BIRCH CREEK 11 28 09

 LOOP- 56 MILES

RIDERS J AITON , J COTNER

HAD THE WHOLE DESERT TO OURSELVES.

EVEN THOUGHT WE WERE LOST BUT WE WEREN’T

JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE. ON THE WAY BACK TO THE TRUCK COULDN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO DROP INTO THE BIG BIRCH CREEK WASH. RAN INTO TO SOME TALL, STEEP WATER FALLS.  KNEW WE WERE CLOSE BUT DIDN’T WANT TO RUN COTNER OUT OF GAS.

 JUST NEED A COUPLE OF MORE RIDES TO LEARN THE TWISTS AND TURNS.

THERE ARE A FEW TRACKS IN THE HILLS TO LEARN AS WELL.

 

 GOOGLE EARTH SHOWS A TRAIL ABOVE WHERE WE TURNED AROUND.

 

BACK AT THE TRUCK.  I WOULDN'T MIND A WINTER CAMPOUT HERE.

MURPHY WED 11/25/07

SHORT 34 MILE LOOP  OUT AT MURPHY.

DAVID TOOK A HIGH SPEED GET OFF NEAR THE TRUCK, CROSSING A SAND WASH WITH A SQUARE EDGE HIDDEN BY TUMBLE WEEDS.

THOUGHT WE WERE TAKING A TRIP TRIP TO THE ER, BUT HE WAS ”OK”.

 

 

 

 MONDAY BRIAN KLINGER AT REKULSE WENT THRU THE CLUTCH SETUP. HE REMOVED 3 BALLS, THE CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT IS MUCH SMOOTHER NOW. BEFORE IT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY OFF THE BOTTOM & FELT LIKE YOU WERE POPPING THE CLUTCH.

LUNCH STOP ON SINKER CREEK.

OBAMA JOBS SUMMIT –BLACKS CREEK 11 17 09

46 MILES.

ROAD ON BACK SIDE OF THREE POINT MT ICED OVER IN THE SHADY SPOTS SO WE PARKED AT BENDER INSTEAD OF WILLOW CREEK.

                  RODE OUT OF BENDER CREEK INTO DEVILS HOLE                                      

                     (NO MAP,GPS TURNED OFF AT 18 MILES)

                 SUPER TRACTION WHEN YOU WERE ON DIRT !

                 NORTH SLOPES AND SHADY SPOTS SNOW COVERED.

 

                       RIDERS-MURRAY, DAVID, JOHN C., JOHN A.

 

ME TOP OF TRAIL 316.

ME ON SIDE HILL INTO DEVILS HOLE.

CANYON UPPER DEVILS HOLE TRAIL

TRAIL INTO DEVILS HOLE.

CONTER DEVILS HOLE                              ME DEVILS HOLE

MURRAY  , DAVID , JOHN LUNCH DEVILS HOLE

WATER FALL TRAIL

BLACKS CREEK TUESDAY 11 10 09 ( TEAM OBAMA )

 GOOD LOOP WITH MURRAY AND DAVID.

~ 43 MILES

GREAT DAY. STARTED OUT IN JACKETS BUT RODE MOST THE DAY IN JERSEY'S.

I NEED TO RIDE A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK TO GET MY LEGS BACK.                  

STILL TOO CAUTIOUS SINCE MY GET OFF.

BUT I WAS ABLE TO DRESS MYSELF AT THE END OF THE RIDE !

 

~ ONE MILE UP WILLOW CREEK I STOPPED TO SCOPE OUT A GNARLY STRETCH OF SIDE HILL.  WHILE I WAS SITTING ON THE BIKE DAVID SHOUTED IT WAS TRICKY. WITHOUT MAKING A MOVE THE REAR WHEEL SLIPPED OUT. I WAS UPSIDE DOWN  ON MY BACK WITH ONE HAND ON ROCK AND A ONE FOOT UNDER THE BIKE TO KEEP EVERY THING FROM SLIDING INTO WILLOW CREEK.

TOOK ME ON A TOW STRAP AND MURRAY WALKING THE BIKE TO GET IT BACK ON THE TRAIL.

STARTED DOING BETTER WHEN I GOT INTO 2ND & 3RD STAYING ON THE PEGS & GAS.

WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH ON DEVILS HOLE ABOVE THE SOUTH FORK OF THE BOISE.

RENEWABLE BRAKE DISC ?

SILVER CITY 11 1 09

SHORT LOOP UP TO SILVER CITY ~ 42 MILES

RIDERS – MURRAY, KATHARINE, LANE ,ME

1st ride since my get off 2 weeks ago.

Some what timid the 1st half of the ride.

I like my new KLIM helmet. 

 

I need to work on the REKLUSE set up. Take a couple of balls out  to soften the engagement.

 

 

 

 MAIN STREET SILVER CITY LUNCH BREAK AT IDAHO HOTEL.

 

BARRY  -"Why can't I just eat my waffle ? "

Q: What’s the main problem with Barack Obama jokes?
A: His followers don’t think they’re funny and everyone else doesn’t think they’re jokes.

HUNTER CREEK SUNDAY 10/18/09 “WHERE’S THE MOJO ?”

 LOOP ONLY 25 MILES BUT HIGH ON ANXIETY.

DAVID & I TRIED TO GET ONE MORE RIDE IN AT LIME CREEK.

DAVE PICKED ME UP AT 9AM. WHEN I WAS ROLLING MY BIKE UP TO THE TRUCK IT FELT LIKE A BAD FRONT WHEEL BEARING. I GRABBED THE WHEEL OFF THE 400, BUT WHEN WE WENT TO REMOVE THE 300 WHEEL FOUND THE FRONT AXLE NUT LOOSE. MUST HAVE WORKED LOOSE IN IDAHO CITY ON FRIDAY!  SO WE TIGHTENED IT UP, CHECKED THE REAR WHEEL & SPROCKET AND WERE FINALLY LOADED.

SHEEP BEING MOVED FROM HIGH COUNTRY.

MIDDLE FORK LIME CREEK. CREEK WASN’T BAD BUT THE FAR BANK WAS SWAMPY DUE TO A NEW BEAVER DAM.

DAVID WENT 1ST. TOOK A LITTLE WORK TO FIND A WAY AROUND THE SWAMPY HOLE.

 

THEN IT WAS MY TURN. AS I WAS CLIMBING OUT OF THE CREEK I  GUNNED THE ENGINE TO CLIMB OVER A LEDGE & SUCKED WATER INTO THE AIR BOX. I THINK THE REAR WHEEL PUMPED THE WATER IN. IT TOOK US A FEW MINUTES TO REALIZE WE HAD WATER.

 

LOOKING AT KTM TALK THE 08’S & 09’S AIR BOX HAVE A HISTORY OF SUCKING WATER. KTM CHANGED THE DESIGN FOR 10’S . JUST $22 AND SHOULD FIT MY BIKE.

       10/23, Friday- Today I found a crack in the bottom airbox/rear fender well. Explains the water getting pumped in. I have a new one on order, will gorilla tape until I can replace.

AFTER PUMPING THE BIKE OUT , REPLACING THE PLUG AND PUTTING THE TANK BACK ON WE NOTICED FUEL POURING OUT THE OVER FLOW TUBE. DECIDED TO PULL THE BOWEL TO CHECK THE FLOAT. FREAKED ME OUT WORRYING ABOUT LOOSING SOMETHING IN THE MUD. I KEPT FINGER UNDER THE FLOAT PIN TO KEEP IT IN PLACE. DAVID LOOKED AT THE FLOAT VALVE THEN I DID. TOOK MY FINGER OFF THE PIN AND IT FELL OUT !

WE WERE ABLE TO FIND IT UNDER A STICK IN THE WET MUCK.

A TRUE RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE !!!!!!!!

GOT THE BIKE BACK TOGETHER AND IT STARTED ,BUT STILL HAD FUEL OVER FLOWING.

DECIDED TO CALL THE DAY AND HEAD BACK TO THE TRUCK.

 HUNTER TAKING HORSE IN TO PACK OUT A KILL.

   DAVID CROSSING SWAMP & CREEK AGAIN.

 

ABOUT A HALF MILE FROM THE TRUCK I WENT DOWN. DON’T REMEMBER  ANYTHING. KNOCKED ME SILLY FOR 2O-30 MINUTES. NEXT THING I REMEMBER IS SITTING ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND DAVE HELPING ME GET DRESSED!   SO FAR I SEEM TO BE OK.

