide, OR into the middle of the Umpqua National Forest. Lost lake, The Youtlkut Pillars, Yasko Falls, along with Hemlock Lake Campground and Falls are just a few of the high points of this trip!
Contact IRR at 541-621-8814
The cost is $125. Go to the 3 DAY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE
Contact IRR at 541-621-8814
The cost is $125. Go to the 3 DAY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE
The Hells Canyon Backcountry Adventure Route JULY 14-21
REGISTRATIONS ENDS FRIDAY JUNE 20TH |
|
This BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE developed by IRR is hands down one of the best Oregon Adventure Routes to be experienced! Discover all of the hidden history and places that are rarely seen and only visited by 0.1% of society on an ADV Bike! While some like to focus on the OBDR trails, we like to get into the far reaches of the Oregon outback where nobody else goes. This ride is for the truly adventure minded rider. It covers over 1,400 miles in 8 days and is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable events of your lifetime. IRR invites 5 other riders for a total of 6 in our group. The routes include all types of roads and highways and some of the roads will challenge your untapped abilities. This ride brings a great deal of satisfaction and accomplishment to every level of rider. It is focused in it's approach on some of the best remote areas in the world all in Oregon. You very seldom hear names like Hat Point, Saddle Camp, Dug Bar, The Zumwalt or Buckhorn Prairie. Few ever visit the Snake River and Hells Canyon, The Imnaha, Sled Springs, Rattle Snake Grade, The Grand Ronde or The Little Oregon Alps. It is truly a trip that you will look back on and realize that you are a very elite few to accomplish this kind of adventure! We hope that you will consider preparing for this trip in 2018 with IRR.
Contact IRR at 541-621-8814
REGISTRATION is now due! $300 by clicking the button below!
Contact IRR at 541-621-8814
REGISTRATION is now due! $300 by clicking the button below!
Donor Box and Stripe are Trusted and Secure Systems for making this Purchase.
|
|
June 23-24. The Red Buttes This is a nice local over nighter for the working man and is another great trip for those who love photography. Our Trip is one night of camping in the Red Buttes and Siskiyou Range. It is an Adventure Bike only ride and is mostly off-road. We will leave early Saturday morning and return Sunday after noon.
You can contact IRR at 541-621-8814
Cost is $75. Registration is now due!
Click this link to register. 2 DAY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE
The Coastal Range backcountry
June 8-10. The South Coos Backcountry Adventure Route is a lush tour of the Southern Oregon Coastal Range. It is loaded with fern forests, rivers, waterfalls, Oregon History, and is a great trip for those who love photography. Our Trip is two nights of camping along the South Coos, Smith, and Siuslaw Rivers. This is an Adventure Bike and Sport Touring Ride.
You can contact IRR at 541-621-8814
Cost is $125. Registration is now due!
​Click this link to register. 3 DAY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE
You can contact IRR at 541-621-8814
Cost is $125. Registration is now due!
​Click this link to register. 3 DAY BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURE ROUTE
Click to set custom HTML
I like this New Helmet!
 | A shout out to the guys at Medford Cycle Gear for hooking IRR - I Ride Rogue up with this great, modular, adventure Helmet! |
1.5 years after doing the doohickey on my own bike and at least 15 more on other bikes ranging from 2008 to 2013, the doohickey issue still can come back to haunt you! When I fist changed mine, I could only find the largest portion of the spring and the end of the hook. But there was a piece still in there. Literally 1.5 years later and over 20k on my 2009 Blue OX and I am doing an oil change in the IRR GARAGE when low an behold, looky what I found on the end of my magnetic drain plug. I have always been a big proponent of putting a magnetic plug in when the Doo is done and this time it has paid off! When you come to our shop for the doo fix, we do an oil and filter change and automatically get you a magnetic drain plug. Believe me when I say you won't regret the little bit of extra cost and love going into your pig over the long haul!
 | Catch us at www.iriderogue.com or call us at 541-621-8814 to get your Doohickey done before riding season begins! |
KLR650 SIMPLICITY IN AN ADVMOTO WORLD
It has been said, “The KLR 650 is a dichotomy”! It is in the mid-range of all of the other Adventure bikes in the ADVMoto spectrum. I would not even lump it in with the dual-sport category because their are much better bikes out there that fit that purpose specifically. For example! For a road-riding enthusiast the KLR may be considerably lighter and less powerful than other rides. A Sport-touring bike would be much more suited for that single purpose but, you can still have a lot of fun carving up some twisty’s on a KLR.
