Land of Enchantment 2011
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
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
