Sep 24-26: Adventure Palooza 2021

[troy]

Ran into a couple riders this past weekend who told us about the Adventure Palooza.

Adventure Palooza 2021
https://adventureridersllc.com/palooza/

It's a 3 day moto-camping event with multiple routes so you can choose based on where you want to start. Read more about it and register on their website. Sounds like a blast!

[hbadventure]

I have done this ride twice in the past. Took my wife and boys last year, our family team took 3rd. If we go this year we will do the SOUTH route, it is by far the most adventurous! But the west route is fun, REALLY dusty, but a good couple days to hang out with your buddies or family that rides. I would also recommend if you plan to be competitive in the event that you pick partners that have different cell phone providers. Cell service in BFE Missouri is sketchy and more carriers increases odds that you can submit a checkpoint. Dale and John are really great guys and they put on a great event! Everyone should do this event at least once!

[troy]

Thanks for the report, hbadventure! As for route choice, I was thinking same thing--while the West route is obvious choice for convenience from Kansas City area, it has to be the most boring of the routes...all things being relative.

[xr-nut]

this looks fun. tyler.....joel......you guys in?

[xr-nut-jr]

Count me in

[xr-nut]

Team Hillbilly Central is signed up and stoked about it!

[troy]

I am back from the Adventure Palooza '21 weekend. WHAT A BLAST! Dale & John and team put on a GREAT event. Sean & I (team Derelict Bus with Stovepipe Mod) rode the South route--one of several routes to choose from. The experience is a mix of:

• Adventure motorcycling
• Skills challenge
• Scavenger hunt
• Photo & Video creativity
• Navigation challenge
• Time management
• Camping

When Sean & I signed up, we both were thinking the scavenger hunt thing might be fun, but lets make it more about the route and the riding. However, once we started and collected about 3 of the points, our focus shifted to collecting those points and pushing for a win!

We came in 6th place out of about 20 teams. We got beat by a team named "7 Arms of Fury". One of their riders has only his right arm and rides a KLR650! What an amazing dude! The winning team was 3 women named "Mascara~N~Mud". They were IN IT TO WIN IT for sure. Turns out one of the secrets to winning is around bonus points--which you earn for great photo and video submissions.

The game used the GooseChase app. There were 4 types of points to capture.

• [PV] Photo or Video of something specified
• [T] Text. "What year was the church built?"
• [G] GPS. The app would simply capture your location and a map screenshot
• [W] Washer. They had 2" metal washers stamped with 3 digit numbers. You had to find the washer attached to a tree, rock, railroad tie, etc. then submit the number.

The route included plenty challenging sections. I took my loaded F800GS into some ATV trails a smarter person would have skipped. I'm pretty sure I rode down a couple spots I could not have ridden back up. (I'm not so bright.) All the challenge sections had alternate route arounds.

For most routes the game opened on the app 6 am Fri morning. The Southern routes were longer and more challenging so opened Thur morning. Some folks took advantage of that so had an extra day to get the miles and points in. Sean & I started the South route about 7am Fri. We were pushing hard and fast but still had to get very creative on Saturday to make it to the farm by 6pm. We had to select a few strategic points to skip and route faster pavement between the last points. Most of the points were worth 500 to 1000 points each. If you were late to the farm, you lost 500 points every 15 minutes!

At the farm North of Mexico, MO, there were around 250 folks and a sea of motorcycles. They had a stage with a live band, a big tractor wheel fire pit, BBQ, drinks including beer and coffee, awards ceremony, and a slideshow of all the photos & videos that came through the GooseChase submissions. Camping was very nice--blessed with perfect weather. In the morning, they served a good breakfast. There was a skills challenge course to enjoy but I was mostly wiped from all the riding to get to the farm!

A highlight at the farm was hanging out with the Hackney Boys! Their team missed 1st place on the North route by 100 points!! They got to take home a sweet plaque for their effort.

Camping on Fri night was kind of every man for himself--wherever you ended up when it got dark. Sean & I did not make it near as far on Fri as we hoped. Sean found an abandoned campground. All the signs were long gone and there were weeds growing through the asphalt. We really enjoyed camp. However, the evidence around the site made it clear this spot had been a meth cook location. What could go wrong?

On Sunday, Sean & I enjoyed a twisty back highway ride from Mexico back to Willow Springs where our trucks were parked. We definitely plan to ride the 2022 event. I am already pondering what tricks to pull out to go for the WIN.

[troy]

[gagnaou]

Sounds like it was a good time Troy!!!

[xr-nut]

Boys and I rode this, plan to for next year. Buying up lights so we can run it straight through, all the check points and route. Should be fun. We missed first place on the north route by 100 points. 100 points. We were cheated too! We and the first place team couldnt find one check point, they were docked 200 points, we were docked 500. All in, same dock points we would have won it! But, the ride was great, the atmosphere was great, good time had by us. And we got to see the-troy-wolf.

[gagnaou]

Thanks for the report XR-nut! Looks like a good time was had by all involved!!!

[xr-nut]

Thanks for the report XR-nut! Looks like a good time was had by all involved!!!

If you're up for a challenge, we plan to ride the entire route (roughly 500 miles) and do all the checkpoints straight through. Roughly 50 checkpoints with the bonus points included. We will have big lights on the 990s and baja s1 on our helmets. should be a fun challenge. Might even try to ride one of the other 3 routes backwards the second day. The trouble with that is getting all the way back to mexico mo after doing so.

[troy]

So basically, Joe doesn't think the Palooza is enough of a challenge so wants to combine it with a Dusty Butt endurance challenge!

There was a solo rider who apparently did all of his route and captured every point inside of 24 hours. Looking through the Palooza photos & videos, you can see some are at night. The night riding thing is not for me as it means I can't enjoy the next day--I know me.

Those of us who participated can view all the photos and videos from the teams on our route inside the GooseChase app. Still waiting on them to post the photos and videos publicly at https://www.facebook.com/adventureridersllc/photos/. You can see the 2020 stuff but not 2021 yet.

[gagnaou]

Thanks for the report XR-nut! Looks like a good time was had by all involved!!!

If you're up for a challenge, we plan to ride the entire route (roughly 500 miles) and do all the checkpoints straight through. Roughly 50 checkpoints with the bonus points included. We will have big lights on the 990s and baja s1 on our helmets. should be a fun challenge. Might even try to ride one of the other 3 routes backwards the second day. The trouble with that is getting all the way back to mexico mo after doing so.

Did you guys have helmet communication between you guys? Seems that it could make the ride more fun. 500 miles would be a long day!

Luc

[xr-nut]

There was a solo rider who apparently did all of his route and captured every point inside of 24 hours.

We asked John if there was anyone who did the entire route in one day, he said there was a rider who did but he did not do any checkpoints.

[xr-nut]

Did you guys have helmet communication between you guys? Seems that it could make the ride more fun. 500 miles would be a long day!

Luc
[/quote]


Yes we do have, it sure helps

[Savage]

Nice writeup Troy!