For a single-track dirt enthusiast, it's too big, and if that is all you are going to do then buy a dirt bike! Somewhere in the middle of the dichotomy, the KLR has a broad range of use that is well suited for commuting to work on one end and dusting off large chunks of backcountry roads right down to the two track jeep roads that haven’t been maintained since their conception.
For a single-track dirt enthusiast, it's too big, and if that is all you are going to do then buy a dirt bike! Somewhere in the middle of the dichotomy, the KLR has a broad range of use that is well suited for commuting to work on one end and dusting off large chunks of backcountry roads right down to the two track jeep roads that haven’t been maintained since their conception.
What makes the KLR so attractive is not that it goes head to head with a more dual-sport oriented bike in the dirt or, that it will keep up with the heavy, big bore, sport-touring bikes like the GS on the highways. What makes it attractive is that it does everything on some level! It has been designed in such a way that it can be fitted to accomplish a broad array of individual riding styles and interests at a bargain price. It is my opinion that this bike has been mis-stated as being and entry level bike for those who are new to the sport. I am a seasoned veteran in many styles of motorcycle riding with most of my life spent in the dirt and it still is a very sensible choice for me! So, I would say rather than categorizing it as an entry level bike, that by design it has been engineered to keep things simple for the everyday adventure rider who will ride it to work one day and turn around and traverse large chunks of back country the next!
All that being said it is essential for a rider to be honest about his/ her expectations before considering the bike. Are you a dirt-rider only interested in single track and ruff terrain? Maybe you're a street-rider and for the first time you are wanting to get away from all the traffic to explore the backcountry. Or, perhaps you're thinking of this machine as a first time motorcycle (in this last case, get some off-road training).
As generic as this adventure bike seems, the KLR is commonly described as a bike that "... doesn't do any one thing very well, but rather many things quite acceptably." In a practical sense, it is like a Leatherman Tool and requires consideration and training for real off-roading while at the same time it will withstand considerable amount of abuse and is highly adaptable.
A bit of a paradox, it is many things at once. Depending on one's experience or expectations the bike may be variously viewed as: preferred for street, preferred for long distance, or preferred for versatile on and off-road riding. Several aspects of the machine are viewed as lacking. Two in particular are overall suspension, and power to weight ratio. Personally, I have adapted my KLR to my particular wants and needs. I wanted a bike that was inexpensive, and capable, long-range, and fitted with the right gear. I wanted a bike that I could see the out of reach places on, capable of hauling my lard butt and all my favorite camping gear! So, I upgraded my suspension.
As generic as this adventure bike seems, the KLR is commonly described as a bike that "... doesn't do any one thing very well, but rather many things quite acceptably." In a practical sense, it is like a Leatherman Tool and requires consideration and training for real off-roading while at the same time it will withstand considerable amount of abuse and is highly adaptable.
A bit of a paradox, it is many things at once. Depending on one's experience or expectations the bike may be variously viewed as: preferred for street, preferred for long distance, or preferred for versatile on and off-road riding. Several aspects of the machine are viewed as lacking. Two in particular are overall suspension, and power to weight ratio. Personally, I have adapted my KLR to my particular wants and needs. I wanted a bike that was inexpensive, and capable, long-range, and fitted with the right gear. I wanted a bike that I could see the out of reach places on, capable of hauling my lard butt and all my favorite camping gear! So, I upgraded my suspension.
Cogent Dynamics custom made suspension that was tuned to the weight of my individual needs and riding style. On the issue of power, there are tweaks that can be made in jetting and carb mods, air filters, and air box modifications, along with other tricks that have been learned buy a cult like following of adventure enthusiasts and it won’t break the bank. All of these modifications can be done in the garage by an average mechanic, and help keep you knowledgable about fixing and maintaining your ride. As far as more horse power, The bike will still pull the hills and steep grades at Hwy speed and when in the back country exploring, even if you are a good rider, you will probably only average 25-30 mph. How fast do you need to go? Most of us are out there to discover and that is hard to do at 75 mph in the backcountry!
If you are looking to be sensible in your choices for an ADV bike and with all of the new technological advances, I am convinced that the KLR will continue to hold an attractive spot in the market place. Let’s face it. Even if I had the money to put down on a new bike with everything I wanted on it, I would have dropped over 20k and would still be dropping that new bike in the backcountry like I do my KLR! For under 7K I have a bike that meets all my needs, with all of the gear, that does everything I need it to. With the 13k that I have saved. I will ride for free for the next 10 years at least!
