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First ever “up north” trail ride
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[QUOTE="Nestrick, post: 821554, member: 45162"] Hey Tomck I want to start with an apology for my inability to keep up to date with the MTR forum lately ... it caused me to totally miss your excellent, interesting, funny, very personal and [I]COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE BY ME [/I] riding experiences at Geels South. This afternoon I got to read your post twice ... it brought back a bunch of memories regarding the many rides I have experienced there over the past three riding seasons. During my first couple of years I too would go there during the summer months [after the spring dry-up and before the fall rains] and struggle with the sand ... it is just a part of riding lower peninsula trails ... one that you will soon master again ... not necessarily enjoy that much ... but master in a way that you do not spend all your energy getting through such trail sections ... as you proclaimed, having the right equipment and being in reasonable condition is a majority of the battle if you have already developed the basic skills in earlier years of riding. I had to laugh out loud several times while reading your descriptions of riding along [after fatigue has set in] and suddenly the front end tucks and down you go! Having started riding at 55, and being relatively crazy in that my first bike was a CRF-450R [more on that subject later], I can completely sympathize with you ... it has happened to me so many times that I have mastered the maneuver and can perform it with such finesse that folks riding with me sometimes are fooled into believing that I actually tried to do it! [If you believe this, you should seek medical help!] At first though, you go down with the bike and often become tangled in the parts ... but good news ... as you develop the [B][I]'tuck and fall' skill [/I] [/B] further, you'll soon learn to stay out from under the bike and just roll off to the side ... however, if after additional practice you fail to develop the reaction times of a 'normal rider' [as has been my case up until late this season and only after some intense lessons] you'll learn to dump the bike while retaining your balance so that you wind up standing over it after the skid ... this technique is indistinguishable from the [I][B]"rapid dismount > quick pee" maneuver [/B] [/I] ... that is, if you're quick enough to run immediately into the brush and drop your fly. I've performed this maneuver quite frequently and have managed to fool even the best of riders who happen upon me when such an incident occurs ... as you have stated, usually after you have become fatigued. Note that I said: "even the best of riders who happen upon me" ... that's because when I ride with folks, I am usually so far behind that not only the dust has settled from the lead riders, but any residual urine pools have evaporated too! That means the only way they can see me perform the 'rapid dismount > quick pee' maneuver is to have turned around and come back searching for me ... that too, is something you'll get used to with time if your speed doesn't return to its previous level ... or if it simply doesn't develop further as appears to be my specific case !!! Tomck ... if you are still reading at this point ... I hope you understand that I am not poking fun at you ... but rather at myself! You're trail log seems to devote way too much emphasis to things I said or the bike I ride ... just remember, I'm the one in this forum whose writing skills and sense of humor far exceed his riding skills. While I do take trail riding seriously ... [B][I]the selection of a CRF-450 for my first bike was [probably] far from "optimum" ... perhaps like selecting an F-16 fighter jet in which to take a first flying lesson [/I] [/B] ... most folks doing so simply don't come back ... I just got lucky and have managed to stay alive thus far. However, in the future, having the right bike will make your trail riding adventures much more enjoyable ... I have spent many hours and many dollars modifying my CRF to eliminate a majority of its motocross characteristics in order to make it more amenable to trail riding. Even after three years of riding, I am not yet totally satisfied ... as your riding skills develop [return in your case], your taste and needs with regard to what might be described as "the optimum trail bike" seem to change ... mine certainly have! Don’t get in too much of hurry … ride the bike you have for awhile … it is fine for redeveloping your basic skills and there are many trails available that are not as sandy as Geels South … then carefully consider your needs, your wants, your budget … finally, go out buy the biggest, baddest bike your wife will permit … just make sure it is NOT a pure bred motocross bike … otherwise you’ll wind up spending a bunch of extra money modifying it into a trail bike. There are way too many nice trail ready bikes out there to choose from … at least look at them first! [I][B]I can assure you from the perspective of a novice rider, a pure motocross bike is not fun to ride on the trails[/B][/I] … yes it can fly over the sand whoops better than many trail bikes … but that same suspension characteristic will literally pound you to death when riding over most of the rest of any trail where there are bumps, choppy