Mikey777 44 Posted September 17, 2019 It usually starts with a text...."Are you fee, can you ride?"... something along those lines. Well, the stars and wifey hall passes aligned and LB and I were able to make a quick trip up to Kennedy Meadows leaving on Sunday 9/8, riding on Mon-Wed, and coming home on Thursday. On Sunday, LB picked me up at mi casa and we quickly hit the road. We grabbed lunch at the famous (maybe infamous) Astro Burger in Boron along the 395. It is a good burger despite the dilapidated appearance. As we were driving up the 395 and 9 Mile Canyon Road to Kennedy Meadows were met by a ton of trucks and RV's with bikes heading out. It looked like we were going to have the place to ourselves. When we pulled into Troy Meadows campgrounds, it was basically empty except 3-4 other campers! We quickly cracked some cold ones, set up camp, and got ready for the next 3 days of riding. On Monday, after much needed coffee and warming up, we hit the trails. I haven't done any real single track mountain riding so this was a pretty new experience....a lot more technical with working the clutch and rear brake to maneuver through and around tight rocks, trees, and dead fall. We hit Jackass trail, Granite-Broder and Albanita. Jackass has some tight rocky switchbacks which LB cake walked through and I struggled with (wrong gearing and the bike wasn't doing well with the altitude change-it ran boggy on the low end). But all in all it was an awesome day of riding. Carne asada and cold ones for dinner. On Tuesday, I had a better feel for things and we picked up the pace. Somewhere along the trail LB took a branch to the arm that left a nasty bruise. Shortly after that we stopped for a break. After a little grub we both crashed out in the dirt for about 20 mins. A true dirt nap. After a quick siesta we hit the trails again and somewhere I hit a tree pretty hard and broke my hand guard and clutch lever. The handle bar dug into my left leg as I went down. Didn't feel great and I have big purple and yellow bruise to show for it. We eventually made our way back to camp. Burgers and cold ones for dinner. On Wednesday, I was feeling it from two days of riding. After a couple hours my riding turned into a "soup sandwich" per LB. We also ran into a small lighting fire which we called in with the InReach. It turns out the USFS had been monitoring it for the last week, but we ran into two USFS crews who were walking in to secure it. Pollo asada and cold ones for dinner. Back to reality on Thursday. A few pics. LB took the good ones. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simicrintz 177 Posted September 17, 2019 "Soup sandwich"; I love it! Completely relatable as well. Good for you guys; looks like a great area. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagstr 287 Posted September 17, 2019 Excellent Effort Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oracle 195 Posted September 17, 2019 LOL...I was a little concerned I offended you with the "dude, your a fucking soup sandwich" comment. Now in all fairness, it was earned after 4 or 5 crashes, including going over the bars in the "mud pit", loosing your tail bag, and then getting a strap sucked up in your sprocket...all on one trail..., but I digress...Thanks for still being my friend. I was impressed how you never gave up and just kept pushing forward. At one point I had stopped out ahead of you a mile or so and shut off my engine. I sat there and listened to you start your bike, go a couple feet, stall out, and then repeat until you got through a technical rocky section. I thought for sure you were not having a good time and were going be ready to turn around. But you pulled up with a smile on your face and a positive attitude. I remember telling you a couple times...hey, the hard parts behind us...and then we'd get around a corner and there would be another technical section with 180 degree switch backs going uphill....but you made every section and now you know the area and what to expect. You'll have even more fun next year when your bike set up properly for Sierra single track and you graduate from The Oracle's slow and low motorcycle skills class. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bp619 104 Posted September 18, 2019 Get it Lb and mikey I've been there when I started riding the narrow hard stuff. on my first trip to Kennedy area last month one in our group was not ready to maintain terrain and pace with the other 3 of us, after his 4th or 5th crash that I had to help him pick up every time, I made decision that he couldn't maintain a good line so I just had him tail me and I took every easy line and he just had to stay on bike. He didn't crash next 4 miles and admitted he would have picked way worse lines. When I started I found that best way to get out when I was exhausted also just ask for help and follow someone's line Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken S 164 Posted September 18, 2019 Awesome trip. Jealous. I need to retire so I can ride during the week. Cycra bark busters with tap in bar ends a must for riding single track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikey777 44 Posted September 18, 2019 Barkbusters are on order. And that last section of "Soup Sandwich" trail we were on was actually pretty straightforward with nothing super technical. Fatigue was starting to set in and that is when I started dumping it, running into things, and yes, going over the handlebars into the "mud pit". All good times. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oracle 195 Posted September 18, 2019 Cancel the bark buster order and get the HDB set up...then you can get rid of that silly mirror too. https://www.highwaydirtbikes.com/index.php?app=ecom&ns=catshow&ref=HDB-100 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SoCalMule 106 Posted September 18, 2019 6 hours ago, Oracle said: LOL...I was a little concerned I offended you with the "dude, your a fucking soup sandwich" comment. Now in all fairness, it was earned after 4 or 5 crashes, including going over the bars in the "mud pit", loosing your tail bag, and then getting a strap sucked up in your sprocket...all on one trail..., but I digress...Thanks for still being my friend. I was impressed how you never gave up and just kept pushing forward. At one point I had stopped out ahead of you a mile or so and shut off my engine. I sat there and listened to you start your bike, go a couple feet, stall out, and then repeat until you got through a technical rocky section. I thought for sure you were not having a good time and were going be ready to turn around. But you pulled up with a smile on your face and a positive attitude. I remember telling you a couple times...hey, the hard parts behind us...and then we'd get around a corner and there would be another technical section with 180 degree switch backs going uphill....but you made every section and now you know the area and what to expect. You'll have even more fun next year when your bike set up properly for Sierra single track and you graduate from The Oracle's slow and low motorcycle skills class. This is one of my favorite posts to date. This exemplifies the meaning of the hardest day riding is better than the easiest day at a job! Very nice Oracle. Oracle...an appropriate handle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