Making sensible choices in the Adventure Touring Market is hard these days! With so many choices on the market and new ones arriving every day along with the inability of the middle and lower class to just drop 20k at every turn for adventure, and then the industries barrage of bigger and better offerings to tantalize our senses. I am content to go with what is tried and true! When the rubber meets the road, we all end up in camp about the same time!
If you are looking to be sensible in your choices for an ADV bike and with all of the new technological advances, I am convinced that the KLR will continue to hold an attractive spot in the market place. Let’s face it. Even if I had the money to put down on a new bike with everything I wanted on it, I would have dropped over 20k and would still be dropping that new bike in the backcountry like I do my KLR! For under 7K I have a bike that meets all my needs, with all of the gear, that does everything I need it to. With the 13k that I have saved. I will ride for free for the next 10 years at least!
Making sensible choices in the Adventure Touring Market is hard these days! With so many choices on the market and new ones arriving every day along with the inability of the middle and lower class to just drop 20k at every turn for adventure, and then the industries barrage of bigger and better offerings to tantalize our senses. I am content to go with what is tried and true! When the rubber meets the road, we all end up in camp about the same time!
John Fairrington is the Owner of IRR - I Ride Rogue in Jacksonville, Oregon. www.iriderogue.com
He loves KTM 1090,1190,1290, The Africa Twin and rides a KLR650!
He loves KTM 1090,1190,1290, The Africa Twin and rides a KLR650!
Why go after your dreams?
It has been said and rightly observed by those who have no hope that, one of three very distinct things happen to your dreams and creative passions over a period of time. We will call this your story. Once you become trapped in your story, strapped for time, persuaded by others who are enslaved by the common dogma of what a role model looks like. Or, perhaps you were once bound by your own personal sin but you confessed them, received pardon and forgiveness from Christ, and were restored into righteousness in Him but, others hi-jacked the narrative of your story, holding you prisoner to a specific chapter in your life, never bothering to go deeper into your story so you…
1. You either let your hopes, dreams, and adventures die.
2. You went after them any way.
3. You treated them like the hobby you always dreamed of.
Option one is clearly the acceptance and equivalent of a load of dung! It is the number one reason we have an epidemic of emasculated men who are afraid of adventure, and cower at the possibility of having a narrative that is different than anyone else’s in our culture. This leaves men ineffective in their roles as fathers and as leaders of their families, estranged in their relationship with their wives, and slaves to our society on many levels.
Option two is the gutsy, meaningful path. It’s what IRR is all about. This sense of adventure and the pursuit of it wears earplugs around those who have hi-jacked their story and responds only to the voice of The One who said, “I will write my will on their hearts.” This is why we are so passionate at I Ride Rogue about getting people on adventure but, you never want to pursue your passion without God by your side. That would only produce a self-made man and not a God made man who is totally reliant on Him.
And then there’s option three.
The No Risk Route. You’ll seem so wise, so practical, and so grown-up. Surely those who have hi-jacked the narrative of your story will come to their senses and see that you have changed your ways and become the model citizen!
With this kind of approach you tell yourself you no longer have the time or freedom to realize your dreams and passions or to pursue them at the utmost level of your ability–so you decide from here on out you’ll do it “just for fun’ or “as a hobby.”
It is unfortunate because in that moment of rationalization, most men take what was once the driving passion of their creative life and reduce it to just something that is a distraction from real life, like a hobby.
It has been said and rightly observed by those who have no hope that, one of three very distinct things happen to your dreams and creative passions over a period of time. We will call this your story. Once you become trapped in your story, strapped for time, persuaded by others who are enslaved by the common dogma of what a role model looks like. Or, perhaps you were once bound by your own personal sin but you confessed them, received pardon and forgiveness from Christ, and were restored into righteousness in Him but, others hi-jacked the narrative of your story, holding you prisoner to a specific chapter in your life, never bothering to go deeper into your story so you…
1. You either let your hopes, dreams, and adventures die.
2. You went after them any way.
3. You treated them like the hobby you always dreamed of.
Option one is clearly the acceptance and equivalent of a load of dung! It is the number one reason we have an epidemic of emasculated men who are afraid of adventure, and cower at the possibility of having a narrative that is different than anyone else’s in our culture. This leaves men ineffective in their roles as fathers and as leaders of their families, estranged in their relationship with their wives, and slaves to our society on many levels.
Option two is the gutsy, meaningful path. It’s what IRR is all about. This sense of adventure and the pursuit of it wears earplugs around those who have hi-jacked their story and responds only to the voice of The One who said, “I will write my will on their hearts.” This is why we are so passionate at I Ride Rogue about getting people on adventure but, you never want to pursue your passion without God by your side. That would only produce a self-made man and not a God made man who is totally reliant on Him.
