Spanksgiving Teaser !

[the Eel]

I finally got my bike together and took it out to Gorman on Saturday for a quick break-in. "Why ?" you ask. Well, so I could at least get one day in at the Spanksgiving Festival out at Jawbone Canyon. I can't go this coming week or weekend, so I went out this past Sunday instead.

I got there a little late and missed the day's big organized ride -about 11 riders headed out toward the Paiutes just minutes before I arrived. Once again, I would be missing out on the epic torture rides I always hear so much about. Instead I hooked up on a 40-miler with Endoquest's twin brother and his buddy. The Kiwi was in lounge mode and did not join us ... but I spent a fair amount of time chatting with him and also with Kav, who I had never met before ... Kav is a trip - he's got some awesome off-road "hi-jinks" to tell about ... just ask him the next time you see him .. he'd be more than happy to spin you an entertaining yarn or 2 about stress-testing brand new Humvees with unsuspecting passengers on board. I was bummed the Kiwi was not joining us - but I was excited to be going on a Jawbone ride with someone who really knew the place well.

We took off from camp around noon or so and right off the bat I could not make it up one of the first hills we hit. It took me 5 tries to get up it ... I was whupped, and we were less than 3 miles into the ride ! On one particularly memorable run at it I ended up standing face to face with the front wheel of my bike for what seemed like eternity .. time froze - my bike was vertically balanced on the rear wheel, less than 2 feet in front of me, standing straight up ... and then it came crashing down as I scrambled to break it's fall. Kiwi laughed about it later on after he checked how much air I had in my rear tire ... "WAY TOO MUCH FOR JAWBONE" he tells me. Then there was another hill within a mile or so that took me another 3 or so tries to make. And Jared (twin brother) told me this was the easy ride !

I finally settled in for an awesome ride. We did alot of gnarly off camber hill-climbing as I remember it, I buldogged down big loose hills 4 or 5 times, and we even took a chance on a canyon trail feeding back to the main road - just like the kind Kelso and I got stuck on. This one was much easier but I still passed on riding down a 4 or 5 foot vertical waterfall ... the other guys did it but even their taunts of "chicken" couldn't goad me into not bulldogging it down the easy way. Nice riding guys, but not for me !

Probably the coolest stretch was a twisty downhill slalom through some kind of desert pincusion plants standing guard on both sides of the trail ... they were tall light colored cylinders with green sharp stuff at the tops. Anyone know what they were ?

Well what made the middle part of the ride so COOL was all the SNOW !!!!!!! Yup. It was darn cold but it was so amazing to be at the top of the tallest peak with the snow swirling around ... looking down on the vast expanse of Jawbone. So frickin' awesome ! And then to go slaloming back down with your rear wheel locked up in the sand ... all the way to the bottom again.

There were alot of fences and new closure signs, and we saw alot of cattle in one little canyon we worked our way into.

Perhaps the spookiest thing was riding the last few miles back to camp in the dark - with only a KTM headlight riding behind me, and a KTM headlight riding in front of me. Not to mention these bastages made me ride down the Wall in the dark ! Freaky.

We got back to camp around 6 PM or so .... and the Paiute riders had not returned, with the lone exception of The Donkey. But then a guy named Stan showed up all concerned because he had gotten broken off from the group and explained that there was no way the rest were gonna get back without running out of gas. He had even waited for them at one point at the side of the road for an hour ... and was getting so cold he made a fire for himself while he waited. Guess I'm glad I missed the Paiute ride after all ... it was 7 PM and freezing cold, and 9 of 11 riders were still not back from their morning ride - which they had started at around 9:30 AM. Hope everyone got back ok ....

Gotta love Spanksgiving ... can't wait to hear everyone else's reports.

 

[2strok4fun]

um, cool, I think.

note to self:
pack some matches, an extra survival blanket,

Im NOT planning on camping with the bike :yikes:

great report :cool:

 

[Kav]

Eel, it was cool meeting you and getting to kick back for a bit. If I would have known it was going to be your only day I would have dragged out my bike when I was dropping off the water.

