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- Aug 13, 1999
- 2,092
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Driving down the road one evening last week, my daughter inquired about the big white ball on top of our mountain - the Radar Dome. I explained to her that it was a building that housed radar equipment in the past and satellite equipment now. She said she wanted to ride up there since she has heard that we frequently ride up to the Dome and take a break on our various local rides.
Allright I told her but, there are a couple fairly difficult sections of trail to get through and her brother and I would have to help her. It just so happened that one of my son's little friends was staying for the weekend (he wanted to ride with us too). So, Saturday afternoon, we all geared up and headed out on my daughter's (and my son's little friend's) first trip to the Dome.
Randi was doing much better with the clutch on the MR50 (wish they still made these little bikes - the clutch is soooooo important to learn). We made it up to the top of the Powerline with ease, she's quite the pro at this hillclimb on her MR now. Took a break and prepared for The Bog Trail.
The Bog is a trail that we found in order to bypass some land that we have been told to stay off of - you know those darn dirtbike trails cause so much erosion where the clearcut with a skidder does none. :think:
Anyways, in order to keep the peace and not get shot or chased with chainsaws anymore, we found The Bog Trail which is basically a muddy trail that turns into a fairly steep, very long hill with a nice S turn through 2 trees just at the steepest part - the top. Very few have made The Bog on their first attempt. Once you get the line figured out it really isn't too bad but for some reason we have all had to take more than one attempt at this little section quite often.
I pull up to my little one who is stuck in the muddy rut on her little bike. The boys are already up past the top of The Bog and peeling off helmets to come help the little sister - such good boys. I pulled her bike out of the rut and pushed it up a little further to where the rut isn't deeper than her footpegs. Then I give her the instructions - ride until you have to stop, the boys are at the trouble sections and will help you. I will go get my bike and be there as quick as I can. She nods and takes off dumping the clutch like a wild woman. :)
I run back to my bike, fire it up and head off. Up the first steep section, no kid, up the second steep section, no kid, up to the tough S turn and just the boys, pop out on top & there she is, sitting on her bike with a huge GRIN! I stopped next to her and asked "Did you make it all by yourself?" "Yes," she calmly replied with a huge smile. "Dang girl, your old mommy didn't even make The Bog on her first try!" She just grinned ear to ear and said "Can we go now!?" Yes, go, GO!!!
Off she went with the boys and I behind her. Only one more tough section was between her and the Dome now. The boys caught up and went on by, stopping at each intersection. We came to the next steep rutted section and I walked up to the trouble spot where the hill is steepest and makes an S turn past a rut - just in case - no need, she flew past me like I didn't exist and this is another section that has made me take more than one attempt before too!
Back to my bike and off I go to catch up. She was doing great up the long rocky section except when she bounced a little too much and stalled in the middle of a steep spot with loose rocks and sand.
The boys came back down and I had my son's friend (same age but quite a bit smaller) take the MR up through the rocky sandy steep section. She trudged up the hill, we got the other bikes up to her's and took a snack break.
Everyone was ready to go again so off we went on up the hill, to the road and finally up to The Dome. We hung out & took some pictures then headed back DOWN!
My little girl has been put off by downhills, especially with rocky sandy areas that cause her to slide the rear tire. I told her to just use the brakes as little as possible but to stop completely if she was scared. She didn't stop until we got to the bottom and the best part was she really didn't slide the rear much at all!
Woohoo, off we went. I helped her down the steepest part of The Bog since the turn is tricky with the trees in tight but she did great.
It was really fun to see her tackle some tough trail and the boys were sooooo helpful. My son's little friend did fantastic on our 96KX60, especially considering that his bike is an XR70 without a clutch and he hadn't been on many real trails before.
They rode bikes around the place until it got dark and I had to stop them. Sunday they rode around again of course, while I worked on projects at the house. My daughter took the KX60 for a spin and I think I've convinced her that she can handle it - next year she will be moving up!!! :thumb:
Allright I told her but, there are a couple fairly difficult sections of trail to get through and her brother and I would have to help her. It just so happened that one of my son's little friends was staying for the weekend (he wanted to ride with us too). So, Saturday afternoon, we all geared up and headed out on my daughter's (and my son's little friend's) first trip to the Dome.
Randi was doing much better with the clutch on the MR50 (wish they still made these little bikes - the clutch is soooooo important to learn). We made it up to the top of the Powerline with ease, she's quite the pro at this hillclimb on her MR now. Took a break and prepared for The Bog Trail.
The Bog is a trail that we found in order to bypass some land that we have been told to stay off of - you know those darn dirtbike trails cause so much erosion where the clearcut with a skidder does none. :think:
Anyways, in order to keep the peace and not get shot or chased with chainsaws anymore, we found The Bog Trail which is basically a muddy trail that turns into a fairly steep, very long hill with a nice S turn through 2 trees just at the steepest part - the top. Very few have made The Bog on their first attempt. Once you get the line figured out it really isn't too bad but for some reason we have all had to take more than one attempt at this little section quite often.
I pull up to my little one who is stuck in the muddy rut on her little bike. The boys are already up past the top of The Bog and peeling off helmets to come help the little sister - such good boys. I pulled her bike out of the rut and pushed it up a little further to where the rut isn't deeper than her footpegs. Then I give her the instructions - ride until you have to stop, the boys are at the trouble sections and will help you. I will go get my bike and be there as quick as I can. She nods and takes off dumping the clutch like a wild woman. :)
I run back to my bike, fire it up and head off. Up the first steep section, no kid, up the second steep section, no kid, up to the tough S turn and just the boys, pop out on top & there she is, sitting on her bike with a huge GRIN! I stopped next to her and asked "Did you make it all by yourself?" "Yes," she calmly replied with a huge smile. "Dang girl, your old mommy didn't even make The Bog on her first try!" She just grinned ear to ear and said "Can we go now!?" Yes, go, GO!!!
Off she went with the boys and I behind her. Only one more tough section was between her and the Dome now. The boys caught up and went on by, stopping at each intersection. We came to the next steep rutted section and I walked up to the trouble spot where the hill is steepest and makes an S turn past a rut - just in case - no need, she flew past me like I didn't exist and this is another section that has made me take more than one attempt before too!
Back to my bike and off I go to catch up. She was doing great up the long rocky section except when she bounced a little too much and stalled in the middle of a steep spot with loose rocks and sand.
The boys came back down and I had my son's friend (same age but quite a bit smaller) take the MR up through the rocky sandy steep section. She trudged up the hill, we got the other bikes up to her's and took a snack break.
Everyone was ready to go again so off we went on up the hill, to the road and finally up to The Dome. We hung out & took some pictures then headed back DOWN!
My little girl has been put off by downhills, especially with rocky sandy areas that cause her to slide the rear tire. I told her to just use the brakes as little as possible but to stop completely if she was scared. She didn't stop until we got to the bottom and the best part was she really didn't slide the rear much at all!
Woohoo, off we went. I helped her down the steepest part of The Bog since the turn is tricky with the trees in tight but she did great.
It was really fun to see her tackle some tough trail and the boys were sooooo helpful. My son's little friend did fantastic on our 96KX60, especially considering that his bike is an XR70 without a clutch and he hadn't been on many real trails before.
They rode bikes around the place until it got dark and I had to stop them. Sunday they rode around again of course, while I worked on projects at the house. My daughter took the KX60 for a spin and I think I've convinced her that she can handle it - next year she will be moving up!!! :thumb:
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