got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip

[shift]

got to work today and 3 of us were informed that due to the decline of work, we were the newest foolios on the team, we had to be let go. no worries, imma do mah DAMN thang and have some fun then. i called leon and decided we should do a xc trip -- hit the fire roads of colorado, pike's peak, mount rogers, and some off road riding in moab, utah, some tooling around in south lake tahoe to visit my crazy cousin, and whatever else sounds like fun along the way. should be a 2 week trip, but it may go for 3 weeks.

we will be leaving next sunday. leon has to rush order a carb for the drz sm he bought not too long ago, and then i'll put it in. we decided to drive my sanford and son edition s-10 with bad betty in the back and trailer his drz sm so we would have some room to fit necessities in the bed of the truck. i'm not sure i trust bad betty to go 3k miles problem free, let alone a round trip of about 6k. so that is why we are truckin it.

i have some preparation maintenance to do on big red (my s-10) as well as bad betty, get leon's carb installed and finger out the logistics of the trip, but that should all be a breeze. we hope to have a laptop and be able to keep a current ride report with lots of pictures updated daily. i gotta say, i'm pretty amped for this!

so that's the start of my week. how's yours?

ps: if anyone has d/s'd out west and know of some epic trails, please feel free to share.

[Rut Row]

sorry to hear about your misfortune - but from where I'm setting, I'm jealous!

[Roadracer_Al]

DAMN, Shift, that sucks like a toothless hooker.

Ifn' you want to go a half a day further than Tahoe, you can crash here for a couple days in beautiful downtown Oakland. 20 minutes from San Fran, full shop including a tire changing machine (you'll be about due), a comfy guest bed and futon, and some DAMN good Mexican food in da hood.

Good way to reset the attitude before the job search. You are not alone.

RE: trails, hit up the regional section on ADVrider. There's a TON of amazing shit out here. IMHO, Death Valley is one of the must-see destinations. I'd offer to ride with you, but I'll be recuperating from arthoscopic knee surgery & I'm having a fixator plate & screws removed from my shoulder at the same time... apparently because I'm stupid and stubborn.

[Louge]

The Colorado passes will be snowed in for another month (plenty of other CO riding to do though!). Pick up Charles A. Wells definitive Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails and National Geographic Moab South and North topo maps before departure or if time constrained send me your snail-mail address.

http://sherpa.smugmug.com/Travel/TAT-20 ... 8222_72tRr
http://sherpa.smugmug.com/Travel/TAT-20 ... 7266_kWi3G
http://sherpa.smugmug.com/Travel/TAT-20 ... 8466_p3fTp

We spent 3 days in Moab while doing the TAT and could easily have spent another week.

Jet your carbs for altitude or take extra brass with you. I left MD 1 size down on the main and clip and dropped another size on the main in Colorado.

Have a blast!

[Bucho]

Wow Louge, those are some really neat pics! I remember talking to you about that trip, but the pics say alot more. Its such a different landscape then we have here in the East.

Shift, spend a week in Moab.

[Grady]

+1 for spending time in Moab. I only wish I had more time and a DS bike last time I was there.

[shift]

EDIT: i think i got the part i need squared away



roadracer al, thanks for the offer. i have a cousin in south lake tahoe i'll be staying with for a bit, but if something turns out your way, i'll let you know. btw, good luck w/ the knee and shoulder recovery!

louge, those are great pics! thanks for the advice!

bucho, the week in moab is noted!

my buddy will be on a drz sm, and i found someone willing to lend him the dirt wheels and tires for the trip. he was actually hesitant to switch to dirt trim. i was like -- THIS IS AN OFF ROAD TRIP MAN, WTH???

[badguy]

my buddy will be on a drz sm, and i found someone willing to lend him the dirt wheels and tires for the trip. he was actually hesitant to switch to dirt trim. i was like -- THIS IS AN OFF ROAD TRIP MAN, WTH???

better than that loaded up BMW, right?

[JaxObsessed]

EDIT: i think i got the part i need squared away



roadracer al, thanks for the offer. i have a cousin in south lake tahoe i'll be staying with for a bit, but if something turns out your way, i'll let you know. btw, good luck w/ the knee and shoulder recovery!

louge, those are great pics! thanks for the advice!

bucho, the week in moab is noted!

my buddy will be on a drz sm, and i found someone willing to lend him the dirt wheels and tires for the trip. he was actually hesitant to switch to dirt trim. i was like -- THIS IS AN OFF ROAD TRIP MAN, WTH???

Sorry about the job, but jealous of the freedom! Sounds like you have a talent for taking advantage of transitional times! More power to you! Have a big time. take some PIX BeOtch!!


Louge.... Really FINE pix... I've been reading TAT and MOAB RRs on ADV for 2 or more years, and man your pix KICK ASS>

[shift]

my buddy will be on a drz sm, and i found someone willing to lend him the dirt wheels and tires for the trip. he was actually hesitant to switch to dirt trim. i was like -- THIS IS AN OFF ROAD TRIP MAN, WTH???

better than that loaded up BMW, right?

man, if he brought that bmw.... bad things, very bad things.


jax, it's a known talent of mine to blow off responsibility, i mean, take advantage of these opportunities! (and sometimes 'create' more opportunities)