And then there’s option three.
The No Risk Route. You’ll seem so wise, so practical, and so grown-up. Surely those who have hi-jacked the narrative of your story will come to their senses and see that you have changed your ways and become the model citizen!
With this kind of approach you tell yourself you no longer have the time or freedom to realize your dreams and passions or to pursue them at the utmost level of your ability–so you decide from here on out you’ll do it “just for fun’ or “as a hobby.”
It is unfortunate because in that moment of rationalization, most men take what was once the driving passion of their creative life and reduce it to just something that is a distraction from real life, like a hobby.
Do you feel like you want adventure or that you want to pursue your passion but every time you mention it someone starts ripping your heart out? O, but come on. You have to be realistic. How can you be expected to go an adventure or pursue your passion when you’ve got a wife, kids, and bills to pay? The days of swinging from the chandelier’s are over.
In short, you believe the lie that putting your hope in God and embarking on an adventurous passion exacts to great a price and you can’t afford it.
You think going on adventure means working longer hours, giving up too much, or quitting your day job. You think saying “yes” to your passions means saying “no” to your family. Maybe, you look at fatherhood and see only constraints and liabilities: less time, less money, less risk tolerance.
I ran into a twenty-something the other day who actually gets it! He saw me in a parking lot, in front of my favorite going on adventure store as I was returning from a three-day adventure in Wind Hell! (More on that in a minute.) He had noticed my adventure motorcycle with all the camping gear strapped on ad indicated that he wanted to get his whole family out on motorcycles adventures and that he would be doing it soon. In His comments he stated that his dad always had the family on adventure and that he would be making it a priority for his family. It was obvious that there hade been a powerful impact on this outgoing, articulate, and ready to tackle anything, young man and that it was the result of an adventurous father. Don’t forget the assets…the ways fatherhood forges you for greatness, the way being an adventurous man builds a “can do” attitude, how it breaks down the walls of fear so that others will venture beyond those walls to discover and achieve new things.
You may be in your 50’s like me. And yes, admittedly I cannot do adventure in the same way my 31-year-old son would, He has the ability and physical strength to consume large amounts of life with long hours of work all while juggling family and even building a new home.
Thankfully, I am older and wiser now. I have developed a network of others around me. They are resourceful and full of their own stories! They come with hard-earned emotional intelligence, the life experience, and the practical horse sense required for success. So, now I pursue my passion and stay on adventure by partnering with these people, it is done by using a force multiplying strategy that most younger counterparts would never have the breadth of experience to even consider. More importantly, it is all in simple response to hearing from and cultivating a relationship with my heavenly Father! If He is not the driving force behind everything we do and if He is not at the center of our lives then all of these thoughts would just be about self-betterment and a load of psychobabble!
In short, you believe the lie that putting your hope in God and embarking on an adventurous passion exacts to great a price and you can’t afford it.
You think going on adventure means working longer hours, giving up too much, or quitting your day job. You think saying “yes” to your passions means saying “no” to your family. Maybe, you look at fatherhood and see only constraints and liabilities: less time, less money, less risk tolerance.
I ran into a twenty-something the other day who actually gets it! He saw me in a parking lot, in front of my favorite going on adventure store as I was returning from a three-day adventure in Wind Hell! (More on that in a minute.) He had noticed my adventure motorcycle with all the camping gear strapped on ad indicated that he wanted to get his whole family out on motorcycles adventures and that he would be doing it soon. In His comments he stated that his dad always had the family on adventure and that he would be making it a priority for his family. It was obvious that there hade been a powerful impact on this outgoing, articulate, and ready to tackle anything, young man and that it was the result of an adventurous father. Don’t forget the assets…the ways fatherhood forges you for greatness, the way being an adventurous man builds a “can do” attitude, how it breaks down the walls of fear so that others will venture beyond those walls to discover and achieve new things.
You may be in your 50’s like me. And yes, admittedly I cannot do adventure in the same way my 31-year-old son would, He has the ability and physical strength to consume large amounts of life with long hours of work all while juggling family and even building a new home.
Thankfully, I am older and wiser now. I have developed a network of others around me. They are resourceful and full of their own stories! They come with hard-earned emotional intelligence, the life experience, and the practical horse sense required for success. So, now I pursue my passion and stay on adventure by partnering with these people, it is done by using a force multiplying strategy that most younger counterparts would never have the breadth of experience to even consider. More importantly, it is all in simple response to hearing from and cultivating a relationship with my heavenly Father! If He is not the driving force behind everything we do and if He is not at the center of our lives then all of these thoughts would just be about self-betterment and a load of psychobabble!
