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http://www.f0ster.com/2012/03/leavenwor ... -back.html

I posted a short ride report and some of my photos. Not the greatest ride report, as it is my first but practice makes perfect I suppose. It was a great ride. I agree the return route needs to be adjusted. I would have enjoyed just reversing the route we took out. The one rough patch with the steeper downhill and the water crossing was fun on the return trip though. Not worth the long straight very dusty sections. A great ride. Thanks very much for going everyone, that was a really nice group we had today! I look forward to getting out again soon.

Glad you guys got out there again!

Foster, you didn't like the return route? It was definitely a lot of straight gravel further N, but I think it got really good--rolling hills and twisty sections--near the S part just NW of Atchison. And yes, that "closed" road is good for sure!

There are some more remote roads way up along the river--to the East of where our route heads up to White Cloud. Incorporate some of those!

Troy- I think the route is good, but in Nick's defense it appeared that the twisty section just outside of Atchison got a pretty good dose of fresh, thick gravel sometime in the last 2 weeks. Not to mention we had to ride into a relentless 20-30 mph wind, which didn't help the fun factor!

All in all, it was a good ride though. We'll do it again soon.

troy wrote: There are some more remote roads way up along the river--to the East of where our route heads up to White Cloud. Incorporate some of those!

I poked around over there a bit, there are some neat old forgotten homesteads, a school sized brick building in ruins I wish I'd gotten a pic of. Conditions were perfect, you know how that soil can be foot deep dust or a wheel sticking quagmire, no giggity.
I think I'll poke around ozarksrider's platte buchanan county route here in a bit, still learning how to load the montana and how dualsportmaps works, kml, raw, modified.

So here is a map that takes a more easterly route out of Wathena. I'm not sure if I got this out of one of Troy's tracks, or someone else's. I redrew it so it would have more waypoints.

http://dualsportmaps.com/?link=103200

I think it was the a combination of the dust, wind, fresh gravel, and more straight sections that made me less enthusiastic about the return. The ride was a blast either way!

Chris- We will have to give that route a try. Looks like it would be fun.

pictures from the ride.