Post edited 6:16 pm – November 11, 2009 by bikefronk

This is my first post to this Magazine, hope I'm doing it right.

Every years since 2006 I have been putting on a ride.  It all started back in May of 06 as a challenge to get from Mammoth Lakes CA. to St. George UT on dirt.  My wife gave me a GPS for my birthday and I wondered if I could plot a course across Nevada using topo maps to stay on dirt roads.  The first trip had no name and four riders, Russ, Craig, Joe and myself.  Russ is a 70+ year old Sheriffs Deputy, Craig rides a 4 wheeler, Joe is a business owner who rides way above his head and always, except for one get off in Mexico, lands on his feet and I was a 41 year old rider new to the desert.  Our first year we borrowed a motor home from a friend and a trailer from some guy we hardly new.  On the second day Joe crashed the motor home and broke the trailer, but after four days we made it to St. George UT.  The trip has now grown to be called RAN (Ride Across Nevada.)  We have stickers and T-shirts that each rider gets.  We have a crew of 3, my sister Katie is our expedition doctor, my dad Ted drives one support vehicle and my wife Misti organizes the meals and drive our other vehicle.  We use my truck and trailer, a 37 ft. fifth wheel, my good friend Randy's bus and chase truck with a 26 ft. enclosed trailer/shop with everything you could possibly need to repair you bike.  In 2007 we opened the case of a CRF450X in the middle of the desert and repaired the transmission.  We can fix anything, and if we can't the trip now has two extra loaner bikes.

Last year I decided to ride around NV. instead of across it  Our trip started in Mammoth Lakes, went to Dayton NV. and back to Mammoth.  About 650 miles with tons of single track.  After four years of refining we now have all of our meals prepared for us and any kind of beverage you want waiting in camp.  Last years trip had two overnight camps that landed at natural hot springs.  They were welcome at the end of the day.

I know that the reason these adventure ride have been so sucessful is the support crew and the riders that tag along each year.  The people on RAN are the best friends I have in the world.  I could call any one of the 40+ guys that have been on these trips and tell them I need help and I know they would drop what they were doing to help me.  I can't express enough that the guys make this trip great, not me.

I'm taking this years trip on the road to Utah.  We start and end in Parowan UT.  We will be riding through Brian Head UT, to Lake Powell, up the Grand Staircase of Escalante through Bryce Canyon and back to Parowan.  This years trip promises to be the most scenic and epic of all the years.  Wish us luck.  I'll post some photos when we get back.  If any better than average riders want to go send me an e-mail.