Southeast BDR: The Route to Recovery
Damascus, VA, was in the rearview mirror on a cool, rainy day in September 2017 as the Mid-Atlantic BDR Filming Expedition officially kicked off. This was my first documentary filming trip with Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) and my first opportunity to experience adventure riding in this region. After releasing the Mid-Atlantic BDR, and, shortly afterward, the Northeast BDR, we officially had a nearly continuous route from the bottom of Virginia to the Canadian border.
Naturally, plans were already in the works to create a route connecting to the Gulf Coast. Kirk Lakeman of Dawsonville, GA, and his incredible team spent five years to complete this last segment connecting BDRs across the East Coast. This 1,300-mile route would extend from the panhandle of Florida through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, ultimately ending in the aforementioned Damascus, right where it all began.
We were ready to film the expedition of this route at the end of October 2024. All systems go, lodgings booked, bikes prepped, gear packed, and logistics dialed. Then Hurricane Helene struck.
After the Storm
A magazine article can’t possibly relay the devastation communities all through the South faced. The Southeast BDR (SEBDR) shares the same path as the storm, and the towns, people, and many businesses we made wonderful connections with during development were literally wiped off the map.
We knew we had a decision to make. On one hand, the BDR organization’s primary goal is to bring economic support to small towns along the routes. But after this catastrophic event, we knew that we had no business coming into the area. Our scouts verified the integrity of the southern two-thirds of the route and decided to continue as planned with filming. However, we would cut the trip short and give time for the northern areas to rebuild. Through a delicate balance of not wanting to be in the way while still bringing riders with open wallets to the impacted areas, we decided to come back to film the last three sections of the route when the time was right.
Motorcycle & Gear
2021 Yamaha Ténéré 700
Helmet: Klim X1 Alpha
Jacket: Mosko Moto Surveyor, Alpinestars Tech Air Off-Road
airbag vest
Pants: Mosko Moto Woodsman Enduro ITB
Boots: Alpinestars Tech 10
Gloves: Klim Badlands Aero Pro Short
Luggage: Mosko Moto Backcountry panniers, Mosko Moto Hood tankbag, Pelican 1400 topcase
Comm System: Sena 50S
Northward and Onward
We put our feet down in the sugar-white sands of Navarre Beach, FL, and started north. We crossed the panhandle through the scenic Blackwater River State Forest into southern Alabama. I’d driven through Alabama once, but never thought of it as a destination for adventure travel. Yet, with 70% of the state (more than 23 million acres) forested, I quickly realized how impressive Alabama is. After a brief stop at Conecuh Sausage Company in Evergreen for a sample platter of their house-made links, we continued north into Selma, AL.