Example; This weekend I held a tour for Adventure Motorcyclists to a destination in the Eastern Oregon Desert. It has always been an epic adventure! This weekend was no different but definitely not the same. In short, we rode through freezing rain, experienced. 50+ mph winds, and lost a good tent. Even though this adventure was planned to be the epic opening of our touring season, it rapidly became the trip to a windy Hell! However, all things considered, it was still one of the best trips I have done and all for different reasons. You see the stories that were shared and the mutual partnering of getting through the weekend became the real adventure. And even though it was difficult, at the same time it was rewarding, even satisfying! As men, we once again learned that life is not about the destination but the journey and that God has a plan for our lives as we journey with Him thus, a great adventure was had and our passion was renewed!
It’s not too late to get on adventure; it’s not too late to change the narrative of your story. It’s never to late to pursue your passion, to be on adventure, or to take some risk. Start by doing what you are passionate about for 5 hours a week. Make it your your expertise, do it with gusto in a way that it is contagious to others. Once you start, stand back and watch what God does with your story!
The world has given us to many excuses for not pursuing our dreams, passions, and the things we should be dedicating our lives to.
Just because your story line is different than someone else’s doesn’t make aspects of fatherhood, husbandry, finances, time, and occupation liabilities to your passion and adventure. All of these things are like adjectives in our story and are used to help you live your story and to have an impact on others around you, so long as you keep Christ as the center of your life, have the eyes to see it, the heart to pursue it, and the stones to go for it.
It’s not too late to get on adventure; it’s not too late to change the narrative of your story. It’s never to late to pursue your passion, to be on adventure, or to take some risk. Start by doing what you are passionate about for 5 hours a week. Make it your your expertise, do it with gusto in a way that it is contagious to others. Once you start, stand back and watch what God does with your story!
The world has given us to many excuses for not pursuing our dreams, passions, and the things we should be dedicating our lives to.
Just because your story line is different than someone else’s doesn’t make aspects of fatherhood, husbandry, finances, time, and occupation liabilities to your passion and adventure. All of these things are like adjectives in our story and are used to help you live your story and to have an impact on others around you, so long as you keep Christ as the center of your life, have the eyes to see it, the heart to pursue it, and the stones to go for it.
|
|
|
Why ADV Motorcycle Riding?
I am over 50 years of age and although I don’t ride as aggressively as I did in my youth, there are still many aspects that I am passionate about. The Sport of Adventure Riding offers many challenges that riding in other genres of motorcycling does not. My body has come to grips with the fact that injuries are harder to recover from and the ensuing pain is much more severe. My body is heavier, knees are bad, and the joints don’t feel like they used too. I am much more interested in seeing things with less of a blur and my attraction for speed and the higher levels of risk have been traded in for a more leisurely pace. A camera, a camp fire and seeing the sights are just some of the motivating factors now.
So, what is it that makes this type of riding such a wonderful and rewarding challenge?
I am over 50 years of age and although I don’t ride as aggressively as I did in my youth, there are still many aspects that I am passionate about. The Sport of Adventure Riding offers many challenges that riding in other genres of motorcycling does not. My body has come to grips with the fact that injuries are harder to recover from and the ensuing pain is much more severe. My body is heavier, knees are bad, and the joints don’t feel like they used too. I am much more interested in seeing things with less of a blur and my attraction for speed and the higher levels of risk have been traded in for a more leisurely pace. A camera, a camp fire and seeing the sights are just some of the motivating factors now.
So, what is it that makes this type of riding such a wonderful and rewarding challenge?
First it is the Discovery
Discovery starts from my office desk. I spend hours looking at maps, reading about the history and the special events that took place at all of my potential destinations, before I even go. I do this for many reasons but the most important one is so that I can pre-sort through the things that I believe are going to be the most interesting and memorable. For example! Bryce Canyon is one of the most beautiful places you will ever encounter but a little homework will get you into places around that area that are just as amazing, with very few crowds if any, and are much more rewarding if you are truly about discovery.
Discovery starts from my office desk. I spend hours looking at maps, reading about the history and the special events that took place at all of my potential destinations, before I even go. I do this for many reasons but the most important one is so that I can pre-sort through the things that I believe are going to be the most interesting and memorable. For example! Bryce Canyon is one of the most beautiful places you will ever encounter but a little homework will get you into places around that area that are just as amazing, with very few crowds if any, and are much more rewarding if you are truly about discovery.