I got to get some riding in on Saturday with some of Kiwi’s friends. I had gotten in the Jawbone early thinking that Kiwi was going to be up and riding. However when I showed up, Kiwi was nowhere to be found. After talking to Worm, The Bombardier, and some of his other friends they decide to take me on an “easy” ride. (I had motioned that I was lacking in skill.) Everything was going good until we went across some single-track by a large wash out. My rear tire slipped out from under me and down into the wash I go. After getting out from under the bike and trying to go out one way I found I had to go the other way to get out of it. So after all that we continue on through some rocky sections and up the side of a hill with some rocks to scale. I can’t make it up and am trying not to slide into a ravine, so one of the guys comes down to help me and we bulldog it up the hill. Lots of riding later we get separated and lose each other. Luckily it wasn’t too far from the camp. And was able to make it back with out much hassle.

That was one of the hardest rides I’ve been on due to being out of shape and a general lack of skill, but it was one of the most fun rides I’ve done. I can’t wait ‘till Wednesday to go back, :yeehaw: plus it rained/snowed here so the rideing should be awesome :aj:

 

[the Eel]

The tough ones are almost always the most memorable.

 

[scar tissue]

Friday at 630 AM, 2stroke and I are heading that way for our initiation. :ride:

 

[the Eel]

Enjoy ! Great riding and an even better cast of characters.

Ride reports, please, when it's all over and done.

 

[CPT Jack]

Eel,
I got some intel for you.... Jared is endquests evil twin brother. And Kav, you got rooked. Scar, you & 2stroke ARE the next "victims". These guys love victims. Have fun!!!!
:)

 

[2strok4fun]

This victim needs to get my stuff ready. But I am all ready for T-day meal. Turkey is resting in the smoker. The smoked oyester dressing is just waiting for the oven. The gravey is just wating for the smoked pan drippings.

Ill be loaded up on tryptophan, good for a trip-over-bars. :yikes:

 

[kelsorat]

Going down the wall in the dark. Wheeww

 

[the Eel]

So - where are the reports ? Cough 'em up.

 

[2strok4fun]

Ill write a report later,

for now Ill just say that Timberly and Christina survived..................

 

[the Eel]

:)

.. look forward to it.

 

[kelsorat]

OK you girls should have healed up by now, give us the details.

 

[2strok4fun]

Scar and I had made plans to carpool to Jawbone and meet at my house at 6:30 AM. Scar shows up on time and we get under way at ~7:00 after loading up his goods. My not paying attention to my own driving led us a little out of the way so we arrived at the camp at about 10:00 after some minor wandering, pee stop, and being trapped behind a fleet of boneheads that decided to stop on the road going to camp with no where to get around while they scratch their donkey. We arrive to find most suited up and ready to ride. Scar and I hurry to dress but I am slower as Scar is already wearing a portion of his gear, I also need to mix gas. After some ribbing, I am ready to roll. Some names are passed around, but I miss most except for the few I recognize.

Almost immediately we head up a small canyon and turn sharply up hill. I watch the big thumpers tear up the hill at full throttle and realize my 250 2s is in for a workout, me too as hill climbing is not my forte, if I have one. My first attempt at the hill got me nearly to the top, but then I messed up as I let out of the throttle as the tire grabbed traction on some rock as opposed to the wheel spinning decomposed granite. Try 2 I make it up. We move on to “the ditch” where I fail at 2 attempts at that hill as I continue to hit the same lunch box sized rock in the middle of the DG sand on both attempts. Kiwi shouts out what my escape route is and Scar and I opt for that not wanting to burn up too much energy. A short trip on the “Sesame Street” fire road link us up with the group. We continue a bit on fire road and trail mix until an access road that parallels Hwy 14. We turn back in to another canyon and regroup under the massive LA aqueduct pipe. After some party loss and regrouping we head up a little canyon that offered some small step-ups that then turned into a series of sweeping S turns. Good fun. Now we are in some terrain that is more familiar to my brain although challenging. We continue climbing to a point where the yucca’s start making room for Pinyon pine and aromatic Utah juniper. We stop and take a forced but welcome (by me) rest to change Pork chops pinched tire. The view awarded by the continuous climbing was worth all exertion, the snow covered Angeles mountains to the south and the peaks of the southern Sierra were visible with the desert way down below. Wish I had my camera. From there Kiwi led a small group of us on further as some stayed behind to look at a thumper that was giving off some audible warnings. What is all that stuff above the piston? The trail continues to challenge my skill with the step-ups, natural tunnel, and steep decents. I fell plenty; a few down hill and many up hill, but all were slow and only required some wrestling or re-tries to keep moving. Kiwi, for whatever reason, decided to spare my tired ass, and led us back on some easy trails. Good thing too as my confidence toward the end of the day was waning compounded by complete blinding by the afternoon sun that would seem to strike the goggles just as you got to the most difficult sections.

