Event dates: may 19-23, 2025
The fine print
Final payment ($700) due: February 24, 2025
Your deposit is transferable to another person but not refundable.
Refund policy:
6-10 weeks from the event – $300 refund
Less than 6 weeks to the event – $0 refund
At any time, you can transfer your registration to another person.
We recommend travel insurance to cover the registration fee and any travel costs (e.g., hotels) if anything should happen prior to the trip that would prevent you from attending and is covered by the policy terms. Travel insurance will also help cover medical expenses, bike damage, and other expenses should anything happen during the trip.
Communication leading up to the event
You should receive an email within the next week with our recommended packing list, including gear, gas, and spares. If you don't see it, make sure to check your spam/junk mail. We'll also be sharing other emails and videos with preparation tips between now and the event. About 4 months from the event, you'll receive an email with a reminder for final payment and to provide information such as emergency contact info, t-shirt size, and dietary requirements. At that time, we'll start a GroupMe chat with everyone who's attending so you can "meet" everyone and ask any additional questions you might have.
When do I need to arrive in Flagstaff?
The riders’ meeting will be the evening of May 18 in Flagstaff. We'll share the exact location as we get closer to the event.
Can you recommend accommodation in flagstaff?
We'll organize a group discount at a hotel near our starting point and share those details as we get closer to the event. You're not obligated to stay at that hotel, but it's available if you'd like to use it.
What expenses am I responsible for during the trip?
You'll need to pay for your accommodation in Flagstaff as well as any meals, including breakfast on the 19th and dinner on the 23rd. During the event, you'll be responsible for paying for fuel/gas, parts, and anything else you might need to fix your bike, as well as snacks and drinks above and beyond what is catered (some people get hungrier than others).
what happens the morning we leave flagstaff?
We'll leave from a designated spot (specific location TBD but will be shared in advance). You'll be responsible for your own breakfast, but sandwiches and snacks to pack for lunch will be available at the departure location. We'll assign groups (5-6 people per group) for the first day, and the first group that's ready heads out, followed by the others as they're ready. Ideally, everyone will be on the road by 9am.
Where do we camp?
We will be at national or state campgrounds that have varying levels of amenities, but they all have designated areas for tents and at least a vault toilet. When electricity is not available at the campground, we have a generator to charge phones, cameras, and other small electronics.
What is a typical day on the event like?
There is no typical day, but expect to be in the saddle 8 to 12 hours/day. There will be breakdowns that take time to repair. Depending on the group, a gas stop can take 1/2 hour (especially when helmets come off). Breakfast is served at the campground, usually around 7am. Everyone usually gets up in the morning and starts taking down their tent and packing up while breakfast is being made. Any final bike prep for the day also happens at this time. Sandwiches and snacks for lunch are provided at this time. A riders' meeting takes place after breakfast, and when the first group is ready, we start rolling out. Each group travels together according to the roll chart to the next campground. Dinner is prepared by the camp support crew and served once everyone is in camp, unless there's a group that's going to be really late. Then, dinner is served for everyone else first. Each rider sets up his/her own camping gear and performs bike repairs, if necessary. We follow the campground's quiet time rules, so any loud bike repairs need to completed or packed up for the morning usually by 10pm.
When will we return to Flagstaff?
Each day is hard to predict based on what happens on the trail, but the first group is usually in by 3-4pm, and the last group is in by a few hours later. Most people opt to leave the next morning, but some people will load up and head home almost immediately. Either is fine.
What size and type of bike do you recommend?
Personally, we think the best bike to do the trip on is an XL500 or XT500; however, we can’t all be so lucky. Therefore, any 250cc or larger displacement motorcycle that has been prepared well in advance has been ridden successfully in this event. We've had smaller displacement bikes make like it, like a 125-cc Penton, 175-cc Penton, and 175-cc PE175, but they were meticulously prepared. All other smaller cc bikes haven't fared that well. CB and CL350/450s, XS650s, and other similar bikes have been ridden (mostly stock), and if the riders come back again, usually they are on a different, more dirt-oriented bike. They find that they're a bit more work than they would like them to be and not nearly as comfortable as other choices on some of the rougher terrain.
Do I have to know how to work on my bike?
Not necessarily. It would be good if you knew how to do basic tasks (e.g., changing the plug), but generally everyone is willing to help someone who is broken down. There is usually enough knowledge and skill between everyone in the group to solve most issues.
Can I modify my bike?
Performance and suspension modifications that were available pre-1980 are acceptable. Performance and suspension upgrades/modifications that were only available after 1980 are not acceptable (e.g., monoshock). Also acceptable are upgrades to lighting (e.g., LEDs), upgrades to the ignition system (e.g., electronic ignition), and any aesthetic changes you want to make.
Can I put tools and equipment on the support truck?
Bigger items might be accommodated on the support truck but will have to be approved in advance. However, a torque wrench and some larger electrical tools will be supplied on the support truck for use at camp. We can also carry things like a CPAP machine in one of the support vehicles.
