2009 was Dual Purpose Tennessee's 2nd year as a venture to do nothing more than have fun. Everyday measured in as a success. Every year opens my eyes more and more to the numbers of dual sport riders who share the same desire for a new beaten path to chase that feeling of adventure you felt as a child. To me riding the trail requires so much of my focus and attention there is no time to think of the heavy weights of daily life.
I did see map sales expand into Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia and Mississippi. Unfortunately I did have alot of tours rained out this year. But we did have alot of fun, adventurous, tours this year. This provided a chance for me to meet many interesting riders from the local area as well as you who drove from out of state. Thank you all. One big highlight of the year was meeting and teaming up with Jeff San George for all of my own, as well as many other riders, repair needs. I was a witness to many falls and spills throughout the year, usually always in the water. (I am currently helmet cam shopping for the 2010 season.) Knock on wood, I did not go down this year, a first. However, I can't recap the year without mentioning my close call with two deer that changed my riding perspective forever. The tour had just begun minutes earlier, 8 riders following behind me on pavement. It only took 1/2 second and two small deer, wildly chasing each other at full speed, came from across the road and were a flash of tan directly under my knee at about 45 mph. I stand to this day feel I would have never been able to lock up both front and rear tires and manuver to the right enough for the deer to completely miss me had I been on any bike other than a dual sport. I think about how fast it all happened every time I throw my leg across a motorcycle. After gathering myself at a brief stop at the first waterfall, my parked motorcycle somehow rolled from the kickstand. The handlebars swung hard enough to send my bike flying downhill headed straight toward a waterfall. Fortunately enough riders were close enough to grab the tail end of the bike and drag it to safety on top of the hill. Thank you again guys. Adventure promised, adventure delivered...
Looking towards 2010, we are looking to expand anyway we can. Talks are in the making of writers from national motorcycle magazines taking the tour and writing an article in the magazine about the "Tennessee Dirt Devil." I will post these rides when I know the dates and will keep everyone posted. I will be looking forward to meeting new riders as well as riding with the ones of you who have already experienced the tour. I hope to broaden my map sales area further this year. I am aware that I can do none of this without all of your support. New 2010 tour dates are coming soon. I'm shooting for a start date of late March, early April. Thank each and everyone of you, Dave.
