Welcome to

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 !!
My 520 KTMEXC is for sale down below---take a look see !!
More BigDogs Stuff For Sale-----Here
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.
![]() |
Click On the Helmet |
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.

Bucket List
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.
Pic Of The Month---Fall 2009
Near Blackfoot Resorvoir--In Idaho
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
Somewhere in Arizona
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
My 2005 950 KTM--somewhere in Utah--I think.

For Sale
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 Bike accessories |
![]() |
Adventure Ride Links Below
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
Baja Asylum Run 2007---or Tahlequah 2 ??Offroad adventure ride thru Baja, Mexico--5 riders start---only 2 finish.
Pandilla Terraceria a Creel (gang of dirt riders to Creel) A Mexican Adventure
Great River Gravel Road Ride A scenic backroad ride of Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri
Peoria TT the 58th running of my favorite motorcyle race
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 !!!
Shawnee Forest Fall Color Tour There is no toilet paper on "The Road Less Traveled"
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 !!!!
GasPipe and BigDogAdventures Team Up two internet buddies finally meet and do some great riding in Southern Missouri
April Fools Ride 5 riders get really soaked---and it never rains ???
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.
Mid-Ohio Vintage Days July 16th-18th, 2004
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.
Kenny's Missouri Dualsport ----An awesome 2-day ride in the beautiful Mark Twain National Forest.
2003 KLR Shawnee Forest Dualsport -----Klr's, DR Suzukis and Beemers do a backroad ride in Southern, Illinois.
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.
Click Here ----for my totally demented take on my riding priorities.
2000 Offroad and Backroad Trip to Colorado
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.
2001 Arkansas Trailride ---the tornado almost made it too much fun !!