Haspin Acres, Laurel, In.

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 08:00 pm Apr 28 2007

I'm all loaded up . . .

'guess I need to start getting things ready

Just kidding, I've got everything loaded up and ready to go, bike, tools, premix, etc, etc

If you see a silver Subaru Forrester towing a KDX 220 tomorrow AM that'll be me!

Post by **Indawoods** » 08:06 pm Apr 28 2007

Y'all ain't gonna be able to sleep! tic, toc, tic, toc, tic, toc.....

Post by **Rick** » 08:10 pm Apr 28 2007

Thanks Vince! Now im thinking about it!!

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 08:36 pm Apr 28 2007

I picked up one of those single-use cameras with the hopes that when I turn it in for pictures that I can have the pics developed and put on a CD. If so, we'll have some snaps to share in the gallery . . .

I'd take the dig camera but . . .

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 05:22 am Apr 30 2007

Great trip! Seven riders made it a bunch of fun, GREAT company!! We all agreed that it was great to put faces to the names.

No injuries, just some worn out riders. I thought Kirk was a Superman doing this kind of riding with cracked ribs, that's being tough.

Haspin Acres was a bit crowded - LOTS of 4-wheelers - but once you get deep into the 'scramble route you saw very few (actually few other riders period; we had a couple of jeeps come up one of the hills - not something you see everyday!!)

Fairly challenging riding. A bit muddy early on but it dried up a bunch as the afternoon came on. The harescramble circuit we rode had LOTS of "hollers", most with mud at the bottom, all with varying degrees of logs, rocks, and tree roots. Many of hills were steep so picking the right line was very important with all the aforementioned obstacles (sometimes it flat out didn't matter!).

A few of us rode through one of the 'scramble routes pretty much in it's entirety, my personal opinion is that it was very challenging (FWIW I AM new at this gig). We all rode through the last portion of the route several times because it was a little less challenging and a bunch of fun. Sand, rocks, mud, hills, winding paths in the woods - KDX heaven. And we had the youngster as the pace-setter so it kept us moving to be sure.

The RB mods really shined on those hills. Made a handful of them in second (yes, they were steep). I'd be pulling 4-5k RPMs for 1/2 to 2/3rds of the entire hill, HUHHHHHHHH . . .

. . . and I've got stock gearing and an oversized tire!

I can't wait to ride with these guys again!!

m0rie · Post by **m0rie** » 10:10 am Apr 30 2007

Sounds like you guys had a good time! I agree its a lot of fun to meet up and put faces to names. Better start planning for next time...and a trip out west!

radonc73 · Post by **radonc73** » 11:13 am Apr 30 2007

I am so sore. A severe case of monkeybutt. It was awsome!! I am sore all over but a good sore. It took almost 30 minutes just to knock the big crap off to get to the real cleaning. We left early this morning so Bill could get 1/2 a day of work in. I could barely get out of my chair by the campfire, the beer helped some but I got a little hammered the night before so didn't want a repeate performance.

Rick broke out the guitar about 11, he is damn good. I had such a great time I hope the pics came out good especially Quadgirl. I could see you guys getting togather alot. Kirks son Austin was awsome on the 230.

crf_kdx · Post by **crf_kdx** » 07:48 pm Apr 30 2007

Austin and I also very much enjoyed the day; We talked nonstop on the three hour drive back to Richmond rehashing the day's events. For those of you with teenagers you know how remarkable it is to get them to talk with you . . . let alone talk positively with you about a shared interest.

Haspin Acres was a new venue for us. Early impressions can be misleading (e.g., after something like 9 riding days at land-between-lakes over the past two years we're still finding new routes - nice "single track" stuff in the NW corner found on our 9th day there last July!) but it strikes us as grossly similar to LBL and Coal Creek near Oak Ridge, TN although probably smaller in both the number of miles of trails and the acreage of the site. From what I observed staying on the semi-main trails was that we had lots of hard pack double-track with enough natural trail obstacles to make it "interesting"; I didn't observe much that I would classify as extreme but the spider web of trails yet to be explored may hold some of those wild treasures we like to use to frustrate us and test what we're really made of. We would certainly be up for a return trip there one day to explore the place some more - definitely a good riding area worth six hours round trip in the truck to get there!

