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2016 9th Annual Uncle's Around the Bend, Feb 25th - 28th, 2016

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These are great ideas, I'll start packing more "survival gear" on trips and see if I can find a cheap inReach before I go.
 
I have a 2013 Sertao just like yours. Only so so on the offroad, but super smooth road bike...especially for a 650 single. Deep sand will be your big challenge on that particular bike.
 
Anyone camping? We were looking at Chisos Basin because it was middle of the park. Then we found out there were no showers and no open fires. That nixed that. Anyone camping at Rio Grande which is an hour away from the host hotel?
 
Souverain said:
Any advice on overcoming deep sand?
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Keep the pace up, the idea is to let the front wheel "float" over the sand rather than bury itself into it. You can help by standing and getting your weight as far back as possible too.

Obviously braking and/or slowing down will transfer the weight back to the front & you'll risk ploughing in. It helps to look at where you'd like to be and not fixate on the sand in front (hard to do), as Ulybrad says "give it some gas, keep your head up and aim for the exit!"

If you watch any of the sand sections from the Dakar on YouTube you can get a master class on this from your front room.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KnidHWe0jo"]Dakar 2012 moto best video - YouTube[/ame]
 
Souverain said:
Any advice on overcoming deep sand?
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Good question. below is my experience.

I think there is sand, and then there is SAND. And I also found there are multiple types of sand. Some is very fine, others more rocky (tiny pebbles).

This is my personal experience. In TX, where I'll occasionally have to briefly burn through a sandy part of a trail for a short period, such as during a torcs race, leaning back a bit and keeping on the throttle works well. Don't lay off the throttle. Let the bike squirm all over the place...the front-end and back. Just go with it. And, I'll say it again, KEEP ON THE THROTTLE. Don't touch that front brake! Also be VERY light with your hands, and use your legs to steer!! And always be on the pegs...don't sit on the seat, ever. At least it doesn't work well for me. You want your center of gravity to be as low as possible, thus getting your tail off the seat on your weight on the pegs. It also is much easier on your back (back seat isn't hitting your butt/back the whole time). Also, a huge advantage, your rear suspension can travel more fluidly if you're on the pegs. (I learned this in road racing when going over bumpy parts of the track).

BUT, leaning back did NOT work during the LA-B-Vegas desert ride I just did. I don't know if it was me, or the bike, or the sand, or whatever.

I did everything the same as above, except I didn't lean back. I actually leaned FORWARD. With my head over the handlebars, doing 55mph through the desert. This was VERY deep sand. You couldn't even walk in it. No joke. And going slow didn't work. You just had to pin it. But leaning back was horrible.

So experiment with both.

I've seen a number of photos of riders like Malcolm Smith flying through sand in a slightly forward and attack position. I've also seen some where he was way over the handlebars like I was during that desert ride.

But a few things are for sure:

- Keep on that throttle!
- And let the bike go where it wants!! Be VERY light on the handlebars...imagine gripping the bars like you had birds in your hands. Tight enough so that they don't fly away, but loose enough to not hurt them. - And use your legs as much as possible!! Always on the pegs!

For those that have ridden a lot of various types of sand in different geographies, I'd be curious if the above works for u. Or what does work for u?
 
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Great notation on the different types of sand. Parts of Big Bend seems to have all of these types of sand in one place or another.
 
I agree with Two-Wheeler about stay throttle on, stay on the pegs, & keep the momentum up. I find the quicker you are going thru the sand, the more you will want to assume a neutral to slightly agressive attack position, as you slow up in the deep stuff you will need to transfer you weight and body position furthe back. But alway always (in sand, NOT on big air MX jumps!) stay on the pegs WITH THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET, so you can transfer you weight from peg to peg & lean the bike underneath you effortlessly. This is how you go about getting the feel for "steering with your pegs".
 
wildernessrider said:
I agree with Two-Wheeler about stay throttle on, stay on the pegs, & keep the momentum up. I find the quicker you are going thru the sand, the more you will want to assume a neutral to slightly agressive attack position, as you slow up in the deep stuff you will need to transfer you weight and body position furthe back. But alway always (in sand, NOT on big air MX jumps!) stay on the pegs WITH THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET, so you can transfer you weight from peg to peg & lean the bike underneath you effortlessly. This is how you go about getting the feel for "steering with your pegs".
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Just remember, we're talking Sertao here! lol, you've got one and I had one. Attacking sand will be a challenge. Proper tires will go along ways in making it doable.

