Dualsport Definition: a street-legal, on/off-road motorbike capable of traversing trails or tarmac and everything in between.   Adventure Definition: a larger, street-legal, on/off-road motorbike (or sidecar) capable of extended trips traversing dirt or gravel roads along with tarmac.

Course descriptions for our events    Note: this is assuming dry weather conditions.  Inclement weather or fire danger will dictate probably running only B or C courses, so as not to damage trails.  Letter designations are in key with typical AMA enduro class descriptions.

AA: VERY DIFFICULT [extremely advanced] -  sophisticated and complex trails that are only passable by a real dirt bike. Extreme uphills/downhills and trials-like sections, which require lower gearing.  Aggressive knobbies required.

A: DIFFICULT [advanced] - plenty of challenging trail that requires advanced trail techniques.  Aggressive knobbies highly suggested.

B: MODERATE [normal] - moderate or mild trail skills required.  Larger single-cylinder or two-up bikes should easily traverse these  sections.  Generally passable by an advanced Jeep/driver combo.  Regular dualsport tires are acceptable.

C/Adventure: EASY [very easy] - practically no trail.  Mostly gravel road. Passable by large 2-cylinder bikes, two-up, sidecars or most any 4-wheel drive.  Regular dualsport tires are acceptable.

Here's a helpful check-off list of things to do before showing up for this event: Say to yourself, "Self, remember that the NEW staging area is now at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds!" Mount an enduro-style  rollchart holder on your handlebars, preferably on the left side. Post your rider number on the front of your bike. Confirm number by clicking on "List Of Entries Thus Far" at top of this page. If you didn't pre-enter, your number will be assigned at the event. Bring raingear (This is Oregon, so you never know!). Make sure you have your state's current OHV sticker installed. Pack a good assortment of tools in your fanny pack for unforeseen, trail repairs. Also put a few dollars in your fanny pack so you can purchase lunch or snacks along the way. Be sure to carry items to repair a flat tire. The Tillamook County Fairgrounds has plenty of room for camping.  Pack camping gear/food accordingly, if overnighting. Be sure your spark arrestor/muffler is QUIET! Loud bikes - stay home! Do that maintenance on your bike that you keep putting off: check nuts/bolts, oil, air filter, tires, chain...

• 11/11/17: Sorry to say no Rat Dog Ride beginning 2018! For those that rode the 2017 event, you rode the last one. Sure was fun for those 15 years!!!

• 8/22/17: Well, wasn't that fun?! Wow, we had such a great time! For those that showed - thanks heaps! For those that didn't - you missed the best! Huge props to the Trask Force Crew for their undying help on trail clearing, and all the awesome volunteers, they all rock! On the way home was the Solar Eclipse -- CLICK HERE to check it out! FYI, that may have been the last Rat Dog, sorry to say. Not enough riders to pay the bills!

• 8/13/17: Okay, for those that dragged their feet, pre-entry is now closed. Don't worry though, there is still plenty of post-entry room at the event, so see y'all there - it's gonna kick butt!

• 8/12/17: We have the Pre-Ride Poopsheet uploaded so go to the Pre-Entry Page to check it out! Wow, we've been doing this ride for 15 years! That's like 115 dog years!

• 7/10/17: "Will the upcoming total solar eclipse affect the Rat Dog?" you ask? No, there is plenty of room at the Fairgrounds for your rigs and tents! Actually we will be just slightly north of the shadow, but if you're excited like us to check it out, get up early the morning of the 21st and simply drive south for 30+ miles for a full viewing! To see where the Moon's Shadow will be passing, CLICK HERE!

• 6/13/17: Whew, we're done with the Black Dog, so time to focus on the Rat Dog!

• 3/3/17: We finished up the web flyer (above), so get signed up early, whether snail mail or on-line registration!

• 2/21/17: We updated the Pre-Registration List for 2017!

• 12/5/16: Looks like we will have the 2017 Rat Dog Ride on August 19~20, so mark your calendars!

• 8/12/16: Today is the last day to pre-enter, so get on it! Otherwise you'll have to post enter at the Fairgrounds. Either way, plan on having a good time - we certainly will! Also, the Pre-Ride Poopsheet is uploaded! CLICK HERE to check it out!

• 7/14/16: Let's get this show on the road: the event flyer is now uploaded! Check it out and pass it to your friends - Tillamook beckons!

• 8/24/15: We're stoked how this year's Rat Dog turned out! Thanks to you ALL for showing up and enjoying the fruits of our labor and we hope you tell all your friends, plus come back next year!

• 8/14/15: We've made some slight changes due to (now unfounded) fire concerns: Tonight's night ride will only be C course. Saturday's courses will have A, B & C routes. Sunday's course is only a C course. The routes are all REALLY good though as you'd expect from us! See you here! PS: it's misting today, so no dust!

• 8/6/15: The Pre-Ride Poopsheet is uploaded! CLICK HERE to check it out!

• 8/4/15: As of today, the trails are reopened for use! We will remain optimistic!

• 7/20/15: The Rat Dog Ride is only one month away - we can't wait and full speed ahead! The only caveat is if the local area is in level-3 fire danger, then we will be relegated to roads only, so do your rain dancing! IF we are limited to roads, you can bet it will STILL be some great riding in new areas!

• 7/2/15: Since the Black Dog is now done, it's time to focus on the Rat Dog! So many cool things planned and you all will love the routes!

• 3/26/15: Updated the page to reflect the latest AMA National Event Sponsors: Beta and Yamaha! The rumor is out that Yamaha may even show up to the Rat Dog with demo bikes - stay tuned!

• 2/6/15: We just updated our event flyer (above). New this year: WE will be collecting camping fees at the event, which is cheap: $10/night for trailers/RVs/tents!

• 12/10/14: We've inked the deal with Tillamook County Fairgrounds as the new staging area for 2015! We're stoked!

• 12/7/14: We have our 2015 dates all sent into the AMA and we're hoping they get approved!

• 11/3/14: Check out the awesome video that Paul posted - CLICK HERE to watch it!

• 8/19/14: The Rat Dog is done! For those of you that missed it, it would be an understatement to say you really missed out! Perfect weather (odd for Tillamook!), perfect traction, perfect scenery, etc., etc. Only one (odd) injury and Tony is on the mend. As we always like to provide, the trails were the best that you could find anywhere for the A riders! The B and C/ADV riders had some adventure too, but much easier! Thanks SO much for all the awesome volunteers and all the happy riders! We have SO many pictures and videos from us and you riders, that we decided to simply post all the pictures for you to enjoy!  CLICK HERE to sift through them - there are some great shots, and hopefully we got some of you! Next year we promise an even better ride, so tell your friends!

• 8/10/14: Preregistration is now closed - you must now post enter at the event. There will be no communication either, since we're out in the sticks working the event. Also, A-course-only riders need to bring a jug of fuel for their second day, since there are no gas stops for them (or can drive to Tillamook after for fuel). Check out the weather forecast: Awesome! Okay, maybe WE will be riding in some rain setting up the event, but not you riders!

  • Friday Areas of drizzle. Partly sunny, with a high near 75.
    Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52.   <--- Night ride!
    Saturday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.  <-- Saturday ride!
    Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.
    Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 74.  <--- Sunday ride!

• 8/7/14: We had better luck the following day, other than a blown fork seal. CLICK HERE to see the video/pictures of one of the B/C routes! And don't forget: pre-entry closes on August 9th, then we will only take post entries out at the event!

• 8/5/14: A bad day today: Tom's 650L Honda went 1.4 miles today on a B/C course and died, never to restart. We will retry again tomorrow. [sigh]

• 8/4/14: Went out last week twice working on A courses. CLICK HERE to see what we have in store! This week is B & C courses! Okay, the Preride Poopsheet is posted. CLICK HERE to check it out!

• 7/30/14: Want to have a more accurate and enjoyable time at dualsport events? CLICK HERE to see our suggestions that will apply to ALL motorbikes!

• 7/23/14:  There has been some confusion as to the camping and staging area for this year's event. To clarify: camping will be again in the Trask County Park. You riders will need to make appropriate reservations at the above link, if you want to stay at the park. The start/finish will be immediately next to the Trask County Park (on neighboring private property). The only camping allowed at the start/finish is for all the Rat Dog help, as it's not big enough to house the help and riders both. Please call or email us if you still have questions. Also, we've submitted the maps to the land agencies and almost 500 miles of routes in the area - a LOT of work, but will be worth it for everyone! 

• 6/17/14:  The Black Dog was a huge success, so now it's time for the Rat Dog - yes! You can expect the same high-quality event details, more 'A' trails, and even the Pacific Ocean at the Rat Dog!

• 5/30/14:  We have a new title sponsor!:

• 12/6/13: The online registration has been updated to reflect the Rat Dog as an AMA National event too!

• 12/4/13: Wow, the entries for the 2014 Rat Dawg are already coming in - you all are awesome! Will start updating the preregistration lists.

• 8/20/13: By all accounts but one, this year's Rat Dog was a HUGE success! The one negative was that Paul Muesling got his bars clipped by someone passing on a KTM. Paul went down, broke some ribs and punctured a lung. Shame on that rider! Fortunately James Hurd stopped and helped Paul. Other than that, big fun for everyone and Ma Nature even stepped in on the fun with morning dew on the rocky Jeep Trail. Please email me all your pictures/videos and I'll incorporate them into my write up! Huge thanks to all the most excellent help and to all the riders that showed for great routes and perfect weather!  -Tom  PS: We are trying to make the Rat Dog a National AMA Event for 2014!

• 8/13/13 (late): The "C" night ride course is VERY easy - gravel road and is only by rollchart. The "A" Night Ride has reflectors(!) and is EXPERT single track with steep, technical down hill sections. Big adventure style bikes not recommended. Please ride SLOW and QUIET in and out of the campground.  Course markings work best after dark. First rider out 9:00 PM Last rider out 9:30 PM. White reflectors indicates the course. Red reflectors indicates wrong direction. Two white reflectors indicates an upcoming turn, the next white reflector indicates the turn and one white reflector after the turn confirms. Riders sign release and CHECK BACK IN after the ride. DO NOT ride alone, buddy up or ride with a group. There is NO SWEEP you are on your own! 

• 8/13/13: Beginning tomorrow (14th) we will be off the grid as we will be out working on the Rat Dog routes for the duration and there is no cell service or internet at the Trask River Park, so see you out there for the Friday-night ride and be ready for a FUN ride, both night and day! PS: we have a few boxes of past event t-shirts we'll be handing out (probably enough for everyone!).

• 8/11/13: The online pre-entry for the Rat Dog is now closed, so you'll need to post register at the event now. Don't worry, there's plenty of room, so see you there!

• 8/8/13: The Rat Dog Promo Video is posted! Check it out to get you amped up! Be sure to watch in full screen/HD mode!

• 8/6/13: The Pre-Ride Poopsheet is posted! Click the link above to download/read it!

• 8/2/13: We're so stoked about the different route options for everyone! We've already prerode the A & B routes and simply need to preride the C route. There is plenty of fun/scenic terrain change, so make sure you have good brakes! BE SURE and show up Friday night for the free night ride options (separate A & C routes)! FYI on Saturday's rides, a large percentage of the A course will include trails from the recent Lone Wolf ISDE event, so plan on tons of sweet single track! One of the stops for the B/C riders will include going to the Pacific Ocean, then the Tillamook Air Museum, which is the WORLD'S LARGEST WOODEN STRUCTURE. They plan on closing it down, so be sure and show up so you can see it before it's gone!

• 7/22/13: We've submitted updated routes to the landowners that you will love! B&C riders will have a fun, scenic ride that will incorporate the Coast and a few surprises! The A riders will be riding some of the best single track this side of the Mississippi! Going out this week to lay out the night ride too!

• 6/21/13: The event staging area will be: Trask County Park! CLICK HERE for all the info on the Park (Scroll down and load the doc for Trask County Park Section A). We are ONLY reserving spaces for us of: 67,68,69, 22,23,24,26,28,33,35,36, and 25. YOU will need to call/reserve your own space with Cindy at the Park: 503-842-4559! Reserve before July 1 and save $5. $3/vehicle (car/truck) charge for day-use parking. ALL pets on leash always or park will ask you to leave! NO LOUD exhausts - as usual for us. Bring your own drinking water as the water there tastes funny, but drinkable. We've staged at Trask County Park in years past and it's a great locale that we're sure you'll love too!

• 6/17/13: We're almost finished solidifying the staging area for this year's Rat Dog. If it pans out, you will all love it!

• 6/16/13: The Rat Dog flyer is now posted above, so check it out. FYI, we will have the confirmed event staging area on July 1, so stay tuned! Also, beginning with the Rat Dog, we will be sporting new and improved rollcharts that have a larger font and more text for route descriptions to make it even easier on our extremely detailed rollcharts!

• 1/24/13: To sweeten the pot even more for you riders, we now offer the Rocky Mountain Race Gas Program to all event entrants! CLICK HERE to read about it!

• 11/28/12: August 17 is the proposed date we have submitted for next year's Rat Dog, FYI! And we are changing the staging area to be Hollywood Camp!

• 8/15/12:We are heading out for the duration beginning Thursday, so no more email or phone communications afterwards - see y'all there and plan on a GOOD TIME!

• 8/13/12:Just posted the Pre-Ride Poopsheet! You can view/print it in the List of Entries Thus Far link above! Read it, know it. This is gonna be yet another GREAT ride - see ya there!

• 8/8/12:FYI, pre-entry will close this Saturday August 11 and it will be post-entry only out at the event afterwards - show up, there's plenty of room! And we only take cash or checks, no credit cards! Also, to provide more incentive, we will be handing out TWO $50 BILLS at the event - so plenty of incentive to show!

• 8/6/12: We were out laying out some A course yesterday - hoooo boy, it's gonna be good for you expert riders! Have some fun stuff planned on the easier courses too!

• 6/19/11: So you know, we will be teaming up with the Annual OMRA Poker Run with our Rat Dog - the more, the merrier!

• 6/12/12: The Black Dog was a huge hit, so now time to start working on the Rat Dog!

• 3/4/12: The Rat Dog flyer is now posted above for those that prefer mail in!

• 12/19/11: We officially have our date for 2012: August 18! And it's our 10th annual too!

• 8/11/11: What an awesome time we all had and so many great people out for a fun time! Thanks also to Cardenas Motorsports and Beaverton Motorcycles for the great prizes. And congrats to Tiny Knight and Cindy Roberson for each going home with a crisp $50 bill!

• 8/3/11: Heading out to the start/finish for the duration of the event, hope to see you all there! Should be an awesome weekend for riding! FYI, pre-entry is long closed and post entry only out at the event - show up, there's plenty of room! Oh, and we only take cash or checks, no credit cards! Oh, and to provide more incentive, we will be handing out TWO $50 BILLS at the event - now there's no reason not to show!

• 8/1/11: Hope you all have good brakes, because the course has plenty of scenic vistas, which means you'll have to come down from the summits! CLICK HERE to see the course profile!

• 7/30/11: The Preride Poopsheet is now posted! You can view/print it in the List of Entries Thus Far link above!

• 7/27/11: Just got back from an 8-day OBCDR Trip - was awesome! Going out Sunday to preride the Rat Dog courses with the ranger. Looks like we'll be staging out of the same area as last year (Cedar Creek). Everything's coming together!

• 7/11/11: Sheesh, the flyer is posted (click the link above)! At the moment, we've reserved the Cedar Creek OHV Staging Area again for the event, but if we hear back with positive vibes from Tillamook County, we're hoping to again stage out of the Trask County Park like we did in the past, stay tuned!

• 6/9/11: Well, now that the Black Dawg's done, it's time to focus on the Rat Dog! As we always do, we plan on changing things up again this year. We plan on also having new routes for everyone. The B & C courses will really be beautiful and fun and the A routes will put the challenge onto the A riders!

• 12/5/10: We got the 2011 Rat Dog Ride officially entered on both the Tillamook State Forest and OMRA Event Calendars, so the stars are lining up!

• 8/8/10: We busted our fanny, (had problems then laughs with our preride crew and had to call Search-and-Rescue) but things worked out awesome for the event. The weather was great and it sounds like the rollcharts were dead-nuts on. The sidecars had fun on the C course, the B course had some tasty treats and the A riders were sweating heavily when they came in - a great event! The help and sweep crews are by far the best ANYWHERE! Again, thanks everyone who showed and we look forward to next year's Rat Dog! -Tom

• 8/4/10: That's it - taking off early Thursday morning to finish laying out the courses with some awesome helpers/riders! See ya'll out there for a FUN time, and don't forget to bring a roll of Scotch tape. See everyone out there!

• 8/2/10: Wow, the weather will be PERFECT for this Saturday's ride! Be aware there will be NO MORE email, web or cell phone access after Wednesday night, since we will be out there finalizing the courses!  Head's up! ALL motorbikes are required to have an Oregon ATV tag if you are off pavement in Oregon on public lands! This event is on public lands, so the cops might be out checking! CLICK HERE to get more info on Oregon's ATV tags! (There IS reciprocity between states if you have a tag from the state you live in). CLICK HERE to find out where to get a tag near you or on the way to the ride!

• 7/26/10: We have the Pre-Ride Poopsheet posted, so go check it out (above)!

• 7/20/10: Wow, have we got a sweeeeet ride for everyone! Some brand new stuff too! Finished laying out most of the B & C courses last Sunday and will finish up the A & AA options this Saturday. Am I actually ahead of schedule - what the ????

• 7/15/10: Am heading out this weekend for some serious recon and course layout. It's gonna be fun! Refreshing too, since it's in the Coast Range! I mailed out a few flyers for the event, so if some of you that receive them have already entered, please pass onto your riding buds!

• 6/16/10: The Rat Dog flyer is now posted, so sign up today!

• 12/1/09: The 2010 Rat Dog Ride will be: August 7!

• 8/5/09: Thanks everyone for showing up! Although there was no trail options (due to the fire level), we heard nothing but great comments about the course - and the Coast was nice and cool! See ya'll in 2010!

• 7/31/09: The Pre-Ride Poopsheet has been posted (see above)! See you all out there!

• 7/27/09: There has been requests of a detailed map of the Cedar Creek Staging Area. Just click on the link above to view it!

• 7/24/09: After returning from vacation, we've updated all the entries and mailed out some spare flyers. Going out this weekend to mark/confirm the routes!

• 7/6/09: The Rat Dog flyer is posted! After being very busy since the Black Dog, we're now working on the Rat Dog. Permits and routes are submitted and we are quite sure you all will REALLY enjoy this year's ride!