State of Jefferson ride?

Planning a ride? Let us know about it...
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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

Photos are up! Look in the gallery under skipro3, then sub album titled:
Riding in Jefferson

Here's a sample:

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Post by KDXer »

Awesome shots Ski. Glad to hear you guys had a blast !!! Oh and great to hear everyone returned in one piece, well a bit crimpled from what I hear but in one piece. :grin:
Last edited by KDXer on 10:49 am May 23 2005, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by m0rie »

Those are pretty nice shots Ski, looks like everybody had a good time.
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Post by skipro3 »

There isn't enough thanks in me to properly convey my appreciation for Brad hosting me again for another fantastic ride in his neck of the woods, but here ya go anyway; THANKS!!!! :grin:

A short recap of the weekend as viewed by me:
I left home about 1pm and made a food stop and a gas stop before showing up on Brad's door step around 7:30 where he was waiting in the driveway with a ice cold beer. Then he got one for me too. We spent some time on the front porch, in comfortable chairs, chatting and enjoying beers, waiting for FarmerJ. Time flew and before we knew it, it was after 9 pm! Brad decided pizza would go good with the beer and twisted my arm until I agreed to eat some. FarmerJ (Jeff) called and said he had been delayed but would be arriving in a couple of hours. Brad told him not to expect us to miss our beauty rest just 'cause he couldn't keep a schedule. Well, of course, there we were around midnight still chatting and drinking beers, when Jeff pulls up. Jeff has a few nicknames: FarmerJ, Pie-man and now I can add to that, "too-tall" He's got the height advantage on anyone I've ever seen on a KDX. First things first, he hauls out these pies. Not one, not two, but three!!! One was pumpkin, one strawberry rhubarb, and the last was a forest berry. Then he drags out frozen bags of fruit in case anyone wants to make their own pie, smoothie, margarita, etc. I don't know how many bags, but there were a lot! His tardiness now forgiven, we put the pies and fruit, all but the pumpkin, that was set out to thaw for eating, in the freezer. We got all the introductions done, then we were off to bed with visions of dirt bikes dancing in our heads. Next morning, we are all up by 6:30, Brad making coffee, me fixing homemade egg mcmuffins, and Jeff, well, maybe we weren't all up by 6:30.
Out the door and off we go to Bunny Flat and to meet up with Wibby, Marty, and Cindy. Brad drives fast enough to make even this California driver feel inadequate; a foreboding of things to come on the trail, I suspect. When we get to Bunny Flat, the others aren't there yet, so we get loaded up to go. Then Marty shows up and we take off for a little warm up run while waiting for Wibby. 20 miles later, we are back at the trucks and there's Wib and Marty's sister, Cindy. Cindy has a quad and she and Marty decide to go for a loop and meet us up at a mine Brad and Wib know of. Off they go! I meet Wibby for the first time and discover he is a bear of a man, big and strong with a grip that could crush a coconut. I'm glad he likes me. So after topping off the tanks, we head out. Brad somehow thinks all riding must be in the vertical plane for warm-ups and we head straight up some stuff that I wouldn’t send a goat up. I mention I might not make that climb up the embankment to the hidden trail, and his reply is that’s where he’s going and if I want to ride, then follow. He shows to it’s done, then Jeff follows. I make it too, (well, sort-of) and Scott (Wibby), who hasn’t even fired up his KDX in 8 months, takes a stab at it. 2 tries later, a few words of encouragement, some spotters, and his bike is up the hill as well. By the third vertical trailhead, Wibby has his bike legs back and he’s again in love with his KDX, wondering why he put off trail riding like this for so long. Sometimes we all need a break, just to rediscover the joy in our riding. The day proves we are all capable of not making a section on the first try and Brad is next when a tree, maybe it was two, and a