People have been asking why no dates have been anounced yet for Baja tours. Well, due to a back injury this summer and some major renovating about to take place at the GripTwiswter compounds, I'm only scheduling private tours this winter and next spring. We'll also be making improvements to GripTwister's Baja beachside property in the coming year, such as adding a bunkhouse, desalination system and beefing-up the solar electric system. Remote Baja is just that -remote- and that means self-reliance for even the basics. I'll post the coordinates soon, and though I'll only be there infrequently during the next year, I invite fellow riders to stop by and say hi and enjoy a cool one on me if they're going to be in the area.

I'm very sorry to say that I will be unable to host the Fun-Ride that was scheduled for August 27th---29th due to a back injury.  There is a great group of folks that are still going to do the ride, and as long as you or your riding partners have the Olympic Loop GPS Tour package loaded into your GPS, they would be happy to have you join them for some great riding.  For more information on joining them, please check out the thread at the advrider website.  The link for the relevant discussion over there is here.

In the next few days, I'll be working on a page devoted to current information and updates regarding the Olympic Loop GPS Tour.  Road closures and detours, current conditions, and any updates/fixes/patches for the GPS routes will be posted there to help you get the most out of your trip.  The OlyTour Update page is here.

GripTwister Tours now has it's own beachside property on the beautiful Sea of Cortez near Gonzaga Bay.  In the future, we hope to offer additional options to your private Baja tour groups, such as windsurfing, fishing, hiking, 4x4 trips and more, including comfortable accomodations at the water's edge.

Well, the 2005 Fun Ride was a big success this year, in spite of Sunday's weather.  Ten riders from the greater Puget Sound area took part in the event on a variety of different dual-sport bikes.  Saturday's weather was quite nice for the most part, yielding some great views of Hood canal and points beyond from several good vantage points.  Even Seattle's skyscrapers could be seen on the distant skyline!  Sunday delivered the wettest and coldest weather of the ride, but everyone endured the foul weather and low visibility to enjoy the most technical day of riding the tour offers.  The skies cleared just before we reached camp for the night on the beautiful Clearwater river, which lies between the Hoh and Queets rainforests.  It rained during the night, but everyone was well prepared with good tents in which to stay dry.  Sunday we awoke to skies starting to clear again, and the weather got progressively nicer as the day went on, once again revealing some great views, this time of the lush valleys of the southern Olympics and points beyond.  By the time we came full circle to Shelton, we had logged over 550 miles of riding, and about 85 percent of those miles were on dirt roads in varying degrees of condition.  Everyone who finished this tour was a noticeably better rider than they were when they started.  Thanks to all the great riders who attended this years event!  We may have an "encore" ride in the late summer or early fall for those who couldn't or wouldn't make this one, and for those who just can't get enough of a great thing.  Check back often for the announcement, and for a ride report with pictures from this Fun Ride as well.

Just two more weeks 'til this year's GPS funride.  I'll be reviewing and updating the route this week.  I have to ride for 3 full days to check every mile of the route for washouts and other obstructions (poor me!), then a day or so to make the changes to the 2005 Edition, if necessary.  The 2005 Edition will be ready for shipping via priority mail on Saturday.  Customers in western Washington could have it in their hands Monday, or by Tuesday to customers in the broader west coast.  Pre-orders will now be taken.  To purchase on-line through PayPal, go here.

Magellan brand GPS owners rejoice!!  The long awaited Olympic Mountains Loop GPS Tour is now compatible with MapSend software for downloading into your favorite Magellan GPS receiver.  In fact, as part of GripTwister's continuing commitment to deliver great dualsport adventure products, all our GPS rallies and tours will be compatible with Magellan units as well as Garmin from now on.

You heard it here first!...  A true GPS Rally race for dualsport motorcyclists in the Pacific Northwest.    Routes will be posted at midnight, and must be completed within the next 48 hours.  Tracklog must be submitted no later than 60 hours after the route is posted.  Winners determined by annalysis of GPS tracklogs.  Cash prizes.  Stay tuned for more info, including rules, rallies, entrance fees, etc....

