I got invited to this event last year and bailed the morning of because of snow... I only had a trials tire ready and they are not great in snow. I got called out at the end of the video for wimping out so I vowed to make it this year if the offer was extended again. Last years video... I broke my femur a week later and figured riding at that level again was out of the question. Fast forward to summer, I am all healed up and back to riding weekly feeling better and better each time I get on the bike. Still some hesitance though, it seemed the big crash was a tough thing to get over mentally. Last Wednesday the 12th was my 1 year anniversary of me second surgery and my checkup with the orthopedic surgeon. He said everything is looking great. Fast forward again I got a text extending the invitation to this years ride, I had not ridden in a month. My TXC needs a new rod bearing, WR250f is torn apart getting a new top end and intake valve. 125 it is! The 125 needs new tires and the weather report had no snow in the forecast. I put 2 quick rides in the weekend before and felt awesome on the bike, best I had felt sense before my crash. So I tossed my name in the hat for this ride and went about prepping the 125 for the inevitable gnarly ride. I had the shop mount on a new Motoz front I had sitting on the shelf for a year and a half, and a used trials they gave me. Freshly greased linkage, clean air filter, new grips, elephant ears. Ready to roll on Thursday... Friday morning woke up to reports of snow above 1k feet, crap, trials tires hate snow. So I spooned on the matching rear 19" Motoz to my spare wheel and mounted it up. Loaded the bike and gear and headed to work. Off work at midnight in bed by 1, up and ready to roll at 5:50am. 5 hours of sleep will have to do. On the road at 6:15 we find this at 1500 feet elevation. While I am here I was getting texts from Kelly asking if we were still heading West because he saw snow on the web cams and they were changing plans and heading east to where it was dry... I tried responding but nothing would send. The cast of nutballs for this crazy ride... Reid Brown KTM250/300, Oregon AA off road, 2012 ISDE Germany silver medalist and mastermind to this insanity. Joey Lancaster CRF450x, Local Pro MX rider, 2010 Baja 1000 Podium finisher. Don Matheney KX450f Oregon AA off road Alex Brezai Ktm250/300 Oregon AA off road Dave White Ktm250/300 Oregon Vet AA off road Russ Manning Ktm250/300 Oregon Vet Expert off road (Scared of guy with camera, but not gnarly hill climbs) Scott Autry Ktm250/300 Oregon Vet Expert off road Peter Dahl Ktm250/300 Washington Open Expert off road I forgot to get before photos of the northern Washington guys, because they parked like a mile away... Anthonee Gibbs XR650R, Washington AA off road Eric Giese YZ250 Washington AA off road Monte McGrath Ktm350 Washington AA off road And myself Husky CR125... Washington Camera guy To be continued... Later,
The ride started off entertaining, before we left the parking lot the XR650R wouldn't start so they tow started it. It was 33 degrees and snowing, so the bike really had the right idea. We were in the ever deepening snow pretty quick. It does make some pretty pictures though. Joey knows what to do when the camera comes out. This fender would not be protecting Daves goggles for much longer... This one would suffer the same fate... The unfortunate part of living around a bunch of trees... The tires are about 2 feet off the ground but I couldn't get back far enough. Peter styling in the snow... By the middle of the ride even dropping down in elevation did not get us out of the snow. At this point we lost two riders, Russ and Scott, Russ had hit his head pretty hard earlier in the ride going under a tree. They had had enough and headed back. There was lots of laughing and goofing around despite the less than ideal conditions. This is at the top of a trail called Bungee Jump, it lives up to its name. I had been down it twice before, only rode the whole thing once bulldogged the other time. I bulldogged part of it this time, only one of the 10 remaining riders rode the whole thing. Those that watched said it was a miracle that he made it without crashing. There is video somewhere I think, I will post it when I see it. One fender down one to go... Joey plays a mad sideways snow air guitar... and the 12va number plate met its maker minutes later. Monte styles for the camera before dropping off the bungee platform. This is the top section of Bungee, Dave made it down about 6 feet clipped the stump, grabbed the front brake in the snow and flipped over the bars. He landed on the trail and the bike decided to flip end over end another couple times ending up about 40' off the trail. It was not fun to watch. From up here went off to the right of the picture... Landed down here... His number plate is now a warning for those who want to give it a shot. More tomorrow, time to get ready for work. Later,
I love how people leave plastic all over The Burn marking areas. Fun place. You guys are ridiculous for doing bungee in the snow. Goofballs. Jason asked me the day before if I was going on that ride I said a loud "Hell No"
I had these three screws sitting around that I was gonna use to hang my new TV. Has anybody seen them? I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere....
Great pics. Days like that when everyone can meet up and WANT to ride in the not so "perfect" conditions are some of the best rides and most memorable adventures.
You guys are some hard-a$$ riders! ... And another very good example of what the PNW is about ... And another member to the "Over the Mountainside' club ... PS -- I'm surprised MotoSportz did not want any of that action ...
