Trans-America Trail

[drgnhrt1979]

You're right Scott - I remember following what looked like a cattle trail leading away from a fenced/gated corral/stock pond.

I was originally thinking of the ATV trail in Utah and that over grown remnant of a trail that led up to the 'peacock incident' - but I think the latter was actually two-track, it was just so over-grown that you couldn't see it. Of course, there was the single track in CO that Dennis took us on - but that was a bit of a side trip.

What a great trip that was.


drgnhrt1979 -- you should go for it. Just take more pictures than I did.

yea shouldn't be a problem a year in Iraq I got good at taking pics at 60mph while driving the HMMWV. And a day trip usually nets no less than 25 pics even if I have been there before. My record so far has been 134 pics in 5 hours.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

It is not a myth, as I have ridden the trail. There are entire segments that are on trails only open to motorcycles and quads (posted as such) in Utah and there are absolutely segments of single track in Nevada. It is a single track just wide enough for a moto going through the sagebrush.

However, this should not discourage you from trying, as it is a wonderful route. Easily 95% of the route can be driven in a 4wd.

We look forward to your updates.

that was failed to be mentioned, the big reason I am posting here to get more research done before I head out. Not that I am gonna get to head out next week or something, but I will get out there and drive it once all the logistics are in place.

even though he said he had a jeep, I know the trail was setup for motorcycles.

I guess that depends on how you want to define 'single track'.

this is true, and I didn't think of it that way. single track by my definition is any land i can get onto with the jeep but the trail narrows to the point I can not drive the Jeep through hand have to turn back.

I like your definition better, it makes more sense and is more universal

 

[jeepdreamer]

You and Metcaf should get together and share the planning. Plus one more Jeep would be a boon to a lot of aspects of the trip.
Side bar...when did you do Iraq? I got back (again) in 2010 and managed a total of about 8 pics the entire year...haha! I'm not much of a shutter bug though.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

You and Metcaf should get together and share the planning. Plus one more Jeep would be a boon to a lot of aspects of the trip.
Side bar...when did you do Iraq? I got back (again) in 2010 and managed a total of about 8 pics the entire year...haha! I'm not much of a shutter bug though.

I was in Iraq from Feb 2004 to Feb 2005 I managed to collect over 7000 pics about 2500 were taken by myself. I think I have most of the paper planning done, just have to start figuring out where I can pull the money from as I have a basicly stock Jeep and need to make a few mods to it first. I also am planning on including a buddy of mine whom also has a stock Jeep. So I would be starting out with 2 Jeeps from the get go, anyone else once I can pin point a start date is more than happy to join for the fun even if its for only a day or 2. I want to do it in the summer as the mountian passes I hear will be crossable then and it also allows for camping and not staying at a motel somewhere.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

If I dont do this one, I have a few others I want to do while too. Sam also has mapped out a "trail" that goes from El Paso, TX north to the northern CO state line somewhere. This one is only 1400 miles and he call it "Shadow of the Rockies." In addition, he has a loop mapped out that runs north to south in Mississippi that starts around Jackson that is only a couple hunderd miles each way.

Have to do some more reseach on those to see how friendly they are to a mid to full size 4x4.

Also on the list of course is the Rubicon Trail in Cali, as well as "The Devils Highway" in the south west. Plenty of trips to keep me going for a while before I look to try and run the Pan American Highway, another trip on my ever growing "Bucket List"

I plan to try and take the kids with me on as many adventures as I can so they can share in the awe and wonder of real adventures

 

[SChandler]

Looks like some of the pictures might be gone, but this guy ran the TAT in a nearly bone stock Jeep Wrangler by himself: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=573095. Here is the link to his write-up on this site: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/42245-Running-the-TAT-in-a-4x4.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

Looks like some of the pictures might be gone, but this guy ran the TAT in a nearly bone stock Jeep Wrangler by himself: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=573095. Here is the link to his write-up on this site: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/42245-Running-the-TAT-in-a-4x4.

Thanks, will deff have to look at those. I am planning on doing the Rubicon at the end so I will have to build and mod my Jeep to suit that as well, may only get one chance at it, so if I am gonna be on that side of the US, might as well go for it, LOL

 

[406to417]

Thank you for posting those links!

 

[SChandler]

Glad I could help. I would like to run the TAT myself someday, but it would most likely be done in my pickup (can't afford a bike or a Jeep). Maybe I'll get the Oregon maps and start there.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

Glad I could help. I would like to run the TAT myself someday, but it would most likely be done in my pickup (can't afford a bike or a Jeep). Maybe I'll get the Oregon maps and start there.

its a novel idea, just remember, according to Sam, you can only drive it East to West via his maps... After skimming through the thread here, I am leaning towards doing it in sections instead of trying to do the whole thing in one shot. I think I will save that for when I get to retire and have the time on my hands or if I ever own my own business and do it as a "business trip" of sorts, LOL

 

[tucanslam]

I did the trail on a Drz400 two years ago. One of the best trips I have been on.

 

[goodtimes]

its a novel idea, just remember, according to Sam, you can only drive it East to West via his maps...

The roll charts are set up for an east-to-west trip, but it wouldn't be difficult to sit down with the roll-chart and your preferred navigation software package, and simply drop a waypoint at each point listed on the roll chart.

When we ran the TAT in 2008, we met a guy doing it solo (on a KTM) who did just that. He said it only took a couple of evenings to do it.

 

[drgnhrt1979]

The roll charts are set up for an east-to-west trip, but it wouldn't be difficult to sit down with the roll-chart and your preferred navigation software package, and simply drop a waypoint at each point listed on the roll chart.

When we ran the TAT in 2008, we met a guy doing it solo (on a KTM) who did just that. He said it only took a couple of evenings to do it.

I figured it could be done, just would take some time. Another way would be to take the tripometer and make the mileage from point to point right on the map itself, then reset the tripometer at each waypoint so you know how far to travel as you take the reverse trip home.

 

[Ar_Davis]

I joined up to post here! I live in Arkansas and would love to meet up and run the trail for a few days.

 

[406to417]

The Arkansas and Oklahoma sections are probably all I could do. Been thinking about ordering the map but don't want it to be out dated by the time I get it.