20th Jersey Devil Hunt May 12th-14th

[BinDerSmokDat]

For two decades some very stup...errr brave riders have been chasing the Jersey Devil through the NJ Pine Barrens.
It is with immense pleasure that I announce the 20th running of the Jersey Devil Hunt.

The JDH is the largest East Coast Ural event centered around off-roading with the main ride occurring on the Saturday.
The last few years we have also been doing a pavement-only Devil's Tail Tour on Saturday, so all of those of you who have always wanted to come out but not necessarily get dirty can participate!
The Tail Tour hits some fun spots, with a dose of scenery and history thrown in. 
It is usually all paved roads with the occasional state park road in the mix. 
Join us for a whole weekend of off-road riding, pavement touring and camaraderie around the campfire. 

Whether you have 100km on the clock or you can replace a Ural clutch in your sleep, the JDH is always a good time for beginners and grizzled veterans alike.

Note that we expect a higher than usual attendance as this is the 20th JDH.
Tent camping is pretty much unlimited but trailer sites or cabins are limited so please make your plans early and contact Turtle Run sooner rather than later.

WHEN

Friday May 12th to Sunday May 14th.
Note that some folks show up Thursday night 11th and that's OK too. 😉

WHERE

Turtle Run Campground located in Egg Harbor City, NJ.
GPS Address for Campsite is 3 Cedar Lane, Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215

Turtle Run is a private campground with a convenient grill for meals and a camp store.
They have flush toilets and hot showers.
Alcoholic beverages are allowed, so bring a cooler. 
Ice and firewood are available at the office.
The cost for tent camping is $10 per person, per night.
Reservations are not needed for tent camping. 
Just show up, pay at the office and stake out a spot.
We have the 'group' camping area sites T4, T5 and T6 with a nice big field to park bikes, non-camping trailers, cars, etc.

If tent camping is not your thing, Turtle Run has cozy Cabins and Trailers for rent as well as RV/trailer sites with hookups.
Contact Turtle Run directly for pricing and to reserve.

Just tell them you are with the Soviet Steeds or Ural/Russian motorcycle guys.
The owners are Rich and Joe and they are always great guys to deal with.
If you have questions, just leave a message and they will get back to you.

609-965-5343
Turtle Run's Website

There are area hotels for those that don't "do" camping.
You will have to look at the area and find what suits your needs.
You are of course more than welcome to have breakfast or dinner with us or hang around the fire even if you don't camp or ride off-road.

RIDING

We will be riding within the 115,000 acre Wharton State Forest, which is just across the road from the campground. We usually end up in parts of Bass River State Forest as well.

General NJ Park Info HERE...

We're doing a pavement ride so that the event could be open to more participants. The Devil’s Tail Tour is a separate pavement ride that happens concurrently with the off-road ride. It was a big hit with those that attended in the past and while I'm not sure who will be leading it, I guarantee it will be fun. 

All riding is done on public roads/lands, vehicles MUST be registered and street legal.
It is a good idea to give your Ural a mechanical inspection to insure it is not only legal, but up for the rigors of a trail ride. 
If you have a friend or family member who wants to tag along on a street-legal dual sport bike they are welcome; they CANNOT bring an ATV, UTV, dirt bike, etc.

This is great Uraling territory; mostly flat and sandy, occasional hills, few rocks, some mud and water crossings.
Trails are just wide enough to fit a Ural and still be challenging.
The sand has enough slip to make it fun yet enough traction to get going (most of the time).
There's nothing too steep or scary off camber. 
The usual "stucks" are in soft sand or getting hung up in a rut or mud. 
There will be enough of us to push/pull you out.
We ride at a pace that keeps riders of all skill levels happy. 
If that sounds boring just pick up the speed a bit or try going through that deep mud hole that everyone else bypassed. :twisted: 

1wd or 2wd are both welcome. 2wd is NOT required.
A knobby or 307 pusher helps, especially on 1wd, but is not required.
We've had a Retro with a street tire and a cT do the off-road ride before.
Spring 2019 we had a Neval Dnepr with street tires and open 2wd diff do the ride and it did amazing.
He's since put 307's and that rig is unstoppable now.
The JDH is an ideal opportunity for newer owners to get their feet wet (pun intended) off-roading while in the company of experienced riders who can offer advice on techniques and recommend mods and equipment. 

If you are new to riding off-road, especially on a Ural and/or haven’t been off-road in the Pines, check out Tips for NJ Pines Rides.

The Tail Tour will be all on pavement, mostly secondary roads, usually no interstate but possibly some two lane state highway.

GENERAL ITINERARY
NOTE: As with most things Ural related, this seldom goes exactly to plan. 
 or Гла́дко бы́ло на бума́ге, да забы́ли про овра́ги. Sometimes literally.

Thursday night-
A few folks get there Thursday night.
Given this is the 20th, I'd expect a pretty good contingent for Thursday night.
I will definitely be there by 5pm Thursday night.
We may or may not go grab dinner, we may do campfire, etc.
Your best bet is to PM me and swap cell numbers as the time gets closer to find out what we will be doing.

Friday-
Folks who stayed over from Thursday usually ride to Lucille's or some other local place for breakfast that morning and trail ride back.
Most folks arrive at some point Friday day/night.
Activities center around setting up camp, jabbering and some short trail rides, with occasional stopping back at camp to pick up new arrivals. We might grab lunch...or not.
We USUALLY do dinner at a local restaurant that night.
We might eat at the Turtle Run Grill, open air dining right in camp. TBD
Sometimes we do a night ride on Great Bay Blvd. then relax around the campfire with a nice adult beverage.

Saturday-
This is the main day of off-roading and the pavement tour.
We have coffee upon waking.
Guys in camp usually brew up some nice stuff. Bring your mug!
Breakfast around 9ish at the Turtle Run Grill. They take orders but the usual; coffee, eggs, bacon, toast, pork roll, etc. If they feel they have enough people and the resources they will do the buffet, but not guaranteed.
The rally point is the field, ride leaves 9:30-ish.
We eat lunch trailside, so pack a sandwich, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, etc.  
We ride into the afternoon, exact length and time depending on conditions, then back to camp.
We take advantage of Turtle Run's Grill for monster cheesesteaks, burgers, hotdogs, fried pickles, etc. for dinner.
Then with bellies full, we sit around the campfire soothing aching muscles, telling lies, exaggerating our off-road prowess and making memories.

Sunday-
Most folks hang for the Turtle Run Grill breakfast then start to break camp/head out. Occasionally a short morning dirt ride, and/or a quick ride out to the end of Turtle Creek Rd.

Gas

There is NOT gas close to camp or the trail entrance.
We do not get gas before Saturday's ride. There are no gas stations along the off-road route.
Fill your bike tank before arriving and a gas can is a plus.
We all carry some spare gas, but you don't want to start the ride on fumes.

Bernie's Service Center
5695 U.S. 9
New Gretna, NJ 08224

Citgo
5601 State Highway 9
Bass River, NJ 08087

If you will be attending, reply here and state if you are interested in the Devil Hunt (off-roading) or the Tail Tour (pavement).
As this is the 20th JDH and there will be some special bonuses, we expect attendance to be record breaking. It is imperative that you reply here so we have a good headcount and can work with Turtle Run accordingly.

If you have any general question that I didn’t cover, ask here.
If you have a question specific to your situation, PM me.

I hope to see you there!

[Vance Blosser]

Glad to see it's still going strong!