MAD DOG RIDE (Page 72)

MAD DOG RIDE (Page 72): "Altitude Madness with Real Estate Men
by Dr. Gregory W. Frazier
The BMW GS Big Dog Ride is billed as the 'world's highest, toughest BMW GS motorcycle event. 'Not a rally nor a race, the 'Divide Ride' or 'Rocky Mountain Rendezvous' is an invitation-only, fun-filled adventure testing both rider's skill and the mechanical preparation of their BMW motorcycles. The fun includes watching fellow riders crash (usually at very slow speed), riding over spectacular mountain trails and terrain, and the camaraderie of fellow BMW GS enthusiasts. Event participants are called 'Big Dogs,' as differentiated from BMW GS owners who purchased their motorcycles more for highway riding and polishing.
The Big Dogs tend to ride their motorcycles in extremes that include mud, dust, rocks, streams and over an occasional cliff. Forty-four participants from 15 states and Canada started the 1996 Big Dog Ride from Denver on September 26 with a 'warm-up ride' to Grand Junction, Colorado over several mountain passes via fire roads and jeep trails. All were on GS motorcycles, ranging from early '80s rally racing prototypes to the latest R l100 GS's. The majority of entrants rode RlOOGS models. Nearly all of the participants rode their motorcycles to Denver, then removed saddle bags, tank bag, mirrors and windshields before the event. BMW of Denver does a whopping post ride business selling replacement turn signals and other plastic parts. "