Crawdaddy 96 Posted August 10, 2010 Another fun Bluesapalooza trip in the record books.. Most of the gang headed up Thursday night.. The 9am Friday morning crew gathered and headed out on the trail...I decided to ride Jerry Counts SE Mammoth Loop on Sat to reacquaint myself with that track/loop and also see what, if any, portions were now closed... The gang assembled along a random trail on Friday morning Some beautiful scenery/trails.. Here they come... Profile of the two WR250Rs with the mtns above Convict Lake in the distance Friday bunch just north of Crowley Lake We ran into a trail closure on a bluff near Whitmore Hot Springs...this forced us to explore other avenues.....I led the gang on a few dead ends before finally settling on a nice(?) downhill.... Jim didn't think it was that nice... But he recovered and conquered it... Once we skirted around the airport I led the crew over to Convict Lake since many had never been there before.....Kevin decided to wash off a bit.... Then we headed back towards Mammoth and encountered our first water crossing.....Hobiee having some fun with it.....this crossing was fairly deep.... Kevin Mike Jim Once we reached Sherwin Creek Rd. we hung a left and headed over to Laurel Lake....a few pics along the way up looking back.... Looking down at Laurel Lake... We ran into Deb and Pyro at the Lake.....the gang conversing Time to head back down.......looking up switchback leading away from the lake Heading down... Hoss and Hobiee heading down... Mike rounding switchback with stream/waterfall trickling down from the Lake high above... Looking back up the trail towards Strega heading down... More down.... Strega and I pulled over at one of the many overlooks on the way down... Pyro and Debie rolling through the gate at the bottom of Laurel Lake... Once everyone was safely down we headed back into town on some nice trails....then some of us were off to the Friday night BBQ/Blues/Brews....the John Justice Band and Ruthie Foster put on a great show...fun ~80 mile day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted August 10, 2010 Day 2 Sat Sat morning we split into two groups and headed for an expanded version of the Mammoth Loop…….unfortunately some pristine single track is now closed as Wilderness……VERY irritating……my group of 5 was quickly reduced to just me and Hobiee…..we headed off towards June lake on a series of fun trails…… Once we finished a ~70 mile loop we decided to head up Joaquin Ridge……beautiful views at ~10,200’ Minerets in the distance: Heading back down with Mammoth Mtn Ski Resort in the distance….lot’s of colors way up high…… Blues/purples up top…. Followed by yellows…. Hobiee heading down…. Down at the Ski Resort Hobiee and I got back around 2:30pm which was perfect……2 hours remaining in the beerfest and my man Chris Duarte was scheduled to take the stage at three…….fun ~80 mile day….. Lot’s of folks “tasting” from the ~60+ breweries in attendance: Chris Duarte rockin’ it….. The headliners, Los Loney Boys, came on later in the evening and killed it…….fun evening…… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted August 10, 2010 Day 3 – Bodie Loop We had a few no shows when the bell rang at 7am Sunday morning....the Bodie ride is a fun “Big Country” loop.... We took off on a series of trails towards Bald Mtn and hoped on a sweet/overgrown two track and added to the loop last year....I spotted Kevin kicking up a heck of a lot of dust in the distance and tried to zoom in for a pic..... Brian and I talked Ron and Jim into riding the view loop with us.......I think they dug it...here’s a photo of the happy duo: Hobiee riding off Ron had some issues with a climb (briefly)......same climb that bit Kevin earlier.... Here comes Ron....Minerets in the distance.... We hoped on a nice graded road which ran us way out east before turning north towards Bodie....we stopped at a view point for some jerky/water before descending down to the valley....here I am on top of the world Ron and Jim’s disposition changed a bit once we turned off Doobie Road and headed for the rocks/sand....Brian and I parked up ahead and waited for the formerly happy duo to arrive......a bit of profanity was starting to come across the radio waves at this point....... Brian and I sat under a tree in the shade while Ron/Jim played in the sand..... That “puff” in the distance is Ron getting up close and personal with the sand.... Ron and Jim declared they’d had enough so Hobiee and I headed off for the Train Testle as a pair.....we headed down this road for a ways before turning left and cutting across Larkin dry lake bed....."untouched"..... The road across Larkin was sweet.....not a track to be found and relatively whoop free.....Mono Lake in the distance as we approach the Hardway track..... We bumped up an overgrown trail to the remains of an old Train Trestle.....Jerry Counts gave me this track last year......pretty cool.....rarely seen or ridden (obviously).. Once we left the Trestle we headed along a barely visible single track towards a “cut in the mtn”.....the trail was not only overgrown, some rocks had tumbled down.....we moved a few and bumped the bikes over the really big ones.... Hey, where’s the trail? Looking over at the “cut in the mtn” from the traverse leading up towards Bodie Once we reached the top of the Trestle/cut in the mtn track we ran into Mike and Kevin who passed up Larkin earlier so they could head into Bodie.....they opted to ride down and see the trestle/cut in mtn track too.....we BS’d a bit and then another set of riders approached.....it was Jerry Counts and his buddy Gil.....small world.....more BS’n for a bit then we we’re on our way... Jerry and Gil Jerry steered Brian and I towards Coyote Springs as opposed to Cottonwood Rd.....nice two track/dirt road alternative.......beautiful views heading down towards Mono Lake.. I ran out of gas along Mono Lake.....I was conducting an experiment to see just how far I could go on my stock (lame)1.9 gallon tank........