Friday 9/13 - Pine Valley Ride 9:30a

[sdmxr 0]

hard on the couch after our 4 hour, ~50 mi ride. Yes, it's obvious that I need to work on my dirt bike conditioning. It was a great day of riding, despite temps +90. We (bikeslut, sdmxr, domrvt, Mbab17 and SicVic) met up and began our ride as planned. Had an easy ride over to the Kernan Cycle Trail, stopping at the Heli landing to regroup and watched SicVic clear the concrete silo riding his 09 KTM450 Exc-r (14k miles, 4 pistons and a lot of cool upgrades, including an awesome kickstand that is now on my Christmas List) on the jump he created days earlier. We arrived at Kernan's trail crossing - domrvt's Husky was stalling and he decided to wrap things up and called it a day.

We ran the standard trails 1, 4, 8, etc. (bikeslut and sicvic can comment on the specifics) and had a great time. Resting at Four Corners and Bobcat Meadows before the race up Spur Meadow started. No flags started the race, SicVic (SV) gave Bikeslut a head start and SV gave chase. As the story goes, Mbab17 and I (sdmxr) were not close enough to provide an eyewitness account, bikeslut dominated until a turn or so before the finish line - a large boulder (i.e. small rock) deflected BS' bike enough for SV to slip by for the win. A quick rest at the top of Spur Meadow and we rolled up to the Lookout Tower to see/meet Norm. Mbab17 is ~1 month new to San Diego, from FL, so it was a good opportunity to show him the Tower and introduce him to Norm.

The 2nd race of the day began at the Tower and included the entire field. A coast race, with engines off. Pretty fun - SV lead most of the way with BS and I exchanging positions. Many close-calls with front tires washing out in corners. As we rolled upon the ending, on an uphill straight, it appeared that SV may have touched his breaks, allowing BS to roll a wheel or two ahead of him. I, too, came to a stop just past SV, but just behind BS. Mbab17 was the smart one by following closely, just out of the way of the carnage that could have unfolded at any time.

From Four Corners we decided to take Kernan down. SV lead and I followed. SV had a quick pace down the hill and looked like a mogul skier hitting the rocks, berms, whoops, etc. We made it to the bottom and BS and Mbab17 arrived quickly. Of course, it wouldn't have been a ride with BS without a flat tire - he changed it quickly. Took the pavement back to the staging area and added another successful ride to the books.

Thanks for a great ride today! Much appreciation to BS for helping execute a fun and safe ride! SV and Mbab17 - nice meeting and riding with you. Mbab17 - welcome to San Diego and to SDAR. domrvt - nice meeting you and hope to ride with you soon.

Please add pictures if you have them.

sdmxr

[bikeslut 1]

I do have pictures and will add them today...

To say I "was leading" Vic is more accurate to say "an out of control fat 50 year old on a DRZ covering up the entire trail is hard to pass"

That's not to say I ever slammed the door on him, because after all, it's just a trail ride. When you know, and trust, your riding partners, it just makes it more fun

Good ride guys

[wildwood 11]

To say I "was leading" Vic is more accurate to say "an out of control fat 50 year old on a DRZ covering up the entire trail is hard to pass"

.......sore ribs,...that one hurt

Can't wait to see the pics.

[bikeslut 1]

So, here are the pictures... I'll try to stitch them together in a loose ride report

met the guys at the PV cul-de-sac... adventure passes in place (thanks paulmbowers for my shiny new 2014 pass)

Dom has s nice new Husky 449, and he is itching to ride Corral since his "geared to the moon, kick start on the wrong side" His old Husky has been passed to somebody else.

Dom finishing up Kernan North after his stalling episode

We let Vic lead up to the heli-pad, with sdmxr behind him, then Dom, mbab, and me bringing up the rear... Bear Valley Road is much more like the old days after the torrential down-pour documented in Vic's "Faces of Death" ride report... rutted, sinkholes, mud puddles, exposed rocks, washed out berms... in other words, fun

We stopped at the helipad to re-group and assess group dynamics; everybody gave a thumbs up, so we let Vic hit his jump real quick (that landing is UGLY), then motored over to Kernan

Group spaced out well, again with me lagging behind; I wanted to watch the guys I didn't really know, so I wouldn't get them in over their heads once inside Corral... they both rode well, and I saw some very solid saves from mbab (riding an XRL with stock tires) so I knew he could handle the trails I had in mind

Kernan was non-eventful, and we hit trail 1 for the entire length right away

mbab riding down trail 1... he accused me of wanting to get a picture of him falling... while he is absolutely accurate about my character, I've never seen anybody fall on the section

and, trail 1 near the end... still right there behind me, on his 350 pound street tire wearing BRP

sdmxr (matt) pulling in for some shade

vic right behind

and mbab (the other white matt)

from here, we took trail 8 (my favorite de-noobing trail... black diamond, but rideable)

sdmxr

vic

and matt

Vic going the other one upon request

and.. what goes up.....

bigfoot finally got the beef jerky

mbab on Spur Meadow

sdmxr starting his stoppie

visiting Norm

sigh

[domrvt 0]

This was in the cul-de-sac when I returned. A guy with bigger balls than me picked it up with a stick and threw it into the brush.

[bikeslut 1]

This was in the cul-de-sac when I returned. A guy with bigger balls than me picked it up with a stick and threw it into the brush.

that is incredible!

You have a rattlesnake right next to you, and you're comparing ball size

incredible I tell ya

what's up with the Husky... such a shame to have to cut out so early; glad you made it back ok

[domrvt 0]

that is incredible!

You have a rattlesnake right next to you, and you're comparing ball size

incredible I tell ya

what's up with the Husky... such a shame to have to cut out so early; glad you made it back ok

I'm pretty sure it was overheating. I did some road riding around Mt Laguna afterwards and didn't have any issue. I might try adding a second fan.

The rest of the ride sounds like fun, I'm gonna get back there again as soon as I can.

[ontheroad 0]

Did Norm have any interesting stories about the thunderstorm he sat through last week?

[bikeslut 1]

Did Norm have any interesting stories about the thunderstorm he sat through last week?

Vic and Norm had a big hugfest over the whole ordeal... tower was not struck, but he said it came through in 4 or 5 different waves (probably following Vic like a mall cop)