Sisters of the SEBDR
A Grit-Fueled Journey Across the Southeast Backcountry
Chapter 1 of 2
In the summer of 2024, after learning of the upcoming release of the new South East BDR route (SEBDR) from Backcountry Discovery Routes (ridebdr.com), Donna Farrell and Tami Bakke began to gather a group of women to ride the new route, which would be released the following March. For most of the women, this would be their first BDR experience. Donna was the exception, having ridden the Mid Atlantic BDR twice as well as parts of the North East BDR. Lisa Taylor also brought valuable experience to the group, having completed the Colorado and SoCal BDRs, as well as sections of the Utah, Arizona, and Nevada routes. While Donna was well-versed in the East Coast terrain, Lisa’s adventures had taken her through the western backcountry, providing the team with a broad and balanced perspective as they prepared for the SEBDR.
The SEBDR would span 1300 miles of mixed surfaces including asphalt, deep sand, mud, embedded rock, gravel, and water crossings with elevation variations from sea level to over 4,400 feet. With the official route release and BDR film premiere set for March 1, 2025, initial planning would require flexibility. Little was publicly known about the route, and the start and finish locations were still a guarded secret. Over the following months, the riders held regular Zoom calls to discuss topics such as packing, lodging, gear, navigation, meals, bike setup, logistics, documentation, and more.
In summer of 2024, after learning of the upcoming release of the new South East BDR route (SEBDR) from Backcountry Discovery Routes (ridebdr.com), Donna Farrell and Tami Bakke began to gather a group of women to ride the new route, which would be released the following March. For most of the women, this would be their first BDR experience. Donna was the exception, having ridden the Mid Atlantic BDR twice as well as parts of the North East BDR.
The SEBDR would span 1300 miles of mixed surfaces including asphalt, deep sand, mud, embedded rock, gravel, and water crossings with elevation variations from sea level to over 4,400 feet. With the official route release and BDR film premiere set for March 1, 2025, initial planning would require flexibility. Little was publicly known about the route, and the start and finish locations were still a guarded secret. Over the following months, the riders held regular Zoom calls to discuss topics such as packing, lodging, gear, navigation, meals, bike setup, logistics, documentation, and more.
As the launch date of April 19 approached, each rider assessed her bike, adjusted and upgraded as necessary, and brought questions and tips to the group calls. The team planned to travel one section per day – a pace that would allow for thorough enjoyment, travel at a moderate speed, and the flexibility that may be required in case of unexpected occurrences involving a bike, rider, or equipment. The riders also decided to leave camping gear at home, opting for hotels or cabins, with the hope of an occasional opportunity to do laundry. This plan would have the added benefit of keeping the load on each bike as small as possible, minimizing potential challenges associated with technical riding on a fully loaded motorcycle.
Professional rider coaches, Wendy James and Kandi Spangler, contributed valuable insights to the group’s discussions on bike setup, tires, skills development, and gear. While Wendy would be unable to join for the full trip, she planned to ride along on a section or two.
The SEBDR film premiere on March 1 in Roswell, Georgia, teased points of interest and unveiled the GPX files of the route, which would begin in Navarre, Florida and end 1300 miles later in Damascus, Virginia. Three of the seven women, Maggie Barta, Melissa Ragsdale, and Tami Bakke, rode out to attend the premiere. Excitement was palpable as BDR board members and ambassadors greeted the crowd of over 400 that would fill two movie theaters. The screening was followed by a reception with heavy hors d’oevres, celebratory drinks, a silent auction, and a meet and greet with BDR legends and supporters.
With details of the route finally public, the team studied the tracks and made plans to meet on April 18 in Navarre. Melissa brought her knowledge of the area, command of spreadsheets, and good humor to the process. Using the SEBDR route as a reference, she enhanced the route with navigation app, Furkot – adding markers to indicate nightly lodging, noting additional points of interest, and highlighting options for food and drinks. Melissa also created a detailed spreadsheet that referenced key features of each section, amenities available at nightly stops, and whether lunch options would include restaurants, snacks, or “gas station charcuterie.” Anticipating the occasional group stalemate, Melissa even came prepared with a clever conflict-resolution kit, consisting of a mini Magic 8-Ball and a pack of tiny Uno cards.
