There is nowhere on earth quite like the Black Rock Desert. It is a place of absolute freedom—and one that demands respect in return. It's a vast, shimmering alkaline canvas where you can ride in any direction, at any speed, and draw your own lines. The desert operates on its own terms. Your plans are merely suggestions.
For our first official escape as We Love ADV, we pointed the GPS toward Gerlach, Nevada, for the annual, beautifully chaotic gathering known as 4th of Juplaya. We wanted to capture the true experience of off-grid adventure motocamping: the strategy, the gear, the sweat, and the unmatched reward of a sunset ride on open playa. What we came back with was something more complicated—a story of massive highs, and one very heavy low.
The Logistics: The Cargo Trailer Basecamp
The mission was straightforward in theory: haul our Carson HiWay cargo trailer conversion as close to the playa as possible, use it as a basecamp, then drop the weight and ride the KTM 890 Adventure—with our friend on his BMW R1250 GS—completely unencumbered.
Theory rarely survives contact with the terrain. The steep, cambered train tracks off Jungo Road near Trego had other ideas. After a quick assessment, the risk of high-centering or sliding the trailer wasn't worth it. We parked on solid ground and rode the bikes in. That decision paid off immediately. We were riding by sunrise on the playa.
The Highs: Absolute Freedom in the Dust
There is a specific moment when you transition from gravel access road to hard-packed playa where everything changes at once. The suspension smooths out. The engine note opens up. And you realize there are no lanes, no limits, and very few rules. Unlike Burning Man, there are no barriers...just open desert in every direction.
We spent our days exploring the edges of the 35-mile-long playa, hunting geothermal anomalies near Trego Hot Springs, and trying to fully process the scale of the landscape. At one point, a lone wild horse crossed our path on its way to a cool water source without so much as a glance.
WATCH: 4TH OF JUPLAYA | DESERT MOTO CAMP
The defining high of the trip was Razorback Mountain. You earn your views on this one. Standing on the summit ridge, looking down at our trailer and bikes reduced to tiny specks on an endless desert floor, made every step worth it.
The Heavy Low: A Reality Check
Adventure riding carries inherent risk. You know this going in, and you accept it. But you never really expect the crisis to arrive on day one. While blasting across the open playa, a dear friend and riding partner hit a deceptively soft patch of dust. In an instant, the ride stopped. We went from a spirited ride to a medical emergency response fast.
We are deeply grateful for the rapid response of the emergency crews. Given the distance from the nearest hospital, our friend required a medical helicopter evacuation. It cast a long shadow over the rest of the trip, but we are relieved to say he was okay and recovered well. It was a stark, humbling reminder: the desert will always be bigger than your plans. Respect it accordingly.
Subscribe & Ride Along
This trip, with all of its volatility and all of its weight, is exactly what We Love ADV is about. Not polished perfection. The raw, real, unfiltered experience of the ride. If you want to support the journey, we've launched a small line of gear designed for riders who understand the value of both the adventure and the resilience it demands.
Thanks for riding along with us. We'll see you in the dust.
— Ashley, Jonathan, and the We Love ADV Crew
