Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) has made two announcements for dual-sport and adventure riders: the new BDR-X routes, which will be looped BDR-style routes, and the free BDR documentary film library, made accessible via YouTube. The Red Desert, WY BDR-X will be the first of the series. The folks at BDR were featured on the Rider Magazine Insider Podcast hosted by our sister publication Rider, which you can listen to here. Read more in the press release below.
Since 2010, the adventure motorcycling nonprofit Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) has created 11 trans-state and regional routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel. Now BDR announces a new concept of shorter BDR-style routes that loop with the release of the first in the series: the Red Desert, WY BDR-X.
BDR-X routes will be developed as excursions off existing BDR routes or routes in an entirely new area known for its desirable BDR-style riding. BDR-X’s will be 300-600 miles in length, take only a few days to complete, and conveniently loop riders back to wherever they started the route. A number of BDR-X routes are already in the works, including the PA Wilds BDR-X, set for release in early fall, the Steens Mountain & Alvord Desert, OR BDR-X, and the Black Hills, SD BDR-X planned for release in 2023.
The free trip-planning resources for BDR-X’s are similar to that of traditional routes and include an interactive map, free GPS tracks download, a short documentary film, a printable map, travel resources, and FAQs.
You can now view the short documentary film of the Red Desert BDR-X Expedition and find free GPS tracks and trip planning resources online.
About the BDR-X Red Desert, WY BDR-X
This first route in the BDR-X series shares the same starting point as the WYBDR and offers a sampling of Wyoming’s diverse terrain from the vast region known as the Red Desert. The loop is 149 miles long when starting and ending in the town of Baggs. The route can be completed in one long day or broken up into two. Dispersed camping is available midway through the route.
The Red Desert offers “National Park” quality scenery and technical riding. This area is one of the last high-desert ecosystems in North America and the home to Killpecker Sand Dunes, the largest living dune system in the United States. Riders will enjoy varied landscape of buttes, dunes, sagebrush steppe, mountains, and rocky pinnacles.
If you’re riding the entire WYBDR and looking for a bit more or are in the southern Wyoming area on the hunt for an epic but shorter adventure, the Red Desert BDR-X will not disappoint.
The Entire BDR Documentary Film Library is Now Free to Watch on YouTube!
Big news for the ADV community, the BDR organization has just made its library of 11 BDR expedition documentary films available for free on YouTube. From the first BDR route in Washington to the latest in Wyoming, viewers can see the organization grow from just a few riders and a big idea back in 2009 to a respected nonprofit organization that has become a household name in the ADV community today.
The majority of the films were filmed and directed by noted ADV filmmaker and BDR co-founder Sterling Noren of Noren Films.
BDR Executive Director Inna Thorn said it was a “big goal” for the organization to offer all of the BDR film titles for free to the community.
“Now anyone, anywhere in the world with an internet connection can watch these films and get inspired to ride a BDR,” Thorn said. “The overwhelming support of the riding community and our industry partners has made this gift possible. From the beginning, BDR was envisioned to be ‘for the community and by the community.’ It is imperative for us to remain true to our mission of continuously delivering more routes, more resources, and more inspiration to our enthusiasts.”
Downloading or streaming the films commercial-free is still available on Vimeo on Demand for a small donation to BDR. Some titles are also available on Amazon.
To watch the films, visit YouTube.com and Vimeo.com.
Special Thanks to BDR Sponsors
The nonprofit organization would like to thank the BDR community and the following companies for making its work possible:
BMW Motorrad USA, Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation, Touratech-USA, Sena, KLIM Technical Riding Gear, Moto Discovery, Backcountry Expeditions, Mosko Moto, Rev’It!, Motoz Tires, Colorado Motorcycle Adventures, Wolfman Motorcycle Luggage, Butler Maps, Rever, West 38 Moto, Giant Loop, Black Dog Cycle Works, Moto Camp Nerd, Upshift Online, BMW MOA, and ADVMoto Magazine.