Donna researched lodging and made reservations; a process that was time consuming but would prove to be worth the effort. Lisa Taylor and Mary Zaleski, both traveling from Colorado, finalized plans to get Lisa’s KTM 500 EXC-F, the chase vehicle (a Subaru), and various cameras and equipment, to Florida. Melissa (2018 BMW 1200GS), Donna (2023 BMW 1250GS), and Maggie (2022 HD Pan America Special) would ride to Navarre from Tennessee, and Tami (2015 BMW 1200GS) would ride to the start point from Valrico, Florida. Emily Wiggs (2020 BMW 1250 GSA), unable to take the full amount of time from work, planned to travel from her home in Palm Beach County, Florida, to join the group for sections 5 through 10, which would begin at Cave Spring, Georgia, and carry through to the terminus of the route in Damascus.
Day 0 – April 18, 2025
Navarre, Florida
Finally together and excited for the journey ahead, the riders enjoyed a celebratory dinner and drinks and, after a short walk to the beach, retired to their rooms to shake off pre-ride jitters by checking navigational equipment, attempting to link up the comms, reviewing the itinerary, comparing pack plans, and sharing the location of emergency equipment and tools. Sleep came reluctantly, with the anticipation that tomorrow the real ride would begin.
Day 1 – SE01 April 19
Navarre Beach, Florida to Evergreen, Alabama
After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, Tami led the group to the official start of the route – the iconic Pier at Navarre Beach. Spirits were high as a passing tourist was recruited to snap a few pictures of the riders poised for departure. With a sense of excitement and purpose, the pack set off on Section 1- a 130-mile stretch winding through pavement, deep sand, Alabama clay, and pockets of mud, ending in Evergreen, Alabama. As the group would be somewhere in the woods at lunchtime, everyone was carrying the water and snacks that they anticipated would be needed for a trailside lunch.
Lessons Learned: (1) Don’t convert the tracks to a trip in the Garmin NAV VI. If you do, you’re likely to be misled by the GPS unit and deviate from the planned route. (2) Test all comms for compatibility before the trip. From the start, the riders had not been able to get the one Cardo (Bluetooth) to connect with the Sena (Mesh) the brand that most of the riders had, so communication was difficult. Donna’s comms and Melissa’s were connected, so Donna took the lead with navigational support from Melissa. Throughout Section 1, Donna and Melissa would take turns leading the way.
The first section of sand came quickly, and one by one, the large adventure motorcycles took turns taking unplanned naps. Calling on skills the women had learned at the BMW US Rider Academy and from other experiences, they stayed calm, regrouped, and pushed through. Slowly and steadily, they continued to make progress.
With each stretch of sand, each riders’ skills improved, and the bike drops became less frequent. Some adjusted their tire pressure slightly down, and some stayed at factory-recommended pressures. Each of the bikes was equipped with aggressive tires, a range of MotoZ Tractionator Adventures and RallZ on the BMWs and KTM, and Dunlop Trailmax Raids on the Pan America Special.
Sometimes the challenges came in a series, and Melissa could be heard on the comms with a running play-by-play: “Sand, sand, sand, sketchy bridge, sand, sand, sand!” When a bike went down, the group pulled together to pick it up. The sun pressed down from above, the temperature hovering in the 80’s, with the humidity pushing the heat index even higher. But the energy never wavered. Fueled by adrenaline, determination, and shared grit, the group pushed forward – sweaty, smiling and undeterred.
Lesson 3: Bring more water than you think you’ll need. A hydration pack with 2-3 liters and extra water in the panniers will help stave off dehydration from the extra physical demands associated with sand riding.
As the pack traversed the Florida section and entered Alabama, the sand became punctuated with mud holes. Some had shallow or dry edges that allowed navigation around them, and others stretched across the entire width of the trail. Trucks and Jeeps had left deep ruts that offered opportunities to draw on yet another set of skills. In areas where a workaround could be found, the travelers gladly took the path of least resistance, sometimes briefly leaving the trail to ride around an obstacle.
Eventually, the riders encountered a series of mud holes with deep ruts, obscured by a thick, soupy layer of water, that spanned the entire width of the trail. As there was no apparent workaround, they stopped to tackle the obstacles one-by-one. Donna took the lead, confidently guiding her loaded bike along a narrow line to the far-right edge of the first mud hole. She made it look easy, and the waiting riders celebrated her success as she rolled on toward the next challenge. This time, the rutted muddy underbelly pulled the fully loaded bike off balance and the motorcycle went down.
Lisa fired up the KTM, considered her line, and made her way toward the downed bike. As they had already been through several rutted areas and with the understanding that a tire will usually slide into the rut anyway, Lisa took a slightly different path, entering the first mud hole a few feet further from the edge.
