Heartland Spodes Spring Ride At The Farm

[Sawblade]

After weeks of finger licking, lip smacking and buckets of unseasonable rain, the Heartland Spodes Spring ride arrived. My son and I pulled out of the driveway at 7 am for the 3 hour drive to the farm. After a stop for gas and XRP's favorite vise of sausage/egg mcmuffin from McDonald's we were on the open road. The morning was cool and it looked like the rains could brew up at any time. Two hours later we pull into Tulsa and made our second stop for ice and a cold coke from QT. The temperature was much cooler in Tulsa. As we continued west, I wondered if we were going to get to the farm before it started to rain. I figured this trip would be a good time to teach my son how to act as a navigator. Needless to say either I'm a poor teacher or he is a poor student. About 20 miles SW of Tulsa I realize we are going down the wrong highway. A quick adjustment in direction has us headed the right way. Only added about 30 miles to our trip. Its still in debate with my son who's fault it was. We finally arrive at the farm about 12.

After meeting new friends and saying hi to the rest of the Heartland Spodes we got the bikes out for some much needed riding. It has done nothing but rain in OK the last few weeks, Friday night was no different. It looks muddy, but it could be worse. All we needed was the sun to come out and it would be perfect. Now this was my son's first time to ride trails. The first very small loop was very easy and fun, reminded me of trails I rode as a kid. After doing this small loop a few times we took off to find more trials. Right away the trials got tighter and a little harder. Little Sawtooth was having troubles. We continued on, mx 547 found use and followed for a few minutes. But little Sawtooth was having troubles stalling his bike. After taking Sawtooths bike across a creek a few times mx547 went ahead to find a way out. After a half hour we found our way out and back to the camp. Sawtooth was unsure about trail riding after this little stint. Back at the camp, I was a little frustrated and go to take of my helmet, not remembering I have my glasses on. Usually I wear contacts when I ride, but i forgot my contacts! So I rip my helmet off and break my glasses in two. Great, I'm blind with out them. After making some phone calls with no luck of finding anyone open to repair my glasses we decide to solder the frames back together. Thanks to Bswift, OKKX'r and Kowkatcher I was back in business. :aj: A pep talk with Sawtooth convinces him to try the grass track. After two laps on the grass track, I hit a small jump, and when I land, the bike is makes a un-natural sound. Looking down, the chain looks loose and is hang off the countershaft sprocket. The chain buffer is also ripped off and part of it wrapped around the back of the countershaft sprocket. Kowkatcher comes to my aid to asses the damage. He heads back to camp to get a tow rope, but by the time he comes back, I decide to ride the bike back to camp under my own power. Now I gotta give Kowkatcher a big thanks. He jumped in like Mcguyer, trying to take the remaining chain buffer off the swing arm to make a template. After looking at the damage I decide to pack it in for riding. Going 30 miles out of my way, breaking glasses, broken bike means it may be a bad mojo day at this rate. Sawtooth rides the grass track all day having the time of his life in the mud and riding with the other kids. Meanwhile I'm holding down the camp ground take the time to get to know new friends. TX246 let me ride his YZ. Very nice bike indeed! Thanks for the ride TX246. :D Late in the afternoon Motox757 and son pull in. His son and Sawtooth hit it off and head out to the grass track before dinner.

I will finish with it was a great time as expected. Due to the problems I encountered, Sawtooth and I decided to leave after dinner. A big big thanks to Justql's family for allowing us to ride on the farm. Plus as a bonus, Justql Dad smoked ribs, brisket and had a whole spread of food for everyone to eat. The farm is a great place to ride. Even though I didn't get much seat time I still had a great time. It was great to meet everyone and put a face with a name/screen alter ego. Would I do it again? You bet, only next time I will have a new bike and contacts!

