The 2021 GEICO Motorcycle Adventure Rally & Camp once again descended on Stagecoach Trails Resort in San Diego County, California for the third SoCal ADV Rally, and hundreds of adventure riders from across the country—and international guests from as far away as Japan—came out to enjoy three days of riding in a mix of on- and off-road terrain that you can only find in America’s Southwest. From twisting mountain roads to rugged desert trails, including Ocotillo’s infamous double-black-diamond Pinion trail, teams of ADV riders mapped out their daily challenges for their own customized adventures each day. And whether the goal was tackling the toughest destinations in order to rack up points toward the coveted Adventure Cup, or simply relaxing and soaking up the miles on smooth stretches of arcing highway, GEICO ADV Rally participants shared the common threads: discovery, camaraderie and smiles.
The 2021 GEICO Motorcycle Adventure Rally & Camp offered over 100 points of interest stretching across hundreds of miles, from the Laguna Mountains to the Salton Sea, as far north as Palomar Mountain and as far south as the international border. Along the way, ADV Rally participants tagged all their destinations on their routes—follow the hashtag #ADVrally on Instagram to see thousands of snapshots from the weekend! Each destination is assigned a point value, based on distance and/or degree of difficulty, and the accumulation of these points amount to a daily award and an overall Adventure Cup. It came as no surprise to see Dennis Godwin and the “Meerkat Moto” team emerge as the overall cup winners. The four-rider team left only a handful of points on the table as they managed to target nearly every destination in the book.
For the majority of participants, the ADV Rally & Camp is about relaxing, creating your own daily adventure, and challenging your skills on an adventure motorcycle. From product demos, test rides, ADV training classes and moto games at basecamp, there is a lot to fill your day at the GEICO Motorcycle Adventure Rally & Camp.
Harley-Davidson was a featured sponsor of the 2021 GEICO ADV Rally, bringing out their entire fleet of all-new H-D Pan American adventure motorcycles for riders to sample. The Adventure category is all-new for the Bar and Shield brand, and the GEICO ADV Rally was thrilled to welcome the iconic manufacturer to Stagecoach Trails Resort. The GEICO Adventure Rally & Camp marked the final stop on the tour for the Motor Company and the Pan America demo rides. Self-guided tours set out each day with riders enjoying a 28-mile loop through the rolling desert highways on Harley-Davidson’s elite ADV flagship. As multiple riders admitted, having a go on Harley-Davidson’s finest was reason enough to venture out to the GEICO ADV Rally!
For those wanting to improve their off-road skill on their adventure bike, there was once again the ADV Skills Class offered by Lance Thomas of Adventure Brothers offering three-hour classes, one basic and one intermediate session. Thomas spent five years as a coach at BMW’s Off-Road Riding Academy, and is the ideal instructor to help you improve slow-riding balance and coordination, counterbalancing, braking in the dirt and more.
Thomas offered even more fun in the pits at his blacksmithing booth. Once the bikes were parked, Lance hung up his helmet and put on his leather apron, and guests were welcome to try their hand at real blacksmithing at his instruction. A talented blacksmith in his own right (and creator of the ADV Rally awards!) Thomas was happy to guide participants through the process of turning a metal bar into their very own wall hook.
Just like a summer camp (but for adults), breakfast and dinner were provided at basecamp courtesy of Daddy’s Famous Foods. Nightly libations were welcomed from the Tap Truck mobile bar, and each night featured campfires, awards, games and raffles followed by entertainment ranging from movie nights to Saturday’s live music and party.
A huge thank you to all our sponsors and participants for making the 2021 GEICO Adventure Rally & Camp the best yet. After missing everyone in 2020 due to Covid complications, it was just the throttle therapy we all needed!
The GEICO Adventure Rally & Camp has even more in store for 2022, so stay tuned for more information on upcoming events!
