2strok4fun
Member
- Apr 6, 2002
- 1,085
- 1
It was a little more difficult than usual to get up to the 5:00 am alarm, with the time change stealing an hour of sleep. Nonetheless I woke up feeling good and ready to ride, happy there were no traces of the bottle of wine I shared with my wife the night before. Placelast had called me the night before and was wrestling with a mechanical problem on his loaner, so he was unsure if he was going to make it or not, but knowing Placelast I knew he would pull it off (perks of being a temporary bachelor I guess) I picked up my friend Don just before 6:00 to make the 160 mile trek to Ballinger. I called Jose as I started up the grapevine, he and Danny were only about 10 minutes behind. Clouds still covered most of the Tehachapi (sp) and light snow was falling in Gorman. Placelast called stating that he was going to make it but was running late which worked out to good as we arrived at the staging area close to the same time. Don and I arrived about 10 minutes ahead of Placelast, Jose and Danny arrived about 15 minutes after that due to missing a turn.
The staging area met us with views of deep green hills with masses of yellow. The temp was high 40 and no sun yet but it looked like it was going to be nice. We got ready to ride as everyone got acquainted, and decided on a route to take. The trail took us to great scenic views and multi colored flower fields. John and I switched between lead and sweep, as we were the only 2 of our group that has ridden here. Traction was good but gave up some dust. Missing was the hub deep mud holes from our last visit. All machines were in working order which is something considering a couple bikes being of the "vintage" variety.
About ¾ of the way through our first loop while I was leading, I was feeling warm and comfortable and carrying some good speed on a downhill section, I had a meeting with oncoming traffic. I clamped on the brakes and the good traction gave up a pretty good nose wheelie. The light contact I made with the other bike was enough so send me on a trip over the bars landing hard on the trail. Luckily no injuries to me or the bike but I knew then I would pay the next day. The guy's buddy barked at me to slow down and I apologized and we moved on, no harm. At lunch we decide tentatively on our second loop and took off after eating. The square edge accelerating / braking bumps seemed to beat me a little more after lunch. I nearly skidded off of the trail while "site seeing" on a section demanding attention with steep drop offs, John kinda shakes his head as if to say "DUH" as I am pulling my bike back onto the trail. Feeling like we got our fill for the day, and there was to be no camping expedition on this ride, we plot our way back to camp. We were nearly back to camp when I met another rider. This time I was being careful nearing camp and was riding conservatively, but single track trails with blind corners and 2-way traffic yielded another crash. The other rider was just exiting the corner as I was coming in thru baseball size rocks. We should have been able to clear each other but my peg ripped into the XR. Again I was lucky as my foot was just swept off of the peg. As I was getting out from under my bike, the other guy was screaming to get the bike off of his foot. He thinks his foot is in the chain but is only pinned under the bike. We lift the bike off and get his foot out. I give him a couple of motrin from my pack and check to see if all is OK, no dangling limbs, blood loss. The guy was cool about it but still thinking his foot is broken, but he manages to walk, so a break is unlikely. At camp we see paramedics administer to him, and I talk to him just after and it turned out it only tore the nail off of his second toe. Although I am sure painful, he will probably be able to ride soon but only after he will need to replace some parts on the XR, as my foot peg managed to open the crankcase like a can of tuna.
While in camp as we are enjoying chips and salsa, we witness a small kid maybe only five come out from behind some of the large juniper bushes in camp, to get smacked broadside by a white Expidition. Turns out it was the Ranger! Luckily he is unhurt and we joke as the ranger is writing down some info that he is probably writing him a ticket for no sparkey.
All these close calls have me looking to get back into the desert where riders are few and visibility is miles. Well next week I may change my mind.
The staging area met us with views of deep green hills with masses of yellow. The temp was high 40 and no sun yet but it looked like it was going to be nice. We got ready to ride as everyone got acquainted, and decided on a route to take. The trail took us to great scenic views and multi colored flower fields. John and I switched between lead and sweep, as we were the only 2 of our group that has ridden here. Traction was good but gave up some dust. Missing was the hub deep mud holes from our last visit. All machines were in working order which is something considering a couple bikes being of the "vintage" variety.
About ¾ of the way through our first loop while I was leading, I was feeling warm and comfortable and carrying some good speed on a downhill section, I had a meeting with oncoming traffic. I clamped on the brakes and the good traction gave up a pretty good nose wheelie. The light contact I made with the other bike was enough so send me on a trip over the bars landing hard on the trail. Luckily no injuries to me or the bike but I knew then I would pay the next day. The guy's buddy barked at me to slow down and I apologized and we moved on, no harm. At lunch we decide tentatively on our second loop and took off after eating. The square edge accelerating / braking bumps seemed to beat me a little more after lunch. I nearly skidded off of the trail while "site seeing" on a section demanding attention with steep drop offs, John kinda shakes his head as if to say "DUH" as I am pulling my bike back onto the trail. Feeling like we got our fill for the day, and there was to be no camping expedition on this ride, we plot our way back to camp. We were nearly back to camp when I met another rider. This time I was being careful nearing camp and was riding conservatively, but single track trails with blind corners and 2-way traffic yielded another crash. The other rider was just exiting the corner as I was coming in thru baseball size rocks. We should have been able to clear each other but my peg ripped into the XR. Again I was lucky as my foot was just swept off of the peg. As I was getting out from under my bike, the other guy was screaming to get the bike off of his foot. He thinks his foot is in the chain but is only pinned under the bike. We lift the bike off and get his foot out. I give him a couple of motrin from my pack and check to see if all is OK, no dangling limbs, blood loss. The guy was cool about it but still thinking his foot is broken, but he manages to walk, so a break is unlikely. At camp we see paramedics administer to him, and I talk to him just after and it turned out it only tore the nail off of his second toe. Although I am sure painful, he will probably be able to ride soon but only after he will need to replace some parts on the XR, as my foot peg managed to open the crankcase like a can of tuna.
While in camp as we are enjoying chips and salsa, we witness a small kid maybe only five come out from behind some of the large juniper bushes in camp, to get smacked broadside by a white Expidition. Turns out it was the Ranger! Luckily he is unhurt and we joke as the ranger is writing down some info that he is probably writing him a ticket for no sparkey.
All these close calls have me looking to get back into the desert where riders are few and visibility is miles. Well next week I may change my mind.