(SABAT) Southern Appalachian Backways Adventure Trail

DIY Self Guided Adventure

Photo Album From This Ride

Adventure Bike ride around the best of the Appalachians

About the SABAT

We are pleased to offer this new ride.  Yoda Keith has been dreaming and developing this ride since he first rode motorcycles.  He has ridden several great rides in the area including the Smoky Mtn 500, SCBAT and the NGBAT.  He did his ride development both on an adventure bike (2 up) and on a dual sport.  From all of that and his years of experience of doing great rides, he then worked his magic to develop this new Appalachian ride.  We are super pleased to be able to work with Keith and offer this ride.  This will be a 6 day loop through and around the Southern Appalachians through the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia covering more than 1,000 miles.

Motorcycles are a great way to explore the Appalachian Mountains and meet the Appalachian people and experience their culture.  Hope you can join us.  Bring a friend or just join in.

About gpsKevin Rides

This is a rougher ride for intermediate to advanced riders only. No beginners.  

I have added some easy and harder options for riders that are looking for extra or just to relax.

This is a 6 day adventure bike ride making a big loop around the 4 states.  You will be staying in different motels each night during the week.  Some riders may truck their bikes to the start of the ride and then leave their vehicles at the beginning of the ride for the week.  

You will be eating in restaurants during the week, so no need to bring cooking equipment or food. 

The riding should be scenic to rough depending on your choices.

The exciting part about this ride is that riders can choose their own level of adventure exposure each day to meet their desire and excitement.

Each day our route will take us to the next motel and many days we will have an option of lunch on the trail.  

Each morning riders will grab breakfast and team up with their riding buddies, grab their daily snacks and begin their adventure.  

The day's adventures are long with many rich options along the way. 

After the day's ride, riders perform bike maintenance and join up for happy hour and dinner.  Then it is often to bed early as the next day comes quickly.

Be prepared for any sort of weather. It can be a bit rainy in the spring. Sharp knobbies recomended! 

Riders should also carry any supplies for bike repairs and maintenance on the trail (like flat tires).

Ride Details

 I know many of you also enjoy dreaming about the ride and making your plans, so here is the detail, enjoy! 

Self Guided Adventure: The Southern Appalachian Backways Adventure Trail is designed to be a self-guided adventure.  As GPS units have become both more powerful and easier to use, it has enabled anyone to be able to easily find their way along the trail.  For many, this allows them to just experience the trail without the burden of getting lost.

Buy the GPS Card and Rider Maps:  

You can order a microSD Card for your Garmin GPS and a set of big picture overview maps as well as tank bag reference maps designed in combination with the microSD card to fit the pocket in your "Tank Bag" 

See the choices below:

Check Current Shipping Time

Notes:  I suggest you plan and order early.  Normally I ship within a week.  But sometimes I run out and it can take me several weeks to get new cards and maps.  And sometimes I am out riding and building new adventures so that can be hard too. I list the Option for 2 SD cards because many riders like to carry a backup card or a cheap backup GPS in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

How does the ride navigation work?

This is a self-led GPS ride; all riding is on your own.  You are responsible for your own riding.  You will be given a GPS map file and instructions on how to use your Garmin GPS unit.  People will hook up in small groups of less than 6 riders and tend to ride together.  You are not encouraged to ride alone.  You are responsible for your own riding and yourself. 

 (see my ride Navigation Video)

Are you right for this ride?

When something goes wrong on a ride, would your riding friends say that you are more likely to need help or more likely to give help?  You should be in the more likely to offer help camp.  This ride is filled with riders that are more likely to give help, so most of the time the riders never need help.  Additionally there is all the normal stuff, come prepared to maintain your bike, fix your bike on the trail, repair flat tires, deal with bad weather and rain and make a joke or two.

How do I make the GPS stuff so easy?

I develop very high quality ride maps custom for our ride. They come from much of what I and others have ridden.  I take the best from all my rides and make new ones. 

(See my Custom Ride Maps Video) 

Note from me, gpsKevin

My goal for this ride is simple, great riding, so you can count on great routes and places to ride.

But in addition: the ride is about discovering new places, meeting new friends, seeing new parts of the Southwest.

Thanks

gpsKevin

FAQ's

Q:What will the weather be like this time of year?

A: In April, the weather is most often nice, could be a little hot in the lower elevations and it can be cold in the morning and in the mountains.  But sometimes there can be rain. Wet and muddy routes can force us to change our plans.  Come prepared with extra gear for cold and wet.

Q: Would this be a good ride for new riders?

A:  No, this ride is for intermediate and experienced riders only. The riding has easy route choices and tough route options. Each evening we will study the following day's choices. You will find lots of supportive people at the ride.

Q: What bikes are right for this ride?

A: Bikes including and in between the Adventure Bikes and Dual Sport all can do well by choosing the easy or hard route options.

Q; What do I do if I don't have a Garmin GPS?

A: Buy one, you need it, we will show you how to use it. You can get a great one for under $200 bucks. ( See gpsKevin's gps recommendations)

Q: Is the riding really on my own?

A: Yes, but almost everyone hooks up and rides with a friend, or a new friend or me.