And The Adventure
Our idea of going on an adventure embraces the idea that we are going to be self-sufficient for over a week at a time with ourselves, our gear and our machines. This means that when I want coffee, I’m at least 100 miles from Starbucks at any given point in time. It takes special people to go on Adventures! It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you put into planning out a trip, there are still going to be issues, set-backs, struggles, tension, and unforeseen changes. These are all part of the adventure for me and there is a sense of achievement that comes for those of us who embrace the unseen, step into the unknown and are willing to roll with what ever happens on each new adventure.
Our idea of going on an adventure embraces the idea that we are going to be self-sufficient for over a week at a time with ourselves, our gear and our machines. This means that when I want coffee, I’m at least 100 miles from Starbucks at any given point in time. It takes special people to go on Adventures! It doesn’t matter how much time and effort you put into planning out a trip, there are still going to be issues, set-backs, struggles, tension, and unforeseen changes. These are all part of the adventure for me and there is a sense of achievement that comes for those of us who embrace the unseen, step into the unknown and are willing to roll with what ever happens on each new adventure.
The Challenge
Although the physical challenge of adventure touring is different than Moto-Cross or enduro riding, it is still physically demanding. One must condition oneself to spend long periods of time in the saddle and on the foot pegs. Even though the bike has all of the characteristics of a dirt bike, it is designed to achieve a larger scope of activities, needs and demands for its rider. This is not often understood when first getting into the sport. These machines are much heavier than dirt bikes. Add the weight of all of your camping gear, food, tools, water, and the stuff that you will need in the back country and you’ve got yourself a load of poles that can get you in trouble off road in a real hurry! This is why the challenge is so appealing. It takes a great deal of training and preparation along with an accumulation of experience to do a trip in the backcountry. Many adjustments to riding style, gear, packing, motorcycle maintenance, and personal preference take time to develop to the point that you are proficient on the trail. Part of the challenge for me has been getting to a point that I can have a backcountry adventure without needing a vacation from my vacation when I’m done!
Although the physical challenge of adventure touring is different than Moto-Cross or enduro riding, it is still physically demanding. One must condition oneself to spend long periods of time in the saddle and on the foot pegs. Even though the bike has all of the characteristics of a dirt bike, it is designed to achieve a larger scope of activities, needs and demands for its rider. This is not often understood when first getting into the sport. These machines are much heavier than dirt bikes. Add the weight of all of your camping gear, food, tools, water, and the stuff that you will need in the back country and you’ve got yourself a load of poles that can get you in trouble off road in a real hurry! This is why the challenge is so appealing. It takes a great deal of training and preparation along with an accumulation of experience to do a trip in the backcountry. Many adjustments to riding style, gear, packing, motorcycle maintenance, and personal preference take time to develop to the point that you are proficient on the trail. Part of the challenge for me has been getting to a point that I can have a backcountry adventure without needing a vacation from my vacation when I’m done!
The Story
I have really found no other place that I can develop and live out my story in the way that I can while Adventure Touring. I have been sniffed by grizzly bears, jumped into remote rivers, seen some of the most beautiful and remote country in the world. I have been lost, cried, been hurt, and tackled fears. I have never enjoyed myself more, laughed more, met more good friends, or been lonelier than when I was on adventure and, never more happy to be home and with my wife than when I return from an Adventure. All that being said, I have never had more undivided attention, conversation, and encouragement than when I am there. It is easy to say that I have learned more about myself and how to overcome obstacles while on an adventure than anywhere else in the world. All while I had the undivided attention of The Creator all to myself. This is my Story!
I have really found no other place that I can develop and live out my story in the way that I can while Adventure Touring. I have been sniffed by grizzly bears, jumped into remote rivers, seen some of the most beautiful and remote country in the world. I have been lost, cried, been hurt, and tackled fears. I have never enjoyed myself more, laughed more, met more good friends, or been lonelier than when I was on adventure and, never more happy to be home and with my wife than when I return from an Adventure. All that being said, I have never had more undivided attention, conversation, and encouragement than when I am there. It is easy to say that I have learned more about myself and how to overcome obstacles while on an adventure than anywhere else in the world. All while I had the undivided attention of The Creator all to myself. This is my Story!
The IRR Approach to Adventure Touring.
In an effort to bring more symbiotic approach to the Sport of Adventure Motorcycling, We are looking to bring a little localized perspective to the terminology that is used when we hear about Expeditions, Adventure, and Discovery!
