The idea is to arrive in Barstow on Friday, rest on Saturday (most did) and start the Stampede on Sunday. Quite a few bikes had already arrived by the time I got there. Half the fun is checking out the machinery.
Bob Marshall is from Riverside, California. Bob had the only other Kawasaki KZ1000 Police
bike in the race.
T.J. Schweers from Harrodsburg, Kentucky said that his 65 birthday was the day he arrived in Barstow to compete in the Stampede. That's quite a way to celebrate your birthday.
Charlie the Nomad, taking notes to keep things straight. He rode the same Kawasaki Z1-900 that he rode last year but he changed the exhaust system.
Nathan Friesz, with his 650 Yamaha "War Pony."
Jim Hunchuk, from Canada, who I met at the start of last years Stampede. Gave up his Kawasaki 750 of last year in favor of a Harley Davidson. You gotta love that headlight.
Saturday evening everyone met in the parking lot and Charlie announced the route.
The Stampede 7 route was to start in Barstow and follow Highway 15 west into San Bernardino, then hit Highway 10 and go to Santa Monica at the Pacific Ocean.
Then the route turned east and was to follow Highway 10 all the way to the Atlantic Ocean at Jacksonville, Florida. From Jacksonville the route led north to the Greenleafe Inn in Pinebluff, North Carolina. The total distance, about 3000 miles.
At 0600 Hours everyone started their engines and headed out. The adventure had begun.
