​Perhaps choosing a section of the North East BDR for our first BDR experience was an ambitious decision (afterall, the BDR website ranks it as second most-difficult).  Clay and I have both been riding 25+ years, and we have taken our ADV bikes off-road here on Long Island on trails with deep sand.  I also did extensive research to know if I, being the more-timid rider, would be comfortable with the route.  I read blogs, watched the YouTube videos, followed posts on the Facebook groups, as well as made my own posts asking about challenges, etc.  In section 3, I read about the “work-arounds” for the more difficult parts and was sure to incorporate them into my navigation app (nav apps could be a whole blog by themselves).  Clay had our bikes tuned perfectly (his Honda Africa Twin and my Tiger 800XCA) and we had just enough gear for a three-day camping trip.  I felt ready and prepared….until October Mountain – which, although the BDR’s website describes it as “menacing”, I could find a few other choice words for it.  What an ordeal!

Finally, we had nice enough weather to spend some time learning on our ADV bikes after a long, cold winter.  Because we both acquired our bikes during the off-season, this weekend was our first real opportunity to take these beauties into unexplored territory and get them dirty!
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First, we scouted out some trails via foot (and paws) to be sure we could access the trails and they weren’t complete sand dunes, which is typical living on an island.  Then Saturday, since it was a balmy 70 degrees, we geared up in all our Revit goodies, and hit the trails.  Almost instantly, there was more sand than I was comfortable with – but I was cautious, steady, and using a few tips from Bret Tkacs, I was able to get through it.  Click below for more details AND a VIDEO.