I really enjoyed the area and the group and thank everyone that waited on us, Timberly and Christina, (not putting down women with great riding skill) and hope that I wasn’t too much of a burden to get an invite back as I doubt I could find the trails we made it to. Back at camp, a turkey sandwich toped off with a wonderful homebrewed IPA provided by one of the Oregon contingent, Dopey?? Not sure, names were given but little stuck to my soft brain except the ride experience with a great group of DRNers. Next outing to Jawbone, I will know to have a tire with fresh edges, low tire pressure, and a patch kit with good tire levers, and some snacks to eat trail side.

 

[endoquest]

Great Reports fellas. I've been too busy to type anything but I'll get on it soon. It was a very interesting week and it was nice to meet some new faces. Cheers, Dopey/Endoquest

 

[MrLuckey]

Come on already. Give up the details people :ride:

 

[scar tissue]

A fun day,
2stroke covered most of it. Thanks to Kiwi and all for the tour. There's some challenging stuff out there. Figuring it was a play ride, I showed up slightly hung over with my bike and filter still dirty from the last race, Jetting for much warmer conditions and lower elevations, and a prettty worn out tire. Every step of the way I wish I felt better, my bike had a newer tire, was jetted for the temps and had a cleaned the filter. I've been doing too many enduros. I kept looking for the break after each loop. :ugg:

I was pretty spent after the 1st two hill climbs. and decents and re trys and decents etc etc etc. All day my bike and I felt like a recently divorced couple, It'd say OH YEAH TAKE THIS, and I'd be like FINE HOW DO YA LIKE THAT. :bang: and in the end we just tear the crap out of each other. I just couldn't stay on the trail. The sandy hill climbs stuff were so loose and steep when you tried to stand up to remount and picked your bike up you were already sliding back down the hill. If they weren't sandy then they were rock filled. I hit the dirt more this ride than I have all year combined in the Enduro series. All were reserved to hill cimbs and decents. nothing major although I did loop out on one up hill. :ride: KIWI, how is it that no matter what direction we are heading every hill climb out there is directly into a rediculously bright sun? Climb blind my friend, after all vison is highly overrated. :clue:

We did find some real tight small waterfall filled canyons to climb. Getting up and through that natural rock tunnel was cool.Porkchops flat came at a perfect time rest time. Overall, I had a great time. I burned my full tank of fuel ( I'm sure some spilled durning my crashes) and a arrowhead water bottle full of gas I brought as back up in my camel back. Even so I had to switch to reserve about 3-5 miles from camp. I left my house at 6AM We took off riding at 10:30 and got back to camp around 4-4:30, I got home about 8PM and went to bed and passes out about 8:30.

Chris thanks for driving, thanks to everyone for leading the trail.I look forward to heading back out there again. No I'll no to set up my bike and bring some power bars. :aj:

Timberly

 

[the Eel]

Scar Tissue said: "I hit the dirt more this ride than I have all year combined in the Enduro series."

Me too ... the riding was pretty intense !