Be sure and check your rear sprocket prior to trip. The Sertao eats them up quick. Sand will make this even worse.
 
tricepilot said:
In addition to anything like the above, tire tools etc. etc., for 7 ounces you must consider one of these:

i-JFPkDdV-L.jpg


I've had every SPOT model and the inReach blows them out of the water

2 - way messaging in addition to SOS when you're on your back with busted ribs on Black Gap :trust:

Don't guess that help is coming - with the inReach you will know it because you'll be texting back and forth with your rescue angels :sun:
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Great advice, just picked one up myself. The 2 way texting is a big advantage over Spot.
 
woodsguy said:
Attacking sand will be a challenge. Proper tires will go along ways in making it doable.
Be sure and check your rear sprocket prior to trip. The Sertao eats them up quick. Sand will make this even worse.
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Agreed! If you do need to replace the rear sprocket, I found the bike easier to ride offroad with a larger rear cog. Took a little of the tall geared street bike feel out of the equation in sand, and more forgiving on technical & hilly stuff. But when I went to ride the freeways out in SoCal...I wanted more top end, so went back to a stock rear sprocket until the next big dirt adventure calls. (And when it does call, I will usually answer with my WR, instead of that big clunky Sertao) :rider:
 
woodsguy said:
Great advice, just picked one up myself. The 2 way texting is a big advantage over Spot.
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I'm guessing the SPOT people are going to have to come up with a SPOT version that includes 2 way texting, are they're going to continue to lose market share to DeLorme.

And as technology is always bounding forward, other companies may put the pressure on both SPOT and DeLorme.
 
tricepilot said:
I'm guessing the SPOT people are going to have to come up with a SPOT version that includes 2 way texting, are they're going to continue to lose market share to DeLorme.

And as technology is always bounding forward, other companies may put the pressure on both SPOT and DeLorme.
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Depends on the amount of risk an individual is comfortable with, and how much they are willing to pay for service.

I am still using the first generation SPOT and I am happy with what it does.
 
I'm off that Friday & Saturday so will see if I can get the few days before and Sun/Mon off. Healing from a herniated disc in November from our Big Bend trip, it was that good! :lol2:
 
mattc said:
Man I want to go but almost 1000 miles one way makes it nearly impossible.
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If I'm able to get the time off and have healed up then I definitely want to go. A possibility would be for you to drive to my place and stay the night then we'd head out the next day. Of course planets would have to align, etc. I usually like to get out there a day before festivities begin and leave the day after they end.

Souverain said:
I didn't expect to get so many replies so quickly! I bought my bike back in July and I've been practicing on dirt, gravel, and highway roads since then.

My non-paved road experience extends to whatever gravel or dirt roads I've found traveling on county roads in the hill country. I rode through a few sandy creek crossings on CR 315 a couple of times, but that has been the most challenging terrain I've come across.

Any advice where I can start practicing riding on sand and rocks near Austin?

I've attached a few pictures for ya'll.
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Out east of Elgin & Bastrop are some sandy roads I've been on a few times. Jerry (that's his name on the forum) knows more about them. It's something at least. Sand is common east of Hwy 95.

Like I say, when in doubt throttle out. Look where you want to go not where you want to crash. As mentioned before keep the front wheel light and stay on the throttle, you don't have to go 100mph or anything just keep it steady. Slow down and you work a heck of a lot harder to stay upright.

Last month four of us went out and packed everyone and everything into my truck and trailer combo. Three of us packed light, one packed like it was a month long expedition into the wastelands.
 

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Not Dave, Is that trailer a 6 x 12? Has it been a pretty good size for three bikes?

TIA, Mike
 
SL350 said:
Anyone camping? We were looking at Chisos Basin because it was middle of the park. Then we found out there were no showers and no open fires. That nixed that. Anyone camping at Rio Grande which is an hour away from the host hotel?
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if you are camping at Rio Grande Village you'll be way way away from the "action" of the Rally.

All around Terlingua are places that will let you pitch a tent for next to nothing, or nothing at all. Showers and baths are available on a per use or day use fee. With 150 other riders in the area you'll have no shortage of emergency lodging if the weather turns really ugly.

One year we rolled up in our bus and asked the kind folks at the Starlight where we could park the bus. "right there looks fine to me" was the answer. So, we ate there every night and tipped well. Win win.
 
woodsguy said:
You going to this? (Donny)
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Only made the pre-ride days last year down there, then had to leave Terlingua one day before the official ride began. This year I'm all set with the ideal bike for playing in the state & national parks. Just finished a good shake down 2 day Mojave desert ride. The bike worked perfectly for the entire 400+ miles of off-roading in the sand. Now a week at Big Bend is on my radar for sure this year. But if I outright declare I will be there... that almost certainly puts the jinx to it, and I end up having to pass for some reason or another. Guess I will leave it as I am a tentative until ready to leave out of the driveway.
 
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