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LAB2V 2021

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Matt the Hatt

Matt the Hatt

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Joined
Jun 22, 2012
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Location
Austin, Texas
I last went in 2017, it is time for me to go again.


Same plan as my last trip:
Drive to LV, spend Tuesday night, then ride to the mountains north of San Bernardino and stealth camp Wednesday, then finish riding to Palmdale Thursday.

Hope to see some of yall out there again.

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I would love to do the LAB2V at some point. The logistics would be hard to overcome for me. I have watched some youtube videos on it and it looks like a great event.
 
790marc said:
I would love to do the LAB2V at some point. The logistics would be hard to overcome for me. I have watched some youtube videos on it and it looks like a great event.
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The logistics are pretty simple.

Take the week off
Mon and Tue drive to Las Vegas
Tue night stay in LV hotel
Wednesday ride through the desert towards Palmdale
Wed night camp off the moto*
Thursday ride on into Palmdale do any final prep
Thursday night in a hotel in Palmdale
Friday, wake up EARLY get your roll chart and GPS route and get moving
Friday night hotel in Barstow
Saturday morning wake up ride
Saturday night in hotel in LV again
Sunday drive like a nut home



*my moto camping consists of a Z-fold Thermarest, down bag and Mylar foil bivy. No food. Eat dinner on the road, wake up and ride to breakfast (not a coffee drinker, so I don't have to work around caffeine). By not cooking I save a ton of weight and time. I won't starve if I wake up peckish and don't get to eat for an hour or so, and it make it seem more rugged.

Your moto gear will last four days riding and you can wash/rinse them in the shower, I bring a down jacket, flip-flops, running shorts and a Tshirt off the bike. Other than an enduro fanny pack with tools I ditch my gear in the LAB2V supplied truck. Pack light, move fast.
Mousses in NEW tires, I don't bother with tubes. Its one more thing to carry. Carrying things makes me tired, being tired makes me pick bad lines, bad lines make me flat... mousses solve that for me (Tubliss rocks too).

Go fast enough to finish with day light, don't dawdle, but stay well within your limits. 80% max effort, turn the lizard brain down a notch to give the cave man brain a chance to react to kickers, washes and ruts.

Its fun. Do it!

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Im seriously considering this event, this year as well. Already off work during that time. Matt, what will you be riding? How many if any of the hard ways do you complete?
 
rshadoan said:
Im seriously considering this event, this year as well. Already off work during that time. Matt, what will you be riding? How many if any of the hard ways do you complete?
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I'll be on my 07 CRF450X most likely

My plan is to do all hard ways again. They're not bad IMO, but I like technical riding just as much as raw speed and I am fairly fit. They are really only hard because you tend to be a bit fatigued towards the end, but they are worth it.

Read the course description and decide when you get to the splits. Going through Red Rocks is a must-do section though.



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Matt the Hatt said:
I'll be on my 07 CRF450X most likely

My plan is to do all hard ways again. They're not bad IMO, but I like technical riding just as much as raw speed and I am fairly fit. They are really only hard because you tend to be a bit fatigued towards the end, but they are worth it.

Read the course description and decide when you get to the splits. Going through Red Rocks is a must-do section though.



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I would want to do all the hard ways as well. I will be on a DRZ400. I was thinking to Van-Life it to vegas then try and get a one way uhaul to the start point. Is the route you ride from vegas to palmdale offroad, or are you slabbing it..? I had not considered that but will also keep that in mind as an option as well.
 
rshadoan said:
I would want to do all the hard ways as well. I will be on a DRZ400. I was thinking to Van-Life it to vegas then try and get a one way uhaul to the start point. Is the route you ride from vegas to palmdale offroad, or are you slabbing it..? I had not considered that but will also keep that in mind as an option as well.
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Stand by for some crudely edited Google maps screenshots of my planned route. I'll use two colors, one for dirt, one for slab.

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Day 1

Magenta is dirt
The other is slab.

Black route is mostly dirt, slightly more direct, but I doubt it is as cool. 230-250miles LV to the camp site. Gas at Primm, then Yermo and Victorville, longest stretch between fuel is 90-100mi long day, but its easy riding and finishes with some fun twistys.
41a343d9a172f15b5e887204d9013017.jpg
42990b8cca2d4873609dd5a874b59296.jpg
b7b3aee24057d22d3c9843397f2ee3e0.jpg


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Last edited:
Day-2 is about 90-100miles mostly road and easy. I got Breakfast at Mitla's in San Bernardino... there are some small dirt mtn roads, but they add a lot of time and miles and I want a few hours to do any maintenence and relax.
5c72e839a7eca71a687418007b89acaf.jpg


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Matt the Hatt said:
Day-2 is about 90-100miles mostly road and easy. I got Breakfast at Mitla's in San Bernardino... there are some small dirt mtn roads, but they add a lot of time and miles and I want a few hours to do any maintenence and relax. View attachment 288864

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That is a pretty good looking plan, thanks for sharing. I am pretty confident i will attend this year. The only thing that would hold me up is if they changed my work schedule on me...unlikely but possible. As of now I am off work from 18 Nov thru 8 Dec.
 
Btw, I marked the wrong road. CA 173 is no longer a through road... I think I took the RED route last time. Leaning towards the BLACK route due south from Yermo though. I'll need to verify it goes through and confirm mileage.

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Im starting to research tires for this trip. Motoz desert HT both front and rear or possibly shinko 216 front. I have never used a mousse insert. Would a DRZ be to heavy to use them?
 
rshadoan said:
Im starting to research tires for this trip. Motoz desert HT both front and rear or possibly shinko 216 front. I have never used a mousse insert. Would a DRZ be to heavy to use them?
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I wouldn't think it would be too heavy if you stuff a big one in there and lube it up good.
Nuetech or Michelin could answer that for sure. I use Kenda Parker DT. They are DOT and work for me.

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About to put some copper alloy valve seats in my CRF450X's head. The stock ones beat the Ti valves to death and once they move, they go fast.

I am really looking forward to it, the dez is so fun.

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Just waiting for sign ups to open, and to start making reservations. Got my logistics plan figured out. Will truck to Palmdale, and have support van meet in Barstow and Vegas. Hopefully that plan wont change. I still need a better light, steering stabilizer., larger fuel tank, and tires.
 
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