- Jan 8, 2000
- 3,331
- 1
- Thread starter
- #151
Leaving in 3...2....1....
DRN East Coast - Spring Ride
- Thread starter CaptainObvious
- Start date
- Sep 9, 2000
- 2,987
- 0
I'm Home.
- Sep 9, 2000
- 2,987
- 0
Last edited:
- Jan 8, 2000
- 3,331
- 1
- Thread starter
- #156
Nice report Chuck. There is no way to know on January 22nd what it will be like in late April...but we could have used the early April weather! But that's the way it goes.
It was a 9 hour ride for Connor and I - not too bad. We arrived at the Twin Hollows camp ground about 10PM. We set up camp and sat with Chuck and Jason for a bit, but we were tired and went to bed.
The next day we woke up to a great view. We got the best view of the valley and mountains, a view that we'd pay for later. After some breakfast Connor couldn't wait to ride so we took a small tour of trail 10 (up to the 10/12 intersection). It had rained the day before and Connor made it a point to play aqua-boy and ride through every puddle he could find. At the trail intersection Connor tells me that he is cold and wet and that he doesn't feel well and asks if we could head back to camp. So we turn back. He continues to go through all the water he can find. About halfway home we run into the rest of the DRN group heading out. I really wanted to tell Connor to "turn around, you'll dry-off" so we could ride with the group, but I could tell that he wasn't himself.
A few minutes later his bike stops and he can't get it restarted. After 10 or so kicks I get it going, but it won’t run above the pilot jet. I figured he fouled a plug or clogged a vent line. We go slowly back to camp. I took the carb off the bike. When I took the slide out, it was wet. Aqua-boy must have sucked in some water. So I removed all the jets and clean everything. I installed a fresh plug too so we are ready to roll.
By now it's noon and I make lunch for Connor. PK awakes from his morning nap (after a 16 hour, all-night drive) and asks if I know how to get to town. I have been told by a few that the trip to Gilbert has a "nasty" hill, so I tell him I'll go with him. Connor says that he is tired, doesn't want to see the hill and decides to take a nap. “That’s a good idea, take a nap, Dad is going to play”
So PK, Rob and myself take a quick 10 or 15 minute trip into Gilbert. We arrive at a gas station so PK can fill 'er up. As he is pumping we see some BIG lightening and some really dark clouds heading our way. PK pays for the gas and we begin to haul ass back to camp...this storm is gonna be a big one.
As soon as we turn onto the trail it begins to hail. I can't see a thing. Luckily, I'm in front so I don't have to worry about roost. I removed my goggles, keep my head down and drove as hard as I could back to camp. That little hill has now turned into a little waterfall. A slippery waterfall at that.
I know that my son must be totally freaked out by being left in a tent alone in this storm. As we get back to camp the rain hasn't yet begun to let up. I make the turn towards my truck and I can see that my tent (a bed tent) is come apart from the storm. Remember that view of the valley I spoke of...well, that's where the 50+ mph wind is coming from. My tent is pushed up against the back of the cab. My 10x10 Pop-Up is twisted and Connor’s KX65 has been blown off it's stand.
I yell for Connor, he doesn't answer. "Good" I think to myself, "he went into the cab". I look in, no Connor. PK is trying to salvage my tent. I ask if he can stand there in the pouring rain (and lightening) and hold down my tent while I try to find my son. I ran down to the office about 100 yards away...and there was Connor...in his underwear (he was sleeping in the tent), VERY upset. The camp owner said she would sit with him, and that I should go save my tent. By the time I got back to the tent, PK had it just about all straightened out. But there was a 4 foot tear down the seam. The two of us stood there holding down the tent for the remainder of the storm. Thanks PK. :cool:
The rain begins to let up and I begin to look for pants for Connor. I can't find his moto pants and figure they have been blown away. I took everything out of the tent to dry it out and PK helps me repair the damage with duct tape. After a few minutes (and a few laughs) the camp is back in shape as if nothing ever happened…except my 10x10 is bungeed to a tree to keep it up. But something did happen - Connor lost interest in being there. He just wanted to go home. By dinner time I realize that he is more than just freaked out, he has strep throat.
Connor turned in early for the evening, and we had a classic good time around the camp fire. DRN’ers are just the best people to camp with!
During the night the rain and wind start again. At PK’s suggestion I turned my truck around so the tent wasn’t facing the prevailing wind. A good suggestion indeed! The tent held up well but Connor sat up all night waiting for it to self-destruct again.
In the morning we packed it in and headed home a day early. Even if Connor was feeling well and wasn’t freaked-out, we would have left because it was cold and rainy, so I told Connor several times that he didn’t “ruin” the trip. It was just time to go. He slept most of the way home.