few bushes decide to give him a hug. When I catch up to him, he’s down under the bike and under enough foliage that it looks like a wrestling match the branches have won! I run to help him then think to grab the camera first. Brad’s suggestion to that changed my mind and I try and help him untangle by pulling trees off him and he’s finally able to stand. A little sore and probably bruised, we take off again. But don’t think Brad is going to slow down, he doesn’t. Where someone else may have been a little more cautious, Brad turns the pace up and we are now flying through the woods. After hitting a trailhead that Brad expected to meet Marty and Cindy at, and don’t find, we head off for the mine. A few minutes later, the radio alerts us. It’s Marty and he discovers we are on the way to the mine. He is too but says he need some help and is on the trail up ahead. When we arrive, Marty is on the ground, sitting but no bike is to be found anywhere. First thing he tells us is he’s hurt and that he might pass out. Marty has emergency medical training and instructs us what to do if he looses consciousness. We treat Marty by making him comfortable and get the story of what happened. Cindy was riding her quad up ahead and Marty just play riding behind, not fast or anything. A log partly blocking the trail catches Marty’s eye and he didn’t see the lance like branch aimed straight for his heart. The chest protector deflected the blow and it caught his arm, tearing him and the bike sideways. A slam into a tree alongside the trail deflected them both down the steep embankment and about 50 yards and a couple of ricochets off trees, they both stop. Marty knew he was hurt but also knew no one would find him down there so he crawled his way back to the road. Thank God, we decided to pack radios that morning, we almost didn’t. Cindy came back and nursed her brother as the rest of us blazed a trail back up the drop off where Marty’s bike was. We got the bike up and Marty was responding well to Cindy’s care. We agreed that Cindy and Marty would head back to the trucks and have Marty checked out at the emergency room. Although he was first scheduled for admission and overnight observation, the doc’s determined his whack was just mild enough to be sent home; no concussion, no damaged internal organs. Whew!!!
We all rode quite a bit after that including a trip to the burg of Foots Creek where we all had the fish and chips. The fish was done to perfection and although the chips are only French fries, they too were crispy-golden and tasty. More riding, then back to the trucks for more fuel. I was tired and should have begged off the final loop, but didn’t want to miss a single mile of this wonderful riding area. Brad starts us up a long steep grade that has ruts the size of the Grand Canyon. Jeff, then I and finally Scott doing sweep follow him. I follow too close to Jeff and he goes down about ¾ the way up. I make it past him successfully and I’m thinking that I’m hot stuff when a low branch cleans me off the bike. Too stupid to let go of the bars, the bike rears up and loops over. Jeff watches as I go rolling down the hill past him. Well, the hill is too steep for my riding skills to continue from there, but I try anyway with two more crash-and-burns before I go back down and get a running start. Once we are all up, it’s off to Poison Ivy. Any terrain notorious enough to earn it’s own name needs to be respected and even feared. I’ve never ridden terrain this steep for this long of a grade before. As I said earlier, I was already beat. After 3 crashes on the first hill in this loop, I was in survival mode. We made it back to the truck with our odometers telling us we did about 75 miles that day. Not bad. Brad hosted us to a steak dinner that really hit the spot; hot rolls and salad, a medium rare rib eye steak accompanied by a baked potato with everything and chased down with…….a beer of course. We headed back to Brad’s with a plan to meet up with Wibby again at John’s Peak. At the house we are tired but the evening is so pleasant we sit on the front porch and recap the day’s events and make new plans for the next day’s ride. I want to take a quick shower but instead, I collapsed on my sleeping bag and don’t move until 6:am next day.