The dates have been set for the 2nd annual Olympic Mountains Loop GPS Tour Fun-Ride and Campout.  It's a 3 day ride May 14 - 16.  Go here for all the info.

I've recently returned from Baja, where the rains of January have turned much of the northern parts into vast seas of beautiful green.  The weather was perfect.  What are you waiting for?

I've put up a few panoramic pictures from Baja on a new page in the media gallery.  To check 'em out, click here .  Still a few spaces left on the January Baja tour.  Beat the wintertime riding blues with an unforgettably fun trip through northern Baja.  Special  pricing for groups of riders!  Go here for more information.

Still a few spaces left on the January Baja tour.  Beat the wintertime riding blues with an unforgettably fun trip through northern Baja.  Special  pricing for groups of riders!  Go here for more information.

Coming Soon!!!  Highly detailed maps of Baja for Garmin GPS receivers!!!  Now you can download detailed maps of Baja into your GPS  that show detailed coastlines, main roads, minor roads, local roads, 4x4 roads and two tracks, trails, cities, towns, camps, ranchos, sites, arroyos, rivers, lakes, dry lakes, missions, Pemex stations, mines, quarries, microwave stations, airstrips, and more!  For more info, click here.

Well, the Fun Ride was this last weekend and Monday.  Turnout was pretty low, with only 2 riders showing up, one from Canada, the other from Seattle.  This year's was the innaugural ride, so next year should be a better turnout.  Though we never got rained on, there was a substantial cloud cover that was like driving through soup at high elevations on Saturday and Sunday.  The great views this route has to offer were not to be seen on this trip until Monday, when the weather turned fabulous.  We'll be doing this again next summer, tentatively in late June or mid July.

News Flash!!!!  The Forest Service has just lifted the ban on campfires today due to the recent rain!   This means we'll get to have a campfire to socialize around and cook on at campsites during the Fun Ride, as we had planned.  About 3 inches of rain fell on western washington just this week.

I'm back from an eleven day Baja tour, and as usual,  it was a great time!  Sadly, the beaches of Playa Malarrimo have been washed almost clean of all flotsam and jetsam that has always made it a historically fertile ground for finding unusual objects from the world over.  Only time will tell if it will return to it's old self.  However, the coyotes there are just as bold as ever!  It's not unusual to see them out and about during the day there, looking for an easy meal and a drink.  You can't leave ANYTHING unsecured during the night, or it will be dragged away by the devils.  Laziness found me searching the nearby dunes for one of my boots one morning. 

The Fun Ride and Campout is this weekend. If you're not already commited, why not join us?  This ride is suitable for any class of dual-sport motorcycle, even the big boys.  I'll be selling the Olympic Mtns Loop Tour without the accompanying booklet or CD-ROM on Saturday morning for just $18!  If you want the whole package with the booklet and CD-ROM, let me know by Thursday evening, and I'll bring you a copy.  You'll still save the $4 shipping cost.  For more information, click on the link above.  I'll be showing a mini slide show of my recent Baja trip on Saturday night, and I'll answer any questions you might have about riding in Baja, or about Baja in general.

Two weeks late, but finally on sale!  The Olympic Mountains Loop self-guided GPS tour is now available.  Sorry for any inconvevience the delay has caused, but I think the improvements I made during that time make it a better tour and keeps it true to it's claim to take the innermost circular, non-backtracking route around the Olympic National Park.  During final production, I noticed a squiggly line on one of the maps that would link two roads in the route up and shrink the circle.  It had to be investigated.  Because of that investigation,  I recently added to the route a road so untraveled that the Forest Service itself didn't know what condition the road was in yet this year.  "Be careful back in there..." is what the Forest Service said when I told 'em I was gonna have to go in for a look.  I then donned raingear and rode 300 miles that day to go do some more "research", where I found out why!  Let me just say that  it is the perfect little addition to this dual-sport tour!  A buy button has been added to the main page for that tour.  True to my word, it's selling for $24.99  Click here to go there.

