Ride Report: "post SX ride - WHITE CLOUD, Michigan"

[woodsy]

There is an old Gospel song that goes “if it keeps getting better and better oh Lord, I don’t know what I’m gonna do” and that song is a PERFECT example of my ride experiences this spring!!
Mweissens Sunday “after the SX Cross” ride was NOTHING short of spectacular!! I met 1 NEW DRN friend and 1 VERY special friend from years ago because of this ride…
Mwessien’s ride was last Sunday at the White Cloud MCCCT Trailhead. Key time was at noon and I pulled in about 15 minutes late.. Young Ted was waiting for me in the lot and talking to another rider whom I didn’t know.. INCA (Teds 250 KTM) was sitting at the back of his van with a sign on it (see 1st pic) that read “Kadie’s Nemesis”. I started laughing and got laughing so hard that I almost ran into a lot pole. I jumped out of the van gave Ted a hug and then attempted to “clean his clock” as this was obviously a stunt to put him one up on me in the “DUELING BIKES’ contest.. Needless to say, the clock cleaning turned ugly and I gotted wooped again!!
I didn’t even notice the sign on the end of a big pole he had attached to his van that read “Woodsy’s Delight”.. That Young Ted del Solar is a REAL prankster and I could see that the two days of riding with him that I had ahead of me was going to be INTERESTING!!
I spoke briefly with the other rider there who said he was alone, I asked if he wanted to ride with us and he said sure… Come to find out later, his name was Derek Thiel and he had read here on DRN about our POSTED ride and came out just to ride with us!! WAY COOL DEREK!! Now I see that Derek is no longer just a lurker but has started posting!!!! This is EXACTLY the reason why it is important to post these rides!! MEETING NEW RIDERS is a huge part of the fun!!
Mweissen showed up and brought a friend of his too! Dan Lassa was this person. Later during the day I find out that Dan and I used to race against each other at McDonalds Farm in Rothbury. McDonalds has been closed for YEARS but the memories Dan and I shared transcended the DECADES of time and it was just like we were kids again (I don’t think the other guys were as impressed with our WAR stories as we were but hey – everyone knows, get Woodsy hootin and it may be dark before you get home!!). This second shot is of the “Weissen’s Riders” (except me) before we head out left to right are Young Ted, Dan Lassa, Mwessien and Derek Thiel – Ted’s sign is seen in the background!

 

[woodsy]

There was a small discussion about Judge Weissen and a necessary decision that we needed about this DUELING BIKE issue. I didn’t like his idea at all about getting Kadie muddy, so I got mad and kicked his loaner bike over (that was SOOO nice of you to loan that to Dan) and then poured a quart of oil into the tank of Marks KTM – this 1st pic is one of how much a bike will smoke with “Woodsy Mix” in it..
That solved, we headed out on the MCCCT going North on a BEAUTIFUL Sunday morning. This trail is known for its AWESOME berms, HUGE sand whoop section and back woods black mud! It gave all of us the opportunity to experience all of this and MORE!! We rode all the way up to 11 mile Road on a DUST FREE trail – it don’t get no better then that! I was able to sneak a little distance on the guys and snapped a shot of each of them coming over a root hill. 2nd pic here is of Mweissen on his KTM demonstrating "root skills" beyond belief..

 

[woodsy]

First here is of Young Ted and INCA taking the hill in stride followed by Derek on his YZ250 – both of these guys are teaching that root some respect!

 

[woodsy]

First here is of Dan, many years of not biking has NOT affected this riders ability in the least!!
We continued North and grabbed a much deserved rest at the “South Loop Crossing”. Young Ted started his nonsense with me about “Father Nelson” stuff! I threatened him bodily harm and He demonstrated his “rolling on the ground with laughter” for us – 2nd pic.

 

[woodsy]

He then got up and proceeded to demonstrate for me his excellence in boxing and proved to me that this 76 year young man was no one to fool with – 1st pic!! Sheesh Ted, take it easy will ya, I GIVE, I mean UNCLE already!!! Where on earth does he get all the energy???? After I gathered my senses, we continued the ride North. The Trail exiting onto Comstock Rd was still under water and our Leader – Mweissen did his best to drowned all of us – kinda like a coon does to a dog in pursuit.. It didn’t work because by the time we got to trails end at 11 mile road we were all still there!! Here is pic of all of us at the end of “bikes without plates” trail..

 

[woodsy]

At the end of the ride, Judge Weissen decided that INCA and KADIE were both winners in his eyes and that Young Ted and I were OK too – we settled our differences (at least I thought we did, but the following day I found out that Ted was still haboring some resentment) and we “DUELING BIKERS” went away as friends to ride again the next day – 1st pic. Dan wrote me and told me how much fun he had with all of us. He said that it was the most fun that he had had in a LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG time and that he was VERY grateful to have a friend like Mweissen – I am too!! Here is a final pic of the two of them.. I am going to have to get a closeup of Derek on our next outing – DEREK, Woodsy owes you one!!!

 

[MWEISSEN]

Woodsy, those trial stories don't get any better than this. Thanks very much! With this being my last ride for awhile, while I go through the "doctor scan/poke/puke/stab/prod" routine, these are the memories that will help me through all that. I'm trying to look forward to the other side of all that into May.

I know you're using this extra ride time to gather strength, courage and memories for a similar time, my prayer will be with YOU as well through it all.

And just because I'm feeling sentimenal "Judge MWEISSEN", in his last official act (yes, I'm stepping down, the pressure is just too much) hereby UNDISQUALIFIES Smit-Dog for any future Dueling Bikes competitions. Those new KTM 200's are just too purdy!!

I hope to see you all in May, hopefully at the Rites of Spring!

 

[Smit-Dog]

Another great installment guys.... and another missed ride that I can't get back.

Mark - Best of luck through your pokin' and proddin' tests. You're fortunate to have some riding in already - those trail memory flashbacks will get you through a lot. And I will be expecting to ride with you at ROS!

 

[INCA]

Timers Moments
As we were getting ready to start out, Derek told us to go ahead as his carb was leaking and he would catch up later. Since you don’t abandon your wing man, Dan was soon helping him remove the bowl and solve the problem. A warm up check and it was look out trails, here we come. To my knowledge they had not met before, and were working together so we could enjoy the day. That is what riding in the dirt is all about. At the turn around point we were in a circle of Woodsy, Derek, Mark, Dan and myself. We were simply enjoying the peace, quiet and serenity of the moment. Then the Master Story Teller started to recount our first meeting. He was doing fine until he mentioned how I had corrected him on my age last August. I butted in and told him he was in error for I was now 76. When asked how long, I threw out 10 hours and that is how the cat got out of the bag. There isn’t any physical evidence of the moment but in my mind there is a picture I’ll not forget. Happy Birthday broke out in song. To those who would like to see us stay out of the public lands, I ask, who has the right to take away these pleasures in life?

 

[dnrtheil]

Finally made it back to the board. Have had a busy week making signs and doing housework, family is showing up Sunday and I have a bathroom to paint. Have not had a chance to look over the bike to find the problem with the throttle sticking open, hope to ride the weekend after Easter, so next week I'll have to fix the bike. No need for a close-up photo Woodsy, just glad a photo of me showed up on my first ride with you. :)

Everybody have a Happy Easter…

Derek

 

[woodsy]

I am glad the pics came out too! Have a GREAT Easter with the family Derek!!
Woodsy