PS Justql, Did I tell ya how much I like the MX track. :aj:

 

[OldMaiconut]

I was ready for this ride!! Myself and daughter Katie managed to get on the road about an hour late... along with the gas stop, grocery shopping, and etc. finally found our way to the farm about 7:30 Friday night with BSwift following us in. Lucky for me, as I needed the help squeezing the fifth wheel through a gate made for horse and buggies. Got camp set up and grilled up some steaks and took it easy over night. First thing in the morning I geared up and took off with Swift and JustQL to check out the trails and post a few more arrows. There was quite a bit of mud but I didn't care. I was really needing the ride. Got back to camp later and managed to drag Katie out of the sack and headed out again. We really had a good time. Katie is starting to be quite the woods rider, and she is sure not shy when it comes to mudholes! I try to finesse my way around them... she just barrels right through the middle. (she has a personal bike washer!!) We got to meet some more of the spodes we hadn't ridden with yet, and Katie spent some time on the quads with MX 547's daughter. I managed to ride all day with only one crash when I lost the front end in a muddy rut. The 'ol 426 was kind and kept running as the back wheel was off the ground, so I just picked it up, dug all the mud out of the bark busters and went on. Got cleaned up for a BIG BBQ feed that evening and barely stayed awake through the first organizational meeting of the HLS's. More of the same on Sunday. Katie and I were having so much fun, we made a change of plans and stayed over Sunday night. We enjoyed another good feed and got a good nights rest while the thunderstorm went on. We got up early and loaded up and got to the highway just before another round of storms started up. Good ride, good times, and good folks. Thanks again to JustQL for having us out.

 

[BSWIFT]

After the turn of events last week :( , I needed to ride. The idea of spending some time with my Dad, Justql's family, and the Heartland Spodes was just the ticket. My work begged me to work a couple of hours Friday and I relunctantly agreed. Two hours turned in to 4.5, then 6.5, and 10.5 hours. I was able to stop by the house and load the bike, gear, and the atv's and drop them off at the Farm. I ran my service call and got back at 11:00. Early in the a.m., it began to rain. Oh, well, I'm up for a good mud ride.
The morning started out with Oldmaiconut, Justql, and I making a quick loop. We would roost then brake slide every corner to beat in the trail. We head back and start seeing the trucks and trailers pulling in. The big top made the event a real "Event". Everyone was in good spirits and the wet conditions were not putting a "damper" on things. Several loops were made, I rode sweep and had a blast watching everyone negotiate the creek crossings. Of course, the more we went thru, the more difficult they became. The trails "tacked" up nicely as the day progressed. We moved over to the track and it looked like true carnage. If you didn't make the jumps, you went thru the swamps. I traded the Mamba for a quad and started dragging the "soup" out letting it dry. After a few hours, the track really came together. The whoop section was still nasty and swallowed more than one bike during the maley.
Food, fun, and fellowship! Anyone that just didn't want to get muddy, missed a GREAT TIME! :aj: Thanks everyone for a great time. Kowkatcher and Justql, we owe you guys big time. Thanks for everything. :)

 

[OKKX'er]

It is impossible to imagine any more hospitable people than Justql's family. Thanks so much. The time Justin spent on the MX track showed as well. It was a great time, and all the DRN'ers were as usual like "instant" old friends (just add roost). The tight, tight, trails were an unusual mix of 10% slop 20% tricky(good for body english practice) and 60% great traction. There are a few open sections and you could just break the rear end loose and leave it there. The bike in front of you would dig a one inch deep trench through the ground cover, carving a black curve, but the displaced soil stayed in chunks below fender level. Cool to watch. Everyone was courteous with roost, perhaps because we were all riding the same color bikes, BROWN. Good times, good people.
Thanks again Justql, KOWKATCHER, and your wonderful family.

