DamTour 2012 : The best "dam" motorcycle event in the Northwest    

More DamTour Details . . .

We are in our ninth year of DamTour, providing you with "20" Dam Good Places to Ride. Each year we select twenty dams within the western states, trying to give you new and exciting parts of Oregon and Washington to explore (and possibly some new roads you never knew were there), as well as helping you get out of the local rut with the far reaching bonus dam options. We find our dams from government lists, Google Earth, personal riding discovery, and sometimes from rider suggestions. When at all possible we preview these dams in advance to check on accessibility. This is not always possible so use your "common sense". We have also asked a few riders to scout or preview a future dam in their area and truly appreciate this extra help.

It is easy to be a finisher. Just complete the rides to all 8 dams within Oregon, or Washington including the two extra photos that are required for one special dam in each state, properly submit your "dam" photos and earn your state bar for your participation pin.

How Things Work . . .

First you register online BELOW, or download this PDF and mail it in, and await your packet. While you are waiting, please check and correctly set your digital camera date. The internal embedded camera date is used to document your ride. This is also a good time to make sure your bike is in "Tip Top" shape(check out our sponsor page) and that "you" are both physically and mentally ready for this adventure. The last week of February, packets will start going in the mail. When you get your packet, you will have your own personal placard, dam list with GPS, and the important “how to submit sheet”.   Then, starting March 1st through September 30th, you ride to the dam(s) of your choosing, and take a picture at each "dam" stop, with your placard visibly placed on the bike (preferable with the dam in the background) and submit your photo(s) to  "DT Rider" . They will be verified, recorded and posted to the "dam" albums, and you will get credit on the "Rankings Table” showing your current status of how many dams you have been to. It is wise to make sure your photos are identifiable and to check out the dam pages for more 'dam' details. It is also very smart to do a bit of research on your own. This could save you a second trip or a bad experience. And please remember Steve's golden slogan, "DamTour is a self-guided adventure.... if something bad happens, it is your own 'dam' fault. In keeping with that theme, do not ride beyond your or your bikes ability. If you need to think about it twice....
"Then DON'T do it". You make this your own adventure, be sure to make it a safe one.

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Registration Options: Register, just rider, pillion, or both, and or add a critter/mascot registration. You can also register with a t-shirt (short-sleeve or long-sleeved). The fees this year are $35.00 for both riders and pillions, critter/mascots for $20.00, add the t-shirts options at $20.00 for short-sleeved, and $30.00 for long-sleeved, plus shipping and handling. At the bottom of the form is the option to order your DamTour Decal, and /or a DamTour Calendar** when you register.
        (**Please read the sidebar of registration before ordering the calendar.)

 

***New for 2012 . . .

As veterans of DamTour have already noticed, we had a fee increase to help cover increasing costs. But in exchange all registered riders/pillions or critters, will get the 2012 DamTour participation pin (see at right), whether you turn in any dams or not. We also have "new" special surprise dam ‘twists’ for you this year. To add a little interest to exploring and routing your Oregon and Washington dams, and to encourage a particular road we think you might enjoy, we have made two special dam selections (one each in OR & WA states) with a couple of extra requirements . So be sure to check out the dam pages carefully for details.

What makes this different? Well, you will be required ( if you plan to go for all "twenty" dams) to take a specific photo on either end of a particular road. Of course you can still get all three photos without riding these roads but it will add a few more miles and you will miss out on a great road. If you aren't planning to go for it all, just go to the dam your own way and send the "dam" photo in as usual.

We have a new look to our rankings table that will show our pins earners and when they have finished a state. And, as always you can hover your curser over a total number of dams to get a tool tip window that shows which dams a rider has been to, and in what order.

What counts and what doesn't.

The Right Dam:
In the years past we have given riders a bit of leeway on getting the correct dam. This year, I would advise you to read the ‘dam’ pages and the forum and make sure you are heading to the right dam and the right place if you want credit for that ride, or be prepared to go back. If the web page says, do the dam from a particular side… be sure you are on that side of the watercourse. If it says your photo must include 'this' . . . be sure it does. If the dam page tells you to send in three different photo locations to get credit, do it or lose it.

File Naming & Photo Submitting:
Your packet will include information on how to name and submit your dam photos. Due to our continued growth, we can no longer accept photos that do not follow this simple naming schema . Submit your photos by email attachment to "DT Rider" at @damtour.com . This does not mean sending me a link to your on line album. And please get them in in a timely manner, instead of storing them up for weeks or months. I like to keep our stats and rankings current every week by mid-week after the weekend, or more often when possible. Please Do not resize your photos unless you absolutely must or the original file size is over 5MB. Resizing them can delete the embedded date. I use this date to record your ride, and we often use the images for print as well s for the web. If you wish a photo to be considered for the next years calendar, keep in mind they must be 300dpi at a print size of 8½ by 11 inches. If you have any questions or concerns on what any of this means, have extenuating circumstances, or need help with any of this, please contact me, "DT Rider", and I will do my best to help you get it right so you can get credit for your photos.

And... Please...... send them in as you do them. Don't wait till you finish (digital or not) (see comment below) or you may not get credit .

If you do not have a digital camera, and cannot get them made into digital format for sending by email, and you must snail-mail them, please be sure to identify each photo sent and add the date the dam is visited. Do not wait until you have done them all to send them in, unless it really is done in quick consecutive order. They need to be verified and recorded. Finding out you were at the wrong dam at the last minute might really ruin your day. If you are intending to do all twenty dams, your final submittal must be received one week before the season ends or notify DT Rider of your "notice of intent" to finish and when they will be received.

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