13-14 march 2004 BMW Seasonstart allroadride

Zwerver

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Schin op Geul, the Netherlands
On saturday march 13th, my local BMW-dealer MOKAM wanted to organise a small
event for the season start and the introduction of the new 1200gs.
In the morning coffee with "Limburgse vlaai", free drinks all day, and
in the evening a BBQ and campfire. The small field next to the shop could be used
to put up the tents, so it really was a small mc-rally.
Because I occasionally visit this shop with a not that shiny GS, they asked me if
I could create an allroad-route for that day.
So last feb I took a detailed hiking map of Zuid Limburg, the southernmost area
of the Netherlands, and started plotting a route, trying to take as many unsurfaced
roads as possible, including some watercrossings.
Problem was that when riding alone, I tended not to take notice of all the
"closed for motorised trafic" signs, but for this route I had to stay on legal routes only.
So end of februari I took the gs, enough paper and pencils and my hiking map, and went
to scout the route. As the ground was still frozen, with a 5 thick melted muddy layer on top
it was a slippery ride, and sometimes quite adventurous trying new lanes of which I
didnot now how difficult they would become, and in one place a had to get off the GSA,
and push-ride it through a 200m very muddy section. The higher grounds on the hills
where better, more gravel, but sometimes slippery because there where still some parts
covered with wet and melting snow.
But all in all I managed to create a 110km allroad ride, with more then 60% unsurfaced
tracks.

After the first testride:

3251349-M.jpg


Wednesday before the big event I went for a last testride together with an offroad
novice on a 100gs with roadtires, to see if the route was suitable for non-nobbly riders as well.
Although it was sometimes slippery and difficult, it was still raining /snowing, he managed
almost all of the difficult sections in the route, and only for one section we had to create
a bit easier alternative.
Wednesday and thursday night I spent behind my computer, drawing some 100 different roadbook symbols, and putting together a readable roadbook...
Saturday I didnot ride the route myself, but went out to take some pictures of the participants.
I waited for my fellow clubmembers just after he halfway point in the route, a 3 km, quite
muddy road which looked very promising for some good action shots... Unfortunately they
lost the route just before reaching this point.
Sundaymorning I went back to MOKAM, where the others had camped, and after hearing their
story, we decided we would go for the second part of the trip that day.
Because it had been sunny all saturday the roads where less slippery then the week before,
but the water was still there.. On the best parts we stopped to make some action shots,
and here are the results:

Igor with his 1100gs, Rosanne with her 650 Dakar, and my GSA:

3251348-M.jpg


Rosanne on her 650 dakar, packed with her camping gear:
3251347-M.jpg


I gave my camera to Igor, and took a deep breath, because I knew I would get wet:
3251346-M.jpg


This is one of my favorite GS-routes, a 300m unsurfaced road leading to a small
stream, 3-4 meters wide and 40-50 cm deep, with a very loose gravel slope at
both sides of the stream.

Again I gave my camera to Igor, and took a deep breath, because I knew I would get wetter:
3251350-M.jpg


Because everybody who tried the route was very enthousiastic, I'm now busy
extending the route to 180 - 200km with more and more difficult offroad sections,
making it less suitable for non-nobbly riders, but more fun for the others.
We are planning a camping and offroading weekend in oktober, during the summer
this area is too busy with mountainbikers, hikers ect, so this tread wil be continued
later this year ...
 
Hey Geert that's some dirty photo's dude, sure seems like you guys had all the fun over the weekend while I was playing spanner monkey. Rose sure does not stand back for anything whether snow, ice or mud :D Give her my regards and if all goes well might join you guys in the October festivities.

Cheers
:gringo
 
Just found my way to this forum, lookin good.
Sure didn't expect to seea picture of me right away :)

This was defenately a great weekend and learned a lot more about offroading. I'm looking forward to riding it again in October.

Hi Dirk, good thing that I met you here because I lost your card after the elefantentreffen. (by the way, how where the pictures from that event?) Give my regards to Michelle and hope to meet up soon.

Roos.
 
Never mind about the pics, I just found the alefanten thread,
great report Dirk.
 


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