The "official" Desert 100 thread for 2010

This will be the place for folks to post up if and when they are going, and plans for meet ups when there. It's "official" cause I said so .

I will be heading out with my group of riding buddies by 0900 on Friday morning the 9th. We will have this sign posted at our camp site for those that want to stop by.


If you are even thinking of going to Odessa, you really should. I had been out of dirt biking for about 6 years when some friends talked me into doing the ride last year. I had such a blast, that I went out and bought my WR less than a month later. It is alot of fun. The family poker run on Saturday is the thing to do. I am not sure how fun the dual sport ride would be considering that there is nothing out that way, and most of the roads are totally straight. I did the iron man poker run last year on a Chinese made, air cooled 250, and had no problems finishing. I saw little kids on 50's and 80's riding around out on the big course that did just fine. The course is approximately a 50 mile loop, and it is well marked and easy to follow, and there are check points where you stop to pull a card out of a bucket to get your hand for the finish. About halfway through a lap, there is a big watering station set up that has juice and grilled hot dogs, and it turns into a really cool place to hang out and chat with your friends or other riders. It is a very laid back atmosphere, and everyone is there to have a good time. Not once did I get blasted by someone trying to make it a race, everyone respected the fact that it was mostly families and weekend warriors that were riding around.
If, at the end of your first lap you don't feel you can go any further, no problem. Just head back to your camp site and chill out, have a cold beverage, and wait for your friends to come back in. Sunday is when the big race takes place, and they do a dead engine, Le Mans style start where the riders have to run to their bikes, get them fired, and take off as fast as they can without getting run over. The cacophony is ridiculous, and extremely exciting.
There are vendors there that have everything you might need while there. Boots, gloves, jerseys, pants, tires, you name it they sell it. You can even have your tire changed there for a reasonable price if you choose. There are also a few food vendors if you don't want to cook for yourself that are pretty good, but I think that alot of the fun is in hanging at your campsite, and grilling some meat on the BBQ and chatting with your friends. Last year, they even had wireless internet access if you are so inclined to bring your computer. Though cell service is sketchy at best.
We rolled in last year before noon on Friday, got our camp area set up, headed over to registration to get signed up, then worked on the last details of our bikes, before hanging out and enjoying the evening. There was a quick riders meeting in the morning, and then you head out at your own pace for the ride. There was a cut off time for leaving for the second lap though, so they organizers wouldn't have to worry about people being stranded out on the course too late. There was plenty of support staff and medical personal on hand in case the unthinkable happened. My only suggestion for gear would be to wear good fall protection. I wear a compression shirt with forearm/elbow guards, and shoulder protection. I also have on good knee/shin protectors. This is in addition to my boots, gloves, riding pants, jersey, and helmet. There are some rocky sections out there, and if you go down like I did last year in one, you'll be glad you had that stuff on. I know I was, not a single thing hurt.
So, load your bike, bring your gear and some extra gas and come ride the Desert 100. It is a blast! Hope to see everyone there.

lets hook up down there if we can, i am hauling my bike down with me and my other buddies are riding a 114 mile dirt road trip to get there. i am looking forward to it and hope to meet some great people. i have never been there, but it looks like fun. i dont know for sure what time i am leaving friday but i am trying to make it out by 9 am, the buddie riding with me is the wild card. about the food vendors, i was thinking about just bringing munchie type stuff and the makeings for lunch and eating at the venders for dinner. would i be better off bringing my own food and doing it old school style !

WHO ELSE HERE IS GOING, SPEAK UP ! inspector ? big-jer ? nows the time to see me ride. ( i have the sexyiest belly on a dirt bike ! )

Sorry guys. I really did have plans to go. The wife wasn't cooperating very well and with everything else that has happened...just isn't going to happen.

Inspector wrote:

Sorry guys. I really did have plans to go. The wife wasn't cooperating very well and with everything else that has happened...just isn't going to happen.

Great to hear you are finally going to make a ride Shane! LOL. The group I am heading down with is all meeting at the pull-out on Hwy 28 just East of Hydro park where the boat ramp is. Plan is to meet there and head out at 9 am so we can get in together so we can camp by each other. You are welcome to roll with us.

Inspector, you are missing a good one. I look forward to this one all year long, it is great. I understand having duties at home, that is why I am single .

How 'bout it jer, you and your cuz coming down? You are welcome to ride with me, my buddies bailed on me, so I have room.

As far as food is concerned, you can absolutely do it that way, but I find grilling up some food at the camp site is more fun. There are several of us with grills and cooktops in our campers if you are in need of something like that. But either way works.

Sweet, as we get closer to heading out next week I will let you know, it would be great to roll with you. 9 o-clock will work for me, it will depend on my buddie and his final plans. I will keep in touch.

Just got in about an hour ago from the Desert 100. What a blast! Me and about 4000 of my closest friends enjoying some of the best off road riding and camaraderie for a weekend. Lots of good times, but I am glad to be home to get the dust off me. Shane, it was great to see you out there, hope you had a good time. And dpsmgd, I did notice an NX650 out there, even pointed it out to one of my buddies. We were impressed that someone would be out there on what is a relatively heavy bike. My day was painful. Within a couple miles of the start, my fork seals blew and puked all the oil out, leaving me to get hammered. I guess a full rebuild is in order before my next ride.

yee haa, what a weekened. i am not use to that, how many whoops can you fit into 30 miles. ALOT ! hey "W" that NX650 was probably Andrew, a guy that road with us, he keeps it in perfect shape. He is a friend of "deez nuts" you should see his garage. that is his newest bike. he collects the old stuff. anyway, back to odessa. it was great to meet you. sorry i didnt get to make it back to your camp. we ended up getting pretty sauced ! i kinda regret not getting more pics. the hot dog stand had some of the best sausages ever, and the best part is they were free ! so to all of you, next year just go cuz the free dogs are worth it.

there were alot of rocks, took a big one to the bash plate and danm near riped it off, it also bent my frame in one spot. may need some advise on what i should do, wether or not i should worrie about it or just ride it the way it is. thank god i had the skid plate becuase i think it would have broke my case if it was not on there, best $80.00 i ever spent. i will post pics later.

anyway, i hope i can hook up with you again "W" and we can ride.

a very tired and sore fat guy !
Shane

here is a crapy pic of some of the guys in Odessa, but if you look to the right of the page you can see the NX650 !
we also had a guy on a KLR 650. they both did real well.

Hey Shane, what was that "wild card" comment about? I'm not sure I like that considering you're talking about me. J/K. That was an excellent weekend, we should have ridden more though. I wish we all took more pictures out there, I gotta post up what I have. You did fine on those whoops man, just gotta ride more tech stuff thats not so dual sporty and you'll get the hang of it. I say we go again next year, your bike will be just fine out there if you ever get around to springing it for you.

Wild card ment the time we left depended on you

SHOCKER . LOL

IDK...After looking at all those pictures, I maybe lucked out I didn't go?

*I don't like people and there seems to be an awful lot o people.

I don't like big crowds of people either, but if you stay around your group it's not too bad... I actually came out of my shell a little and met quite a few new people. It was fun, I'd say it's definitaley worth going at least once.

hey poopoomvictim, e-mail thos pics to me damb it !

That's not cool broseph. At least my username is original and has a story behind it. Hey nutz, post up that group pic you took in the vendor area.