Rooster rides the river

[Rooster]

Out of lack of better things to do on a friday afternoon, I decided to run the river trail, which is only about ten miles total length, all diversions included. Not a ride i take very often, as it's mostly on the flood plane, no hills and only a couple actual river crossings. It was about 93 degrees, and humid as it gets in Iowa, so the heat index was up around 110F. Nobody had been on the trail for some time, and it was almost completely grown over, but I know the route by heart, and this didn't bother me. In the back of my head, I was kinda curious as to why nobody had been on the trail, as the quadders usually have it well worn. I got my answer about 1 mile in. The area had flooded some 4 weeks earlier, and flood=logs all over the place. I found a nice log!! Endo. Up and over I went, the log was in the weeds and I never even saw it. This was no problem, I jumped back up, picked up my bike, grabbed the start lever, and hit the magic button................and ran out of battery in a matter of seconds. (Still don't know why the battery died) Okay, we'll sit here for a minute, and then commence kicking.....NOT!! I was immediately engulfed in a swarm of mosquitos that made Custers last stand look like a third grade snowball fight. I kicked myself into a mild frenzy, dripping with sweat and starting to have flashbacks of the heat down in St. Joe state park with Eddie and Lou over the weekend of July 4. The bike finally caught and off I went, WFO towards a grassy opening to get away form the blood sucking denizens of the Skunk River. Now, mind you, the whole log thing is a distant memory at this time as I have begun to focus on the bajillion skeeter bites, West Nile and getting back to where I had unloaded. Have you guessed it? Yes, I hit that same dang log.....again....and up and over I went. And the bike died, and the battery was, of course, still dead, but I was fortunate enough to get the thing started before I got dizzy from the blood loss to the second wave of attacking skeeters. Back to the pickup I went, loaded up and went in search of some liquid pain killer.

AmI stooooopid or what? LOL

 

[WaltCMoto]

I dont know wether to laugh with you or at you. :laugh: Weve all had a trip thats gone bust. I imagine the frustration gets pretty maxed out in the "swamp"
Someday you will look back and laugh.

 

[tdjok]

Enjoyed your ride report. Glad you and the bike were not too abused by the log. Reading your report put a smile on my face after an otherwise typical Monday. Better luck next time.

So long from Oklahoma.

 

[Rooster]

I was laughing about it before I even made it back home. :laugh: I tend to have a pretty good sense of humor when it comes to my stoooopid moves. So, laugh at me, or with me, I don't mind, cause it's all good. :confused:

 

[MrLuckey]

Heck I was THIS close to feeling sorry for you buddy...but since it's ok to laugh :laugh:

 

[GETMETOCA]

Rooster, that was hilarious!!! :)   You poor thing.

 

[Layton]

Hey Rooster,

Good ride report. :)

Don't forget the MN trail ride is coming up the weekend after Labor Day. Maybe you can make it this time.;)

 

[AnneBrooks]

Too funny, Rooster! I can just see you out there!! Just when you NEED that damn magic button, it's not going to help you....;)

 

[placelast]

Good report! Give us more.

There's a spot on the back side of Fraser Mountain in the SoCa forest; every time I approach it in my mind I say "I'm gonna fall again", and sure enough I do. It's not difficult at all; just an off-camber section, but it never fails to amaze me, wet or dry, on every bike I've owned, either the front or back washes out.

And don't give me that "posative/negative" thinking bahooney - if that were true my paycheck would be six digits by now, and I'd have a new bike every year!

 

[Rooster]

LOL, at six digits, I'd have a new bike every three months! :eek:

 

[placelast]

Oh, here's one resembling Rooster's:

A friend led the way across the carburetor-deep river at Stonyford; about half way thru he bumps a rock, and puts his left boot down to maintain balance - it fills with water for the morning loop. Then later in the morning on our way back to camp we cross again, and - you guessed it - he does the same thing, only with the other boot.