10 Annual Desert Dash - SUCCESS!

[SCHWINN 0]

On a funny note!!!!

About 5 years ago at a DD. SCHWINNY stopped to help me with a flat,

and his phone rang, HE TOLD THE PERSON HE WAS IN A RACE......LOL

[/quote

It always a race with TIME when you are sweeping. We have stopped to help each other in the past haven't we. My blown radiator hose, pullstart your XR 680L in the mud. That year was survival just to stick together Pole line to Superstition Dash 8.

It was fun having my Wife there for the 1st time finally after 9 Desert Dashes she decides to try it out.

Riders take note on what Crawdaddy said about Fairchild Hill. We have done it many times on night rides also. Its momentum and the line. I aim my 690 and it skips right up. Crawdaddys Qoute " Don't let Fairchild get in your head......steady on the throttle/left of center tapering right......and you're up....

[SCHWINN 0]

On a sidenote...My Wife Lori was impressed with the cooking and the variety of goodies and those Poppers...She made poppers in the oven last night and wrapped them in bacon...YUM.

Thanks again Debbie, Tracy,, John and whoever else was involved.

Hoss Crew in Fish Creek

One of the many caves

[FuzzyNugs 0]

Thanks for the advice on Fairchild. In my mind that's what I had planned to do. Up and to the right I thought. I must have just gone up and bounced the front tire instead of cutting right. Hoping to be on my smaller bike next time.

[CalNub 0]

done it many times on the 620 ADV pig with too much gas up front (heavy)......it just takes vision/commitment (ask Kato)....see it/charge it/clean it

Well you've successfully made me feel like a coward.

That whole route just got the best of us. We were hoping for an easier day and since there were no difficult "options" we thought the general route would provide a manageable ride Each new obstacle weighed heavily on our will to continue and we tried to turn back several times. A few rude riders taunted us, claiming to have gotten bigger bikes up or down any obstruction without actually providing insight or support. When we asked other riders what kind of obstacles lay ahead, the response was always "oh, it gets much easier from here." The reality was that with each wall/step/drop/squeeze conquered, a steeper, more difficult one was to come.

Obviously the bikes were perfectly capable, but the riders were a little less so (and significantly less willing). After finally making it through fish creek and split mountain we decided we'd had enough and gunned it for lunch to fill up (in more ways than one) and head home.

It was a successful weekend, albeit a humbling one. I look forward to doing this again in the years to come.

[Crawdaddy 96]

I look forward to doing this again in the years to come.

I think the first time I rode through there I was following someone (DigDug?) and we never stopped.......I didn't even know what the obstacles were called until we were having lunch in Borrego Springs......that's probably one of the best ways to hit some obstacles for the first time.......just follow someone who knows the line rather than stopping/setting yourself up for "paralysis by analysis"......don't over think it....just observe the prior rider's line/visualize what went right/wrong with that approach/hit it/clean it.....

Here's a pic of (then) ~17yr old Jarrett scaling it on the 620 about 4 years ago (the big rock hadn't dislodged yet):

[kato 53]

This line doesn't exist anymore right? seemed much harder to go down and back up this thing last sunday.. IIRC (my lips are still chapped 2 days later) looking at this picture I gunned it in a straight line from the bottom of the pic to somewhere where the front wheel is.

[bikeslut 1]

done it many times on the 620 ADV pig with too much gas up front (heavy)......it just takes vision/commitment (ask Kato)....see it/charge it/clean it

Well you've successfully made me feel like a coward.

That whole route just got the best of us.

I think you are on to something here... when you prepare for the worst, and it isn't as bad as you thought... it's easy

When you go in expecting easy, and some obstacles get thrown in there, it piles up... fatigue also plays a part. As you get discouraged and tired, ALL the little mistakes you make seem to pile up.

[CalNub 0]

Here's a pic of (then) ~17yr old Jarrett scaling it on the 620 about 4 years ago (the big rock hadn't dislodged yet)

Well you've successfully made me feel like a coward.

and again.

[Crawdaddy 96]

This line doesn't exist anymore right?

Still the same line....just looks a bit different because the rock is (now) laying in front of you on the approach.....

[bikeslut 1]

This line doesn't exist anymore right? seemed much harder to go down and back up this thing last sunday.. IIRC (my lips are still chapped 2 days later) looking at this picture I gunned it in a straight line from the bottom of the pic to somewhere where the front wheel is.