Despite the fact that there is a perpetual wedge being driven between the more elite Adventure Motorcycle brands and the Dual-Sport genre on the other end of the spectrum, These very distinct genre’s of Adventure are crossing paths and quite frankly spending a lot of time together. Presently, I own a KLR650 and ride frequently with folks on dual sports and motocross bikes on one weekend and then folks who have Goldwing’s and Harley’s on the next. We think that this is healthy for the Sport of Motorcycling in general and although we are definitely more focused on the off highway adventures at IRR, we don’t acknowledge a need to send the sport back to the stone age because of our personal preferences. That being said, allow us to attempt to define what we think is the trend in adventure touring and lower some of the road blocks that keep us all from getting out there and enjoying adventure with just about anyone!
Some stick to the old axiom that any bike is an adventure bike. Any bike can take you anywhere. That axiom worked in the 1970s and through the 1990s when Adventure Motorcycling was crossing continents like Africa or South America. When routes were undocumented, even main “highways” unpaved and uncertain, and mystery was around every corner. Back in those days, when the term “Adventure Motorcycling” was born, a trans-continental motorcycle journey inherently consisted of both travel to exotic places and the adventure of expedition motorcycling to actually get there.
These days Adventure Riding has moved on, as the roads have become paved, as the mystery around each corner has evaporated due to the explosion of information available on the internet. That has caused a split in direction amongst Adventure Motorcyclists. While the majority now focus exclusively on “motorcycle travel” as being the key to Adventure Motorcycling (Thus the proliferation of 550-650 lb. “Adventure” bikes that are not well suited for the likes of mud, sand or other adventurous terrain beyond well maintained, graded, gravel roads), many, including myself, believe that some degree of expedition riding is still fundamental to the idea of “Adventure Motorcycling”, as was the case in the past. But these days Adventure riding can be characterized as riding to far away, outback places, and following the endless procession of 40 ton, 18-wheel freighters, or your GPS voice commands, and two weeks after leaving your home base you will arrive at Yosemite, Yellowstone or the Rockies. Is that Adventure Motorcycling in 2016? Is “Adventure Motorcycling” really an appropriate name for that? You can do it on a scooter, on a Goldwing, or anything in between. That’s an experience and an endeavor almost completely unrelated to the “Adventure Motorcycling” experienced by those who traveled to the same destinations even 40 years ago. Advances in both technology and road building have meant that many Adventure Motorcyclists of today now seek riding challenges beyond the main routes in order to maintain that need for real adventure riding. Seeking out more exotic routes is essential to having sense of Adventure Motorcycling. At IRR we seek out rarely visited outback corners of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. We do this in an effort to be true to the spirit of Adventure Motorcycling, a combination of both elements; exotic destinations and expedition riding, scaled back to be an attainable experience for anyone who want to get on exploration and want to experience Adventure and Expedition on a smaller, more American scale!
For me at least, Adventure Motorcycling now does not just mean domestic off road riding, nor riding to adventurous sounding far away foreign cities. Fact of the matter is, you don’t have to be a Trans-continental traveler to go on an expedition. For me, the getting away from it all feeling of Adventure Motorcycling means actual adventurous riding in adventurous places with slightly different purposes and levels of intensity. At IRR while we look for a more purist approach to Adventure Motorcycling at time we look for a more inclusive definition of the terminology surrounding Adventure Motorcycling.
This is how we at IRR define the characteristics of Adventure Touring.
EXPEDITION LEVEL RIDING: Best described as self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations where the journey is the primary goal. This journey is done by off-highway capable transport (Adventure Ready Motorcycles) where the principal form of lodging is primitive camping; often lasting for extended lengths of time in regions more than 100 miles from any developed services. It requires a person with the physical stamina for long days in the saddle, the highest level of preparation, a broad range of knowledge and abilities centered on personal safety and first aid, the repair and maintenance of the motorcycle you ride along with a working knowledge of how to fix it. Furthermore, It will require riding skills developed over a period of time, on heavy machines with large amounts of provisions. All of this challenges the dynamics of your riding skill and knowledge, and is much different than a ride to Starbuck’s!
ADVENTURE LEVEL RIDING: This level of riding still requires a level of self-reliance with remote destination in mind but stays a bit closer to amenities and services that will have you home or back at the hotel at the end of the day. It can be pavement or gravel focused in its nature but still comes with some of the camping characteristics of Expedition while offering lodging opportunities along with occasional the occasional “hole in the wall restaurant” for a warm meal. This type of riding allows you to carry less gear, take more time to enjoy the sites and is limited to shorter periods of time and distance on motorcycles that range from the street oriented to the expedition capable!
