2025 Grand Tour General Discussion

[Lapchik]

General discussion thread for the 2025 Grand tour. Post pics, wild speculation, and general harassments here.

Questions and answers for the GT are a different thread.

I have a spreadsheet with about 30 different themes on it, and have shared it with Steve. He was going to work on the GT after getting back from an extended holiday.

[DownUnder]

Wild speculation you say, OK, I'll bite.

Seeing that 01-Jan has already passed, I am now hoping for a 01-Feb start date to get some late Summer riding in before the cold Winter months of June/July/August.

However, that said, I suspect that it will more likely be 01-March start date so as to tie in with the start of the Northern Hemisphere Spring/Summer riding season.

As for the Rally theme, I hope it is not big "city / town" orientated. To my mind, obscure out of the way places with "hard to find" bonuses makes for enjoyable touring.

Asbestos underwear on, flame away . . .

[Lapchik]

Historically it's never been anything that requires large size cities.

If it's a naming convention thing, like get a town name with G, L, M, or C as the starting letter, there are town signs from the outskirts all the way to downtown. You can pick and choose your adventure and how far you choose to go into the city.

Other themes we have done were specific location based. Sure, there were a few of them in large cities, but most of them were in small towns or out in the country.

Scenic byways tour was zero towns. A lot of stopping on the shoulder of the road which I didn't much care for, but it was nice not having to go into town at all.

[Lapchik]

Does anyone remember what the 2010 theme was?

2025 - TO BE ANNOUNCED (I know what it is, heh heh)
2024 - COMPASS POINTS
2023 - ALVIN BERTRAM MEMORIAL MURALS
2022 - PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES
2021 - SCENIC TOUR OF AMERICA'S BYWAYS (TWO YEAR TOUR)
2020 - SCENIC TOUR OF AMERICA'S BYWAYS (TWO YEAR TOUR)
2019 - HIDDEN GEMS
2018 - GLMC-EST GT
2017 - AMERICANA EXTREME
2016 - AMERICANA
2015 - TALK LIKE A PIRATE
2014 - DOUBLE DOWN
2013 - TRIP FROM Z TO A
2012 - ALL THE WAY IN THE USA
2011 - AFFAIR WITH WATER
2010 -
2009 - VILLAINS

[BkerChuck]

Until 2023 I was unaware of the very existence of GLMC so I'm no help. I just know I'm going stir crazy waiting for the announcement and opening of registration so I can begin planning rides.

[DownUnder]

(01-20-2025 11:17 AM)Lapchik Wrote:  Does anyone remember what the 2010 theme was?

2025 - TO BE ANNOUNCED (I know what it is, heh heh)
<< snip >>

If you know, then why can't the rest of us also know ??
Some might say that if you plan on participating in the 2025 GT, that you now have an unfair advantage . . .

The theme for the 2010 GT was "Sinking of the Titanic". It ran from April 14th 2010, until September 15th 2010.

[Lapchik]

I'm not running it and I don't know exact final details or dates, so not my place to announce it. But it's related to one of the ideas I had.

You could say retired guys have an unfair advantage, because they have more time to ride or that people who are good with computers have an unfair advantage because they can do data filtering and maps better. Is it really that much of an advantage? Maps and ideas don't mean I have the time or resources to ride the routes.

I have 28 other unused Grand Tour themes in a spreadsheet with waypoints and maps in my Basecamp program. I actually don't have anything plotted for the proposed 2025 theme. I don't do anything in the winter other than read books and make maps for the upcoming ride season. I'm not a competitive person, I just like getting the shirt every year. The last two road rallies I did I chose the interesting spots over a points efficient route lol.

[Lapchik]

(01-20-2025 02:34 PM)DownUnder Wrote:  

(01-20-2025 11:17 AM)Lapchik Wrote:  Does anyone remember what the 2010 theme was?

2025 - TO BE ANNOUNCED (I know what it is, heh heh)
<< snip >>

If you know, then why can't the rest of us also know ??
Some might say that if you plan on participating in the 2025 GT, that you now have an unfair advantage . . .

The theme for the 2010 GT was "Sinking of the Titanic". It ran from April 14th 2010, until September 15th 2010.

I remember that now! It was the first year I knew about the club, and "Shooter" on the forum here wanted me to do it but I waited until 2011 to start events. It was Burg, Berg, Burgh, or Ton towns.

[Lapchik]

Just signed up.

If anybody wants a .gpx file with "all" the GLMC towns on it, email me at korymorehead@gmail.com.

Sure it's helpful, but it also has census designated places like trailer parks and rural townships that aren't really towns. And it doesn't have some places like Carnes, IA because they are neither a town or a CDP, but exist all the same.

[Frump]

What is the population of Carnes Iowa Kory (Lapchik)? Would it be 8 if you included a half dozen milk goats?

Carnes Iowa Wiki

[Lapchik]

I don't think there has ever been more than 15 people there, unlike the nearby metropolis of Seney, which at one point had over 60 people. [When I left, there were 48 and I knew all their names, and outnumbered 3:1 by sheep] Carnes is probably 3-6 people now, unless there's huge families hiding in those houses.

[BkerChuck]

Signed up and already recruited one new player with a possible second thinking about it.

[Yzr]

Outstanding on the new player! Second one thinking about it? Hmmmm. I figure everyone has to eat - no?

[Lee_0123]

Woo hoo, 6 registered riders!!

[Lapchik]

I posted on ADV rider and one person said they were going to sign up also.

[BkerChuck]

(01-28-2025 10:26 AM)Lapchik Wrote:  I posted on ADV rider and one person said they were going to sign up also.

Damn, you beat me to ADVRider! I've got 2 Toyota Tacoma forum members signed up now and 2 more are looking at it.

I'm glad this finally is getting started. Work is slow right now so I can plot locations in my downtime.

[DownUnder]

A friend of mine has posted the information for me on Facebook and the Iron Butt forum.

[Lee_0123]

Woo hoo, 15 registered riders! Good to see some of our experienced riders back.

Looks like 10 bikes over 1000cc and 5 bikes at 750cc or less.

[scottheinrich]

(02-02-2025 08:10 AM)Lee_0123 Wrote:  Woo hoo, 15 registered riders! Good to see some of our experienced riders back.

Looks like 10 bikes over 1000cc and 5 bikes at 750cc or less.

16- I just joined. I am in the middle of your count, BMW 800GS.

Are we keeping our old numbers? I have been 511 for over a decade.

Also, has anyone heard about the Team Strange GT this year?

[Yzr]

Same numbers