 

[craig_enid]

Wife, VioletSP and I were looking forward to a couple of intense riding days at the farm. Alas, family emergencies on Friday night blow the Saturday plans out of the water, and leave only a window of oportunity on Sunday. After checking the situation, Violet and I head out Sunday AM, with wife planning on driving there alone, later.
Violet and I get there and have our first problem. All the Heartlanders there have a day or two of riding under their belt, and are ready to CHAT instead of RIDE!
Seriously, it was great to see everyone again, and meet a couple of new faces!
Fun riding has been a little slim lately, with the Scipio event being the 'hard' fun, as opposed to 'fun' fun. :ugg:
Violet and I hit the 'easy' trail, and get her some refresher riding in. She quickly gets back to moving pretty good on the trail, and starts pushing herself.
Head back to camp after a few loops and check on wife. She's a short time out, so we chat some more until she shows. I'm thinking we need another TTR, 'cause both are ready to ride... :think:
We get wife a few loops in, then Violet. Back at camp, Justql, OKKXer and I head out for a longer loop and I get to bring up the rear of our 'minute'. Justql had a knack for picking the rough line, giving OKKXer the opportunity to find the easier one. I'm doing all I can, just to keep them in sight, and have a great time.
Back at camp, the TTR gets a few more loops, and a few rounds of the MX track, with wife and Violet switching out. Both do very well, and thouroughly enjoy both the track and trail.
Bswift, Justql and I head out for another long loop, and I take my rear spot to get the best view of the fun. At one creek crossing, Justql and I blast up to Bswift, who is sitting with his rear wheel in the creek, and looking back at us with an evil grin showing through his helmet... :p We slide to a stop behind him as he winds up the Mamba and dumps the clutch! :scream: Fortunately, the bulk of the creek and creekbed go straight up, and we are realatively unscathed. ;)
Our thanks to the Justql clan for the chance to have another get together ride and feed! You guys are GREAT!!

 

[Battered Sav]

Great reports, sounds like you had a lot of fun.
Thanks.

 

[VioletSP]

After sitting on my rear all day saturday waiting for Grandpa news- i had some pent up energy to get out on sunday. dad and i headed out semi-early in the morning (early for me anyway). Got unloaded and geared up just before lunch. followed maiconut and another anon. rider out of the command center with the warning that it was a "little" muddy and the assurance that dad would be right behind me. Got thru the field and hit the first puddle. of course when i say puddle i mean what looked like an opaque bike and rider swallowing mud vortex the size of lake michigan. so i wrinkled my nose cursed the rain-gods and followed maiconut thru. wow- i'm alive. that wasnt so bad. actually kind of fun. and its a good thing too because in order to get to any good riding i also had to fight my way thru lake Eerie and Superior. After locating dad i finally got on some trail i recognized. frew. after a few rounds skipping the creek crossing that doesnt like me very much.

Next Dad and i went a few times around the mx track. i was nervous cause there were other people on the track and i have a hard enough time avoiding stationary objects. the track was really nice and i even managed to catch some air. not on purpose of course. but then after a few jumps i managed to convince my brain to stop flashing DEATH across my field of vision every time i left the ground. it was really fun. got back to camp and grabbed a small lunch while dad and the other boys went for a serious run. once mom to command center she took a turn on the bike. about this time dad decides that i can try the scary trail. great. :eek: i survived until i fouled every plug that dad had on him, so we had to cut that run short. i didnt ride much after that since i didnt know how the plug problem would mess with it and i didnt want to make anything worse. sat around and chatted with everyone for awhile before chow time. I got to watch one of justql's bunch back straight into a tree with a very nice SUV. oops.

about dinner time we all wandered over to the big tent just in time for some old fashion burgers and dogs. the kaboli wasnt as gross as i was told it was going to be- but i think i will have to try it a few more times before i can say i've officially "aquired" that taste. after dinner we loaded up and had a nice ride home. i'm paying for my fun today but it was worth it- justql and his crew put on quite a show. you guys know how to do things up right!!

 

[BSWIFT]

Originally posted by craig_enid
At one creek crossing, Justql and I blast up to Bswift, who is sitting with his rear wheel in the creek, and looking back at us with an evil grin showing through his helmet... :p We slide to a stop behind him as he winds up the Mamba and dumps the clutch! :scream: Fortunately, the bulk of the creek and creekbed go straight up, and we are realatively unscathed. ;)

Justql's been askin' for a roostin'. :p There were plenty of opportunities but I cut him a bit of slack. He took a good line on me at the track but couldn't hold it. Not sure if he missed any of that roost.
The quote of the day was from OKKX'rs boy, "I should of let loose of the gas!"
There was the YZ in the pond incendent. Anyone have a need for some premix, 50% gas and oil, 50% pond water!