sections, roots, sticks and other debris. Also … flying over the tops of sand whoops is cool but not something one typically does for long periods of time anyway … especially those of us getting older … such activity takes a ton of energy, endurance and stamina … attacking whoops in this manner at the start of a 25 to 50 mile ride is the equivalent of starting a marathon by sprinting the first quarter mile! Most of the time, I find that cruising whoops will allow me to sustain my energy for much longer periods and ride further without fatigue than “attacking the whoops” for extended periods. This brings me to another point I wanted to mention … I noticed that you said you did not stop for rests during your ride because you wanted to get home before it got too late. Again, [I][B]being an ‘older’ rider who rides for exercise rather than exercises to ride … taking breaks is an essential part of every ride.[/B] [/I] At first you’ll need more breaks, but as you reacquire your stamina, you’ll ride farther and break for less time. But, taking regular rest breaks is critical … especially if you ride solo … you need to avoid riding while significantly fatigued or troubles and injury may find you sooner rather than later. I rest regularly … often before I become fatigued … it keeps me sharper and helps to maintain my reaction time … I think that Young Ted del Solar has put it rather succinctly:[B] “Ride to ride again!”[/B] Regarding some specific riding equipment though ... I agree with Woodsy's advice ... a helmet, goggles and decent boots designed for off road or motocross usage are the minimum mandatory gear ... especially if you choose to ride solo. I personally will not ride without full riding gear: helmet, goggles or glasses, jersey, synthetic fiber undershirt, padded riding skins, elbow guards, knee guards, chest protector, riding pants, socks and riding boots. I know this sounds like a ton of stuff ... and at first it feels like a ton of stuff ... but the best advice I have ever received about dirt biking is to: [I][B]"Dress for the crash ... not for the ride!"[/B][/I] For folks like me [and perhaps you when you're first getting back into riding] getting tired, crashing for inexplicable reasons and assorted other mishaps are part of the learning process. We are no longer teenagers ... our muscles are not as strong as they used to be, our reaction times are beginning to slow measurably, and perhaps most important of all ... our healing times are greatly extended. So, we need all the protection we can get in order to ensure that our ability to enjoy this sport extends as far into the future as our physical ability will permit ... and if Young Ted del Solar is an example of "perfection" ... then that could easily be into your 80's, perhaps beyond! Finally ... [B][I]wow this has really turned into another one of my major "wind bag" replies[/I][/B], please accept my apologies ... regarding somewhere to ride during your re-entry into the sport. I spent many hours riding the Leotta loops during my first year ... they are relatively wide, relatively easy, have some hills and forest trails, but are a series of interconnecting, shorter loops that permit you to ride several miles but not get too far from the truck. They are not as sandy and whooped out as Geels and are usually not swampy even after significant rain events. Because there are so many loops, you can ride there for quite awhile and not get bored. These trails have a difficulty rating of 2 by the CCC ... whereas the Geels South trail has a difficulty rating of 3. Excepting the loops near old 27 and Canoe Camp Road, most of Leotta is sandy, but not deep, soft stuff that is hard to ride. Another point ... I mentioned in my original Geels Trail report that I prefer this trail in the early spring and the late fall ... however, I really didn't give all the specifics for my preference. Number one is ground moisture content ... Geels South is basically hard pack in the early spring before the ground dries up and late in the fall after the rainy season commences here in Michigan ... and as 2TrakR mentioned, right after [or during] any rain event of significance. All of the sandy trails, like: Gladwin, St. Helen, Denton, Rose City, Ogemaw Hills can be amazingly fun to ride right after a good rain ... totally different than when they are completely dried out ... so plan your riding accordingly! Final point ... not sure what your riding schedule is going to be like this fall ... but, once I get my bike repaired and back on the trail [hopefully soon], I would be glad to poke around with you if you don't mind riding with a novice. I too have spent many hours riding alone ... while it can be fun and interesting ... it does not compare to riding with your friends ... both from a safety and from a comradery perspective. Just drop me an email : [email]maggiesscrap@aol.com[/email] or give me a call: 989-835-2266 ... I will try to accommodate your schedule if you're interested. Whatever happens ... keep riding and having fun ... thanks for the great report of your experience ... and I look forward to your future reports. Hopefully I will be more up to date in my replies. terry nestrick :cool: [/QUOTE]
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Who to Ride With, Where to Ride
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First ever “up north” trail ride
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