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Land of Enchantment 2011

Picture
2011 LOE Finish picture by Glaves
Gang,
 
I want to share some thoughts with the list on my LOE1000 experience and share a little background on how I (finally) got there.  I've been "out of the rally game" for some time due many reasons.  Not because I don't enjoy it, but because I've been in a different place in life and simply haven't had the time or resources to play.  I did not have a viable rally bike, unless you include my '02 Guzzi LeMans, until July.  I bought an '01 GS from a high school coach of mine complete with bad brake lines, failing final drive and all...and then I decided to enter the rally at the end of the same month.  What was I thinking?
 
Well, fast forward to last Wednesday morning, the day before my scheduled departure to NM; I discovered the aforementioned bad brakes (due to a bulging line). I dialed up double first early am delivery of new lines for Thursday am (the day of departure).  I had already rebuild the final drive twice, wired lights and added HID...mounted tires on Wednesday...But wait; there's more!  With little more to do but wait, I decided to finish plumbing a fuel cell and in the process, made a game time call to replace the fuel filter as well.  That fateful decision cooked my rally bike choice...upon removing the fuel filter, I broke the fuel pump.  BMW 1: Allen 0.
 
Winston Oxley enters the story at this point.  Winston has been playing the rally game since 1998 and started with the Waltz Across Texas Rally, which was my first rally also.  Winston is also a major bike nut with a collection of bikes that would make most jealous, including a first year model Gold Wind (he rode that one to Alaska), a '74 BMW R90RS (first Superbike), a new Honda VFR, a Paul Smart Ducati, a (much modified) Harley Davidson, not one, but two BMW R/RS's, '94 and '04-the first and last years, and the sweetest Norton one has ever laid eyes on, custom built by Matt Rambo of Colorado Norton Works.  He took his first long motorcycle trip to British Columbia.  From Oklahoma. As a 14 year old.  I didn't even like girls yet at 14...
 
Winston, his wife Tamie and my wife Rhonda had all planned to go to NM to watch me win (stop laughing. seriously).  Winston knew I had some bike challenges and immediately offered up his '94 BMW RS.  You'd have to know Winston and see his bikes...especially this RS to understand what a generous offer this was.  This is the bike Winston has finished every rally he's ridden  AND finished the '09 IBR on!  Understandably, he is very fond of this bike...and all 173,000 miles on the odometer.  And before you think this is a clapped out motorcycle, think again; It could easily sit anywhere as a leftover new bike or be mistaken for a pristine, never ridden garage queen....yet, he had offered it to me without hesitation.
 
So...I rode a bike that I was completely unfamiliar with, loaned to me by my best friend to participate in what I believe is still one of the best 24 hour rallies held.  I had a wonderful time and fell into my old "rally groove" immediately; lost, plan blown, riding way more miles than most and laughing like a mad man the entire way. The wives enjoyed playing in NM...the full effects of the damage won't be known for a month...and maybe most of all I got to enjoy another long ride with my best friend...another ride we haven't been able to share in a long time.  It was fitting that I got to enjoy it on one of his motorcycles. 
 
Dave, Ira, Jeff and the rest of the volunteers did a bang up job as usual.  I don't know how many consecutive years the LOE has been held, but I'm glad that it remains a constant in this world of change.  We enjoyed seeing old friends, putting faces with new names and swapping lies and tall tales.  I took the opportunity to rib Ira a little at the finish for the efficiency format...hey, like I said...math is hard!
 
Awesome weekend.  Wonderful experiences that go well beyond beyond the rally itself.  Thanks LOE1000 organizers for providing a great vehicle for them!

Allen Dye
 
"Been doing this a long time...still suck at it.


Link to LOE 1000

Picture
  • Welcome
  • The List
    • 2014 Contributors
    • 2013 Contributors
    • Thanks To
    • Thanks To 2
    • unsubbing
  • 2013 IBR
  • Tech
    • Fuel Cells >
      • F650 Jack Ferguson
      • R1200GS Dan Simmonds
      • FJR1300 Jim Boone
      • GL1800 John Tubb
      • R1100RT David Smith
      • R1150GS Rusty Bachman
      • R1200RT Barry Bennett
      • R1200RT Barry Bennett's 2nd
      • R1200RT Mario Winkelman
      • 2006 HD FLHTCU
      • toms cell
    • New Bike Spreadsheet
    • Electrical Items >
      • Lightening the load
      • Basic and Simple Circuits
      • GPS and V1
      • HID Light Installation
      • Looming
      • Relay Installation
      • Sigma Installation
      • Soldering Basics
      • Using a Multimeter
    • Riding in the cold
    • Riding in the heat
    • Seats
    • Tire Repair
  • Rallies
    • Calendar
    • Correct Bonus Scouting
    • Rally Routing 101
    • Rally Routing 201
    • Route Planning 400
    • Reports and Pix >
      • Poison 2014
      • LDRiders Pix
      • Links to other Ride Reports
      • ERIC EDELMAN 50cc
    • Reports >
      • Reports Previous years >
        • NW Passage
        • BBG 4500
        • 2005 Alberta 2000
        • 48 Plus
        • 1996 UTAH 1088
        • Joe's 1st saddlesore
        • A new love
        • The Good, Bad and Ugly
        • LOE Rally
        • Warren's LOE
        • JACK SHOALMIRE SS1000 IDAHO RIDE
        • SS Oregon 1,000 - Jack Shoalmire Tribute
        • Utah 1088
        • 10n10
    • Waffle House
    • Videos Page 1
    • Videos Page 2
  • Basecamp FAQ
    • Basecamp Question
  • Product Reviews
    • Digital Video Recorder MD80
    • Sena SMH10
    • Riding Suits
    • Radar Detectors
  • Archives
  • Riders Forum
  • Tobies Photos
  • Contact Us
  • spotwalla test
  • IRB 2015
  • Survey Says
  • WOR Results
  • Ron Ayres
  • Some Mods
  • Fuel Cap
  • Sjef Vanderaa
  • Battery Tender
  • Webly for sale
  • Where's Bob?
  • 2019 Tracking Old
  • 2019 quick Link
  • 2019 Tracking
  • 2019 tracking #2
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