 

[VioletSP]

Mom of Violetsp, wife of craig_enid here.....
Just want to thank Justin and his very hospitable family for a great day of riding and fellowship. Wasn't sure I was going to be able to make this get together, due to an ailing father, but managed to get things secured here for a short time, so I could 'get away' for some fun. I won't pretend this is a ride report as any description of my 'riding' experiences would rapidly send even the most polite listener or reader into an irreversible, boredom induced coma, and leave them dazed and amazed that I could use the word "riding" to describe what I actually do on the trails......BUT, I do like to eat and talk.....and good food and conversation were readily available at all times. Alot of hard work went into making a great weekend for alot of appreciative people. Again, thank you Justin, Julie and your families.....Hope this becomes an annual affair. Mary L.

 

[BSWIFT]

A peek at the place.

 

[Sawblade]

Bswift,
Have you posted any more pictures of the ride? Tell you Dad I really enjoyed the few minutes we spoke. I hope when I'm later in life I have his type of outlook on things.

 

[BSWIFT]

Sawblade, thanks. Dad had a great time. I've submitted a few pics into the Heartland Spode Gallery but not sure when they will be approoved. I'll try to get Motox757's pics and burn all of them onto CD's. Kowkatcher got some video as well and I'll get that as well.

 

[justql]

I appreciate the thank you's. My wife, mom, dad, and brother did the work. I wish the weather would've cooperated. I really enjoyed the weekend even though I spent $20 at the carwash. The bikes are now clean, oiled and ready to go again. It only took me four hour to get them that way.

The "family" was very impressed with the group and it's behavior. The only serious mishap, the bike in the pond, was NOT by any of us. A rider invited by a cousin doesn't understand that us woods riders make trails that make 90 degree turns and you never should go faster than you can stop. The kid said, "I had the front end turned and the brakes on, but I was in the air" :think:

I'll continue to improve the mx track, and after some conversation with the wife I plan on trying to lay out a complete easy loop. It's just hard to do without crossing trails. Most people don't know that the trails are often within just a few feet of each other there. I will not cross trails, it's just too dangerous. I really do not like the trail crossing the litttle road but there is just no way to avoid that.

My favorite memories and observations of the weekend......
1)craig_enid needs to buy a second TTR
2)OKKXER needs to buy a quad
3)Sawblade needs to buiy a second pair of glasses(aren't you some kinda eye glass expert ;)
4)Kowkatcher should be a DID chain rep as many chains as he shortened
5)MX547's youngest can hold her own with anybody
6)TX246 can still sleep through anything
7)Lorin is a better coach than rider, she's getting better than you lorin. :confused:
8)Oldmaiconut likes to run bikes till they run out of gas
9) The new four strokes are really cool
10) Bswift comes by his mechanical genuis honestly, tell your dad thanks for the help with the trailer.

 

[mx547]

cool things about this ride:

the riding. it was good despite the rain. justql's farm is blessed with some of the best dirt anywhere. the trails were in surprisingly good shape (although they are still a little tight by my standards). the creek crossings had some water but were all easily passable; fun riding, even for a motocrosser.

the mx track. it's getting better. it's not far away from being a really fun track (again, excellent dirt). tx246 and i tried the double that was "not intended to be a double" several times but we just couldn't get over it. we kept casing it. justql's cousin showed up later and made it easily but he is about 80 pounds lighter and twenty years younger than me so i can live with it.

the grass track in the pasture was really fun. i didn't know it was there last time. it was intended to be a kid's track but tx246 and i rode a couple dozen laps on it and had a great time. it had one turn that you came into it in fifth gear, then clutch in, downshifting, both brakes on hard, power out of it in second. it made me feel fast.

