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Been awhile since I lead a ride. I would like to offer folks a chance to ride along from Manhattan north towards Westmoreland and then further north in the range hills. I am open for either Saturday or Sunday whatever works for other people. The route is about 110 miles long. I ride it alone in about 3 hours so I would expect a small group to take about 5 hours if everything goes smooth. There is an opportunity for fuel in Westy if anyone has a short fuel range.

Now the details: This is not a technically challenging route, I plan to ride the most low maintenance roads I can find. Lots of ruts, erosion, and a few muddy spots. A 50/50 tire or more aggressive tread will be your friend. If you have experience to pick the right line, no issues. Even though this ride is not technical, any motorcycle ride is inherently dangerous with unexpected hazards.

This is not the ride for you, if you answer "yes" to any of these statements:
- Your comfort zone on gravel roads is 25 mph.
- You have ever made this statement during a DS ride, "Boy I would like to ride some asphalt"
- You think the best DS tire is the Avon Distanza.
- You think the ideal tire pressure is in between 35 - 60 psi.

Believe it or not these are all things I have experienced on previous rides that lead to less than pleasurable experiences by other riders in the group. If any of the above are your idea of DS riding, go on over the BTK and join a farklemania crew.

I would like to leave Manhattan around 8 am to beat the midday heat. The Tall Grass Brewing Company Tap house is now open in Manhattan, we can end back there for a late lunch burger and beer.

I am out west cutting wheat otherwise I would have been really tempted! I think my thumb is healed up enough now

Man I wish I could come ride, Larry! That area offers some of the primo minimum maintenance roads Kansas has to offer along with some beautiful scenery.

I will be out in Denver this weekend for my sister's wedding. (This means my brother, KC, won't be able to make the ride either.)

I have one more litmus test to add to your list:

If you are prone to ask, "What time will we be back?" and the answer actually matters to you, this ride may not be with you.

Thanks for posting and your leadership, Larry!

Is this here ride Goldwing friendly? The wife and I would like to ride it. I can only get her to ride for 15 minutes at a time but you would wait up for us , Right? we will get there right on time, but will need to gas up in the first 1/2 hour. I ride at 42 # pressure for rides like this and do quite well as long as we are on asphalt. Are you going to have treats ready to serve us before and after the ride? Is lunch included on this ride , we like prime rib med well with pie and ice cream for desert, I assume that works into your schedule. I hope this is not asking too much.

You're dual sport buddy David down here in Lawrence

I only have a non-plated dirt bike - so prob not a good fit for the ride..
I did want to respond to the following though:

This is not the ride for you, if you answer "yes" to any of these statements:
- Your comfort zone on gravel roads is 25 mph.
- You have ever made this statement during a DS ride, "Boy I would like to ride some asphalt"
- You think the best DS tire is the Avon Distanza.
- You think the ideal tire pressure is in between 35 - 60 psi.

Absolutely love the "qualifier" for the ride.
Classic and thanks for the ear to ear grin!

david h wrote:Is this here ride Goldwing friendly? The wife and I would like to ride it. I can only get her to ride for 15 minutes at a time but you would wait up for us , Right? we will get there right on time, but will need to gas up in the first 1/2 hour. I ride at 42 # pressure for rides like this and do quite well as long as we are on asphalt. Are you going to have treats ready to serve us before and after the ride? Is lunch included on this ride , we like prime rib med well with pie and ice cream for desert, I assume that works into your schedule. I hope this is not asking too much.

You're dual sport buddy David down here in Lawrence

Ohh.. I like this group!

Lol to all.

I think we all know what kind of bike the riders were on that made the qualifier statements...actually one guy had 3 of the qualifiers on one ride! Talk about a recipe for disaster. A good rider on a properly equipped bike (uhh - not overly equipped like this is a month long expedition ride) would have fun on this route.

Now Uncle Dave, We can always tell when you are spinning a tale when "on time" is somewhere in the story!

Thanks for posting the ride. I'm not sure what we're doing next weekend, but Saturday would be my choice if I can make it.

Shoot, Maybe next time....
I got too many qualifiers, the tkc rear is so bald it's avon ready, and the chain so loose it's practically dragging on the ground. Could air up and strap on some sand bags...

I found out some information about Tall Grass Brewing Company Tap House - it's pretty exclusive designed for the rich and famous. I am definitely not rich (I don't pay for half a side of beef for just a burger), and I am more infamous than famous. Maybe Cox Bros. BBQ would be a better choice.

I have one possible for Saturday and one for Sunday. Might have to flip a coin on this one.

I thinking a possible meet place could be the Daylight Donut at 5th and Ft. Riley Blvd. Got a craving for a bacon long john.

I would say just set it up for whichever day works better for you as I don't know what we're doing yet. My dad has recent health issues we're dealing with.

Will your route be taking you anywhere close to 39.354594, -96.201936 ?
I'll be doing a little workin and riding (mostly riding) on Sunday down there on a huge section of river bluffs/hills/whatever right off the Vermillion bottoms, if you're by that way it would be a neat place to check out and take a break if you can make it up the hill to get into the place, my old 230 use to make it in there when i was a noob so I think anyone could. The views are amazing, one of the bluffs is right off the bottoms and you can see manhattan wamego and a bunch of other stuff that i don't know what it is.

I think Sunday June 28th will work best. Saturday is going to be the height of Country Stampede so Manhappy can be crazy.

Start point will be the Daylight Donut at 5th and Ft. Riley Blvd - 8 am in Manhattan. The route will be approximately 120 miles staying between Tuttle Reservoir and Hwy. 99. I would expect to easily be back to Manhattan by 2 pm if we don't experience any problems. There will be a possible fuel stop in Westy. There is a couple roads I haven't ridden yet this year so there could be surprises for all of us.

There is the potential for heavy rains tonight into Friday morning. If the area around Westmoreland gets a bunch or rain, the gumbo would be ugly. I have some other options including Wabaunsee county if it's too wet up north.

Let me know if you plan on riding so I don't leave anyone behind.

No ride ending rain last night. There was enough rain to fill water holes back up so there could be some more interesting spots along the way. Roads should be basically dry by Sunday.

How was it? Who ventured out with you?
I would have but we needed to go see my parents.