~115 miles.....not bad.......poured in a quart bottle and headed up to Lee Vinning... Once we left Lee Vinning we cruised along the track towards June Lake......some nice views of Yosemite in the distance... We explored a few trails out in this area too......I have a few new wrinkles to add to next year’s ride.......we ran into Mike and Kevin as we came down a ridge.......explored a bit more......then headed back into town....big day at ~180 miles......but Brian and I weren’t through yet..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted August 10, 2010 Day 4 Monday On Sunday, Jerry asked me if I'd ridden a certain singe track down by Crowley Lake that he told me about last year.....I told him I hadn't......yet.......he emphasized that we shouldn't take any big bikes with us because we were going to have to man handle the bikes along a cliff/rock at one point and big bike wouldn't fit......this sounded interesting........Brian and I decided to find it/ride it before we left on Monday.... It was a COLD start this morning at ~7am.......we stopped to thaw out in a nice grassy area along Crowley Lake Once we reached the Crowley Dam we set out to find the single track.....wow....if you have any issues with ledges/heights this is NOT the trail for you (we dug it) Then we found the portage rock......a picture doesn't do this obstacle/scenario justice......there's a ~1 foot clearance between that rock and the edge of the cliff......blow it and your tumbling a few hundred feet......riding around the rock is not an option.....the rock will push you over the edge.......we put one rider on the far side to grab the handle bar with the other pushing the bike forward from behind.....not a big deal on small bikes.......not an option on big bikes.....Jerry was right...... The trail proceeds along the wall on the right and eventually climbs out above the canyon......very cool - thanks Jerry..... Brian making his way along the trail..... Then we descended down through a bunch of small.......turds?....towards 395 Once we reached the bottom we found the turd source..... We rode up along the eastern side of 395 then cut under the hwy by Tom's Place Back to Mammoth we go........ Another ~80 mile day......~420 mile weekend.......can't wait to head back and do it again...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted August 10, 2010 What an AMAZING adventure....Will post up tomorrow, lots of pics etc....but First of all, THANKS SOOO MUCH to our Awesome Fearless Leader..Crawdaddy, .You Rock Man! Thanks for providing us all with the plans, the posts, the leadership and the incredible tracks for an Epic Weekend..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RogerTOWM 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like another fantastic C-didy ride. Great photos of beautiful trails and countryside. Wish I could have been there with you guys Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pyro 1 Posted August 10, 2010 What an awesome weekend! More photos coming tomorrow . . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hobiee 28 Posted August 10, 2010 Amazing weekend! Great company and great rides. Thanks to Crawdaddy again for the guidance through some of the best stuff i have ever ridden. I will post some pics once i get my camera going again as it succumbed to the dust, but i will get it fixed up and post them soon. PS fried pickles are hot, like nuclear hot but damn good Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirt dame 559 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like an epic adventure, for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks amazing so far....great report. The seat.....you like the seat Chris? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTMrad 508 Posted August 10, 2010 Cool pix and write-up. Good to know people like Jerry Counts, looks like you guys had some great trails. You rode every day........awesome ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Another epic adventure put together by the Crawdaddy. My camera broke mid day Saturday, so my pictures are toast for the most part. The adventure started out Thurs morning, getting everything packed up and ready to go. I've packed for these trips many many times, have a really solid list of things I need to take, and I still ALWAYS feel like I'm forgetting something and I'm nervous when I leave the house. Luckily, I don't think I forgot anything this trip. It just so happened that when Samir asked if I had any extra fuel hose because his fuel filter had cracked on his GPZ (He was street riding with his wife and friends Dave/Kathy), I had a spare inline fuel filter and the extra hose to get him in working order without having to MacGuyver the fuel