Ride Report - 2nd Ride of the Season!

[squeaky]

:) We got out and rode again yesterday! I have to share my excitement!

Our first matter of business was fixing the idle on my bike. My bike doesn't like to run at an idle unless the choke is up, well we fixed that. Turns out the air screw was only out about 1 1/4 turns (we never checked it after we bought it...oops!), it's out about 2 1/2 now, and it's much better! Now my bike stays running at an idle, a major plus.

So we took off into the little loop near PK's house. There is an easy way and a hard way to get into the loop. The hard way requires you to negotiate down some small boulders. I did it without falling or stalling! That was my first major success of the day!

We rode a total of ten miles. I went down once, I stalled once. I blame my fall on Rooster, he was behind me making me nervous!

My goals this time (on top of my goals from last week of keeping the bike running and keeping it upright!) was to stand up more. I started sitting quite a bit, but I started yelling at myself and eventually found myself standing more. I was negotiating things like rocks, roots, and tree branches better, and I was cornering better.

It truly helps that I can hear my bike now. Rooster bought me a ProCircuit T4 (I think that's what it is) exhaust for Christmas, and it brought the volume of the bike up quite a bit. I can hear it now, which helps me because I know more by sound when I need to clutch, gas, etc...

All in all, I'm picking up speed (Rooster and PK have both told me numerous times that in order to negotiate some obstacles, speed is your friend...I finally believe them!) and it's very exciting! It was another great day!

:ride:

 

[robwbright]

Sweet - nice to know you're getting faster. Woods is certainly not my thing. . . My brother is much faster than I - but he can't beat me on the track. :aj:

Anyway, my bro and I went woods riding on Saturday. Long trail neither of us had been on before. We rode about two hours. Red clay mud, regular mud. Even some shallow creek rinding. I've seen muddier, but it was pretty sketchy in places thanx to all the 4 wheelers who just love to make mud bogs.

Anyway, I learned one thing - I HAVE to get that new Maxxis IT tire on my rear!! It's been sitting in the garage for 3 weeks, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. My tire from last year was just getting full of mud and not cleaning out - ever. I couldn't seem to ride straight at all.

I fell over three times - that's my main problem with woods riding. At 5'4" MX is not really an issue on the RM except for starts. However, in the woods I get on a steep hillside or off camber section, lose momentum because of a fallen tree or mud or something, and I can't get a foot down. Pulled a groin on one of the falls, but still had a lot of fun. . . :laugh:

 

[squeaky]

-

I fell over three times - that's my main problem with woods riding. At 5'4" MX is not really an issue on the RM except for starts. However, in the woods I get on a steep hillside or off camber section, lose momentum because of a fallen tree or mud or something, and I can't get a foot down.

I know exactly what you mean! I was on Rooster's WR before I got my TTR, I'm 5'5" and that was NOT the bike for me! I am so much happier on my TTR, if I get stuck or what not I can reach the ground!