Paragon Version 7.27.03

[JasonJ]

What: DRN riders rally to tackle Paragon Single track
Where: Paragon Pa http://www.paragonap.com/
When: Sunday Sunday Sunday 7/27/2003 @ 10 AM
Web: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jasnker/7_27_03.html

First off let me say, Great day, Great guys, Great ride.
I drove up early in the AM (for me) to make sure I was in the campground next to Paragon by 8:45 to give me plenty of time to unload, check my stuff, and gear up for the 10 AM meet time. I was ready to roll by 9:30 AM so I though I would get a rare early start and make sure I was up there and signed in on time, on my way down the coal road from the camp to the park I rolled right by a 3.5 foot or so Rattle Snake!!! Wow, this is the first wild rattle snake I have seen in Pa, so I unhorse and snap a few pics of this awesome snake before he decides to head on off across the road.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jasnker/pics/Paragon/midsizepics/Snake2.jpg
So I roll in and meet the guys. Looks like we have 7 riders, 5 DRN hard core trail riders and RM_guy's son and a bud along for the day. Everyone’s bikes not only look ready and great, but,,,, what’s that smell????? Scooters bike?????? yeah, his trick to washing his bike is to rub it down with Avon skin so soft,,,, LOL, I still cant get over that one, but honest to God his bike looked good enough to take out on a date :). My bike on the other hand looks like its been through the wars as I don’t take to washing it much, LOL, but the big blue WR is ready to ride, that’s what counts right?????
We saddled up and got under way with Ranger Dan (Scooter) at the helm of the whoopass caravan :) . We rode out to the play area and checked out some little tabletops and jumps and the hill climbs there. We all feel good and were ready to hit the single track! We head off down Valley road with about 5 other riders one of them on a quad that were tagging along. By the time we got to the start of the single track they were feeling the love from the rocks and with the quad and another beginner rider they decided not to follow after the advice of Ranger Dan. So the 7 of us attack the single track! what a blast, I love the single track up there, it’s just what dirt biking is all about for me. We attacked one or two sections at a good cadence before RM_Guy showed the parched youngsters mercy and directed the non camel back equipped back to the main trail to seek hydration, you DONT want to run this single track with out a camel back! Much less on an 87 degree or so day as we had on Sunday. So now we were 5, and we rode, Dan was an awesome guide and set a pace that had the better riders well taxed in the tight rocky, rooty, winding single track that demanded skill, stamina, and consistency from both rider and bike. He waited at each section end not only for the last rider, but also for the last rider to catch his breath and proclaim ready for the next section. Dan showed us how to exit a Cannondale while riding on the trail and RM_Guy showed us how to avoid pesky wild life that falls off of Cannondales while riding on the trail :) .
It was getting near lunch time and we were all hot and well worn but loving every minute when Dan told us about the next section being a technical section and about a good size little hill climb at the very end. "Don’t worry" he said, we will wait for you up there and help you if you need it. "and to take pictures and laugh" I added,, how true it was! I was second up the hill behind Dan and had enough time to get out the camera and scramble part way down the hill before DaveRS575 was up to the hill, he came around the bend and saw the hill, he ordered the KDX up the hill with plenty of throttle, ops, maybe a bit to much throttle, the green beast reared up its front tire and Dave did the wise thing and tossed her off the side of the trail and I got the shot of a lifetime :)
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jasnker/pics/Paragon/midsizepics/Dave1.jpg
We were all already plenty tired and Dave wrestled with the bike and gathered himself at the bottom of the hill for another try. He looked like he had the hill well in hand when I saw a glean in his eye just before he departed from the trail and attempted to destroy the digital evidence of his folly and the one who captured it! Ahhhhhh!
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jasnker/pics/Paragon/midsizepics/Dave3.jpg
I bailed at the last second but thank God he had a change of heart and decided not to run me over. We grabbed the KDX and showed it the way up the rest of the hill, great effort Dave, I cant believe your a beginner rider, that was some very technical riding and no, we did not have to wait long for you at all. About 30 seconds or so average from the front of the group to the back is not bad at all.
We broke for lunch and headed back out to find RM_guys son at the bottom of Turtle hill with a fouled plug. RM_Guy helped the sickly Suzuki back to the parking area and met up with us after we visited the red neck air conditioner ( old mine shaft opening with 50 degree air blasting out of it all year). We did a bit more ripping around the park and headed back. We were all hot and tired and decided to load up and head out for the day around 4 PM.
No real bad crashes, just a few stalls and get offs in the nasty single track parts, I had the worst injury sustained I think with a small brush burn bruise from forgetting to put my sleeves down before attempting the “Bamboo chute” servers me right for not listening to the others and taking the by-pass J.
Again, great ride guys, I had a blast riding and talking with you all. Can’t wait to ride Paragon like that again!

