bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
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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:
 
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kmccune

2-Strokes forever
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 3, 1999
2,726
1
:cool:
Kevin
 

Michelle

Sponsoring Member
Oct 26, 1999
1,245
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Way to go baby Bbbom. A future contender for the ISDE maybe? lol

I wish she could meet one of the girls I ride with (I guess she's a bit like me, convinces herself she can't do things before she even gets there). I took her & her sister out one day & went ticky-touring, just so she could try a hill she couldn't get up the day before & told her no way was I riding her XR80 up there again. The grin on her face was sooo cool when she made it - but then we had to explain to her dad why we'd gone where we weren't meant to hehehehe (I get the blame for a lot of things lol).

But congratulate her from me on a great ride and thanks for being a proud mom & sharing :)
Michelle
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
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Cool, Lori, your kids are so great. I love hanging out with them whether we are building sand castles in the creek (my bark busters are on their way by the way ;) ) or riding. Whatcha doin' this weekend?
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
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Thanks guys & gals,

Riding with my kids and their friends is one of my favorite ways to spend the day. Seems that they are all willing to try and to help each other (and me ;)). It is great to see them build their confidence.

FC, we have the MX School all day Sunday but we might try to ride Mica in the afternoon Saturday after soccer - probably around noon. Give me a call if you are interested in joining us.
 

SweepRider

Member
Mar 14, 2002
39
0
I love these kid stories. My husband and I are finding out the importance and joy of teaching our kids (12yrs and 8yrs) and watching them grow in this fun family activity.

I have a "proud mom" story to share. My daughter mentioned a few weeks ago that she wrote a poem about her dirt bike during journal time at school. I asked her to recite it for me and she did. It was awesome, especially for an 8-year-old. Then I had a brainstorm. I asked her to rewrite it on a nice sheet of paper and decorate it. When she brought it home, we took it to the frame shop and had it matted and framed, along with a picture of her riding throught the woods on her XR70. SHE had to choose frame and mat color (she had to have "Honda Red", which we found after looking at 50+ shades of "red"!) The best part was when her dad (BadgerMan) unwrapped this wonderful birthday gift. He was so pleased, and she was sooooo proud. She was actually hoping he would hang it in.....the garage, of course, since that's where his YZ250F proudly resides. He talked her into hanging it in the house. So, you just know I have to share the poem, right? (Remember, this is a proud mom story ;)

Here goes (my spelling corrections)

My Dirtbike
by Hannah (Grizzly)

I like to ride at Jack Pine Lodge,
I like to see my bike up in my dad's Dodge.
I tare through the trails happy and fast
I wish the trip would always last.
My brother's is green
Mine's red and white.
You barely see me,
It's quite a site.
The End.
 

Smit-Dog

Mi. Trail Riders
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 28, 2001
4,704
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Tell Hannah that was a great poem! You really know they're hooked when they do stuff like this on their own. I can relate with this little story:

At the start of the school year, Zach (also 8) had to write a short essay about one of his best memories of the summer. He wrote about the day he got his XR-70, how excited he was, and the trail riding he did with his 6-year-old cousin on his XR-50.

Anyway, when we met the teacher in mid-September for an open house, she mentioned that Zach's was not the only Honda XR-70 story that was turned in. Over the summer, we had a few of Zach's friends over, and they took a turn riding the XR-70. Their essay on "Best Summer Memory" was also about riding the XR-70! :thumb:

:aj:


I'll tell Zach that Hannah will be at TF IV.... we're both really looking forward to it!
 

bbbom

~SPONSOR~
Aug 13, 1999
2,094
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Thanks Pegasus - you can't go wrong if you keep em on bikes!!! :thumb:

Great Poem Sweeprider - my kids turn in quite a bit of dirtbike related materials too.

I remember an advertisement in a running magazine one of the guys at work had, it was a kids drawing of the mom running posted on the refrigerator - I had to laugh because I had the same drawing except it was mom standing next to her Honda drawn by my daughter.
 

CRX

Member
Jun 3, 1999
64
0
BBBom -I sure enjoy reading your ride reports with your kids. I had similair experiences with my boys when they were that age. They are both grown men now but they still talk about the times we spent riding when they were kids. Now we are riding with the next generation. My oldest Granddaughter recently moved up to a PW 80 from here PW 50 that she had out grown........CRX
 

KeltWolf

~SPONSOR~
Oct 23, 2002
22
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That is a great story.

Wish I had gotten support like that when I was 12 and wanted to ride. We got my son Marcos a PW 50 when he turned 5. Had taken him the Supercross at Texas Stadium and watched his eyes go HUGE when the pee wee riders came out. Next day he told us the training wheel HAD to come off his bike. He has never stopped. Traded him up to an XR50 this fall and he is doing really good.

I enjoyed riding with him for the first time this weekend. (got a little embarrassed when he kept passing me though)

Keep up the great parenting!
 
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