SATURDAY 10/24

MY HIP, 1 WEEK AFTER HITTING THE GROUND @ 40MPH.

IDAHO CITY FRIDAY 10/15/09

LOOP 40 MILES

MOVING AVERAGE 11MPH

RIDERS DAVID , JOHN

 

 

 

STARTED WITH JACKETS BUT HAD TO PEEL THEM OFF 4 MILES INTO THE RIDE.

SUPER TRACTION BUT RIDING UP THE RIDGE WAS STILL A WORK OUT.

TATTOOED MY SHIN WHEN I FELL TRYING TO RIDE OVER A LOG. DEEP RUTS ON TOP WERE SLICK.

THE SNOW STORMS HAD BENT THE BUSHES OVER TRAILS  KNOCKED DOWN LIMBS & TREES.

 

 

TRINITIES

DAVID

 

I WANTED TO RIDE GRADY’S SPECIAL TEST WOODS TRAIL BUT TURNED AROUND AFTER A COUPLE OF DOWN TREES. I WOOSED OUT NOT WANTING TO SPEND 2 HOURS LOFTING BIKES OVER LOGS.

TVTMA SILVER CITY TOUR

MARK BOWMEN,GREG WALKER & STEVE PERHAC LED A HISTORICAL TOUR OF THE SILVER CITY AREA.

LOOP – 65 MILES

I HAD MY RESERVATIONS BUT DECIDED TO GO LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. ENDED UP BEING A FUN DAY & REMINDED ME IT WOULD BE FUN AREA TO EXPLORE ON THE 640 NEXT SUMMER.

THE OLD MINERS CABIN BEHIND DIAMOND BASIN. STARTED OUT WITH 22 RIDERS.

SLOW & DUSTY DOWN LOW.

I MANAGED TO EMBARRASS  MYSELF LOOPING OUT IN ROCKS & GAVE BARRY A SKULL FRACTURE.

RUBY CITY SITE

 

DOLLAR TRADE MINE

 

PUSHING SNOW AT THE 4 CORNERS INTO FLINT. LOST MOST THE RIDERS HERE.

 

LATER ON THE BACK SIDE OF WAR EAGLE I HAD PRETTY GOOD GET OFF IN 3RD GEAR  IN THE SNOW. KNOCKED MY CONTACT OUT OF PLACE & DIDN’T GET IT BACK IN UNTIL WE GOT TO THE TRUCKS.

 

FLINT MINE BUNK HOUSE. HOUSE ON THE RIGHT WAS MOVED FROM SILVER CITY.

IT BELONGED TO ONE OF THE ANCESTORS WHO RAN A STORE IN TOWN.

 

ME & BARRY. THE OWNERS WIFE, SARAH, DIDN’T WANT HER PIC WITH BARRY !

 

 

BARRY – “ SUCH A GREAT HONOR TO BE IN THE SAME COMPANY OF YASSER, FAT AL & JIMMY !”

“I HAVE A LOSE – LOSE PROPOSITION FOR THE ENTIRE WORLD !”

"There is a providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children, and the United States of America." -Otto Bismarck

 

 

 

 

KEN REEDS GRAND DAD OWNED THE MINE. KEN SHARED SOME OF  THE HISTORY.

HE WAS UP FOR THE WEEKEND RESTORING THE STAMP MILL ( SOME HOW MY PICS DIDN’T TAKE OF THE MILL)

 

THIS IS PHOTO KEN SHARED. HE SAID MOST OF THE STRUCTURES WERE ACTUALLY TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT VS. SUPPORTING THE OPERATIONS. MOST OF THE CAPITAL CAME FROM GREAT BRITON.

KEN SAYS IT FULL TIME JOB KEEPING THE TREES CUT BACK. YOU CAN SEE IN THE PHOTO THE VEGETATION USE TO BE SAGE BRUSH AND GRASS. TODAY IT IS ALMOST A JUNGLE OF JUNIPERS  (SEE MY PHOTOS ABOVE). SOME SAY THIS IS A RESULT OF MODERN FIRE SUPPRESSION.

 

 

POOR MAN MINE SHAFT.

$500,000 IN GOLD WAS MINED IN THE FIRST 5 DAYS BY CLAIM JUMPERS.