This is a great place to ride. Thanks for having up come up and ride. There’s a trail for everyone from wide open top gear stuff to fun grass track to tight nasty single track with plenty of mud and some rocks.
My boy and I arrived about noon and after gearing up Weimedog (on a vintage 400 something Husky) and his son showed us the perimeter of the property and where he wanted to break some new trails. After a half hour (or maybe and hour, I lose track of time when I ride) we rode back to the house to see if LoriKTM and Dave (Off Road Warrior) showed up yet while the boys broke in some trails. As we rode out of the field we spotted two suspicious looking characters in bright orange KTM jackets, walking, following knobby tire tracks in attempt to find us. Dave and Lori had arrived.
While Lori and Dave were unloading and getting dressed we hung out and shot the bull for a while. It was cold and had snowed a little the night before and the heater in the garage was very welcome. The temperature was perfect while you riding but as soon as you stop the sweat tends to cool you down very quickly. The boys showed up latter and we were ready to hit the trails again.
Everyone was getting there bikes started and warmed up. We had to wait for a particular KTM to get started so we just revved our bikes while we waited. Once we got going we rode down the driveway and stopped to cross the road. Just as I started to cross the road my bike stalled. As I watched everyone take off and disappear I hastily tried to kick life into my bike. Once I realize that the gas was off it started right up. By this time everyone was long gone. I figured, no problem, I’ll catch up and find them. Well I did catch up to Lori and we spent about 20 minutes looking for the rest of them. So much for my excellent tracking abilities and sense of direction. I had a general feel for the property but not enough detail to quickly navigate. We’d stop to listen for them but by the time we got to where they were, they were gone again. I did get to see Lori take a spill on a straight flat mowed section of a field. The first thing she asked me after I turned around to help was, “Is it really that slick?”. Yes it is. The grass track stuff had a water logged layer of loam under the grass that looked solid but broke loose at the least unexpected times.
When we all hooked up we rode the trail that the boys laid out. It went through a couple of mud holes that got larger and deeper as the day went on. In fact my son went down in one, claiming it was my fault because he followed me through a section that I barely made it out of myself. I seemed to have lost all of my mud riding abilities for the day because I found myself paddling through everything. It wasn’t a pretty picture.
As we rode down one trail we came across Weimedog’s youngest daughter on a XR100. She was pushing it. It had thrown a chain and wedged it into the shiftshaft. After we tried to fixed it on the trail with no luck she matter of factly said that she would just finish pushing it back and off she went! She had already pushed it through some ugly mud holes and hills for over a half mile and had at least another half mile to go. She really impressed me with her determination. Never whined or cried, just did what she had to do. I would have whined and cried.
Weimedog, Lori and Dave split off to explore some of the tighter, rockier sections while the boys and I broke in the loop that they made. We all laid it down at least once on the slick grass (see Lori’s crash above) but had a great time.
Back to the house for gas and drink. The next ride was to find a new trail that hooks some other trails together. You would have thought I would have already learned my lesson and not let Dave lead the way. Noooooo, I didn’t learn. As always, he was able to find the toughest way through. If I was leading, my bike wouldn’t have overheated and my son’s clutch wouldn’t have gotten toasted. But as Dave says, if I complain about a trail then it’s a good trail. All I can say id thank God for barkbusters.
Against my better judgement I again followed the “tortured trail master” back though the new trail on the last outing. I did wise up on the return route and took the high road back to the house.
It was a great day and I look forward to doing it again. I think my son will too once he gets a new tire on the back. The one he rode with had literally half the knobs missing. I’m not sure how he rode a fast as he did.
A special thanks to Weimedog’s wife who offered us lunch and soda and even had a batch of chili for dinner for anyone that wanted to stay. She even helped load the bikes and gear. I had to pass on the chili since my wife had a lasagna waiting for us when we got home. I guess that’s one way to make sure I get home on time.
My boy and I arrived about noon and after gearing up Weimedog (on a vintage 400 something Husky) and his son showed us the perimeter of the property and where he wanted to break some new trails. After a half hour (or maybe and hour, I lose track of time when I ride) we rode back to the house to see if LoriKTM and Dave (Off Road Warrior) showed up yet while the boys broke in some trails. As we rode out of the field we spotted two suspicious looking characters in bright orange KTM jackets, walking, following knobby tire tracks in attempt to find us. Dave and Lori had arrived.
While Lori and Dave were unloading and getting dressed we hung out and shot the bull for a while. It was cold and had snowed a little the night before and the heater in the garage was very welcome. The temperature was perfect while you riding but as soon as you stop the sweat tends to cool you down very quickly. The boys showed up latter and we were ready to hit the trails again.
Everyone was getting there bikes started and warmed up. We had to wait for a particular KTM to get started so we just revved our bikes while we waited. Once we got going we rode down the driveway and stopped to cross the road. Just as I started to cross the road my bike stalled. As I watched everyone take off and disappear I hastily tried to kick life into my bike. Once I realize that the gas was off it started right up. By this time everyone was long gone. I figured, no problem, I’ll catch up and find them. Well I did catch up to Lori and we spent about 20 minutes looking for the rest of them. So much for my excellent tracking abilities and sense of direction. I had a general feel for the property but not enough detail to quickly navigate. We’d stop to listen for them but by the time we got to where they were, they were gone again. I did get to see Lori take a spill on a straight flat mowed section of a field. The first thing she asked me after I turned around to help was, “Is it really that slick?”. Yes it is. The grass track stuff had a water logged layer of loam under the grass that looked solid but broke loose at the least unexpected times.
When we all hooked up we rode the trail that the boys laid out. It went through a couple of mud holes that got larger and deeper as the day went on. In fact my son went down in one, claiming it was my fault because he followed me through a section that I barely made it out of myself. I seemed to have lost all of my mud riding abilities for the day because I found myself paddling through everything. It wasn’t a pretty picture.
As we rode down one trail we came across Weimedog’s youngest daughter on a XR100. She was pushing it. It had thrown a chain and wedged it into the shiftshaft. After we tried to fixed it on the trail with no luck she matter of factly said that she would just finish pushing it back and off she went! She had already pushed it through some ugly mud holes and hills for over a half mile and had at least another half mile to go. She really impressed me with her determination. Never whined or cried, just did what she had to do. I would have whined and cried.
Weimedog, Lori and Dave split off to explore some of the tighter, rockier sections while the boys and I broke in the loop that they made. We all laid it down at least once on the slick grass (see Lori’s crash above) but had a great time.
Back to the house for gas and drink. The next ride was to find a new trail that hooks some other trails together. You would have thought I would have already learned my lesson and not let Dave lead the way. Noooooo, I didn’t learn. As always, he was able to find the toughest way through. If I was leading, my bike wouldn’t have overheated and my son’s clutch wouldn’t have gotten toasted. But as Dave says, if I complain about a trail then it’s a good trail. All I can say id thank God for barkbusters.
Against my better judgement I again followed the “tortured trail master” back though the new trail on the last outing. I did wise up on the return route and took the high road back to the house.
It was a great day and I look forward to doing it again. I think my son will too once he gets a new tire on the back. The one he rode with had literally half the knobs missing. I’m not sure how he rode a fast as he did.
A special thanks to Weimedog’s wife who offered us lunch and soda and even had a batch of chili for dinner for anyone that wanted to stay. She even helped load the bikes and gear. I had to pass on the chili since my wife had a lasagna waiting for us when we got home. I guess that’s one way to make sure I get home on time.