 

[DaveRS575]

Excellent ride report! I'll second everything you said there! The Singletrack was a blast , the wide open rocky areas were a relief, the turtle trail was a major league challange for me going down. Maybe next time I'll feel comfortable going up it! Going down it was very interesting! Up I'll bet is exciting! I like the feeling of uphill, I just need to get a better grip on seat position and throttle. That KDX is either on or off to be honest, I think for that kind of climb, the big thumpers you guys were ripping would have been better for that, while mine seemed well suited for the tight singletrack, quick bursts on the fireroads, and that play area. What a blast though... That "Red Nek Air conditioner" was really awesome! I love stuff like that. It's half of the fun for me. Exploring and finding new cool man made and naturally occuring stuff. I just love the outdoors, and Paragon is a great place to experience it!

Thanks for the nice words re: my riding.. I know I have a way to go to ride at the level you all are at, but it's a definate goal of mine, and riding with guys like you will definately help me achieve that!

So when is the next ride? I am moving this weekend, but can probably ride the following weekend, or the weekend of the 23rd/24th.

 

[scooter1130]

There is not much to add, since Jason covered most of it.  But unfortunately we didn't get to start at 9:00 before RM_guy showed up, but I guess that is a good thing, because if he wasn't there I would not have had anybody to roost in the mud.

We started with 8 riders, I guess Jason forgot to count himself.  Myself and DaveRS575 were the first to show up. Then we had RM_guy with his son, and sons friend, followed by Treejumper, and JasonJ riding over from the campgrounds.  And finally NRB showed up to ride with us since his wife was busy this weekend.

We headed out and ran an easy trail, and then to the playground to get the bikes and ourselves warmed up.  Somehow we now have 13 riders, and one of them has training wheels(aka quad)  They followed us across the new trail cut between the top of Turtle trail that leads to Valley road.  Then we head up Valley road to the start of the single track.  This is where the other 5 riders split from the group, since the ATV would not fit on teh single track.  We run the first section of single track, and take a break to make some quick repairs on Nathan's (NRB) WR, and watch some jeeps climbing the rocks.  after a short break, we continue with the single track.  When we get back to where the single track crosses valley, the kids head back to the truck for water, and to find something where they can get out of first gear.  Its too bad they didn't have water with them, since the next few sections were much easier, and less rocky.  We follow the single track up to the bar slapping tight section, where most of us took the bypass out to haul road, while Jason continued on.....maybe next time he will remember to roll his sleeves back down before this section.  After we take a short break, and discuss lunch, we head off to ride the last part in this section of single track, which is where Dave finds his favorite hill....there must be a connection between the name Dave, and hillclimbs.....

As Jason mentioned, after lunch, we head out to find RM_guys son who had a fowled plug.  While Dave heads back to the truck with them, the rest of us head over to the mine to cool off, and then over to the pipe line to meet back up with RM_guy.  After getting the group back together, Nathan suggests heading to Doe Run, so we follow Doe Run which is a nice change from the morning ride with being able to get a little more speed, and follow this to Logging road, and then logging trailback to the pipeline.  We then head back down Valley, and to the parking lot to call it a day.  After a little BSing by the trucks, it is time for everyone to hit the road for home.

A great ride, with some great friends, and no injuries.....who could ask for more.

 

[RM_guy]

I totally ran out of time this week and wasn’t able to write up my own ride report. Luckily you guys did a good job. Except Jason on the number of riders! I just figured that that snake must have bitten him ;)

I had a great time. The weather cooperated perfectly. I was able to load my bike in the morning and when I got home with no rain. I wasn’t sure if that was going to be the case since it rained pretty hard about 3:30 that morning and I drove through 2 torrential downpours on the way home. The sun was actually shining when I got home. I had a few friends that had backed out on me because of the rain and I had a good time busting on them for that.

The trails we rode on were fantastic (thanks Dan) and nobody roosted me too bad. I have that picture of Dave looping out on that hill as my desktop back ground. :) I regret not being able to stop at the mine to cool off. For all the times I have been there, I have never seen the mine. I missed it because my son’s bike fouled a plug. I have to tell you, my admiration for fellow bikers continues to grow. My son and his friend had broken off from the rest of us as the day wore on I wanted to let him know what time I planned on leaving. I went back to the truck to leave him a note and while I was there a guy on a DZ 400 was riding around the pit area looking for our group. It turns out that he saw my son pushing his bike down one of the trails (the bottom of Turtle Hill) and offered to help. My son asked him to let me know where he was so he rode back to the pits to find me. He said he had been looking for me for a while. I went ahead and down Turtle Hill and found my son with some of the Paragon Staff that happened to be there fixing the axel on a jeep. One of them already had the plug out and was trying to clean it up. I had an extra plug so I popped it in and said our thanks.

I made plans to meet Dan and the rest at the pipe line trail (no one wanted to make the trek back up the hill) and I led my son and his friend back to the pits. He made it up Turtle Hill but was upset that I was going too fast :confused: for him. That was a twist because usually he blows by me a supersonic speed! I little further down the trail and his plug fouled again. Damn. I didn’t have any extra. I told him to take my bike back to the truck because they were both dying of thirst and I started to push his bike back. After about a half mile I stopped to rest at the top of this big hill. I decided to see I could bump start it on the hill. Luckily, at the very bottom, it started and I was able to ride it back to the truck. Good thing too because I had asked them to come back with a tow rope but that were just sitting there relaxing :think:

It was great to finally meet Dave and see all the rest of you again. I look forward to the next time!!