Seeing that I can’t do any riding for a while, it looks like you will all have to put up with me posting about my kid’s rides!
About 4 years ago Mitch and I started doing an annual “birthday ride” in celebration of his birthday each year. Given my busted bones issue I was concerned I might be the cause of a break in our tradition. As much as I wanted to, me riding was not an option. A quick phone call to my buddy BJ explaining the situation, and I had a Surrogate Trail Dad to make sure Mitch got his ride in! Mitch lined up Comrade Mikhail to join us, and of course KDX Mark would come along. Never one to give up on participating in a ride, I decided I could run gas, munchies (man these kids can eat!), and snap pics from the relative comfort of our Jeep, meeting up with them at various road, two track and ORV route crossings.
We all met up off County Road 624 (Woodsy – you know that road – next time turn right to go west!). Plan was to ride the Atlanta C loop. In order to get the bikes and quad out there, we had to drop off the truck and trailer first with Sheila following to get me back home so I could then drive the Jeep out. As the boys and I headed back to the truck, it occurred to me that if BJ or Mikhail arrived before we got back, they would likely wonder why our truck and trailer was there – with no sign of us. Sure as shootin, there was BJ with his big 525 warming up, assuming we had left without him! Soon Mikhail arrived. A few minutes of addressing some messed up (you will enjoy this Fred) radiator mounts on BJ’s 525 (zip ties to the rescue once again!), and we were off.
Well, sorta…picture this – a 5 speed Jeep with a slightly balky tranny, a right hand that could not grip a stick shift, or if I tried it would hurt like hell, bombing along sandy two tracks trying to beat the riders to the next trail crossing! Did you know you can actually shift with your left hand if you lean to the right far enough? By the end of the day I was getting pretty smooth with it!
I can’t say much about how the actual riding went – but I sure had fun racing them to the crossings. I would slam the Jeep to a stop, run down the trail a ways, snap some pics, run back to the Jeep, struggle to get the key in the ignition and turn it (again – no dice right handed – similar technique to shifting though – lean right, use left hand) struggle to get seat belt on, grab the map to decide how to get to the next crossing, rip onto the next crossing. I did pretty well keeping up with them – a few spots arriving at exactly the same time!
It seemed everyone had a great ride. Lots of smiles from everyone, even the Surrogate Trail Dad BJ! A couple of minor get offs for Mark and Mikhail – nothing major though. When I would see them, the boys all seemed to be setting some decent paces. The weather cooperated – no rain, and very comfortable riding temps. Mikhail got to do his first trail ride since getting first gear working on his YZ and is doing an outstanding job in his first season of riding. Mitch got his birthday ride in (happy 15th kido!), and I at least got to participate – perhaps not how I would have preferred to, but it was fun in its own, at times laughable way!
Some pics to follow
About 4 years ago Mitch and I started doing an annual “birthday ride” in celebration of his birthday each year. Given my busted bones issue I was concerned I might be the cause of a break in our tradition. As much as I wanted to, me riding was not an option. A quick phone call to my buddy BJ explaining the situation, and I had a Surrogate Trail Dad to make sure Mitch got his ride in! Mitch lined up Comrade Mikhail to join us, and of course KDX Mark would come along. Never one to give up on participating in a ride, I decided I could run gas, munchies (man these kids can eat!), and snap pics from the relative comfort of our Jeep, meeting up with them at various road, two track and ORV route crossings.
We all met up off County Road 624 (Woodsy – you know that road – next time turn right to go west!). Plan was to ride the Atlanta C loop. In order to get the bikes and quad out there, we had to drop off the truck and trailer first with Sheila following to get me back home so I could then drive the Jeep out. As the boys and I headed back to the truck, it occurred to me that if BJ or Mikhail arrived before we got back, they would likely wonder why our truck and trailer was there – with no sign of us. Sure as shootin, there was BJ with his big 525 warming up, assuming we had left without him! Soon Mikhail arrived. A few minutes of addressing some messed up (you will enjoy this Fred) radiator mounts on BJ’s 525 (zip ties to the rescue once again!), and we were off.
Well, sorta…picture this – a 5 speed Jeep with a slightly balky tranny, a right hand that could not grip a stick shift, or if I tried it would hurt like hell, bombing along sandy two tracks trying to beat the riders to the next trail crossing! Did you know you can actually shift with your left hand if you lean to the right far enough? By the end of the day I was getting pretty smooth with it!
I can’t say much about how the actual riding went – but I sure had fun racing them to the crossings. I would slam the Jeep to a stop, run down the trail a ways, snap some pics, run back to the Jeep, struggle to get the key in the ignition and turn it (again – no dice right handed – similar technique to shifting though – lean right, use left hand) struggle to get seat belt on, grab the map to decide how to get to the next crossing, rip onto the next crossing. I did pretty well keeping up with them – a few spots arriving at exactly the same time!
It seemed everyone had a great ride. Lots of smiles from everyone, even the Surrogate Trail Dad BJ! A couple of minor get offs for Mark and Mikhail – nothing major though. When I would see them, the boys all seemed to be setting some decent paces. The weather cooperated – no rain, and very comfortable riding temps. Mikhail got to do his first trail ride since getting first gear working on his YZ and is doing an outstanding job in his first season of riding. Mitch got his birthday ride in (happy 15th kido!), and I at least got to participate – perhaps not how I would have preferred to, but it was fun in its own, at times laughable way!
Some pics to follow