I wish we had better weather. The trail system looked like a lot of fun. I’d like to get back there again someday…maybe June (not this June) is a better month!
To those that made the trip, I had a great time with you. I hope to see you all at Paragon.
It was a 9 hour ride for Connor and I - not too bad. We arrived at the Twin Hollows camp ground about 10PM. We set up camp and sat with Chuck and Jason for a bit, but we were tired and went to bed.
The next day we woke up to a great view. We got the best view of the valley and mountains, a view that we'd pay for later. After some breakfast Connor couldn't wait to ride so we took a small tour of trail 10 (up to the 10/12 intersection). It had rained the day before and Connor made it a point to play aqua-boy and ride through every puddle he could find. At the trail intersection Connor tells me that he is cold and wet and that he doesn't feel well and asks if we could head back to camp. So we turn back. He continues to go through all the water he can find. About halfway home we run into the rest of the DRN group heading out. I really wanted to tell Connor to "turn around, you'll dry-off" so we could ride with the group, but I could tell that he wasn't himself.
A few minutes later his bike stops and he can't get it restarted. After 10 or so kicks I get it going, but it won’t run above the pilot jet. I figured he fouled a plug or clogged a vent line. We go slowly back to camp. I took the carb off the bike. When I took the slide out, it was wet. Aqua-boy must have sucked in some water. So I removed all the jets and clean everything. I installed a fresh plug too so we are ready to roll.
By now it's noon and I make lunch for Connor. PK awakes from his morning nap (after a 16 hour, all-night drive) and asks if I know how to get to town. I have been told by a few that the trip to Gilbert has a "nasty" hill, so I tell him I'll go with him. Connor says that he is tired, doesn't want to see the hill and decides to take a nap. “That’s a good idea, take a nap, Dad is going to play”
So PK, Rob and myself take a quick 10 or 15 minute trip into Gilbert. We arrive at a gas station so PK can fill 'er up. As he is pumping we see some BIG lightening and some really dark clouds heading our way. PK pays for the gas and we begin to haul ass back to camp...this storm is gonna be a big one.
As soon as we turn onto the trail it begins to hail. I can't see a thing. Luckily, I'm in front so I don't have to worry about roost. I removed my goggles, keep my head down and drove as hard as I could back to camp. That little hill has now turned into a little waterfall. A slippery waterfall at that.
I know that my son must be totally freaked out by being left in a tent alone in this storm. As we get back to camp the rain hasn't yet begun to let up. I make the turn towards my truck and I can see that my tent (a bed tent) is come apart from the storm. Remember that view of the valley I spoke of...well, that's where the 50+ mph wind is coming from. My tent is pushed up against the back of the cab. My 10x10 Pop-Up is twisted and Connor’s KX65 has been blown off it's stand.
I yell for Connor, he doesn't answer. "Good" I think to myself, "he went into the cab". I look in, no Connor. PK is trying to salvage my tent. I ask if he can stand there in the pouring rain (and lightening) and hold down my tent while I try to find my son. I ran down to the office about 100 yards away...and there was Connor...in his underwear (he was sleeping in the tent), VERY upset. The camp owner said she would sit with him, and that I should go save my tent. By the time I got back to the tent, PK had it just about all straightened out. But there was a 4 foot tear down the seam. The two of us stood there holding down the tent for the remainder of the storm. Thanks PK. :cool:
The rain begins to let up and I begin to look for pants for Connor. I can't find his moto pants and figure they have been blown away. I took everything out of the tent to dry it out and PK helps me repair the damage with duct tape. After a few minutes (and a few laughs) the camp is back in shape as if nothing ever happened…except my 10x10 is bungeed to a tree to keep it up. But something did happen - Connor lost interest in being there. He just wanted to go home. By dinner time I realize that he is more than just freaked out, he has strep throat.
Connor turned in early for the evening, and we had a classic good time around the camp fire. DRN’ers are just the best people to camp with!
During the night the rain and wind start again. At PK’s suggestion I turned my truck around so the tent wasn’t facing the prevailing wind. A good suggestion indeed! The tent held up well but Connor sat up all night waiting for it to self-destruct again.
In the morning we packed it in and headed home a day early. Even if Connor was feeling well and wasn’t freaked-out, we would have left because it was cold and rainy, so I told Connor several times that he didn’t “ruin” the trip. It was just time to go. He slept most of the way home.
I wish we had better weather. The trail system looked like a lot of fun. I’d like to get back there again someday…maybe June (not this June) is a better month!
To those that made the trip, I had a great time with you. I hope to see you all at Paragon.
Last edited:
