TAT 2021

From the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Pismo Beach, California.

"If the route does not go Coast to Coast it is not really Trans America"

About The Trans America Trail: The Trans America Trail (TAT) is a transcontinental, coast to coast route across the United States. It is designed for Dual Sport and Adventure Bike motorcycles but it also works well for 4x4 vehicles such as Jeeps and SUV's. It consists mostly of dirt roads, logging roads, fire roads, farm roads, unimproved roads and back paved roads. The route attempts to avoid pavement but it travels into towns for gasoline stops and in the eastern and western states near the oceans, the route is mostly paved. The trail has evolved over the years and it now includes many options depending on conditions and the motorcycle or vehicle you are traveling in. But for sure, this is one of the great routes across America.

Original Video about the TAT

This will be a three week (21 riding days) adventure. The riding days start early and are long. This is a tough ride, not so much that the riding is challenging but rather it is like a marathon. Day after day you and your bike need to perform flawlessly. Each morning you will start early and ride for most of the day. The ride is 4,923 miles, averaging 234 miles per day (8 hours of riding). In the evening you will need to maintain your bike and prep it for the next day. Repairs and flats are fixed by you on the trail. The ride is limited to 24 riders. You will break into small group of 4 or less riders of your own choosing. Ride groups can change each day. Riders of similar riding ability and interest tend to group together. Come with the Team attitude. If you want to ride alone then don't join this ride.

Each rider will mount a Garmin GPS to their bike and install a custom TAT gps card. This will allow each person to navigate the trail with ease. The ride will include meetup points during the day called Donuts. Riders meet and check in with each other throughout the day.

This ride is based on motels and each night we will stay in a different motel along the route. The motel rooms are double occupancy meaning that there are 2 beds in each room and you will share a room. You will stay with the same roommate each night. We will follow all Covid safe rules.

The ride includes a support van. Riders are allowed to pack one medium sized duffel bag with their extra clothes and motorcycle gear and put it into the van. The main purpose of the van is to carry rider's gear to the next motel each day.

Riders will likely need to change their rear tires during the ride. We will provide you with a shipping location and recommendation for where you can have your tires or supplies sent.

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.

Rider signup and qualification

Riders must be accomplished good riders and must have their own Garmin GPS units and must have a newer model bike in good working order. After signup riders will be sent a questionnaire and if you do not qualify your deposit will be refunded.

Signup info:

The cost to join this 21 day ride is $2,995. This covers your lodging for the 21 nights during the ride and the cost of the support truck and driver. This also covers your ride packets which include a custom Garmin GPS Map on a micro SD card and printed ride maps and descriptions.

Sorry The Ride is Canceled

Note: Riders must make full payment by July 10th, 2021

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 one month 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 one month 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 Yodas

Ride Yoda Joey Yoda Greg (support van)

Questions about this ride contact:

Yoda Joey: Joe@joelord.com

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)

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 world.

Thanks

gpsKevin

What does failure look like?

If your bike breaks, that is BAD news. You must affect your own repairs. Riders in your daily ride group will most often help each other. That is everyone's responsibility. This is where developing the Team attitude really helps. Sometimes the Support Van Yoda may be able to help. But the van is mostly a pavement vehicle only. Most often riders and Yodas are clever and can summon some local help, but you will have to pay for it

Everyone works hard to make sure you are safe and not stranded. But the next day the ride must go on. So it will be up to you to develop a plan to fix your situation and hopefully rejoin the group. Sadly, there can be no refunds given here as the ride must continue. There are no funds allocated to help riders with failed bikes.

If you hurt yourself: The reality is that you are riding on your own, loosely, with a group of friends. If you can get going again and seek the local medical attention that you need, that is great. If you are unable to continue, it is up to you (with the possible help of the riders around you) to summon the local authorities to get the assistance you need. All riding is on your own.

If you become overwhelmed or fatigued, it is best to tap out. Sadly, in the middle or a ride we cannot offer a refund. But maybe you could just ride the roads for a day and then rejoin. Sometimes it is possible to negotiate a spot in the support Van in order to take a day's break. Or sometimes riders just rent a U-Haul and head for home. Sometimes it is best to quit while you're ahead in order to remain safe in order to ride another day.

Logistics and transportation:

Each rider will need to get their bikes to and from the ride. Depending on where you live riders can become very creative to accomplish this. Some will arrange with friends, some will fly and ship their bikes, some will rent and share U-haul trucks and others will ride part of the distance. After rider signup, we will share your contact info with the other riders so that riders can share and coordinate transportation plans

Covid Plans?

Of course it is hard to be sure of the impact Covid will have on us all. It is my expectation that Covid will continue to get worse through the Spring of 21. I expect that by Summer of 21 many of us will receive the vaccine and then Covid will lessen and our world will start to return to normal. At this point, I believe that by mid-September we will be able to do this ride safely. Note things could turn out differently and we may have to cancel this ride and send everyone refunds. I sure hope not.

FAQ's

Q: Is this the original Trans America Trail?

A: The answer is 80% yes. Now there are several variations of the Trail. The first version went to Oregon, the later versions include options for California. This version ends on the beach of California at Pismo. Most of the rest of the trail is the original.

Q: What bikes are right for this ride?

A: Dual Sport bikes and smaller Adventure bikes 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.

Notes:

Start with new tires and chains and a

good headlight because we will cross the desert at night!

Who's going on this ride?