the fishing. i took my daughter fishing in one of the ponds. she was catching them as fast as she could throw the hook in. she made me take a picture of everyone of them. soon i will have 13 pictures of nearly identical perch (she named each one of them). i borrowed a pole off bswift's dad and let motox757's son use it. he caught a bucket load too.

the camp site. this is a beautiful place, you have to see it. i envy justql. it sets right on the lake, rustic cabins, outdoor shower (tx246 liked it), a small pavilion and a playground-a lifesaver when you have your five year-old along. my youngest picked up several mussel shells. she is very proud of them. the kids loved the kayaking, thanks to tx246.

the food. it was excellent as always. my sister-in-law said that they were the best ribs she had ever had. my youngest daughter ate three bowls of the homemade ice cream. i ate as much as i could except for the tabouli (not gonna happen).

the people. a great bunch. the best you'll ever meet. my wife and a few of her kin got to finally meet the heartland spodes. they were impressed. justql's family are wonderful people (what went wrong with him?) i wonder if he realizes how lucky he is?


it just keeps getting better. i actually feel sorry for the people that don't come to these rides. :(

 

[OldMaiconut]

8)Oldmaiconut likes to run bikes till they run out of gas

Hey,,, I figured with a bike called a Gas Gas ya shouldn't have to check! Who says a 426 is hard to start!!?

 

[Lorin]

Sorry it took me so long to post, I actually had to do some work upon returning back and this is the first chance that I have had to report. I spent the whole weekend working with Kathi and getting some good, quality, riding time in for her. We managed to ride the majority of the trails that the farm had to offer (I only had to ride across three crossings for her) and was able to allow her to build some confidence in herself on the bike. I never realized how rewarding it could be to ride with your significant other! The scary thing is that she actually has a better eye for picking lines than I do at times. As to the food, nothing suprising there. If food is left to Justin and Co., there is always an abundance to be had. VERY good ribs, brisket, etc., at the farm. Thanks to all that brought this event about.

 

[Danman]

Wow, sounds like I missed out :(

 

[justql]

"the grass track in the pasture was really fun. i didn't know it was there last time. it was intended to be a kid's track "

Actually that was the original MX track, believe it or not.The little jump by the pond was under water this past weekend so you missed the funniest part of the little track. I was cut short because of the water. I too enjoy the grass track.

 

[BSWIFT]

Justql, you forgot the quote of the weekend, "I should of let off the gas!"

 

[justql]

I agree it's defintely the quote of the week.

 

[BSWIFT]

I'll try to get some more photos uploaded tonite into the Heartland Spodes Gallery.

 

[Sawblade]

Let me set up the quate of the weekend from my son. We are at the second or third creek cross we came to when we took our second loop. I'm trying to explain to my son how to go down the small embankment hit the metal beam in the creek and up the our embankment. After the instructions I ask if he is ready to try it. He says "yes", sets there with the bike running for a few seconds, then says "Dad, I'm ready, but I don't want to try it". :think:

 

[KOWKATCHER]

Well I finally got to sit down at the old putor last night again. Long week. Looks like the farm did it again. I know several Spodes have been there before and all but it was great to finally get to meet those of you that showed up. The family enjoyed you all and your welcome from them for the thanx. Maybe this can become an annual deal? Made me want to get a bike and get back after JQL :aj: Hey JQ was that the little jump at the pond that made your shoulder do that freaky thing :scream: oh yeah it was the other one :)

I still am amazed at the submarining YZ. Oh wel what do they say boys will be nucklehea oh I mean Boys. The weather wasn't the best but at least it wasn't 93 dry and no humidity. If I can get JustQL on track the MX will look totally different next time out. Also have possibility of adding the "BUNK BUS" so you tenters will have it made then. Only requirement will be a bed roll. We'll see hiow that goes in the future.

 

[justql]

Do I need to come help with the big top?? I've been waiting for a call.

 

[BSWIFT]

Give me a call as well, I'll come help pack it up.