NOT!

the intrepid rider

TO say Ron is comfortable off the pavement would be akin to my telling you Sylvester Stallone is a great actor.

okay not exactly San Felipe but...

I have three licensed dual purpose bikes, a DT50L/C, an XT 225 and my Big Blue XT600.  Obviously the Italian Stallion didn't feel comfy on the nifty-fifty, and the 600 was too big, so... like Goldilocks, the 225 fit him this day.

IT wasn't going to be anything technical and besides, it was a cool day with rain in the forecast, when we left for the ride.

at least its a dirt road!

I chose some very non technical, hard packed clay roads and back roads for our 'off road day.'  Other than some occasional muddy sections, which we skirted, the ride was fine.  One thing about dual purpose bikes, they are far nimbler than pretty much anything this side of a TZR 250 and of course, they have far more suspension than a typical street bike with half the weight.

NO plan is sometimes the best plan.  Only thing I had in mind was to limit the ruts and mud, and stop at the bakery in Hunter River for lunch.  With full tanks, we had more range than we were going to need today.  The 225 weighs right round 240 pounds full of fuel and I felt RM could handle that on the few dirt sections we'd see.

This is as rough as it got!

WE rolled on about 150 kilometers round trip and didn't cross the same piece of road twice.  This is not something Ronnie would normally do, last dual sport he rode was back in kick starter days.  I kept tabs on him throughout the day, and except for getting cold, he did okay.  You do see different countryside when you ride across from paved road to paved road the back way, that's why I love doing this type of riding.  In the Rockies, the desert or here in the red Island. 

Besides... unlike the Mojave, you can't get lost here.

Obligatory photo op.

RON still was having tummy issues, so our lunch was mostly my lunch, his tea and crumpet, but I'd say by the end of the day, he was glad he gave this a go.  I doubt he'll rush right out and buy something with knobby tires on it, but hey... it's all good experience.  I often have said that learning to ride on dirt is great practical experience on the street.

Doesn't look as steep as it was.

THAT brought our two weeks riding to a close.  The weather did beat us up some, we did look like Michelin men for awhile, yet anytime you can put miles on your butt, two wheeling is a whole lot better than digging ditches ain't it!

OF course, he's invited me to Kamploops to ride the old GS 750 that we both owned at different times, don't know if it's in the cards but like getting married... never say never, right:)

NOW maybe I can talk my other BC buddy Dan, into finding a second big dual sport for me... and I'd visit Golden and Kamloops yet again some day...

End of day... he was riding so fast, lost in a blur!