DISCOVERY LEVEL RIDING: Discovery level riding is open to everyone who is looking for Adventure and has a motorcycle. These riders are literally on discovery about what type of bike they want to ride and how they will purpose it to best fit their specific needs and expectations. Some are in learning process and discover that they want to go farther and to push their limits and abilities. Others have settled into the groove they like and are just looking for the camaraderie of the ride and the joy of being on a motorcycle journey. This generally looks like an over-night ride or day trip and requires the least amount of gear, preparation, and training. It has the least amount of planning involved and allows one to see new places on a low budget, without breaking the bank! Most of the discovery level riding we do is on the pavement but can definitely be an off highway experience too!
The Argus Observer Nov 17, 2015
Push back against land grab in Owyhee Canyon Lands
I’m becoming increasingly concerned we are going to end up visitors to areas our families have freely accessed since settling in Eastern Oregon.
Coming away from the public meeting in Adrian, on the latest threat of over 2 million acres being signed into a monument, I’ve switched my attention to a coalition between the green machine Oregon Natural Desert Association, Pew Charitable Trust and Sierra Club joining with recreation-based businesses such as Keen Footwear. These are some of the principles, but not all, pushing the Owyhee monument. Is it about saving the canyon lands or selling more sandals to fill the coffers of private companies? Self-serving coalitions with no interests to the negative impacts imposed on the local population that will result in families being displaced. No recreators are being held back from enjoying the Owyhee Canyonlands at the present time.
If you were to believe the presentation from Oregon Natural Desert Association everyone comes out a winner. Access would remain, but failed to mention closing the scores of spur roads locals have historically used for sustenance. Failed to mention grazing will be negatively affected. Economic values from the mineral resources would be lost. Urbanites all decked out in their subtle,”look at me attire” could breeze in, spend a few days and dollars, and be gone just as they are free to do presently. Is it hard to understand, we are not for sale, our historical cultural access is not for sale. We are doing just fine without your money.
A new Presidential Memorandum “mitigating impacts on natural resources from development and encouraging related private investment.” Encouraging related private investment, what in the world does this mean? The term “invest” means putting money in business etc., in order to get a profit, this implies our public lands are for sale. This is a general term that can and will be used to implement more redundant regulations from out of control bureaucratic agencies.
Will people push back, I hope so. Nothing has worked to stop the land grabs swirling around us. We desperately need representatives to serve the people they represent, be our voice at the table. Playing politics, has not been a winning hand, time to quit bargaining away the very items you are entrusted to protect.
Wanda Ballard, Baker City
Push back against land grab in Owyhee Canyon Lands
I’m becoming increasingly concerned we are going to end up visitors to areas our families have freely accessed since settling in Eastern Oregon.
Coming away from the public meeting in Adrian, on the latest threat of over 2 million acres being signed into a monument, I’ve switched my attention to a coalition between the green machine Oregon Natural Desert Association, Pew Charitable Trust and Sierra Club joining with recreation-based businesses such as Keen Footwear. These are some of the principles, but not all, pushing the Owyhee monument. Is it about saving the canyon lands or selling more sandals to fill the coffers of private companies? Self-serving coalitions with no interests to the negative impacts imposed on the local population that will result in families being displaced. No recreators are being held back from enjoying the Owyhee Canyonlands at the present time.
If you were to believe the presentation from Oregon Natural Desert Association everyone comes out a winner. Access would remain, but failed to mention closing the scores of spur roads locals have historically used for sustenance. Failed to mention grazing will be negatively affected. Economic values from the mineral resources would be lost. Urbanites all decked out in their subtle,”look at me attire” could breeze in, spend a few days and dollars, and be gone just as they are free to do presently. Is it hard to understand, we are not for sale, our historical cultural access is not for sale. We are doing just fine without your money.
A new Presidential Memorandum “mitigating impacts on natural resources from development and encouraging related private investment.” Encouraging related private investment, what in the world does this mean? The term “invest” means putting money in business etc., in order to get a profit, this implies our public lands are for sale. This is a general term that can and will be used to implement more redundant regulations from out of control bureaucratic agencies.
Will people push back, I hope so. Nothing has worked to stop the land grabs swirling around us. We desperately need representatives to serve the people they represent, be our voice at the table. Playing politics, has not been a winning hand, time to quit bargaining away the very items you are entrusted to protect.
Wanda Ballard, Baker City
