An independent expedition · Hosted by ApexTracker
Rider guide · Submissions coming soon
Two oceans. Seven legendary roads. One ride.
From the Atlantic to the Pacific. Through mountain turns, red-rock country and high Sierra passes. A single continuous journey for riders who want the road to mean something.
01 / The idea
The Continental Gauntlet is an independent motorcycle expedition connecting two oceans and seven required roads in one continuous ride, within 24 days. Choose your own path: your coasts, connecting roads, overnight stops and pace. ApexTracker hosts the challenge; using its app is optional.
Leave home from anywhere. Choose your Atlantic and Pacific coastal checkpoints; Maine, the Florida Keys and northwest Washington are examples, not required stops. The clock runs from your starting coastal business receipt to your finishing receipt at the opposite coast. Your approach ride and ride home sit outside the challenge.
This is a trust-based challenge: nine checkpoints, straightforward photos and a signed completion statement. No proof of every mile or detailed time log is required. GPS is optional. Ride in either direction, take the rest you need, and make it your own expedition. This is not a race.
02 / The seven required roads
Ride the full named section of each road. There is one selected photo checkpoint per road, not one at each end. A convenient receipt stop does not shorten the required section. This westbound sequence reads in reverse for eastbound riders.
Tabcat Creek / Tabcat Bridge–Tennessee–North Carolina line
A tight ribbon of turns through the wooded mountains at the state line.
Resort sign or building.
Receipt area: Resort store/fuel or a nearby business.
Keep your attention on the road and your speed within the posted limit. NCDOT emphasizes the demands of these tightly winding turns.
NCDOT safety guidanceSouthern Ozark National Forest boundary–AR 16 at Brashears
The Ozarks chapter: forested bends along the AR 23 scenic-byway core, not the entire highway.
Store or identifiable sign.
Receipt area: Turner Bend or a nearby business.
Check ARDOT’s IDrive Arkansas for closures and road conditions before approaching. Ride the full designated core, not just the approach to the store.
ARDOT road conditionsCoronado Trail · Clifton–Alpine–Springerville
Desert country gives way to high forests on the climbing, twisting Coronado Trail.
Lodge sign or building.
Receipt area: Lodge when operating; Alpine or Springerville service options.
ADOT describes demanding curves and high elevations. Stop off the roadway to enjoy the views; plan fuel, supplies and weather checks ahead.
ADOT Coronado Trail guideSilverton–Ouray
A high-country crossing through the San Juan Mountains and over Red Mountain Pass.
Beside the Idarado Houses: use the ordinary paved pullout, not the pass summit.
Receipt area: Silverton or Ouray.
Winter maintenance can close this corridor in both directions. Check COtrip before travel and respect closure gates.
CDOT winter-access guidanceUS 89 junction–SR 24 junction
Red-rock canyons, the exposed Hogback and the forests of Boulder Mountain in one changing landscape.
Identifiable overlook setting or sign.
Receipt area: Escalante or Boulder.
Winter storms and ice can interrupt access, especially on Boulder Mountain. Exposed curves call for deliberate riding.
Visit Utah byway guideCrane Flat–US 395 near Lee Vining · Tioga Road / CA 120
Granite, alpine country and a Sierra crossing through Yosemite toward its eastern gateway.
Recognizable landscape from the parking area.
Receipt area: Crane Flat or Lee Vining.
Tioga closes for winter; opening dates vary with snow and plowing. Confirm NPS road access, available services and park entry requirements.
NPS Tioga access updatesCarmel–San Simeon
Coastal cliffs, redwoods and Pacific surf bring the expedition back to the ocean.
46800 Highway 1. Store sign from ordinary customer parking; no hotel booking required.
Receipt area: General Store or another nearby Big Sur business.
Coastal fog can limit visibility. Confirm through-access with Caltrans before committing; reaching a coastal town does not establish that the whole segment is passable.
Recreation.gov coast guide Caltrans road informationSource links provide background and agency guidance, not live road-open status. Recheck official conditions before departure and throughout the trip.
03 / Earn it through preparation
Attempt only when all required segments are legally open and conditions are suitable for a fair-weather ride. There are no guaranteed annual dates or months.
Tioga’s seasonal opening and western mountain conditions can decide whether the concept is possible. Check authoritative road status before departure and throughout the trip, along with Yosemite entry requirements; do not rely on a calendar date alone.
Plan fuel, water, lodging, offline navigation and a way to seek help. Check tires and the motorcycle before departure. Build in rest and time for changing conditions.
