Thumpitythumpity

Hello, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.
I'm Thumpitythumpity, mainly because I've been riding 4 strokes offroad for more than 30 years.
I started out trail riding on Matchless, Goldstar, and Benelli bikes.
I started jumping a Benelli at county fairs and dirt track (automobile) races, about 40 years ago.
I've competed in flat track, cross country, motocross, and hill climbs.
When I started riding cross country and motocross 4 inches of shock travel was considered standard.
Long travel bikes were becoming popular about time I was becoming too old to be competitive.
I've raced against guys like Hiekki Mikola (you can bet I spelled that wrong) Bob Hannah, Chuck Sun, and Dave Pelton. I chased Johnny Ransom in the national points my last year of racing.
These days I ride a Suzuki DR250, and enjoy roosting my granddaughters, when I get the chance...they are all hotshoes, so I have to work it like a newboy to get a chance, still, grampa does get to show em a thing or two every now and then.
I have a vice. My vice is that I love putting the first track up the side of a hill. To be sure there are many good riders, and some great ones here in the Ozarks, but there are still unmarked rises...I like to check back on my tougher climbs to see how long it takes before there is another track up it.
Sometimes I can be seen on my old Bultaco It has about 9 inches of shock travel, I bought it the last year I raced motocross because even though they let us run slightly bigger engines, at that time 4 strokes just were not competitive....at least not with me on them...just too much weight in the top.
I wish the freestyle bikes had existed when I was young, it looks like a hell of a lot of fun to do a backflip (on purpose).
I doubt I'll be able to be of much help for guys looking for the fast way to get around the track now-a-days, but I think one old rule still applies...when in doubt...GAS IT!

Thanks for the welcom Ellandoh!
The reason we 4 stroke riders used to have to gas it so hard in the air was to keep the front wheel high, if you ungassed it you had to be REAL good at landing on the front wheel.
I can't get over how light bikes have gotten over the years, and to make it even sweeter, the featherweight frames are even stronger than the old stuff.
I had a bike I called ThunderPig once, it handled like a hog on rollerskates...on ice...in a crosswind...drunk.
It had a Honda XL engine with a Norris TT valve set, and Venolia built me a nice 12:1 piston, Al Baker personally built the front end, FMF built the swingarm (I think it was about the second swingarm they ever built), We used the lightest plastic fenders and panels we could find/build. I even had a corporate sponsor...Koni, so of course we ran their remote reservoir nitrogen shocks. It was trick...to say the least. It must have weighed about half a ton.
I raced motocross in the open expert class with it one season then took it to the Barstow to Vegas race.
I broke it in half. I'm not exactly sure WHERE it broke first, but I do remember thinking it was developing a decidedly chopper like rake to the front end just before the big endo.
A pickup crew found me sitting by the side of the trail marveling at the fact I didn't even get bruised.
They loaded the pieces of motorcycle up and took me back to the start area.
The guy asked me where I wanted them to unload the motorcycle(parts).
My answer?
Your house.
I hope somebody got some use out of it.
It would have made a great boat anchor, but of course we were in the desert.
I hear ya Crazy4Nitro! I noticed that a lot of very knowledgeable and helpful types were here, so I figured I'd jump in. Thanks for tha howdy!

Hi Tony!
I used to get all over the USA when I was racing.
I'm a Texas native, but I've retired to Arkansas.
I will probably be out in California some this summer. I have a friend who lives up in the redwoods and we enjoy riding till we need the GPS to find our way out.
Thanks for the welcome!

Yup!
I ride a DS just about everywhere nowdays, I'm sold on the concept...five of us made a trip from Ft Worth out to Bachelor's Pass Colorado on DS bikes, the biggest bike on the trip being a 500 Honda...it was great fun.
Man, Big Bend is killer! You can go every weekend and still not cover it all.
Have you ever been out to the Flying P Motorcycle Ranch out by Weatherford?
The owners are really nice folks and there is just about every kind of terrain you could wish for (except for monster hills). We used to pack up a weekends worth of food and drink, load up the bikes, kids, and wives, and have a blast out there.
I haven't been to the Flying P for years, but if it's still open to the public it's well worth checking out.
When the dates are set I'll make room for DirtWeek, sounds like a gas!

Man it's for sure we've at least been on the same trails!
Sorry to hear the Popes closed the ranch down...I guess they were getting up in age...I only knew the older gent and his wife...never knew if they had kids coming up to run it or not, but those were great folks.
I guess today liability issues would keep folks from being able to offer such a neat riding place.
Texas has some of the best places to ride that I know of, but the hills and trails here in Arkansas are everywhere. I can jump on the electric company right of way here and ride well into Mo..
I'm looking forward to reading those ride reports!
You write very, very well...I'm inclined to believe that you do so professionally, if not you should.
I used to ride with a wild bunch from White Settlement and the west side of Cow City!
We had a house right off Jacksboro Highway.
I used to ride the trinity bottoms to and from work every day
Those were great days...had the business suit hanging up at the office...new people always stared in amazement when I'd come in wearing leathers, walk into my office and come back out looking like Mr. Businessman.