Like Fred started saying - what a beautiful day to be on the bikes!
Pulled into the Peacock parking lot and there was my "cyber" riding bud,Fredt, waiting with a smile on his face! Nice bike Fred!
A few handshakes exchanged and Fred was one of us (isnt it amazing how fast we adapt when we are IN our environment?)
I noticed right away that attendance was down from last year (I think we had about 50 for this one) and found out right away why. I suspect that some of we dirt riders are also snowmobilers and those missing Chicken riders were probably on their sleds for a last minute ride!
After sign up, ten of us (that was our group size) consisting of 9 bikes and one quad headed off into oblivion. Right at the beginning I thought we were in for some SERIOUS single trackin! The ground leading out was firm, caught a few whoops (even doubled a couple) and instantly remembered what we had been missing :)! We come to the first intersection of the single trail and our leader (Joe) checked snow depth - WHOA, deep!
Continued up the double wide highway at a fairly good pace and found some of those missing Chicken riders I mentioned earlier (sleds). Close encounters of the two way traffic kind!
Stopped and checked another single trail junction. Man that deep snow is soft when you fall in it! We made few "snow angels". Mine came out looking like a blotch because when I went over the bars I curled up.
We found out that NO bike, 2 or 4 stroke, likes really deep snow!
At about the halfway point of the Manistee loop we had stopped and I decided to see if I could pull a Ryan Young and Wheelie right off from a "dead stop, feet up, on glare ice position". I looped out and played dead bug in the trail. I picked up the pieces and continued on trying to catch up with Fred and the boys...
We tried another single section with no success, so we continued down the double.
We had gone about 5 miles from my "loop out", and I had just came down off a highspeed wheelie and I noticed my bike felt funny. My right hand seemed like it was not in sync with my left. Looked down and noticed that my handlebar had severed right at the clamps! NOT GOOD!
I have finished rides with everything from flat tires to using vise grips for a shifter but there was NO way out of this one. I was DNF!
I went back and waited the remainder of the ride (about 1 1/2 hours) for the "pack" to return. Of course, being at a bike shop with a snack table full of munchies and drinks isnt really a bad way to blow a couple hours!
I found out from Fred and the guys that I didnt miss much. They never did find that elusive rideable single section. I heard (actually I saw cause one of our guys has a new helmet cam) that the last 1/2 mile was SNOWINOBO (I just made that one up - "snow-with-no-bottom". And that lots of folks either fell or got stuck!!
Well, we didnt get to ride the single trail but we went ahead and had fun anyway! We all went out for dinner afterwards and called it a day!
Here is what I learned from the Chicken this year.
East siders are no different from we "westerners" except they stand ALL the time EVEN ON DOUBLE WIDE ICE TRAILS (I agree with Larry on that one Fred - I am top heavy too!)
Aluminum bars will break.
It is strange turning your throttle with the throttle not attached to something.
2 strokes are lighter then 4 strokes (I already knew that one but I got reminded of it again).
You can still find LOTS of snow in Michigan if you want to.
I am also changing my favorite saying from "spring is coming" to "dirt is coming". After all, that is we REALLY want!
Soon to do it again!
Woodsy
Pulled into the Peacock parking lot and there was my "cyber" riding bud,Fredt, waiting with a smile on his face! Nice bike Fred!
A few handshakes exchanged and Fred was one of us (isnt it amazing how fast we adapt when we are IN our environment?)
I noticed right away that attendance was down from last year (I think we had about 50 for this one) and found out right away why. I suspect that some of we dirt riders are also snowmobilers and those missing Chicken riders were probably on their sleds for a last minute ride!
After sign up, ten of us (that was our group size) consisting of 9 bikes and one quad headed off into oblivion. Right at the beginning I thought we were in for some SERIOUS single trackin! The ground leading out was firm, caught a few whoops (even doubled a couple) and instantly remembered what we had been missing :)! We come to the first intersection of the single trail and our leader (Joe) checked snow depth - WHOA, deep!
Continued up the double wide highway at a fairly good pace and found some of those missing Chicken riders I mentioned earlier (sleds). Close encounters of the two way traffic kind!
Stopped and checked another single trail junction. Man that deep snow is soft when you fall in it! We made few "snow angels". Mine came out looking like a blotch because when I went over the bars I curled up.
We found out that NO bike, 2 or 4 stroke, likes really deep snow!
At about the halfway point of the Manistee loop we had stopped and I decided to see if I could pull a Ryan Young and Wheelie right off from a "dead stop, feet up, on glare ice position". I looped out and played dead bug in the trail. I picked up the pieces and continued on trying to catch up with Fred and the boys...
We tried another single section with no success, so we continued down the double.
We had gone about 5 miles from my "loop out", and I had just came down off a highspeed wheelie and I noticed my bike felt funny. My right hand seemed like it was not in sync with my left. Looked down and noticed that my handlebar had severed right at the clamps! NOT GOOD!
I have finished rides with everything from flat tires to using vise grips for a shifter but there was NO way out of this one. I was DNF!
I went back and waited the remainder of the ride (about 1 1/2 hours) for the "pack" to return. Of course, being at a bike shop with a snack table full of munchies and drinks isnt really a bad way to blow a couple hours!
I found out from Fred and the guys that I didnt miss much. They never did find that elusive rideable single section. I heard (actually I saw cause one of our guys has a new helmet cam) that the last 1/2 mile was SNOWINOBO (I just made that one up - "snow-with-no-bottom". And that lots of folks either fell or got stuck!!
Well, we didnt get to ride the single trail but we went ahead and had fun anyway! We all went out for dinner afterwards and called it a day!
Here is what I learned from the Chicken this year.
East siders are no different from we "westerners" except they stand ALL the time EVEN ON DOUBLE WIDE ICE TRAILS (I agree with Larry on that one Fred - I am top heavy too!)
Aluminum bars will break.
It is strange turning your throttle with the throttle not attached to something.
2 strokes are lighter then 4 strokes (I already knew that one but I got reminded of it again).
You can still find LOTS of snow in Michigan if you want to.
I am also changing my favorite saying from "spring is coming" to "dirt is coming". After all, that is we REALLY want!
Soon to do it again!
Woodsy