What's new

- Week The GOAT Rally - Green Country Oklahoma

Jay547

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 18, 2022
Member Number
878
Posts
215
Location
Tulsa
Green Country Oklahoma Adventure Tour Rally

I’ve done the GOAT route several times with groups and more often on my own, the official GOAT Rally was April 28-30. This year, they had a dedicated private rally ground. In the past, they’ve always used public campgrounds. I’ve been helping the organizer over the last several years with route suggestions and planning and this time everything came together.

NNwn4Lj.jpg



Friday afternoon was a short, historical site-based route around the town of Tahlequah, the Cherokee Nation’s National Headquarters. I agreed to ride tail to make sure everyone stayed on course and didn’t get left behind. We had about 70 riders for the historical loop. Of course, it started raining within a couple minutes of the scheduled leave time.

adT0amL.jpg


U8maWQK.jpg



First stop was at the John Ross Museum. Ross was a former Cherokee chief. A representative of the tribe gave a presentation, told stories, and answered questions. It was very interesting. He mentioned that he was a member of the Cherokee Kee-too-Wah Band. I grew up with a guy who was a Kee-too-Wah and I knew he had run for council. After the presentation, I asked the speaker if he knew him. He said he knew him quite well, saw him often, and that he was on the council. I told him to say hi for me.

THxxyF6.jpg


6uyG6cT.jpg


eEjGLdL.jpg



As the group left the museum, I noticed one of the riders couldn’t get his bike to start. He had a dead battery. One other rider and I stayed to help. We ended up getting him push-started but that put us about ten minutes behind the group. I followed them out from the museum and within a mile they had missed a turn. I honked, flashed my headlight, then stopped and waited. About five minutes later, one returned. The dead-battery guy had just kept on going. We gave up and continued the route. By then, we were so far behind the group that we missed all the in-town historical sites. By the time we caught up, the group was heading back toward camp. We did manage to make the last stop at the grave-site of Mr. Ed, the talking horse. I had been there several times before so I just hung out and waited for the group to leave.

Lining up to visit the grave.

k3I1Is7.jpg


Mbz40GC.jpg



Friday’s ride stats:

7cSwtoi.jpg
 
Friday evening, Dragoo Adventure Rider Training put on a free class.

wtRRlfd.jpg


zAhrfhy.jpg



My camp for the night. I set up a cot in my cargo trailer and slept there. It got cold and rained more during the night. Luckily, I got an electric hook-up and had a space heater.

eI9GdTa.jpg


9Th4Xti.jpg



Saturday’s ride was the north loop. Me, front right.

dn2FAPL.jpg



We had a group of nine but lost two at the first gas stop. This guy rode a ’99 CR 250. He ran out of gas here but luckily was carrying extra.

fvPCyfT.jpg



We had some pretty good woods sections on this loop that turned out to be fun.

9PqGGW9.jpg


LOqFIxc.jpg


hg0YQIy.jpg


PwVoR6x.jpg


3sPXEoH.jpg


pJ8njPW.jpg



We rode a quick pace and were back at camp by 2:00.

j52zdCf.jpg


Saturday's ride stats:


JtqfMZ3.jpg
 
Last edited:
Saturday evening was the competitive events. I was one of the judges so I didn’t get to ride. We had a slow race, a plank race, a slalom course, and a timed woods section.

Me with the megaphone.

UA9jsj2.jpg


CeeUG3A.jpg


1p1kBVK.jpg


0AsYMOC.jpg



One of the guys from our group, Dennis, won the overall on his Indian flat-tracker. He is the nephew of motocross champion Guy Cooper.

npMxkZo.jpg



Saturday evening, we had musical entertainment and a bonfire.

lBllhR3.jpg


7ZuuDyJ.jpg



Sunday was the south loop. It’s my favorite because it has the more challenging sections.

Our group, lined up and ready to go.

tsotGJb.jpg



About thirty miles in, our first stop was at Nofire Hollow to take some pics of Caney Creek.

7X6gcQH.jpg



My Texas buddy Tim, and I were still goofing when the group took off. We followed later with me in the lead, at an accelerated pace in order to catch up. Within less than a mile, we came to a slightly off-camber, reducing radius turn with a partial wash out. I entered the turn too hot and went way wide. I thought I could ride it out but ran out of road. I went off the wash out into the dry creek bed full of rocks. I crashed hard and banged up my right shoulder. I was amazed that that was my only injury. I walked out onto the road, took a seat, and tried to recover. Tim couldn’t get my bike out by himself, so he called the guys to come back. Apparently, they had ridden quite a distance without us so it took forever for them to get back. In the meantime, another group came along and helped get my bike out.

bfDkIyr.jpg


X4WyOeK.jpg


jPQ1b5P.jpg



I was able to get on the bike and ride back to camp. A couple of the guys were going back anyway so they followed me and then helped load my stuff.

Some minor damage to the bike, a little more to me. Parts are already on order.

MonUPnY.jpg


sGorqzV.jpg



I went to the urgent care Sunday evening and got xrays, nothing broken. Tuesday, I went to an ortho doc who confirmed that nothing was broken and scheduled me for an MRI. I had the MRI Wednesday and will meet the ortho doc again Tuesday. I checked my patient portal and it's a torn rotator cuff. I have a ride-to-eat streetbike ride scheduled for next Saturday. I plan on making it.
 
Can you point me to GPX files for the route?

Also, could it be easily doable as a whole loop staying in Hotels?

Thanks!
 
If you want longer loops, the older ones are about 200 miles each. But don't do the older south loop, there is a huge wash out that will result in about a 40 mile detour.

o3V56gN.jpg
 
If you want longer loops, the older ones are about 200 miles each. But don't do the older south loop, there is a huge wash out that will result in about a 40 mile detour.

o3V56gN.jpg
Thanks! How would I know older loops from new ones?

The stuff I have found so far shows one big loop that is just under 500 miles in length.
 
Update: torn rotator cuff and some muscle damage. No surgery, 6-8 weeks of rehab.
Been there done that...

Do the rehab/ PT, if the Doc perscribed pain killers take them ! I found that
physical therapy is more effective if you can knock down the pain level a notch or two.

I'm not a Doctor ( or stay at a Holiday Inn :-)) but passing along what a respected
Orthopedic surgeon recommended to me.


Hoping you heal fast and regain your range of motion !
 
The first two weeks were rough but now it's doing much better. If the improvement goes at the same rate as it has the last several days, I should be able to ride my streetbike again by next week.
 
I'm riding the FJ-09 again but won't be riding the 450L for a couple more weeks. Repairs will be completed this weekend.

lPNA5tx.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom