Mark's Webpage

This is Mark Sampson's Homepage--Trip reports are on down the page
DVD movies are available for a lot ot the rides below.
E-Mail Me

For those new to my website---the bulk of my website chronicles the offroad adventure rides that I have taken around the U.S.
and Mexico---there are a few pictures below of my bikes and below that are the links to the trips---enjoy !!

Latest Video Just Finished !!!!
"Vintage Eastern Trans America Trailride"
6---70's Vintage 2 Strokes ride from the Atlantic Ocean at Kitty Hawk On Cape
Hateras all the way to Oklahoma-----it's hilarious as they averaged 2 motor
rebuilds per day. I followed on my KTM 950 and filmed the whole thing.

I rode my KTM950 with Vinnie The Snake and crew on the Vintage Trans Am Trail ride this year and Anthony
had a little fun fun with photo shop----as he felt little dog should have been on this ride. I just thought this was hilarious.

I was down in Southern Arizona , New Mexico and Northern Texas in December of 2009 on my WR250R and went to one of those places on my "Bucket List".
Just Below the Texas New Mexico border----60 miles down a dead end road was a place I saw on a map called "BigDog Canyon".
It's on the Northern Edge of Guadalupe National Park---and I had to go there. I went right by it a year and a half ago but didn't go.
It was an extremely beautiful ride---but when I got there the only dissapointment was that the sign said "Dog Canyon".
I like what my map called it better. The map actually showed 3 canyons---Little Dog Canyon, BigDog Canyon and Dog Canyon.

Here is my favorite picture of the ride I completed in New Mexico and Arizona on my Yamaha WR250R.
It was done in the winter of 2009.
The bike did everything I asked of it and was completely trouble free for the 1,700 mile unsupported trip.
That story is linked down below in the ride reports.
To see the build up of this bike I recently did click HERE

Northeast New Mexico near the Capulan Volcano
This photo was taken in September, 2009

My WR is totally done now--as I finally got a larger gas tank for it--now it has over a 200 mile range.

My wife lovingly painted my website logo on my gas tank.
She did a great job and I'll try not to crash on the left side !!!

Can't leave my trusty and dusty KLR out of the picture.
My KLR has pushed over the 50,000 mile mark and seems ready for more.
Somewhere in New Mexico

2001 KTM520 KTM---street titled.
This bike has a Thumper racing 570 big bore kit in it.
It also has a rev-lok automatic clutch.
It's an awesome offroad race machine.
It needs nothing--nada--nothing. When I first bought it the swingarm and head bearings were
disassembled and greased just so I knew the condition of this stuff was good to go.
It has a 3.4 gallon EXC tank. LED tail and brake light, new chain and sprockets--updated
camshaft bearingsand water pump seal, cooling fan (not installed), handguards,
aftermarket overflow coolant tank, skidplate, rotating footpegs, foldable mirror,
countersprocket case protector, stock exhaust, kick and electric start of course.
I bought the bike used out of state and didn't get previous owner or mileage info.
It is in very good condition and looks very nice---it is not beat up and the seat is perfect.
I keep it in the garage and I'm sure the previous owner did to.
The front tire has 8 hrs. on it---the rear Terre Flex looks about 70%.
I've only rode it 8 hours in a year. $3,200 Located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois 62864
I've had 2 of these--this is not the same 520 that is on 2 ride reports on my website.

BigDogAdventures--the early years

Honeymoon May 24th, 1974
1969 Triumph 650 tiger chopper

Bike accessories
Headlight was a fender light off of an old tractor with an 1156 bulb (yes an ordinary turn signal bulb)---front brake, none--aftermarket gas tank, 3/4 gallon---front fender, none---rear suspension, you kidding ??-----Seat, there was none, just the "old gold blanket" folded up---sleeping bag, one biggin', we were in luv, and still are---rain gear, Huh ??----mufflers, oh please-----helmets, hah !!!----GPS, I don't think so.

The bike got us 45 miles from home and blew up---spent the afternoon in Goreville, Illinois waiting for a pickup---finished the honeymoon back in our 600 sq. ft. apartment.
Our first adventure !!!!
I still luv you Debi

Fall Color ride 2009----I ride my Yamaha WR250R down thru Missouri and Arkansas trying to soak up all the Fall Colors---a 1,200 miles solo ride.

Shadow Of The Rockies Trail/Colorado-----my WR250R and a KLR ride Sam Correro's Colorado portion of his Shadow Of The Rockies Trail---and then ride on in to Wyoming, Idaho, Utah and back down thru Colorado----2,476 miles on a 250.

Poncho And Lefty A Southern New Mexico and Arizona 1,700 mile unsuported adventure ride I took in January 2009 on my Yamaha WR250R with my buddy on a KLR

Kentucky Adventure Trail 3 Riders ride the backroads and trails of not only Kentucky--but West Virginia, and Tennesse.

Missouri Mill Tour A several day ride to some really neat and beautiful stuff in the Southern Missouri Hills. There are a lot of old grist mills still standing in Missouri--and I go to several of them.

Long Way UP BigDog and The Breeze ride the Tour Of Idaho Trail---a 1,300 mile road
and trail from the Utah border---to the Canada border.

Trans Wisconsin America Trail This adventure ride starts at the
Wisconsin--Illinois border and runs mostly offroad to a bluff overlooking
Lake Superior. I rode it alone on my KLR in June of 2008.

Shadow Of The Rockies Trail --Join me as we ride Sam Correro's newest ride thru New Mexico------a 700 mile trailride which starts at the Mexican border in Texas and ends up at the Colorado border where it crosses Sam's well known Trans Am Trail.

Barrancas Del Cobre -----A Husky TE610 and Honda XR650R travel some different routes around the Mexican Canyons and beyond.

Ozark Mountain Daredevils -----Fall 2007-----a dirt ride ?? a dualsport ride ??? an adventure ride ???----Well yes--it was !!!

Taylor Park Colorado July, 2007.... 9 dirt bikers hit the trails and mountain passes----am I too old to still ride a real dirt bike ????

Little Dog Gets Off The Porch June, 2007....BigDog, GasPipe and Killer take the big bikes to the pacific Northwest--and little dog................well,.........takes the little bike. 4,500 miles of Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

200 Miles Of Bad Road BigDog and GasPipe in the Mark Twain Forest of Missouri--March 2007

The Western TAT----- or "Trans Am Trail"---Offroad ride from Arkansas to the Pacific ocean in Oregon.

Trans America Trail 2006 New years day 2006 we ride the unridden Kentucky and Northern Tennessee portions of the Trans America Trail.

Hoosier Hookey Ride It's fall in beautiful Indiana----we try to drowned a new KLR, find many new "old" bridges, and take a ride thru a live railroad tunnel--no, I still haven't growed up !!!

Arkansas Fall Color Tour 2005 We ride the Fall Color Tour Dualsport and get to hang out with Scott Harden--the man who headed the USA Paris to Dakar race team in 2005.

Homeless HoeDown The long way round'--to the adventure rider rally in Hot Springs, Arkansas

Le Tour De Divide A 2,700 mile offroad journey from Canada to Mexico--if Lance Armstrong can ride this far in the mountains--so can we !!!!!

Flag Day Adventure 3 KLR's, a KTM 950 and 1150GS ride the Missouri and Arkansas mountains-----and actually camp !!!!

It's a Bummer Snowfari

Eastern TAT Trans-America Trail----7 riders ride the Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas portions of the TAT.

2004 Weekend Madness Join me on just some short weekend rides to some really neat places I've went throughout the year.

Swinging Bridges Dualsport 8 riders on 650 dualsports find and ride over the old and historic swinging bridges on the backroads of Missouri.

Mexico--Copper Canyon 9 days in Mexico--much more than just copper canyon. With a little trip thru big Bid Bend National park before coming home.

2003 Arizona Adventure --------Bears, scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes, and cactus needles call us to the backcountry of Arizona on a KLR650, DR650 and XR400.

2002 Fall Adventure Ride 4 adventure riders tackle the backroads of the Appalachain Mountains---BMW R1150GS, DR650, BMWF650 and BMW 650 Dakar.

2002 Moab Dualsport ride from Moab, Utah to the North rim of theGrand Canyon and back!! 1,700 miles of rocks, sand, dirt, washes, mountain passes and jeep trails--On a Suzuki DRZ400S and DR650.

2001 Colorado Mountain Pass Ride----------3 riders tackle the high mountain passes of Colorado on a several day offroad dualsport adventure--on a Suzuki DRZ400S, DR650 and Honda XR600L.

2001 Arkansas 650 Adventure --4 riders, 5 days, rain, floods, flat tires, cold--well you get the picture !!!!! On 2 BMWF650's, DR650, BMW650 Dakar.