After Thanksgiving, we burn our passports and become drifters. Metaphorically (for now) in the form of LA-Barstow-to-Vegas [LAB2V] dual sport ride in the desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
But the Bonzorro doctrine stuck with us, and the sandy trail seemed to bring clarity to the whole idea. Someday we will go to Tijuana and burn our passports for realsies. Few in our interationally-speckled group actually needed their passports to get home and tie up a few loose ends.
As for the ride itself: Delightful.
But the task is never without its challenges.
Logan Hill crashed hard on his xt250 in a rocky sand wash on the second day and broke his wrist and buggered up his shoulder real bad. David El Solitaro went arse-over-teakettle at about 70mph… luckily, he only broke a few ribs.
These things happen on the LAB2V. You just ride it out and praise goodness there’s still some good ol fashioned motoring freedom and danger left in this part of the world. And Red Rock Canyon wouldn’t be as beautiful without a few aches and pains from the 400 miles preceding it.
Delighted to have Co-Built Geoff from Oxford England, El Solitario Wolf from the Spain, Jacob Hobbs from the Salt Lake, Logan from Supreme, Circle Jerkyls – Scruff and Randy Faker from Down Unda, Adam Speed-Deluxe and Chastin Brand from out East, Gary Pasquale and Anthony Beach from Denver, in on the fun this year.
Special thanks to Cindy for the wonderful Turkey Feast on Thursday, JH517 for dad-ing us thru the often forgotten logistics, and the LAB2V sweepers who make sure the squids like us make it out of the desert.
Over and out
Story & Photography by Nevin Pontius