 

[endoquest]

Hi guys. I'm finally getting around to some scrivening. I'll write some more about the latter part of the trip in a little while.
Great to meet everyone. Cheers, endo

Jawbone Spanksgiving 2004
Dateline: Jawbone Canyon, California. November 21st, 2004

Cut to the chase: I am with a dozen riders heading to the Piaute Mountains on a cold and overcast desert morning. A twenty-mile dusty road ride with gallons of gas strapped to our sides brings us to the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada range.
We top off the tanks and head up into the trees and steep hills that form the transition between desert and mountain.
Our dubious ride leader, a.k.a. The Bombardier, knows the area fairly well and has a plan. It’s his usual plan, take a bunch of guys out and try as hard as possible to punish them, without mercy. Whooppee!
Most of our group are very experienced riders and don’t have too many problems but, as the day progresses, the speed average drops significantly and the drops-of-sweat-per-minute average increases significantly.
By 11:00 the first flakes of snow become apparent. “Oh, how nice” I says The Worm as he bulldogs his bike down a cliff. “Quite right” I concur.
The hours go by as we brave the plummeting temperatures, increasing snow and exceedingly gnarly terrain. Some of the hills are very difficult and require “outside assistance” and lots of pushing. Whooppee!
By 3:00 one of our flock has gone missing, fuel is getting low and we’re still heading away from camp. Hmmm. The first inklings of impending doom are brought to mind.
A good friend of mine, who happens to be visiting from New Zealand (I’ll just call him “Tim”) is on a borrowed CR500AF with very little fuel left. The very last hillclimb out of a long canyon has proven impossible to a few of our riders and we decide to break off from the group and backtrack through the long canyon.
Its 4:30, getting dark and the snow has already covered our own tracks. I assemble the last of the riders and head down to the bottom of the canyon only to find Tim’s bike, sans rider, and footprints in the snow leading up the creek side trail.
Due to a freakish and cruel twist of fate, the light on my KTM has become very dim so the need to get out of the canyon becomes, ah, shall we say, quite pressing. Oh, and the other two bikes don’t have lights either.
After half a mile or so I find Tim, walking up the steep-walled canyon, very happy to see us. We confirm that the best course of action is to leave the bike and ride out, two-up, and get to a road and hopefully find the rest of the group to lead us homeward. We were still 30 miles from camp.
A quick note about riding two-up: It’s bad enough if you’re on level ground in the daylight and fine weather. Unfortunately I have neither of these luxuries and the extremely uncomfortable position forced upon both of us leads to further misadventures. Whooppee!
At certain points of the canyon trail the snow is a foot deep and the crashing begins. With twice the normal payload, the KTM wallows in the snowy turns and forces Tim to “dismount” on a regular basis. Finally, we get to the top of the long canyon trail and hit the relative comfort of the dirt road (covered with snow and ice, of course).
It’s now dark and still snowing and apparently the battery on the KTM is not charging at all, hence the complete lack of light at this time. Whooppee!
We round a few turns and are delighted to see the orange light of a small fire in the distance and make haste to its source. In an unusual act of kindness, my “friends” have waited for us. Whooppee!
There, in the cold, wintery heights of the Piute Mountains, elevation in the 7 to 8 thousands of feet, we begin our long journey home. It was about 25 degrees and all of us were in full “survival mode”. Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t run out of gas. Don’t crash too many times.
Since I was without light, I had to “mooch” a beam from another good friend, Mr. Sweatpea.
Within a few minutes my hands were completely numb and my legs had begun to cramp. One of the worst facets of riding two-up is the fact that you cannot stand up. At certain points I simply have to stop and straighten my legs, which hurts even more. Whooppee!
The road is deceiving. Although covered with fresh snow most of the time, there are sections that are completely icy underneath. The result is immediately obvious as we two-wheel slide or crash. At one point I manage to take out both the Worm and Sweetpea in the same crash. This is truly pathetic, I thought to myself. But an adventure nonetheless! Whooppee!
Bombardier finds a “shortcut” that puts us back onto trail. The agonizing continues but we are finally descending. An hour later and we arrive at camp and our “stray” rider is present.
And to think, this is just my first day of Spanksgiving Week and I have seven more! Whooppee!
The next day Tim and I spend 5 hours driving as far as we could, riding two-up down to the thirsty CR500, riding back out and driving back. Life is good, huh?
I’ll tell you about the rest later. Cheers.

 

[thumbs]

Nice, very nice.

 

[kelsorat]

I love a good story. The J-bone takes more victims.