Stop for fatigue, unsafe weather or closures. Never bypass a closed road for a challenge. A closure bypass does not count as completing a required segment. No pause applies for rest, weather or closures. Explain an incomplete segment rather than claiming you completed it.
04 / Nine checkpoints. Keep it simple.
Your two coastal endpoints plus one checkpoint for each road. At each of the nine, collect a landmark photo and a receipt-with-odometer photo. Nearby photo and receipt stops can be separate.
Make all three recognizable in the same picture. Park legally first; never stop in a travel lane, on a bridge, in an accessible aisle or on a prohibited shoulder.
Photograph a business receipt together with the odometer. Make the city, date and time readable. It need not be a fuel purchase; no particular brand or purchase is required.
Before you leave: check the receipt, keep it and save the original photos. If the mailing city differs from the highway community, add a short location note. Keep each coastal photo and receipt close together in your trip sequence.
Keep it practical: a closed, full or unsafe photo stop can be replaced by a nearby safe, legal landmark. Try another business if a printer fails. If normal evidence is unavailable, preserve what you can and explain briefly. The planned review will handle minor documentation issues sensibly.
I confirm that I personally completed the seven required Continental Gauntlet road sections by motorcycle between the coastal start and finish shown in my submission. The photographs and receipts are from my ride. I have disclosed any incomplete section, detour or documentation problem.
Keep your nine landmark photos and nine receipt photos in ride order, with your name, coastal start and finish, signature and date. Add notes only where needed. GPS is optional.
05 / Take the essentials with you
The adopted v4 rules, nine selected checkpoints, a packing and evidence checklist, and the completion statement in one printable file. Draft for review; not a navigation file.
HTML · Opens offline in your browser · Print or save as PDF
This site is here to help you understand and prepare for the challenge. Evidence submission and human review are planned; no submission form, evidence storage or AI processing is operating here. Keep your originals for now, and do not email ride evidence. Entry details and any finisher recognition remain undecided.
Optional GPX planning aids may follow. None are available yet; choose and check your own connecting roads and overnight stops with the navigation tools you prefer.
Questions about the challenge? gauntlet@apextracker.app. The address is set up; delivery has not yet been tested.
Safety first: this guide is a planning reference, not a verified itinerary or a live road-status service. Use current official conditions and posted rules, park legally, and stop when conditions or fatigue make riding unsafe.
Privacy here: this information site has no evidence upload or signup form. Direct visits to challenge pages do not load ApexTracker’s marketing analytics; other ApexTracker pages may use them. Your theme choice is saved in your browser, and the hosting provider may keep technical access logs. Email opens your mail app and shares what you send with the recipient and email providers. Please keep photos, receipts and other personal ride records private until a submission process is announced.
06 / Before the starting line
The limit is 24 full days of elapsed time, from the time on your starting coastal business receipt to the time on your finishing coastal business receipt. Note the local time zone at those two stops if it is unclear; the reviewer accounts for the difference. You do not need a separate UTC calculation or time-zone log. Your approach and ride home are outside the challenge. Rest, weather and closures do not pause the clock.
Yes. Choose an identifiable Atlantic coastal landmark or access point and one on the Pacific, with nearby coastal businesses for receipts. Maine, the Florida Keys and northwest Washington are examples, not required destinations. You do not need advance approval for every coast. Keep your motorcycle legally parked; you do not need to ride onto a beach or park beside the water. Keep each coastal photo and receipt close together in your trip sequence.
Use a nearby safe, legal place with an identifiable landmark and add a brief explanation. If a receipt printer fails, try another nearby business when practical. Otherwise, keep what evidence you can and explain. A missing field or unclear photo may prompt a question, not an unsafe stop or a return ride to recreate it. Alternatives receive sensible manual review rather than automatic rejection for a minor documentation issue.
Plan for fair weather when all seven required segments are legally open and conditions are suitable. Check road, weather and park conditions before departure and throughout the trip; there are no guaranteed annual dates or months. A different photo stop can replace an unavailable stopping place. A closure bypass does not count as riding a required highway: never enter a closed road, and disclose an incomplete section rather than claiming completion. The clock does not pause.
There is no verified official mileage yet. Your chosen coasts and connecting roads determine the distance. The named road sections are required, but the overview and rider guide are not navigation files. Full route geometry and a few town-level passage boundaries still need review.
07 / The honest starting line
The information and rider guide are available to explore. Submissions are coming soon. No official navigation files, certification or earned-award program are available.
