What can be said about the ride today that Mweissen invited us all to? Let’s see, I guess NOTHING short of AWESOME would be appropriate!! If you sat at home and watched the tube today thinking that it was going to be a wet one, well, you missed it – 45 plus and NO rain! The weather was SPLENDID! Ditto if you were thinking the trail was going to be too icy – the trail was PERFECT (unless you are a DUST lover, like my friend Cory – he PREFERS to suck dust and refuses to “screw up” the tires). We even had one “NON-DRNer” (yet) that came with NO screws in his NEW WR426 and he did super! I am getting ahead of myself.. Here is how it all went down:
I got up early at 9 am , went out and loaded the bike and gear and headed out to pick up Larry at the Wesco Station near Fremont. He was there waiting for me (I thought,,, that’s odd, Larry never beats me to the draw). He had that look of “I am really tired” on his face and told me that he forgot to sleep the night before.. I said, that’s good – come on lets go have breakfast (no since being to sympathetic with a friend like Larry, he may get the wrong impression and think I am going to feel sorry for him and let him beat me).. We loaded his gear and bike and headed to town for food. Stopped at Taco Bell and headed atta way with food in tow.. Arrived at the trail head and noticed a silver Truck coming toward me from the other direction – you guessed it – Mr. Mweissen himself!!
Now, some of you readers are saying, SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL… In “Woodsy’s World” a good ride ALWAYS starts with GOOD TIMING and that, my friend was PERFECT timing!! After that happened, everything else just fell into place. Mweissen had his son (Andy) with him and was followed in by one of Marks co-workers (the guy on the new WR426) whose name is Rob. While we were all standing in the lot doing “intro”, up pulls 70marlin (YAHOO PAT!!!).. We were all just settling in from 70’s arrival thinking, perfect group for a perfect day and up pulls 2BIG4AKDX!!! I didn’t recognize Neal (pulled up next to my van and says “Hi” like he knew me :) - then I realized that Neal didn’t look the same without a bike with the front tire roped or taped on the rim… Neal drove over 3 hours to ride with us “Indian summer” riders – THANKS Buddy – it was GREAT to have you!!
We hit the trail out of the White Cloud Parking Area with 7 riders and 7 bikes gassed and looking for adventure. Andy led us out and I ran next and I am not sure about the riding order behind me. One thing I am sure about, by the time we made our first “water hole” there were 7 smiling faces from 7 energized riders – the January air mixed with all that WONDERFUL 2 stroke smell was taking hold!! We “ripped” our way up to what I call “Minnie Pond Corner” (look in the MCCCT map book on page one and you will see a small loop about half way up the page – where the MCCCT intersects this loop is the spot I speak of). We stopped here and discussed small issues like – “well Mark, what did you have in mind for direction” and “are these stock CR’s going to have enough gas to go farther and still make it back” and “my goodness Pat, that is a BEAUTIFUL new Husey your riding” and “boy, it has been a long time since I seen a bike as PRETTY as that new WR”– we older riders tend to talk some…
We decided to go for the MAX and ride north to 11 mile Road (Nichols Lake). In the process of so doing, we passed thru another one of my FAVORITE MCCCT sections. The section of trail between 10 and 11 mile is that trail and is also another one of my old Bow Hunting spots (I didn’t take the time to tell the guys this, but back in ’81, I “floated” a 4 pointer up stream in my underwear to the little bridge that we rode over on Comstock Rd. just north of 10 mile – I didn’t want to get my hunting clothes wet and that area is WAY to thick to drag, sooo). Just north this little bridge over Tank Creek you turn left back into the trail and the fun begins again.. VERY twisty and VERY woodsy (ahh, my name sake) and just plain awesome!! We made it to the “pinnacle” of the ride, drank some water and told stories for a while before heading back. On the trail back we “re-discovered” a downed tree that made life interesting. I was slowing down to wait for the others to pick their way around the stump of this big Poplar . 2BIG decided that he was going to pick a path thru the slashings while making an uphill.. I sat there on my KX listening to the sounds and taking in the BIG picture of all this while all the time thinking – 7 GOOD friends, “Indian Summer” January day, bikes running great, NO DUST or bugs or CRY BABIES, LIFE DON’T GET NO BETTER THEN THIS!!
We crossed back into the trail section going south of 10 mile and headed back! Larry got his kicks by roosting me with his CR after a rest stop. Mweissen decided after that, that the best way to thank me for all my help contacting the people for the ride was doing the same. He (Mark) told me later that he was just paying me back (something was mentioned by him about my KX throwing pieces of rubber and screws at his bike – this is pure HOG WASH because I know my KX about as close as anyone and it don’t pull stunts like that :) ).
Our ride consisted of 45 miles. I understand that Andy’s CR ran out of gas about ½ mile from the end of the trail and he had to push it the rest of the way in. I cannot verify this though because by the time I pulled in he (Andy) had his bike loaded, clothes changed and dinner cooked :) I was AMAZED at how many other people had taken advantage of this GREAT day.. The lot was LOADED with other vehicles, there were little kids riding little kid bikes around the lot and LOTS of smiles!!!
I took the time after the ride to meet some “new” faces, I met another “young timer” named Jim that said he knows Young Ted real well who was riding with a guy named Bruce. Another kind soul accepted the challenge of taking a pic of the group for me so I could be included this time – THANKS!!!