The company was great . . . by chance Tom's brother and I attended the same college in Iowa (UNI) and so we had an "old home moment" talking about UNI. Rick's friend Andy was impressive riding what he rode given that it was only second time ever on a dirt bike - he's seemingly a natural. Jim - it was a blast tooling 'round the HS course with you.

Finally, I greatly appreciated the fact that everyone made an effort to include Austin in the conversations - he was initially concerned about riding with a bunch of old guys he didn't know (no offense guys - but anyone older than Austin's 21 year-old brother is a geezer :-) ) but said on the drive home he would love to ride with this group again. When you impress a 15 year-old, you know it's a good group! I concur! I gotta confess he wasn't quite sure what to make of the group's reaction to quadgirl though . . . I think it surprised him that old guys still eye the view!! :-) Anyway, as suggested by m0rie, the next outing should be hitting the drawing board soon . . . maybe LBL or Hatfield-McCoy or . . . maybe an expedition out west!!

Post by **Rick** » 08:07 pm Apr 30 2007

Myself and Andy also had a great time! All the guys were great to hang out with. We rode a little this morning, then packed it up. Andy is really sore from picking up that DR all day on Sunday, and a little today.

Im not terribly sore, butt a couple things are aching. I had a blast riding the HS course. It wore me out though. I also loved getting on the MX track. That brings back memmories. You can tell that kirk and Austin ride alot of HS's. Oh, and BTW, NO FOULED PLUGS!!! The old 250 ran great! Damn local gas.... I was worried it was gonna turn into a mechanicing trip for me. Thanks for all of your help, and thanks for coming on the trip. Oh, and Andy says thanks for you patience!

xagentman · Post by **xagentman** » 09:08 am May 01 2007

PICS??!!

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 09:18 am May 01 2007

I heartily agree that we oughta' start planning another trip. Hatfield & McCoy or LBL both sound great (I've not been to either, incidentally).

Pictures? I took them with a single-use camera. I'll get them developed and, hopefully, have a CD made from which I'll post some shots (maybe even quadgirl!!)

radonc73 · Post by **radonc73** » 10:57 am May 01 2007

Quadgirl

I am glad you didn't have the camera the first ride.

I am sure you guys will get togather more often now. KY and TN have so many places to ride I want to move!! I hadn't ridden that hard in a LONG time. Jebs bike looks better in person than in the gallery.

crf_kdx · Post by **crf_kdx** » 11:03 am May 01 2007

Austin also commented on how "tricked out" Jeb's bike looked!! Btw, Austin said he was considering a run at devil's backbone until that quad washed all the water down the hillside . . . ya gotta love the "confidence" of a teenager! :-)

radonc73 · Post by **radonc73** » 11:11 am May 01 2007

I am sure he would have made it. That 4-stroke could pull him up. There is no place to turn around if you stall. I have never been able to see many 2 smokes be able to make it after the first part where you have to almost stop and get going.

Post by **Rick** » 11:27 am May 01 2007

I think the ole 250 might of made it. I probably wouldnt have been on it at the time; prolly tumbling down the hill side as the bike continued on....

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 12:19 pm May 01 2007

Thanks for the comments on the 220 . . .

I have to admit that when I saw Devil's Backbone I earnestly hoped that you guys DIDN'T want to try it!!

Teenager confidence - man, I wish I had more of it. It's nice to hear he didn't mind riding with us old guys; he's a fine young man. I hope I get plenty of opportunities to see Austin on a 250X having seen how well he rides the 230.

Post by **Rick** » 07:17 pm May 01 2007

Ahh, cmon Jim, I think we could have made it!

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 09:21 pm May 15 2007

Finally got the "one time use" camera film developed . . . and a CD created. Click on the GALLERY link to see additional and full-sized pictures:

THE BIKES: A KDX200, KDX220, 2 KDX250s, a DRZ400, a CRF230, and a CR250R

THE FELLAS: Tom, Tom's brother Bill, Rick's buddy Andy, Rick, Kirk, and Kirk's son Austin - a GREAT crew:

OH!! AND LEST WE FORGET - QUADGIRL, IN FULLSIZE!

Post by **Indawoods** » 09:36 pm May 15 2007

Only ONE of Quad girl?!?!?

I am deeply disappointed!

Jeb · Post by **Jeb** » 09:48 pm May 15 2007

Indawoods wrote:Only ONE of Quad girl?!?!?

I am deeply disappointed!

Ran out of film when the action started . . .

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Haspin Acres, Laurel, In.