Author: Dave Bramsen

The Trail is long. This country is big. We exceeded 7000 detour and TransAmerica Trail miles. So, my presumption was that we’d cross paths with a number of motorcyclists out there doing what we were doing. Maybe we’d even camp near some of them. Nope. We mostly had the place to ourselves. We crossed through […]

Along the course of this 5000 Miles of Dirt thing, many kind people helped us in big and small ways to get across this beautifully rugged and dirty land. 1. My brother was first. On May 24, he drove a couple hours to the Charlotte, NC airport to pick us up. Then he patiently waited […]

7/8/17 Sat. FRIED PIE AND HUMBLE PIE Travel lesson/life lesson: When you see the opportunity, take it. The TransAmerica Trail doesn’t pass through areas with good shopping. You will not find the motorcycle tires you want when you need them on the TAT. Our Africa Twin’s rear 150/80-18 tire was worn but no one had […]

There’s been a solo ride to Alaska, hiking the JMT with no shower for 19 days, crossing the Sahara in extreme heat. And I think this is the stinkiest we’ve been. Use this formula to make yourself physically unappealing: >Go somewhere that’s 96F all day. And humid. >Place a heavy bucket over your head (it […]

The late night situation in the woods described below happened June 17. But before reading on, we take a moment to remember June 17 one year back when our friends David and Michele lost their dearest Jourdan. Words don’t cover it. Our love, awareness, prayers and offerings of friendship — from us and those reading […]

Why should dollars be flowing from your wallet while you are unaware of your surroundings and unconscious? People pay too much to sleep. We are avoiding that in the name of conserving re$ource$ AND enjoying creative problem-solving. We are camping our way along the TAT. And this enhances our adventure, as we experience more of […]

This blog post comes from the friendly abode of the boys’ cousin/my niece, Heidi Wolf, her meat-smoking husband Wayne, and their 5 lightening-bug catching, potato-gun shooting, 5-string-guitar-picking, 10-foot-long-batman-cape-wearing, card-trick-showing kids in Franklin, Tennessee, 65 miles north of the TAT. Greetings, friends of TAT Riders. Lessons have been learned: >You cannot be stress-free if you try […]

Next blog: contest WINNER! TEAM CHARLOTTE > GOT 3 HONDAS! “People on Gold Wings can get a gallon of milk and it won’t even phase them,” I said to Caleb in a Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Richlands, NC as we shopped for our first batch of provisions, aware that we have virtually no space to […]

We are a little remiss. Yes, as Larry has reminded me we need to keep the communication active. Here is what we did yesterday, Friday June 2nd: the dishwasher at my brother’s house didn’t cycle properly so all 3 of us washed the dishes by hand and put them away. June 3rd Saturday 8:30am what […]

WIN A >>>5000 MILES OF DIRT TEE and A CRUMMY PRIZE!<<< Our first blog contest includes our tee PLUS a random crummy souvenir collected on our way to the starting point. We’ll let you calculate the moment I dip my Nate Wagner motocross boots into the Atlantic and we head west. Just write the date […]