NEXT: Day 2 ride report
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Post by canyncarvr »

re: Next weekend

OK. See 'ya when you get here. :wink:

Glad you came up, FJ came down, and Wib came over!

Pretty much God's country, ain't it?

..well...this place and every other place, too....
Last edited by canyncarvr on 12:07 pm May 23 2005, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by KDXer »

Wild !!! :supz: Where's part 2 c'mon, c'mon ?? :lol:
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Post by dave04kdx »

Come on with part two will ya! I got in an hour or so to test out the RB carb before the mercury hit 100. 113 for the high yesterday, guess its hibernation time until October. :sad:

Awesome looking terrain and great story. :supz: Maybe next time I can make it.
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Post by skipro3 »

Day 2:

The next morning is even more glorious than the day before; the sun is shining, it’s warm enough to wear shorts, and the tops of the mountains are shrouded in cloud and mist. I wake up to the sun pouring into my room where I have the blinds open from the night before as my alarm clock. Brad and Jeff are out in the dining room talking as I mosey out to greet them. The coffee is ready and after Brad explains how the cup will hold more coffee if I turn it over, I get a cup’a and sit down to listen in to their talk. The usual banter guys discuss, work, (wimmen,) bikes, (wimmen,) trucks, (wimmen)……. After the coffee starts doing it’s thing, I hit the shower as Jeff changes his oil. I pack up, knowing that I’ll be heading straight from today’s staging area to home. Breakfast to day is light, Brad has a cup of gruel, Jeff a jelly sandwich and an apple, and I have an apple and a breakfast bar as I finish my coffee. Small repairs are made to each of our bikes and soon we are ready to make our way up Brad’s driveway and off to the gas station to get last minute supplies. At the Shell station, Jeff airs up the tires on his truck, gets some gas and off we go. Scott is waiting for us as we pull up and I’m glad to see him. I wasn’t sure he would be making day 2 and my mind is at ease knowing Brad is blazing the trail and Scott is sweeping. Johns Peak has several staging areas, but since Brad seems to think steep uphill makes for a good warm up run, we start low on the mountain this morning. After one false start up a trail with too many windfall trees across it, we head back down to find another trail head. This one, while steep, has the added benefit of having large boulders buried under loose decomposing granite. When the rear tire finds one of these, it bites into the loose soil and rear tire resists climbing the now, not-so-buried rock. I have to pick up my bike a couple times to get the tire out of the trench it dug before I can proceed. From there the trail switchbacks several times. These switchbacks are sharp enough that you need to lift the front wheel and pivot on the rear wheel to make the turn. Otherwise you would chop the throttle and loose momentum. I have lots of practice on switchbacks and had an absolute blast going up this section. At the top Brad is off his bike, waiting to greet us and find out what we think of the warm up hill. We all make it without any other problems except Jeff. Jeff’s brother just bought a new house that had a new pair of Tech 8 boots left behind. Jeff decided to try them today after using his old boots yesterday. The Tech 8’s were so stiff, he couldn’t maneuver his toes enough to shift or brake correctly. After a few adjustments we head off again and meander around the mountains, up and down but nothing hard. This is fun, play stuff where you can jump a few lips and rocks, watch each other demonstrate their skills, and just generally relax and enjoy the day as it warms up. Soon we are headed to an area that Brad calls MRA61 (maybe it was ORA61, I’m not sure). It’s a strategic piece of property the riding club bought that’s 61 acres big. Brad explains the politics of the riding and the battles we as riders are all becoming much too familiar with. These next trails are a mix of brand new cut stuff, leading into some old growth forest and ancient trails that don’t look like they’ve been ridden much in the last few years. These older trails are not groomed but are off camber, very narrow and take us into secret draws that no one would suspect would hold a riding area. We climb out of the draw and spend a couple more hours on these runs before Brad decides to shake things up a bit. He leads us to a side hill that obviously no trail has ever been before. Other than the tracks of a few bikes before us, we head across these hills in loose, loamy soil that can’t hold a rider-loaded bike without sideslipping. The side slip forms just enough of a ledge for a tire to finally grab and send the bike and rider forward. The smell of fresh loam, damp from rain and rotting leaves, new growth and ancient forest combine to make us all feel we have entered a world the rest of civilization will never know about. This is the heart of riding. This is what takes your full mind and body to a level that forgets the rest of life’s troubles and focuses your attention to all of your senses. It’s an almost Zen experience as the bike and rider work together to negotiate the terrain by merging with it. Too soon this section ends and we are once again on time worn trails, following tracks that lead us on to adventures shared by riders before us. But for a moment there, the rest of the world not only didn’t exist, it was if it never existed and there was only us, riding as companions through uncharted territory. During all this riding, Brad stops to point out various views and sights from the peaks and saddles. I pointed out a nest of red ants that seemed to be agitated from the tremors our bikes must have made by idling too close to their home. Brad though it would be a harmonious blend of man and nature by inviting a few of the ants to a trail ride by coaxing them onto my front fender with a stick swarming with the red devils. Had I not panicked, I would have corralled a few myself into a baggie so they could share the comfort of Brads bed that evening. But alas, I’m not that fast at thinking so the opportunity was missed. My original plan was to take off for home by noon so as to have some time to unpack and rest before returning to work Monday morning. After Brad asked me 3 times if I was ready to head back, I finally conceded to letting him lead us back to the staging area and the end of a memorable 2 days of riding. We all made it back and took some time for lunch. The food was good, the beer cold and the conversation priceless. Soon the lunch was over and the final awkward good byes were said to Brad and Jeff. Wibby too was calling it a day. A final wave and thumbs up to those two as they headed off as Scott and I watched the woods swallow them up. Everything loaded, I told Scott thanks for his part in making this the ride of a lifetime. (I know, a pretty sheltered life, right?) And then I was headed off and back to home. The memories of the past two days played back in my mind and before I knew it, I was pulling into my own driveway. The dog bounced out to greet me, the wife listened attentively to my adventure as I unloaded my gear and bike, as wives do who haven’t a clue what you are chattering about, and soon I was having a piece of forest berry pie, courtesy of Jeff.
Brad’s final goodbye that afternoon was an invitation back whenever I wanted and more specifically when Prospect Peak opened in July. I won’t miss it for the world Brad. See you then, buddy. And if the rest of you guys know what's good for you, you will do what ever it takes to get an invite from Brad to join us.
Last edited by skipro3 on 12:50 am May 24 2005, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KDXGarage »