Lisa and the KTM 500 EXC-F were one. Her eyes were up, her body position perfect, and her momentum just right. Her tire found the concealed rut, and the KTM began to tractor through. Lisa was caught off guard when the front wheel fell into a deep hole, and the next thing she knew, she was picking up the bike as quickly as possible.
An attempt to restart the engine failed, and the remaining riders dismounted and entered the mud hole on foot to help push the bike through. The surface was very slick, and it was difficult for boots to get sure footing, but the KTM was eventually rolled out of the terra cotta colored water and onto a dry patch.
Lisa got out her tool roll and began to diagnose the problem. She removed the gas tank to access the spark plug and pulled off the seat to check the fuses. As she examined the bike, her focus was on methodically going through the systems and keeping all the parts organized.
Lesson 4: Understand the obstacle before you attempt it. Walk the mud hole – or at least poke it with a stick to get as much information as you can before you attempt to ride through it. If you can’t go around it, stay to the edges if possible. (And carry a tow strap, just in case.)
Trying to be helpful, the rest of the riders gathered around and offered suggestions. Eventually, they gave Lisa space and time to work the problem. Maggie and Donna walked the forward route to assess the next several mud holes, and Tami and Melissa walked the mud hole that had claimed the KTM to help find a line for the remaining motorcycles. Luggage was removed from the waiting bikes and carried through the obstacle to the other side with hopes that a lightened load would make the traverse less perilous.
After several attempts to get the KTM running, it became clear that the bike needed more thorough attention than could be given on the trail, and the group devised a recovery plan. Melissa and Tami would ride the route backward to find a patch of good cellular service and call Mary to bring the Subaru to rescue the KTM. Maggie, Lisa, and Donna would work together to get the KTM to a point where the Subaru could access the trail. The KTM would then be loaded onto the hitch rack and transported to the hotel for further assessment.
After some time, Lisa, Donna, and Maggie appeared at the rally point. Using a Chase Harper Buddy Tow strap, Donna had towed Lisa and the KTM with her BMW GS through mud, water, sand, and ruts. Even though it was Donna’s first experience towing, she had delivered Lisa and the KTM across challenging terrain to the rally point without further incident. The KTM was loaded onto the hitch carrier, and the group headed to the hotel in Evergreen to regroup.
Melissa shared a brief update of the day’s adventure in the SEBDR Facebook group. By the time the riders reached the hotel, Josh Cobb, a local Alabama BDR adventurer, had seen the story about the KTM and responded with an offer to help. He even showed up that evening to assist, but a delay in his Facebook post to the South East BDR Facebook group meant he would leave before the riders knew he was in the parking lot with a trailer, oil, and tools.
That’s when Frank Higginbotham, another local supporter of the BDR that lives near the beginning of Section 2, connected with the riders and offered garage space for working on the KTM and a hose to help remove mud from the bikes and gear. This was especially kind, given that the next day was Easter Sunday and Frank’s family was visiting from out of town.
Day 2, SE02, April 20
Evergreen, Alabama to Selma, Alabama
After breakfast at the hotel, Lisa and Mary headed to Frank’s with the KTM. Donna and Tami followed on their bikes with a plan to remove some of the caked-on mud from their motorcycles and riding suits.
Lisa drained the oil from the KTM and refilled the reservoir with fresh oil. Depressing the ignition button, everyone was encouraged to see that the engine had compression and spark. The sound of the fuel pump indicated that it was priming, but the engine still wouldn’t start, so the conversation eventually turned toward possible next steps. As it was a holiday weekend, it would be difficult to get the bike into a dealer for further diagnosis, and repair was likely to be costly in terms of both time and money. Lisa knew that a “quick fix” could result in further damage if not done properly, and she didn’t want to hold up the progress of the rest of the team.
After weighing the pros and cons, Lisa and Mary made the difficult decision to load up the KTM once again and begin the drive back to Colorado. This was the last thing they wanted to do, and their disappointment was indescribable. After emotional goodbyes, the remaining riders set out to experience Section 2.
Section 2 began with a photo at the iconic Conecuh Sausage store, which was closed for the holiday. The riders made a mental note to visit on a future trip and rode on.
With a GoPro camera strapped to her helmet, a Garmin NAV VI GPS, a Sena 50S Mesh communicator, and perfectly dry Sidi Adventure 2 boots (the only boots that had withstood water intrusion on Day 1), Melissa took the lead.
Just like the original riders in the SEBDR film, the group was charmed by the town of Pine Apple, Alabama, with its beautiful cottages marked with pineapple placards, a sign of hospitality and a nod to the town’s name. They found the famous mural on the side of the fire station across from the post office on County Road 59 and paused for a picture and stopped in front of a beautiful local church to document their unconventional “Easter outfits”.
