Ride Report - Kalkaska MCCCT

[2TrakR]

Ok, there was dirt in some corners, so it's a "dirtrider" report. We also ran some of the MCCCT, so it's almost cycle related.

Took the sleds up Saturday to check the snow situation out. Tried to park at the lot on M-72 west of Grayling (the ORV/SM lot) but it was too freaking full. Ended up parking on Blue Lake Rd; we've staged out of there with the bikes previously. With all of the people in the parking lot, we knew the trails would be packed, so we headed south. Ran back roads 'till the Kalkaska line sled trail, ran that down to the Miss-Kal line trail - the one that parallels the MCCCT cross state connector. Hooked up with the Kalkaska trail and ran that to almost to it's namesake. We wanted to get back to the Blue Bear trail and since there are no connecting SMTR; we opted to run the MCCCT to get over there. There has been quite a bite of snow traffic on the MCCCT, apparently others have that idea. Railroad tracks, a couple back roads and one long powerline/swamp got us back to Blue Bear trail, which was BEAT TO HELL. My XR would have had difficulty with the size of whoops on that trail. Snuck along 72 back to the trucks and called it a day with ~140 miles on the bike, er sleds.

Most of the trail was pretty decent. Notably poor was Blue Bear, north of the parking lot. Not a lot of snow, but enough for riding with more snow to the west. Traffic was not bad for a Saturday. Weather was perfect with single digits and overcast (no glare).
The MCCCT around Kalkaska is whooped out something fierce. We really should run a grader through there..

/Jeramey

97 600 ZRT
96 Indy Lite

 

[woodsy]

Hey Jeramey - TRAITOR!! Jeramey is a traitor, Jeramey is a traitor, la la la la la la......
Thanks for having the guts to come out of the closet on this Jeramey.. I have been sneaking and cheating too (looking over my shoulder :) ) . I live about a block from the Muskegon/Newaygo County's sled trail and have been having a RIOT drag racing my 1998 180 horse Thundercat with all the local yahoo's over on this side of the state. A quick report of our trail's (everything within a 75 mile radius = milage capacity of a Thundercat) of the Redbarn Trailhead on Apple Ave/M46 in Muskegon = GARBAGE (it would be fun on the KX if it wasn't illegal). However, the "dragstrip" in my front yard (dirt roadway that connects the Muskegon trail to the Newaygo trail) is always packed and groomed (Woodsy's playground) and has seen the following casualties this year from the teeth of the T-cat:
1. "Built" 2002 MXZ800 at 1/4 mile eaten by the T-Cat (this one blew up a secondary after 2 runs and I towed him home with my Van at 2 a.m.)
2. Stock 2003 F-7 - Eaten alive!
3. " "
4. 2000 Thundercat - OK - this was close, at least the other T-Cat was a run, I only beat em buy about 1 sled length but I had to shut dwon momentarily to drop my ski's at 105 MPH cause I was headed into his lane.
5. Built 2002 ZR800 - T-Cat food!! (I raced this guy at a 40 mph float and I was shocked that he could stay be side me from 40 to 90!).
6. 2003 Stock MXZ700 - ummmmmm - ok, it was funny watching him go backwards.
7. Built 2000 MXZ700 - almost ran worst then the stock one did!!
8 - 20 plus - GOBS of smaller sleds that just wanted to race = the T-Cat didnt go away hungry...
At this time (5:45 a.m. on Monday the ?) we are in a GREAT "base producing" thaw with another "arctic blast" coming and the potenitial for a bunch of new snow supposivily on the way. My sled is now down with the "flu" (I think I blew a drive chain in the gear box last night - I came in at 2 a.m and got my wife and three kids to help me pull my sled 200 feet with some bike tiedowns out to the road so I could drag it home with the Van :) :) :) Now I gotta go tear it down and fix it before the snow returns on Wednesday. I have to call "Cart Wheel" (Nephew) and get him in on the T-cat fun cause he is very easly misled and would make an excellent snowmobile riding partner once I get him "corrupted" :) . Ohhhhh, the life of a TRAITOR is a sad one for sure!!!
I dont know about you, but I feel alot better now that I have that all off my chest and everyone now knows that Woodsy has some skeltons in his closet!
Thanks for everything Jeramey!
Woodsy

 

[jackdrinker]

um mm,, cough, cough,::: woodsy, i will gladly take you up on that bet... i have some good ole, liberty twin "cat-nip" for that purring princess, you call a sled...

