DEEP TROUBLE: Riding Loaded in Big Bend – What Went Wrong

Photo: Clif Holland

Clif Holland shares a father-and-son motorcycle adventure that took an unexpected turn shortly after arriving at Big Bend National Park. After a 700-mile ride to reach the start of their backcountry route, the decision to explore before staging their gear set the tone for what followed. Riding a heavily loaded BMW R1200GS on remote backroads, Clif quickly found himself facing the challenges of sand, weight distribution, and the limited margin for error on big adventure bikes, which led to DEEP TROUBLE. We talk about backcountry riding and the importance of preparation, training, and testing your setup before tackling routes like the BDR.

More DEEP TROUBLE Episodes:
Listen to captivating stories of riders who found themselves in DEEP TROUBLE. We shed light on the challenges they faced, the strategies they used and the valuable lessons they learned. Most critically, we discuss how the situation could have changed if some controllable aspects had changed. We talk about the possibilities and potential outcomes so that perhaps other riders can learn from their experiences and avoid making those mistakes that get them into DEEP TROUBLE.

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Posted on April 30, 2026 and filed under Deep Trouble.