Moonshine Ruff Road/Back Road Ride!!!

[Austin city limits]

Ok,,, here are the details!!!:)

We plan on the group heading out at 8:25 am on Saturday April 18th!!! You should be/will be at Moonshine about 11 to 11:30 for sure... At about the half way mark,,, Don has an EXTRA special,,, BESTEST surprise for you!!! A stop off spot that only,,, you can imagine,,, if you see it!!! :bow1: A Bathroom break,,, and a Beverage of your choice will be available with even a Pot Bellied Pet Pig to see... :cool:

What sort of roads can you expect??? Nasty/Great roads!!! I swear,,, I can not believe how good of a loop Don Scott has found for this run!!! "IF",,, the weather cooperates,,, you will spend 65% of the time on Gravel roads which are at best,,, worse than roads you will find up in Alaska!!! I kid,,, you NOT!!!

You will go across at LEAST,,, 5 running water road crossings... Could be 7 if the time and weather allows...

4 of us ran this route this last Saturday and all I can say is,,, in 2 or 4 years from now,,, this will be a major reason to show up and be at the MLR!!!

Around 70 miles long route...

65% Gravel/Sandy/Muddy Township legal roads... Only about 5 miles on Black top County roads... The Blacktop Township roads you will run are GREAT roads also!!! You will NOT,,, be disappointed unless you do not run this route!!!

Dual Sport bikes are the norm on this ride... ST-1300/FJR's/Goldwings/Connies/Harley/Ect are NOT recommended for this run... Depending on the weather,,, there are spots that none of those "Street Bikes' will be able to conquer... Remember,,, 5 Creek Crossings/mud/Sand,,, are not FJR friendly... ;)

This is a "Come as you are,,, Follow along if ya want to Ride"... In other words,,, "This is a Non Sanctioned,,, ride at your own risk Ride... No Sign up,,, no cost,,, no complaints sort of ride... Don Scott is taking off at 8:25 am,,, and you are welcome to follow along... And,,, you will be very glad you did!!! :cool:

# 1 ~~~ Don Scott ~ BMW 1150 GS

# 2 ~~~ Clint Scott ~ Kawasaki KLR 650
# 3 ~~~ John in Louisville ~ Honda 650
# 4 ~~~ Sleazy rider ~ ???
# 5 ~~~ Glen ~ DRZ 400
# 6 ~~~ Could be you!!!

[Papa]

Dangit Terry, you're making this tuff to resist.

[Putt]

did chew git a GPS file of dis here root??

Putt...

[dr1954]

One of the boys next door has a Suzuki dual sport!

Wonder if he would notice it missing for a weekend?

Thanks for the pics.

Who was the fool that let you ride his bike on this adventure?

[Putt]

One of the boys next door has a Suzuki dual sport!

Wonder if he would notice it missing for a weekend?

Thanks for the pics.

Who was the fool that let you ride his bike on this adventure?

Terry probably rode his recumbent...


Putt...

[Austin city limits]

Dangit Terry, you're making this tuff to resist.

That My Job... :cool:

I kid you not... I,,, was,,, AMAZED,,, how great this loop is!!! I really mean it!!!

[Austin city limits]

did chew git a GPS file of dis here root??

Putt...

Toppest Secret... ;)

[Austin city limits]

One of the boys next door has a Suzuki dual sport!

Wonder if he would notice it missing for a weekend?

Thanks for the pics.

Who was the fool that let you ride his bike on this adventure?

Friends came to my shop and had an,,, "Intervention" with me Friday... Said,,, if anyone will meet a State Cop,,, it would be me... I was riding Mitch's Honda 230... Not Street Legal... No Plate... No Road Insurance... :rolleyes: I gave in,,, and rode a friends Bike...

As we are about 2 miles from the Scratching the Pot Bellied Pig,,, we meet a State Cop!!!:bow1:

[Papa]

Is there a different sign up sheet for this?

[Austin city limits]

More pic's...

[Austin city limits]

Is there a different sign up sheet for this?

Sign up is right here Papa!!!

I will transfer over the others who are already going so far...

:cool:

[Papa]

Are there places to get off, off road, hills to climb, etc.? I'll be there.

[Austin city limits]

Are there places to get off, off road, hills to climb, etc.?

All the 70 miles are on legal Township/County roads... You will think Illinois has not gotten such crappy roads if you are driving a car,,, but these are the BESTEST ROADS,,, for this,,, E V A R ! ! !

Don is going on this Route... If you wander away from the herd??? Just tell Don so he is not waiting for you,,, and you can go where ever you want...

But,,,

I have lived here my whole life,,, and I would be lost in 6 minutes down in that creek bottom!!! Most roads off this route will be "Private Property and such... There is a Motocross track we go right by... You can ride all day in there and climb hills,,, and ride all day and never ride on the same loop!!! Small $$ gets ya a day pass easy...

[alan]

Those roads look better than the one George tried on his ST1100 last year!:p:

[Austin city limits]

Those roads look better than the one George tried on his ST1100 last year!:p:

It has been warm,,, and dry... ANY RAIN,,, ANY AT ALL,,, and Knobby tires will be the only way through that route...

