Adventurous bikes follow trail to Oklahoma from Jellico, TN
You can tell from a distance, they’re a different breed of riders.
Their bikes flash a little less chrome. Their brightly colored fenders provide ample clearance above the knobby tires.
They’re a little taller and leaner looking than HOGs or Goldwings.
These bikes and their riders choose rugged terrain rather than smooth highways — they are off roaders — dirt bikers.
Frank Leonard and Bob Helzen parked their BMW dirt bikes outside of Alva’s McDonalds Tuesday morning while they went inside for some breakfast. The Seattle, Washington, mechanical contractors are dirt bikers following the TransAmerica Trail from Jellico, Tenn., to the Oregon coast.
Sam Correro, a Cleveland, Mississippi, pharmacist, spent more than 15 years mapping The TransAmerican Trail, ironically is known as TAT, an acronym similar to the original transcontinental airline/rail service based in this area.
The TransAmerican Trail stretches from the Appalachian Mountains, through the plains of Oklahoma and across the Rockies for 4,700 miles.
The Alva Review-Courier first became aware of this TAT in 2002 when six hot, dusty dirt bikers from California known as Cole’s Riders spent the night here on their way from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Leonard and Helzen left Tennessee on July 1. By the time they reached Alva, they’d come 1300 miles, about a third of the way. “It’s still a fair jog,” Helzen said.
Correro’s map leads bikers on dirt roads through Oklahoma near the Kansas border. After traveling the trail himself several times, Correro added Alva to the map as a hospitable place to stop and spend the night, find something to eat, and relax.
Leonard and Helzen spent the night in Cherokee. They filled up on barbecue fare at the Smok Shack where they were smitten by waitresses named Courtney and Liz. “Liz is a darling,” Leonard said. They told of discussions with Courtney about her upcoming wedding in Hawaii to Alva Police Officer Aaron Barber. They enjoyed a few beers at Mel’s bar in Cherokee, a place they described as looking like it was closed but it wasn’t.
The benefit of off road riding is seeing otherwise obscured scenery. Off road riding also offers its own set of challenges.
Inevitably, dirt bikers encounter storms, muddy roads and other hazards along the trail.
The Washington duo’s cargo strapped to the back of their bikes included a tent for those times they chose to sleep under the stars.
Torrential rains hit about 2 a.m. while camping in Mississippi one night.
“We had terribly heavy rain,” Leonard said. “We didn’t have our rain flaps on.”
They woke up soaked.
Their journey to date also included one crash, due in part to previous rains. Leonard, normally the lead driver, hit a patch of thick mud.
“It was like grease,” Helzen said of the gooey soil. Leonard said he was going too fast, hit the mud and lost control of his bike.
The crash knocked off some of his equipment strapped to the bike and broke the corner of the windshield which he repaired with duct tape. Helzen watched the wreck from a safe distance behind.. “I provided his entertainment for the day,” Leonard said good-naturedly.
Leonard said he’d seen a number of deer going across the road in front of them, but had managed to avoid any collisions.
“Our biggest hazard is cars,” the men said. “We have to make sure they see us.”
Leonard and Helzen were anxious to get to Colorado and the mountains.
“No offense,” Leonard said smiling politely, “but it’s kind of flat here.”
The duo had also been afflicted by what they described as “terrible heat — up in the 80°s.”
They were dreading the ride through the panhandle where temperatures were forecast to reach the century mark.
Fortunately, when they left Alva, the temperatures were moderate and a few clouds filled the sky.
“We’re creaming the ride,” Leonard said quoting his riding partner. “In every state we ride at least four hours on the dirt trail.”
Since they have to be home by July 20, they take advantage of highways the rest of the day.
“We haven’t met anybody that’s not friendly,” Leonard said. Helzen agreed saying, “Everyone has been super.”
There was one other thing the Washington natives really liked about Oklahoma — “You don’t have to wear a helmet if you don’t want to.”
More dirt bikers were behind them on the trail. Leonard said they met two men who started riding in Atlanta to raise funds for a children’s hospital.
Next time you see a motorcycle that looks like it belongs on the dunes, not the freeways, take time to say hello. They could be from California, Washington, Canada, England, France Switzerland or Germany.
Believe it or not, people ship their bikes and fly to Memphis to ride the TransAmerican Trail.
And that trail leads them through — or close by — Alva, America.
SOURCE: The Alva Review / Courier