 

[woodsy]

Sounds like fun Jack - as soon as we get that re-freeze and fresh stuff we will hafta hook up (literally)!! Win/loose or draw the T-Cat welcomes all!! WHat are ya running? Make sure you have plenty of studs - the wholeshot on this T-Cat is unreal!! You have been warned, I mean invited :) :)
Also, I know my way around the Waste Water real good and we have some AWESOME play area's here, LOTS OF FUN!! Bring a friend or 2 and come on over!!
Woodsy

 

[2TrakR]

Originally posted by woodsy

2. Stock 2003 F-7 - Eaten alive!

Ooooh, those F-7s are being bragged right UP over on RSS. We all know there is no replacement for displacement though; especially when it's piloted by open-class powerMaster Woodsy!

 

[jackdrinker]

i run a 2001 xcr800 w/ 192 gold diggers.. limiter straps have been adjusted to keep the front down and just a little clutch magic. i think this may be my last year with a sled. being in se michigan it is just to darn difficult to get seat time. any time there is a vacation the trails are littered with "kids" on 700cc death sleds..

 

[woodsy]

Man aint that the truth!! The real problem with sleds (IMHO) is that ANYONE can sit on it and pull the trigger - unlike bikes where every little developed skill makes all the difference in the world (cuts down on the riffraff). Jack, that is the very reason why I dont trailer my sled to different area's! I have a virtual 5000 acre play area that I basically stay on (off the beaten trail) to put some predictability into how many of those "kids" I run into - I pick and choose who I ride with! My biggest problem is I am a HORSEPOWER ADDICT!! I just cant get enough of ARM RIPPING POWER especially with sleds - guess its a flaw in my charector (sp).. Truthfully, I dont hold on to the sleds to long either!! The T-Cat is for sale (NICE SLED TOO) and the way it usually works around here is that I sort out the problems and then they are gone.. FUN JOB, it just occurd to me how fortunate I am!!
Now about that XCR800.... The T-Cat waiteth :) :) (see pic)
Woodsy

 

[jackdrinker]

awwww, it's so pretty in pink..... it's funny, when i look at your sled the theme from miami vice starts to play in my head.... just foolin with ya pal..
i'll snap some pic's this week. i keep the sled out in romeo in my brothers barn... thats another thing, space. i would so much rather lug a bike around or my gsxr ( on a stand ) than slide that pig around.

 

[woodsy]

I am with you! I, by myself, move my road bike (Royale Venture), my play road bike (Honda chopper), my KX500, my snowblower (2 stage HEAVY SUCKER), even will push one of our cars off the slab from time to time but when it comes to one of these PIG sleds I have to call my ENTIRE family and half the "hood" to move the thing (they help cause I give free rides)!! Think about this one: That "caveman" who invented wheels was really onto something! I thought we (mankind) were suppose to be getting smarter :) :)
Woodsy

 

[Smit-Dog]

Back in the day, we used one of these to move all the sleds around in the garage. Save your back for digging those pigs out of the snow..., well when we get some that is!

 

[jackdrinker]

smit, they have some pretty nice dollys for moving sleds, but, nothing beats the sound of scraping carbide on a cement floor....

 

[woodsy]

Hey, look at that Smitty, its another one of those "caveman" inventions.. Problem is they don't go thru the woods very good to pickup the "ill" Thundercat...
2trackr - what is "RSS"?
Woodsy

 

[2TrakR]

Originally posted by woodsy
2trackr - what is "RSS"?

Rec.Sport.snowmobiles

It's a news group, like RMD (Rec.Motorcycles.Dirt); you'll need a news server and client program (netscape, lookout express, etc). You could always trudge through it via Google.

Here's a typical thread (sorry, DRN don't let freeloaders to ubb code so no url link): <http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&safe=off&threadm=20030319020049.18123.00000236%40mb-fg.aol.com&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DISO-8859-1%26safe%3Doff%26q%3DF-7%2Bradar%26btnG%3DGoogle%2BSearch%26meta%3Dgroup%253Drec.sport.snowmobiles>

 

[CircuitRider]

Interesting stuff for an old man stuck up here in God's Country without a sled... Charlevoix County between Lake Michigan and the Wolverine Trail System)

I should make you the same offer I made Jr. Free long term parking in exchange for an occasional ride.... on your toys

We can ride right out of my garage in downtown East Jordan... the alleys are "one way" in and out of town...

Mike Sr.