7 lucky riders in the pic are (Left to right) Larry, Mark “Mweissen”, Neal “2BIG4AKDX”, Pat “70Marlin”, Andy (what the heck is your DRN name Andy??), Rob and then myself “Woodsy” alone in the front row.. Oh yea, some how my bike “kadie” got in there too – take it back Mark, that thing has a mind of it’s own….
Wish you all could have been there!!!!!!
Woodsy
I got up early at 9 am , went out and loaded the bike and gear and headed out to pick up Larry at the Wesco Station near Fremont. He was there waiting for me (I thought,,, that’s odd, Larry never beats me to the draw). He had that look of “I am really tired” on his face and told me that he forgot to sleep the night before.. I said, that’s good – come on lets go have breakfast (no since being to sympathetic with a friend like Larry, he may get the wrong impression and think I am going to feel sorry for him and let him beat me).. We loaded his gear and bike and headed to town for food. Stopped at Taco Bell and headed atta way with food in tow.. Arrived at the trail head and noticed a silver Truck coming toward me from the other direction – you guessed it – Mr. Mweissen himself!!
Now, some of you readers are saying, SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL… In “Woodsy’s World” a good ride ALWAYS starts with GOOD TIMING and that, my friend was PERFECT timing!! After that happened, everything else just fell into place. Mweissen had his son (Andy) with him and was followed in by one of Marks co-workers (the guy on the new WR426) whose name is Rob. While we were all standing in the lot doing “intro”, up pulls 70marlin (YAHOO PAT!!!).. We were all just settling in from 70’s arrival thinking, perfect group for a perfect day and up pulls 2BIG4AKDX!!! I didn’t recognize Neal (pulled up next to my van and says “Hi” like he knew me :) - then I realized that Neal didn’t look the same without a bike with the front tire roped or taped on the rim… Neal drove over 3 hours to ride with us “Indian summer” riders – THANKS Buddy – it was GREAT to have you!!
We hit the trail out of the White Cloud Parking Area with 7 riders and 7 bikes gassed and looking for adventure. Andy led us out and I ran next and I am not sure about the riding order behind me. One thing I am sure about, by the time we made our first “water hole” there were 7 smiling faces from 7 energized riders – the January air mixed with all that WONDERFUL 2 stroke smell was taking hold!! We “ripped” our way up to what I call “Minnie Pond Corner” (look in the MCCCT map book on page one and you will see a small loop about half way up the page – where the MCCCT intersects this loop is the spot I speak of). We stopped here and discussed small issues like – “well Mark, what did you have in mind for direction” and “are these stock CR’s going to have enough gas to go farther and still make it back” and “my goodness Pat, that is a BEAUTIFUL new Husey your riding” and “boy, it has been a long time since I seen a bike as PRETTY as that new WR”– we older riders tend to talk some…
We decided to go for the MAX and ride north to 11 mile Road (Nichols Lake). In the process of so doing, we passed thru another one of my FAVORITE MCCCT sections. The section of trail between 10 and 11 mile is that trail and is also another one of my old Bow Hunting spots (I didn’t take the time to tell the guys this, but back in ’81, I “floated” a 4 pointer up stream in my underwear to the little bridge that we rode over on Comstock Rd. just north of 10 mile – I didn’t want to get my hunting clothes wet and that area is WAY to thick to drag, sooo). Just north this little bridge over Tank Creek you turn left back into the trail and the fun begins again.. VERY twisty and VERY woodsy (ahh, my name sake) and just plain awesome!! We made it to the “pinnacle” of the ride, drank some water and told stories for a while before heading back. On the trail back we “re-discovered” a downed tree that made life interesting. I was slowing down to wait for the others to pick their way around the stump of this big Poplar . 2BIG decided that he was going to pick a path thru the slashings while making an uphill.. I sat there on my KX listening to the sounds and taking in the BIG picture of all this while all the time thinking – 7 GOOD friends, “Indian Summer” January day, bikes running great, NO DUST or bugs or CRY BABIES, LIFE DON’T GET NO BETTER THEN THIS!!
We crossed back into the trail section going south of 10 mile and headed back! Larry got his kicks by roosting me with his CR after a rest stop. Mweissen decided after that, that the best way to thank me for all my help contacting the people for the ride was doing the same. He (Mark) told me later that he was just paying me back (something was mentioned by him about my KX throwing pieces of rubber and screws at his bike – this is pure HOG WASH because I know my KX about as close as anyone and it don’t pull stunts like that :) ).
Our ride consisted of 45 miles. I understand that Andy’s CR ran out of gas about ½ mile from the end of the trail and he had to push it the rest of the way in. I cannot verify this though because by the time I pulled in he (Andy) had his bike loaded, clothes changed and dinner cooked :) I was AMAZED at how many other people had taken advantage of this GREAT day.. The lot was LOADED with other vehicles, there were little kids riding little kid bikes around the lot and LOTS of smiles!!!
I took the time after the ride to meet some “new” faces, I met another “young timer” named Jim that said he knows Young Ted real well who was riding with a guy named Bruce. Another kind soul accepted the challenge of taking a pic of the group for me so I could be included this time – THANKS!!!
7 lucky riders in the pic are (Left to right) Larry, Mark “Mweissen”, Neal “2BIG4AKDX”, Pat “70Marlin”, Andy (what the heck is your DRN name Andy??), Rob and then myself “Woodsy” alone in the front row.. Oh yea, some how my bike “kadie” got in there too – take it back Mark, that thing has a mind of it’s own….
Wish you all could have been there!!!!!!
Woodsy