The landscape changed with the modest rise in elevation and as the riders progressed northward toward Selma. There were beautiful sections where the tree canopy completely shaded the road, providing relief from the heat and seemingly untouched beauty. The riders stopped for a break at the (closed for Easter) Emporium at Pleasant Hill in Sardis, shared snacks and sipped water, smiled at the sign that advertised “sammiches”, and made friends with a visiting pup.
Arriving in Selma that afternoon, it was a somber ride over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a National Historic Landmark and the site of significant historical events in the struggle for voting rights for African Americans in the 1960s. They checked in at the hotel and ordered pizza to be delivered. Tami went to pick up beverages and supplies at the nearby Wal-Mart.
Crammed into a single hotel room and with gear that had begun to smell of adventure, Melissa discovered Lesson 5: a squirt of Poo-pourri on the offending gear could help calm the olfactory assault of swamp-marinated adventure boots.
Day 3, SE03, April 21
Selma to Sylacauga, Alabama
As the sandy spots became less frequent and gave way to enchanting cypress swamps, the sequences of whoops interspersed with sketchy sections of pavement surprised and delighted the riders.
The highlight of Section 3, without question, was a stop at Heiberger Grocery in Marion. The proprietor, James Stewart, was waiting for the lady adventurers that were rumored to be on the trail. Having been advised by an earlier pack of riders to “send someone to go looking for those girls if they don’t show up by noon,” James met the women in the parking area and invited them in for the best fried bologna sandwich they had ever tasted.
While they ate, James entertained the group with bits of history and local lore delivered with a smooth, Alabama drawl and a twinkle in his eye. He introduced Kathy and Kyle, both attending to customers and restocking inventory. When Ms. Nancy dropped by and laid a Tupperware container with undisclosed delights on the counter, James quipped with a smile, “When Ms. Nancy gets to heaven, she’s going to have to make the dressing.”
On their way again, the next stop was just past the G&L gas station on highway 183 in Lawley, where the smell of strawberry fields was a siren song beckoning the riders to rest for a moment. It was berry picking time, and local strawberry farmer, Joshua, invited the travelers to sample berries from the field. Donna bought a basket of the sun kissed strawberries and Tami washed them at the spigot. The riders savored the sweet berries before continuing the journey.
The changing terrain continued to demand attention and focus as the trail delivered sand, red clay, a freshly graded road that felt like riding on marbles, and a surprise string of whoops.
Arriving at the rustic and mostly empty Towne Inn in Sylacauga that evening, the riders spotted a solo KTM and stopped to talk to its owner. It was Cristiano, an Italian expat now living in Miami, on a solo journey of the SEBDR from north to south. Cristiano was invited to dinner to exchange tales of the recent days’ adventures.
Returning to their room after dinner, the women were hit with the overpowering scent of four sets of damp riding gear, an earthy aroma that not even Poo-pourri could hide.
Day 4, SE04, April 22
Upon waking in the morning, and as everyone was securing their luggage and performing pre-ride checks, Tami received a call from her daughter with news that the first grandchild had been born. Caught by surprise, as Eliana was not due for two more weeks, the call had been a reminder that life doesn’t pause while riding a BDR.
Mid-morning, after stopping for a break, the 2015 BMW 1200 GS began to sound and feel different. The check engine light came on, and the exhaust was louder than normal. The bike intermittently chugged and then ran smoothly in way that did not inspire confidence. After wishing they had a GS911 to diagnose the engine fault, Donna suggested a call to Eurosport Asheville to see if Gary could offer some advice. Gary asked a series of diagnostic questions and pronounced the motorcycle most likely safe to ride, and the journey continued.
Morning in the Talladega National Forest was cool, and there was a light scent of cedar. The path consisted mostly of smooth rolling hills. The overcast skies withheld their threat of rain, and except for the intermittent lurching of Tami’s GS, everything was in order.
Toward the end of the day, the dirt road gave way to a stretch of pavement with large pieces missing. Tami’s rear tire caught the rim of a large pothole, and the bike was redirected onto the soft and steep shoulder where it would rest on its side. Tami stepped off the bike without injury.
Unable to right the motorcycle without it slipping further down the muddy slope and into the water-filled ditch below, the riders deployed the Green Chile Z-Drag system to pull the bike into a position where it could be lifted and moved back onto the road. The Z-Drag is a generous length of webbing with a pulley system that multiplies the pull strength of an individual several times. All that was needed was an anchor point and a bit of muscle, and the travelers were again on their way.