Thanks for the write-up. It sounds like you all had a great time!
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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Post by Indawoods »

Brought a tear to my eye... :cry:
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Post by KDXer »

There's no way my trip and report will even come close to this. What an adventure !!! It felt like I was there with you, very well written Ski !!! You should try to get a job writing for a dirtbike mag. (Read: fully paid 'business trips'). :lol: Again great story buddy !!
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Post by skipro3 »

The credit, earned a dozen times over this weekend, goes to CC. Nothing to write about if he hadn't set this all up.
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Post by bradf »

I truly wanted to come down but there is no way I can trust my old pu that far. Seein all those pics of green machines and you guys was great. Before I move to Georgia next summer I want to ride with ya'll. One way or another.
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bradf wrote:I truly wanted to come down but there is no way I can trust my old pu that far. Seein all those pics of green machines and you guys was great. Before I move to Georgia next summer I want to ride with ya'll. One way or another.
Truck? You don't need no stinking truck!!!! I don't use a truck to visit. Rent a u-haul trailer for 20 bucks over the weekend. A little open bed 8 footer goes locally for that here. (9 dollars a day). Then use anything that has a hitch on it and can make the trip. Enough excuses old man! (I've seen your pic in your gallery) Life will pass you by if you make excuses. Find a way and bring a camera.

Borrow a trailer if that works too. Don't leave for Georgia before finding out what real riding is all about! :partyman:

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Post by m0rie »

Nice trailer Ski.
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Post by bradf »

My wife's Camry doesn't tow either. My daughter may be getting a Tacoma so when she does, I'll take it for a road test.
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Post by canyncarvr »

re: 'You should try to get a job writing for a dirtbike mag.'

Yeah...he should! He makes it sound almost as good as it was! :wink:

Hey Jeff! Where were we when Ski was talking to himself about all those 'wimmen'? Guess he was getting ready for his shower........

It was a treat riding with other green guys. All good folk!

Thanks for bein' here! Prospect will be a blast.

It opens July 4. Usually some snow in the higher trails then, though. Keep an ear tuned for a Prospect ride. Nothing technical..an managed OHV park with a lot of shared use roads, but still beautiful country and some fun higher speed stuff. Our favorite loop is about 130 miles with gas/lunch/libations stashed 1/2 through. It is generally pretty dusty (you can't say I didn't tell 'ya!).

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Post by skipro3 »

Now that's the spirit bradf! Where there's a will, there's a way. You got a new '04 bike; getting it around to riding areas should top the list of priorities about now.

CC is correct: Indeed, it was so much better than I could possibly put into words. I was just thinking, as I made my way home from work this evening, about how we would finally break out of the forest on our bikes, and into a riot of wild flowers and sunlight. Golds, blues and yellows all mixed in with the green grass, and lit with a bright spring sun as if every blade and petal had an internal light glowing from within it. All this on a hillside curved like a huge outdoor ampitheater, with the sky as the stage and clouds hanging in the air moving as performers to some melody played on the breeze. Sometimes we would stop and turn off our bikes, listening to the wind and the sounds of the wild land. Then, when the last bike would roll up to join the group, I would snap back just as Brad kicked his bike to life and head off to some other secret treasure he chose to share with us that day. Why didn't I stop a take a photo of that? There are about a millon snapshots in my mind of the sites I saw up there, in the hills around Johns Peak, over the weekend. I will be recalling them someday in the far future (I hope!) with great fondness as I'm sitting on the front porch swing, in the cool summer evening, and the sound of a dirtbike in the distance reaches my ears to trigger the once thought lost memory, too old to ride any more, too blind to see.

***EDIT***
(Sobered up a bit and this sounded even too corny for me!)

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Last edited by skipro3 on 09:55 am May 24 2005, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KDXer »

Priceless !!! :grin:
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Post by farmerj »

CC was an awesome host. The terrain was extremely beautiful and varied. The bikes ran great.

Thank you, CC!
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