Adventure Expedition to the
BMW MOA Rally in Gillette, Wyoming
July 9th to 20th, 2008.
Join us for a July 9th departure followed by 12 wild days of fun and exploration as we trek to the outback of "Cowboy Country" for the BMW MOA rally. Gillette, WY is about 1300-miles from Los Angeles and a hundred miles west of the South Dakota border. Between L.A. and Gillette is some of the best "Adventure Riding" to be done in the U.S., and we intend to get a big sampling of it as we head to the rally
RawHyde's Gillette expedition is a 12-day, one-way trip from our base in L.A. to and through the end of the rally. We will depart from RawHyde Ranch on the 9th of July, and the trip will end when the rally wraps up in Gillette on the 20th of July. You can take the trip with us and relax in the comfort of knowing that the route is carefully planned, the meals are organized and all you have to do is ride and have fun. You can then hang out at the rally and be home in a total of two weeks.
Our itinerary will take us through some of the most scenic and unique places in the American west, including the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Mount Rushmore and the Thunder Basin "Grassland" which is the western most extension of the Great Plains.
We'll arrive in Gillette on the 17th of July for the opening ceremony, and will camp with our chef and support staff at the fairgrounds along with the thousands of other BMW enthusiasts who make this annual trek.
There is always a strong contingent of Adventure Riders that go to the Rally, and when we arrive we will most certainly have some great stories to tell from our adventures, plus the RawHyde "camp" will be the center of attention.
Itinerary and Schedule:
JULY 8th -
PM arrival at RawHyde:
Throw your sleeping bag on a bed in our new bunkhouse and have a big "pasta feed" prepared by our camp chef Bruce.
DAY 1: JULY 9th -
RawHyde Ranch to St. George Utah:
398 "street miles" via Las Vegas and on to St. George. It is going to be hot at this time of year in the desert and we're going to "blaze" through the desert to get to cooler climes. (Accommodations: hotel)
DAY 2: JULY 10th -
St. George to the Bar 10 Ranch:
It's a 75 mile off-road ride into the Bar 10, and just imagine what it will be like to spend a day hanging out on the spectacular north rim without the crowds. The Bar 10 is a working cattle ranch that also serves the "river rafting" companies that drift down the Colorado River. Its an amazing place that has none of the trappings of civilization. (Accommodations: camping in 1800-era Conestoga wagons - check 'em out: www.bar10.com - this is a "hotel" nite)
Highlight - spending a day on your motorcycle in the splendid isolation of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
DAY 3: JULY 11th -
The Bar 10 Ranch to Hanksville, UT.:
Its another 70-mile dirt-road ride out from the Bar 10, and then on to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National park, and Capital Reef National Monument. We'll mostly be on the "Street" today, but its one of the most spectacular rides in the Western U.S. as we drift through three of our most scenic National Parks. (Accommodations: camping)
DAY 4: JULY 12 th-
Hanksville UT to Moab:
108 miles, if we stay on pavement, but we'll probably venture off to see the San Rafael Lava Reef, which will add about 30-miles of scenic "off-road" to our day.
Highlights: Goblin Valley State Park (off-road).
DAY 5: JULY 13th-
Moab, UT.:
Ride the White Rim Trail - the single most amazing adventure ride in the Western U.S. This is a strenuous 110-mile ride along the rim of what will become the Grand Canyon. We'll ride 50-miles down the Colorado River to the confluence of the Green River, and then we'll ride north up the Green, back toward Moab. It's a solid 10-hour day with a short lunch break. This is truly one of the most inspiring places in North America to ride a GS. (Accommodations: camping)
DAY 6: JULY 14th-
Free Day Moab:
Moab is an outdoor-sports paradise. There are at least a hundred fabulous places to ride as well as lots of non-moto related things to see and do. Do a quick google of whats available in the area and have fun, or just sleep late and buzz into town for a look around. As a free day, this means that after breakfast you are on your own all day; lunch and dinner are not provided, so take a relaxing bit of time away from the group and see what Moab is really like. (Accommodations: camping)
DAY 7: JULY 15th-
Moab to Steamboat Springs Colorado:
Today should be an epic ride, all 304 miles of it, as we leave Moab early and head into Colorado. We'll take the interstate to Rifle, CO., then head north with the "Great Divide" paralleling us to the east. The last 75 miles will be "in the dirt" as we check out the White River National Forest, and the "Flat Top" Mountains. We'll also capture our first Rocky Mountain "pass" off-road - Ripple Pass is located at 10,500 feet. In Steamboat, we'll stay at a hotel and enjoy a great evening in this historic cowboy town. (Accommodations: hotel)
DAY 8: JULY 16th-
Steamboat to Thunder Basin National Grassland:
We'll depart Steamboat with the goal of riding two great "off-road segments" today. The first is about one hundred miles north of Steamboat, crossing both the Red Desert and the Great Divide Basin. This first off-road segment will also take us "across" the great divide, not just once but twice. From the Great Basin, we'll hit the pavement again for a run to Evansville, Wyoming. Our special treat for the day will be our campsite tonite. We will set up camp this evening in the Thunder Basin National Grassland. This is the last section of authentic "prairie" left in the great plains. We'll see the sunset much as our "pioneer forefathers" did when they crossed the plains in their Conestoga wagons a century and a half ago. (Accommodations: camping)
For more info on the area call the rangers at 307-745-2300
DAY 9: JULY 17th-
Thunder Basin National Grassland to Gillette:
From our campsite in the grasslands its only a hundred or so miles into Gilette. We will sleep late today, spend some time taking pictures perhaps, or simply enjoying the prairie. It's a unique and vanishing place. Lets enjoy it while we can. We'll head for Gilette in time to set-up our "encampment" at the rally. (Accommodations: camping)
DAY 10: JULY 18th-
BMW MOA Rally:
There is a lot to do at the Rally - you can just hang-out with 8,000 other BMW riders or:
- Probably the most spectacular thing to see is the Devil's Tower. Only 50-miles from the rally site - and popularized in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" - the Devil's Tower is America's first national monument. Open 8am to 7pm daily.
- You should definitely be thinking about a trip to Mt. Rushmore - it's less than a hundred miles away. www.nps.gov/moru/
- Another option for a great ride is the site of Custer's Last Stand. The historic fight between Sitting Bull, the great Sioux war chief, and General George Armstrong Custer.
DAY 11: JULY 19th-
BMW MOA Rally (cont.):
It's only 75-miles to Sturgis from Gilette. Check it out. As a reminder, you are on your own for dinner tonight and Sturgis would be a good place to explore.
DAY 12: JULY 20th -
BMW MOA Rally (cont.):
Its our last day together. We will have a big barbecue in the campground and figure out our plans to return to LA.
DAY 13: JULY 21st -
BMW MOA Rally's End:
Its time to head for home; the "RawHyde Adventures" part of your trip is over, though you are welcome to "shadow the truck" as we return - we will carry the luggage or your camping gear until you need to break-away from us. Or if you are taking the same route as us, it's nice to know there's a friendly vehicle coming along behind you.
** Optional Service: If time is of the essence and you need to return to work faster than your motorcycle will allow, RawHyde Adventures can transport your bike back to L.A for a nominal fee. Inquire on the rate, if you are interested.




