Our TAT group is self named the “Mad TATter’s”. Joe M (group originator, riding in from NC) has a forum thread on ADV rider at the following link if you are interested in another perspective. https://advrider.com/f/threads/trans-america-trail-2019-6-strangers-journey-to-brotherhood.1391353/
Joe D also has ADV rider thread at; https://advrider.com/f/threads/mad-tater-2019-a-trans-america-trail-journey.1393198/
I am traveling light so I am learning that every time you stop you pull out everything from your dry bags because you need everything…. tent, pad, food, change of clothes, etc…… thus every morning you repack everything. We left at 11:30.
We rode another 150 mi today on great paved and forest service roads. I’m getting to know my the bike, love the authoritative thump thump thump as my big single cylinder KTM lugs down to pull me & 60+ lb of gear up a steep mountain service road at 20 mph.
Joe and I ran across a fallen 18” oak tree that was hanging over our forest road. We got off the bikes and after a while figured out how to get walk the bikes across the low end next to the road drop off. Spotting each other against falling off the 30 ft drop off, we walked the bikes under power over the log and continue on.
We stopped at the Covington VA Subway for a late lunch. What luxury! ….felt like kings…. washup, sit down, ate, had cell service and gas…. everything you could need!
We stayed at the small Forest Service campground called Walnut flats that night almost by ourselves… it was free… quiet, 2200 ft Elv. You could feel the cool mountain air coming down off the mountain as night closed in. It was good sleeping and we heard owls later that night.
We had given up on Bill (our 3rd team member) reaching us just before we left the camp fire for bed and then we heard him riding up the mountain at 10:30, riding in from Vienna VA that day on a limping bike. Bill rides a Honda XR650L that was stated missing on his way riding out to us.
I really like the guys on this ride and we have a good skill set for the TAT I think …Bill is a retired army medic, Joe D is a retired pilot from Continental who also was a plane mechanic earlier in life his life and Joe M. (traveling with the other group from NC) is a SW engineer and a computer/GPS wizz. I don’t know about the other guys Ohio Ed and Steve from Tx but will find out this weekend when we meet up with them.
