WOULD YOU RISK YOUR LIFE TO SAVE A TRAIL ? LIME CREEK 6/11/10

LOOP ~ 57 MILES          RIDERS - DAVID ,JOHN

IT WAS WARM WHEN WE UNLOADED SO I DECIDED JUST TO RIDE THE ROAD IN MY WIND STOPPER JERSEY & LEFT MY JACKET AT THE TRUCK.

I WANTED TO RIDE THE SOUTH FORK TRAIL FROM HUNTER CREEK UP TO BREMNER. THE LOWER CROSSING WAS HIGH BUT PASSABLE. HOWEVER WE KNEW THE CROSSINGS UP STREAM  WERE LIKELY TO BE CHALLENGING & THE MIDDLE FORK CROSSING WOULD BE A MESS. SO WE DECIDED TO GO IN THRU HOLE IN THE WALL.

THE CROSSING BY ROANHIDE WAS HIGH SO WE WENT A FEW YARDS UP STREAM. 

FARTHER UP STREAM THE SIDE HILL CROSSING THE MVTMA WORKED ON WAS STILL IN GOOD SHAPE.

THE LEDGE UP STREAM FROM HERE WAS TOUGH TO CLIMB. DAVID SAID IT TOOK HIM 3 TRIES. I RODE UP ON HIM ON THE 3RD TRY.

MY 1ST TRY I HUNG UP ON THE ROOT. THE 2ND TRY I “HAMMERED IT” ( REMEMBERING ADVICE FROM MOAB). WELL I GHOSTED THE BIKE UP THE LEDGE & IT LOOPED OUT.

WE GOT THE BIKE BACK DOWN SINCE IT WAS POINTED THE WRONG WAY. WHEN I GOT BACK ON THE BIKE I COULD TELL THE BARS WERE TWEAKED & COULD SMELL OIL.

I RODE BACK DOWN THE TRAIL, TURNED AROUND  THEN WALKED IT THRU A TIGHT SIDE HILL.

FOUND A HOLE POKED IN THE CLUTCH COVER BY THE BRAKE PEDAL. THOUGHT I HAD SOME JB WELD BUT IT WASN’T IN MY PACK.

PLAN “A” WAS TO PLUG THE HOLE WITH A TWIG. TRIED WILLOW & PINE, NEITHER ONE WORKED.

  WE DECIDED TO PULL THE COVER TO PLUG IT FROM THE INSIDE. STILL NO LUCK WITH THE ORGANIC SOLUTION, WENT TO PLAN B-MAKE A PLUG WITH A RUBBER TIRE PATCH.

AFTER A COUPLE OF TRIES WE SEEMED TO HAVE SUCCESS. USED SOME WATER TO PERFORM A LEAK TEST. 

PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER & NO OIL LEAK !

BARRY “ NOW THAT’S HOW YOU KICK ASS & PLUG THAT DAMN HOLE !” 

JUST AS WE STARTED TO PUT THE BIKE BACK TOGETHER WE WERE GETTING SPRINKLED.

STRAIGHTENED THE TRIPE CLAMP, BUT THE HANDLE BARS MIGHT STILL BE BENT. HOPE I DON’T GET REPORTED FOR BIKE ABUSE.

WHEN WE GOT TO BREMNER DAVID DECIDED TO PUT HIS RAIN PANTS ON.

WE RODE BREMNER UP TO ROANHIDE.

THERE WERE A FEW TREES DOWN ON ROANHIDE, THIS ONE WE HAD TO DRAG THE BIKES UNDERNEATH. WASN’T ALL THAT BAD.

WE LUNCHED AT THE TOP OF ROANHIDE. THE TEMP WAS IN THE UPPER 40’S & WE COULD SEE THE RAIN ROLLING IN.

AFTER LUNCH WE DECIDED TO RIDE COYOTE DOWN. AS WE WERE RIDING THE CONNECTER TO COYOTE THE SKIES WERE BLACK OVER FAIRFIELD.

GOT TO THE BOTTOM OF COYOTE AND DECIDED TO GO BACK DOWN SOUTH FORK. AFTER “THE CROSSING” WE POKED DOWN SOUTH FORK SOME MORE UNTIL WE CAME TO A CROSSING & DECIDED THE HARD ONE WOULD BE HIGHER THAN WE WANTED.

TURNED AROUND &  RODE OUT HOLE IN THE WALL => SNOWMOBILE TRAILS BACK TO THE ROAD. THE TRUCK WAS DRY WHEN WE UNDRESSED & LOADED.