I've only been up it twice, but that doesn't look the same to me either... the earlier pics in this thread look the same. More "moguls" than steps and lines

[Crawdaddy 96]

I've only been up it twice, but that doesn't look the same to me either... the earlier pics in this thread look the same. More "moguls" than steps and lines

The earlier pics in this thread are all from the top looking down......the conditions have changed a bit over the years but it's fundamentally the same line......does anyone have a pic from this year from the bottom looking up?

[SCHWINN 0]

That ROCK dislodged late 2009 or very early 2010 just before the 2010 Dash.These pics are from 2010

[rydethis 0]

The earlier pics in this thread are all from the top looking down......the conditions have changed a bit over the years but it's fundamentally the same line......does anyone have a pic from this year from the bottom looking up?

I beleive Hayseed has one on the first page of this post...this was my first time riding the area so not sure, the picture above it has me getting a another clutch lever from Billp before I rode up it. Looked worse then it actually was and I felt a great sense of accomplishment doing it, especially after the whipout on Heart Attack Ridge !!!

[paulmbowers 236]

Well you've successfully made me feel like a coward.

Pfft.

Aaron, it's WELL within your ability zone. You're a solid rider on that bike, and if people would just keep riding, you'd never even notice- you'd just ride right up.

[CalNub 0]

Pfft.

Aaron, it's WELL within your ability zone. You're a solid rider on that bike, and if people would just keep riding, you'd never even notice- you'd just ride right up.

Thank you for the vote of confidence. And you're right, had we just kept riding without scoping it out or over-thinking, we would have been just fine. Like I said before, the trail was just getting the best of us. Had the circumstances been different, we would have all climbed up it without issue. Hell the first step-up after the squeeze was actually more difficult, but the fairchild climb was higher and caught us off-guard. I feel like a pussy for walking my bike, especially when I know I was capable of riding. In this case, the juice just wasn't worth the squeeze.

[AATA 0]

Obstacles are like sand. The faster you go, the easier they get!

[Guest Crusty]

Obstacles are like sand. The faster you go, the easier they get!

Amen Brother, Trevor knows!!!

X 680

That,s why I rode the pace I did, " EASIER"

[hoss314 0]

Just a few more months and I will be setting up a night ride through the "steps", Heart Attack, Fairchild etc....

Stay tuned!

Heart Attack at night...

Brings a whole new perspective to "When in doubt....GAS IT"!

[bikeslut 1]

Thank you for the vote of confidence. And you're right, had we just kept riding without scoping it out or over-thinking, we would have been just fine. Like I said before, the trail was just getting the best of us. Had the circumstances been different, we would have all climbed up it without issue. Hell the first step-up after the squeeze was actually more difficult, but the fairchild climb was higher and caught us off-guard. I feel like a pussy for walking my bike, especially when I know I was capable of riding. In this case, the juice just wasn't worth the squeeze.

agreed... Fairchild is NOT a big deal, nor is Heart Attack down...I have ridden harder stuff with you. Those are both visually intimidating, but fairly easy as long as you are aggressive.

[Goofy Footer 539]

agreed... Fairchild is NOT a big deal, nor is Heart Attack down...I have ridden harder stuff with you. Those are both visually intimidating, but fairly easy as long as you are aggressive.

.... or as long as bikeslut doesn't run you over on HA ....

[Sneeker 29]

.... or as long as bikeslut doesn't run you over on HA ....

:lol:/>

[bikeslut 1]

agreed... Fairchild is NOT a big deal, nor is Heart Attack down...I have ridden harder stuff with you. Those are both visually intimidating, but fairly easy as long as you are aggressive.

.... or as long as bikeslut doesn't run you over on HA ....

exaggerator... nobody RAN over anybody... I "bumped" your bike at an inopportune time, when you were already off your bike (technically)

HOWEVER... it does prove what we are saying here... STOPPING is often worse than GOING... just GO, and it works out (that being said, it's hard to convince your brain to do that at times)

[bikeslut 1]

.... or as long as bikeslut doesn't run you over on HA ....

:lol:/>/>

... don't encourage him

[dsfox 0]

Well, those were the good days on fairchild......BEFORE the rock was gone, and the hill was no big deal at all, even for my klx 250.....I can say I've done it.....and the only part that bothered me was the steepness of heart attack.....

Lately I ride just about every route in anza borrego, but like to avoid that particular stretch......for me the higher ratio of risk to injury to me and/or my bike (that could prevent sooo many amazing trips and destinations I frequently enjoy)....it just ins't worth it..... there are so many other great routes to take....

Perhaps when I've been riding as long as many of you, I'll breeze right down heart attack and up fairchild....

oh no!....never mind...by that time...I won't be around any more..../> />

[dstss 27]

Some bits and pieces from my helmet cam this weekend. So much fun.