Northwest Fall Gathering Round 2 - China Hat / Bend Oregon Oct 2011

My understanding is that we will see them when we see them. They have every intention of having people there, but really cant promise how many, who, what they will bring etc. We are going to ride and whatever they add is icing on the cake (birthday cake that is).

I really don't want to bug them until after the dealers meeting which will be quite soon..

I, too, ride my SM in the dirt all the time with streety tires...but I wouldn't want to do it at China Hat. It's pretty sandy (decomposed granite, maybe?) in a lot of places and the trails are fast. The perfectly bermed turns are practically screaming to get busted with a gnarly set of knobs

Oh yeah.. its happening..

Put the knobs on the 510 and just bring that, not tight up there so EZ for big bikes.

WC has that right it is a place that favors horsepower, even a 250 2 stroke sometimes feels too slow out there .. ... As for the softish terrain it is volcanic ash and sand. The Cascade Range to the west is a 'young' set of volcanic mountains that spewed ash all over central Oregon .... in addition to the well known Mt. St. Helens volcano http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_St._Helens , and Crater Lake many of the other mountains in the Cascades are monitored for underground volcanic activity. Many of the roads in the area are graveled with cinders.

Fun with weather.

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...xtField2=-121.31400&site=all&unit=0&dd=0&bw=0

Shows the hourly temperature forecast in Bend, China Hat will be a few degrees cooler normally. It was in the 90s last weekend, but has since dropped considerably (same here in Eugene, 100 miles to the west over the mountains)

We will have enough tools around that you can probably swap and reswap all you want !!

Of course you and your GasGas are welcome to come! I'd be more than happy to trade bikes with you, although my `09 WR144 is lowered 1" and is probably set up kind of soft (suspension and motor) for you. I'm sure there will be plenty of other bikes around, though, and you are more than welcome to switch bikes with Eric and ride his `09 WR250. He has a DE300 and an ECO250 of his own and he loves them, too A word of warning, though...he test rode a few Huskys at this ride last year and 2 weeks later we were making the long trek to Salem to pick up his new Husky. Same thing happened to me after I test-rode the WR125. Test-riding Huskys is hazardous to your wealth

You're welcome.

Yes, it is rather dangerous! I was almost ready to buy an Aprilia, of all things!, after our last trip to China Hat. Thanks again for the test ride, Troffer88

And as far as alerting the CFO, it's probably better not to mention it to her beforehand. Tis far better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.

I have a 11-TE250, 11-TXC511, 09-WR300 that you are welcome to sample just so your research is thorough.