Lesson 6: Expect the unexpected (and watch out for breaks in the pavement!)
Soon after, the bikes arrived at the Hearn Inn at Cave Spring, Georgia. Having already checked in, Emily Wiggs was on the porch filming the approach of four very muddy and dusty motorcycles as they parked next to “Magnum”, Emily’s spotless 2020 BMW GSA. After greeting Emily and depositing luggage in their respective rooms, the group walked into Cave Spring to enjoy a beer and barbecue at Local Joe’s, followed by a stroll through Rolater park to view the cave entrance and visit the gurgling natural spring that delivers pure, cool water from deep underground at a rate of 3 million gallons per day.
The Hearn Inn, managed and cared for by Callie McCain, is a treasure of the Cave Spring Historical Society. Located inside Rolater Park, it is part of a 29-acre property that was willed to the people of Cave Spring by its namesake, Dr. J.B. Rolater. Built in the 1800’s, the site had been home to the Hearn Academy, a trade school for young men that was operated by the local Baptist Church. Presently, the buildings in Rolater Park host weddings, celebrations, and overnight guests. All proceeds from rental of the buildings, including rooms at the Hearn Inn, are returned to the Historical Society to care for the property in perpetuity.
According to Callie’s husband, Donny, many of the structures in downtown Cave Spring, a short walk from the Hearn Inn, were also built in the 19th century and once served as hospitals, treating wounded soldiers from both sides of the conflict, during the Civil War. The inn itself had once been a boarding house that supported the Hearn Academy.
After returning to the inn and finishing laundry, a good night of sleep came easily.
As the sun set over Cave Spring and the motorcycles cooled beside the porch of the historic Hearn Inn, the women riders took a deep breath. Four days in, they had faced deep sand, sticky mud, mechanical hiccups, and emotional goodbyes, but also forged a camaraderie grounded in resilience and laughter. With the most technical sections of the route still ahead and a forecast that hinted at rain and rising elevation, they knew the real adventure was only beginning.
What awaited them in the next stretch? Unpredictable terrain, breathtaking views, more than a few mechanical surprises, and moments that would test their grit and deepen their bond.
In Part 2, the maps become useless and we follow the route into the deep woods of Georgia and Tennessee. It’s out there, far from cell service, that the story takes a turn we never saw coming. See how it unfolds in Issue 14 this September/October.
Rider profiles
Tami Bakke is a rider skills and safety advocate, a veteran of the US Army Reserves, Chair of the Board of Directors of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation, and cofounder of Two Wheeled Exploration Adventure and Training (TWEAT), a free ADV rider community on Facebook. A motorcyclist since 2016, Tami has ridden over 100,000 miles on BMW and Triumph motorcycles.
Donna Farrell began riding off-road in 2021 and quickly embraced the challenge, going on to compete in the U.S. Qualifier for the 2023 BMW GS Trophy. She is a certified Ridercoach with both the Motorcycle Safety Foundation and the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy. Donna also serves on the Board of Directors for the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America Foundation, where she supports initiatives that promote rider safety, education, and adventure.
Melissa Ragsdale began riding off-pavement in 2022 and competed in the US Qualifier for the 2023 US BMW GS Trophy. She has a marketing background and works in 3D printing.
Emily Wiggs represented the USA at the 2024 BMW GS Trophy International Qualifier in Spain. A seasoned road rider, her first experience with off-pavement adventure riding was in 2022.
Maggie Barta is a Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Harley-Davidson Ridercoach Trainer and Quality Assurance Specialist.
Lisa Taylor is a 2020 BMW GS Trophy International Female Team Member, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Coach, a retired police detective, and a US Army veteran. In 2016, she reached a top speed of 226 MPH on a nitrous-powered Suzuki Hayabusa on the Bonneville Salt Flats as a member of Kerry Alter’s Landspeed Racing Team.
Mary Zaleski rides a BMW 1250 GS and has over 20 years of experience in rider education. She is a former Motorcycle Safety Foundation Rider Coach/Trainer, a former adjunct professor at Metropolitan College of New York, and served as Commanding Officer of Staten Island Highway Patrol – NYPD.
All of the riders listed here are members of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America (BMWMOA.org) and enthusiastic supporters of the Backcountry Discovery Routes organization.
Words by:Tami Bakke and Donna Farrell – Photo Credits: Lisa Taylor Tami Bakke, Donna Farrell
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