Well, a final run around the Olympics last weekend showed the roads to be in BAD shape.  The northern slopes saw the worst of it, with some roads experiencing multiple impassable washouts.  But that was my problem, not yours!  I'm making the necessary changes to the GPS routes to get around these washouts so you don't have to waste your time looking for a "good" route.  The tour will be available for purchase online starting June 29th, and will sell for  $24.99. Click here to see what's included in the package.  On August 28-30, there's going to be a three day/two night  fun-ride and campout following the Olymic Loop Tour route.  A special deal on the GPS tour will be offered in conjunction with this ride.   Go here for more info about the Olympic Mtns Loop tour...     BAJA RIDERS!:  There are still spots open on the October tour... get your buddies together and join us for the ride of your lives!   More info on Baja rides.

The snowpack in the Olympics has risen to high enough levels to allow circumnavigation of the Olympic Loop Tour, and the roads closed by the Forest Service are open once again for the summer.  At this time I can't verify the condition of the roads, i.e. whether there are any unpassable washouts or slides.  A complete reconnaisance mission of the Loop will be completed the week of the 21st, after which you may purchase the tour on this website.  In mid July there's going to be a three day/two night "fun ride" and campout following the Olympic Loop Tour route.  A special deal on the GPS tour will be offered in conjunction with this ride... stay tuned for more information.

Well, a reconnaisance mission shows that the snowpack is still keeping riders in the Olympics below 2,700 feet elevation, meaning the Olympic Loop Tour is still not on the menu.  Stay tuned.  With the coming warm weather, it shouldn't be too much longer.

I've responded to a fair share of emails about the availability of the Olympic Mountains Loop tour.  A future dual sport rider arrived to our family in February, and  has delayed it's introduction for reasons I'm sure you can imagine.  But enough excuses, you say!  Okay then... allow me to run the route to check for new road closures due to winter and spring washouts that might change the course temporarily (I'll post them here), and put the finishing touches on the accompanying reference guide, and  this thing is ready!  MSRP is $24.99, but stay tuned for a special limited time offer in conjuction with a kick-off group ride of the entire loop this spring or early summer.  If you want more information about this tour, click here.

We've added an "all inclusive" option to the October Baja tour.  For those desiring a tour that includes all meals and accommodations, we've got you covered now!   Now you can just relax and enjoy the riding as we take care of all the details.  Click here for more info.

We've put together a really great deal on a Baja tour.  You've always dreamed of riding Baja, now's your chance to turn those dreams into reality!  The dates have now been set for winter 2004.   Sign up early to assure yourself a spot.  We're only taking 6 riders on the first tour... --More--

Okay, it's been a lot of work, but the Olympic Mountains Loop tour is just about completed.  I'm putting the finishing touches on the package, which is going to include a CD-ROM with the Garmin .mps files as well as printable files containing detailed instructions and descriptions of the tour on it, and a  small  but sturdy quick reference/index guide with laminated pages for taking with you on your ride.   If you want more information about this tour, click here.

While out logging a portion of the "Olympic Mountain Loop", I came around a bend and there was a coyote in the road.  I stopped as quickly as I could, about 15 feet from the coyote...and he didn't run.  Without shutting off my engine, I started fumbling for my camera, knowing I'd be lucky to get a shot of his tail as he leapt into the brush.  Boy was I in for a wonderful surprise!  He very inquisitively yet cautiously walked up to me on my bike to within 7 or 8 feet of me and stared at me and paced back and forth.  After several minutes of this dance, he eventually wandered up the road and off into the brush, so I put my camera away and fired up the bike.  Before I could put it in gear, the coyote jumped back into the road and walked up to me again!  Needless to say, I grabbed my camera again, and proceded to get more footage of our interaction.  He let me walk up quite close to him while he was eating the ripe berries off the bushes just beside the road.  It was an incredible experience, to be able to be so close to a wild animal  for so long without him running off.  Even reving the engine on my thumper didn't spook him.  I'm telling you, heaven is right here on this very earth.  Look for the video to be in the Media Gallery soon!

Video Clips, Photos, and More

Various short video clips, audio clips, and photos from locations on our tours.  Check out some of the amazing sights and sounds you'll encounter on one of our tours!

Media Gallery