Mid-Appalachian  Backways Adventure Trail 🦇

Pictures from the last Appalachia ride

Signup Info:

The cost to join this 6 day ride is $1,195  This covers your lodging for the 6 nights during the ride. It also includes your ride packets which consist of a custom Garmin GPS map on a micro SD card and printed ride maps and descriptions.

Contact Us  for more info about this ride

After your signup riders will receive an email from me with further ride information and instructions.

Note: Riders must make full payment by August 10, 2024

Riders will receive ride packets in the mail one week before the ride.

Refund Policy

Do not sign up for this ride unless you are serious about coming.  I take your signup very seriously and start planning for you the minute you sign up.  If you need to cancel up to two months prior to the ride start date I will give you a full refund but I will keep $100 to cover the planning work. Sorry but I make non refundable commitments myself so it gets hard for me. "I hate this world of non refundable deals myself." If you need to cancel within two months of the ride, I cannot give a refund unless I can find a replacement rider. In the case of finding a replacement rider, I will gladly give you the full refund minus the $100 to cover the planning work.  In the event of ride cancellation, you will be given a full refund.

Ride Details

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

Ride Yodas

FAQ's

What are these Adventure Rides like? These rides are designed along the theme of exploring the world.  They include a mix of remote dirt routes, back paved roads, sometimes some very seldom ridden paths and pavement.  Rides are a mix of all these things and sometimes some surprises due to weather conditions.  These rides are for experienced, well seasoned riders that are capable of turning a washed out road experience into just part of the day's fun.  Riders should be comfortable with turning around when necessary and finding an alternative route around unexpected obstacles. These rides are not for new riders. As an experienced rider, the tough part of having a great motorcycle adventure is the routing and logistics.  What routes do I take? Where do I stay? How do I find the best routes and places?

We have done the homework for you: We have studied and developed and ridden to find the best possible routes and then we have put them into great daily rides.  As riding skills and desires for riders can be different, we have developed and include route options.  We find that many riders like to ride with their best friends, however their friends may not always have the same riding skills and desires.  As the day's ride progresses, riders have choices of easier and harder routes.  This allows you to tailor the ride more towards your own riding desires and allows you to make choices that might better suit your friends when necessary.  Sometimes riders may just want a break too.

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) 

What will the weather be like this time of year?

In October the weather is most often nice, but can be colder in the mornings and in the mountains. There is the potential for rail, and wet and muddy routes can force us to change our plans. Come prepared with extra gear for cold and wet weather.

Would this be a good ride for new riders?

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.

What are motel room arrangements?

Rooms are double occupancy, meaning each rider shares a two bed room with another rider.

What bikes are right for this ride?

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

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

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)

Is the riding really on my own?

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

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 Appalachian Mountains.

Thanks

gpsKevin