But,,,

I would never bet against George... :cool:

[George]

Terry, I stayed on 600 Street leaving the store yesterday, headed north and east (670?), rode a little gravel and one low and wet crossing. Ended up in Marshall. Was I close to this route?

Folks, if it ain't rained in a week or so, Terry's route is do-able on an ST (at least, my ST. :D) See y'all in Moonshine in ~5 weeks.

BTW, how come IL hasn't had a tag (until now!)?
http://www.st-owners.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43119&d=1236606655

Oh, and why was the store closed at noon on a Sunday??

43119

[STBNE]

Out of curiosity I googled the mileage to Casey IL from here in Nj its only 787 miles one way...about 12 hours riding time...well thats a bit of a stretch for me just for a lunch run to the Moonshine store...gosh you guys are nuts!!!!;)

[STeve1300]

Out of curiosity I googled the mileage to Casey IL from here in Nj its only 787 miles one way...about 12 hours riding time...well thats a bit of a stretch for me just for a lunch run to the Moonshine store...gosh you guys are nuts!!!!;)

Hi Ben!!! You are correct about everything except for the "just for a lunch run" part.... you gotta go at least once to see for yourself.

[Putt]

Friends came to my shop and had an,,, "Intervention" with me Friday... Said,,, if anyone will meet a State Cop,,, it would be me... I was riding Mitch's Honda 230... Not Street Legal... No Plate... No Road Insurance... :rolleyes: I gave in,,, and rode a friends Bike...

As we are about 2 miles from the Scratching the Pot Bellied Pig,,, we meet a State Cop!!!:bow1:

I gave some thought once to riding a 200/250 once, but didn't, cause I thought it would be cruel and unusual punishment to the bike....

Putt...

[Austin city limits]

Terry, I stayed on 600 Street leaving the store yesterday, headed north and east (670?), rode a little gravel and one low and wet crossing. Ended up in Marshall. Was I close to this route?

Nope,,, it is over West,,, in another County... The Crossing you saw was # 6 and # 7 which weather and time permitting,,, will be added to the run...

Folks, if it ain't rained in a week or so, Terry's route is do-able on an ST (at least, my ST. :D) See y'all in Moonshine in ~5 weeks.

George,,, you might want to check out the Shots of the Creek Crossing... It is a "Soft Bottom/Sugar Sand Creek Crossing on 3 of the 5 Crossing they will cross... What you crossed is a Interstate compared to what they have planned...

I will admit,,, "IF",,, the weather stays dry,,, and "IF",,, you are lucky and bold,,, you,,, MIGHT,,, try an ST on those roads... Any rain at all??? You will need many friends,,, and much bribing to get you out of those roads after getting stuck... I will get Dan to post a few more pictures of what we rode through Saturday...


Oh, and why was the store closed at noon on a Sunday??

Has been in like,,, evar... Sunday is the only day it is closed except Christmas and Thanksgiving about...

WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP BY GEORGE!!! :p:

[Austin city limits]

Out of curiosity I googled the mileage to Casey IL from here in Nj its only 787 miles one way...about 12 hours riding time...well thats a bit of a stretch for me just for a lunch run to the Moonshine store...gosh you guys are nuts!!!!;)

Moonshine is just 1 of 6 main events on the MLR... A BIG,,, part,,, but not the only reason...

As Steve said...

If you Never Come to Moonshine,,, You Will Never Know Why...

[Austin city limits]

I gave some thought once to riding a 200/250 once, but didn't, cause I thought it would be cruel and unusual punishment to the bike....

Putt...

I got the 250 Kawa up to a GPS 70 mph!!! Would have been faster,,, if I owned it... :)

[Rich R]

OK now Terry.....I just might have to break down and put a set of TKCs on the ST :p:
Rich

[Austin city limits]

OK now Terry.....I just might have to break down and put a set of TKCs on the ST :p:
Rich

Ok,,, I have been told to not encourage riders of Street Bikes on this ride... Why??? The group gets 35 miles on the loop,,, and someone on a FJR sticks their bike in some Mud... It effects the whole group...

But,,,

OK!!! ALL RIGHT!!! I ADMIT IT FOR THE LOVE OF SPEED!!! I more than 1,235 times in the 70 mile loop kept thinking,,, "If Ya hit it really hard,,, I could get my ST through that!!!
:rolleyes:

[motomac]

I know for a fact if they get rain, those crossings will swell and gain a lot of speed. Last year Tpaddin, E the B and I were cruising some of the gravel roads and we were turned around by a raging creek. It was moving very fast and looked very deep. I opted not to try it on the KLR.

Now, if I can tow the DRZ to IL, put a hitch on the Bunkhouse, how many states allow double ball hitches form IL to CA???!!!

[George]

Mac, I think a rail on top of the bunk house might work. :D

[George]

<road condition snippage>

WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP BY GEORGE!!! :p:

I called from the store and got a weird message "...dial the number you are calling..." Figured you were out getting ready for spring planting.

Besides, the weather sucked and I had another couple hunnert miles to cover. I'll catch ya at MLR.

[Austin city limits]

I called from the store and got a weird message "...dial the number you are calling..." Figured you were out getting ready for spring planting.

Besides, the weather sucked and I had another couple hunnert miles to cover. I'll catch ya at MLR.

Just know you are always welcome,,, and the shop is always open... :)