line. Got lucky with a few dollars in spare parts in my bag which I always have. I get the oil changed in the truck, tires checked, over to AAA, the bank, and I head north on I-15 to meet Chris and Brian at Deer Springs to consolidate gear and carpool up to Mammoth. The meeting time was 3:00pm and I get a text at 3:04pm from Crawdaddy, "Where are you?!?...b!tch" to which I reply, "I'm on the offramp!! Settle down Francis!!" You know you're part of the IN crowd when you get text messages and the last word in every one is...b!tch. We get loaded and start the caravan to Mammoth. We arrive in Mammoth about 11:30pm and I hear Brian on the radio, "DO YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT BEAR UP THERE??" Chris and I both look up and left, and I see this HUGE bear on the walkway of the 2nd floor rooms. The bear was up there rummaging through the trash cans. This bear was HUGE. Standing on all fours, you could see the hump of his back over the railing. Standing on his hind legs, the bear would have been 7+ feet tall. This big 'mammoth' creature was no joke. I've seen bears before, but never a bear that big, and 3 car lengths away. Chris always nails the ride report and I always forget stuff. I rode Friday and Saturday, but had to bail on Sundays ride due to my hand being really swollen and it hurt pretty bad. Last Monday, I broke my thumb and fractured my hand in a lacrosse game, so 3 days riding just wan't in the cards for me. The rocky downhill from Lauryl Lake was brutal on the hand, and a 3rd day riding just wouldn't have been smart. Another great trip in the books, now looking forward to Big Bear in early Sept, 'Kings of the West' sometime between now and Jan 1st, and maybe LAB2V. The quality of people here on SDAR never ceases to amaze me. I'm always impressed that so many people from so many different backgrounds can get together for riding and dinner/drinks and sit and talk like they've known each other for 10 years. Met a newish member, Kevin (fjrrider I think) from Vegas on this trip and just another example of a good rider and a good guy joining up with the usual herd of misfits in Mammoth. Chris, thanks again for all your GPS prep for this ride, you always put together quality trips and looking forward to more of these trips in the future. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akcooper9 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like an AWESOME place to ride...Im jelous... All this house stuff and wedding planning "stuff" has my time/wallet wrapped up (until December) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like an AWESOME place to ride...Im jelous... All this house stuff and wedding planning "stuff" has my time/wallet wrapped up (until December) Weddings are awesome (from what I hear), but just elope, it's less stress and the honeymoon can be a month long with all the money you save. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joliet 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Samir (He was street riding with his wide and friends Dave/Kathy) I am not sure Samir or his wife will approve of this post . Glad you guys had a good ride, great pics. Wish I could have been there. Ken Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Grrrrrrrrr.....fixed. =\ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mctrails 38 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like another awesome SDAR trip. Thanks for the reports and photos! Sounds like you like to do the GOOD stuff Chris. Can't wait to do one of your rides. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
candycornman 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Those are some awesome pictures Chris. I have always wanted to go on rides like those. Someday I will have to get up there and explore the trails like you guys do. You need to start your own tour guide business so I can be your first customer lol. Look forward to seeing more pics of your ride. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 You need to start your own tour guide business... I'll build the web page. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SXP 1 Posted August 10, 2010 Looks like an AWESOME place to ride...Im jelous... All this house stuff and wedding planning "stuff" has my time/wallet wrapped up (until December) Weddings are awesome (from what I hear), but just elope, it's less stress and the honeymoon can be a month long with all the money you save. I owe you a fuel filter - saved me a lot of grief....I'll have one for you the next time we meet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hoss314 0 Posted August 10, 2010 You need to start your own tour guide business... I'll build the web page. I will lead group #2! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted August 10, 2010 Last Monday, I broke my thumb and fractured my hand in a lacrosse game, ....... 3rd day riding just wouldn't have been smart. While the first 2 days was genius......... Glad u guys had fun.....wish I didn't have to cancel out of this one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blind_in_1_ear 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Last Monday, I broke my thumb and fractured my hand in a lacrosse game, ....... 3rd day riding just wouldn't have been smart. While the first 2 days was genius......... Glad u guys had fun.....wish I didn't have to cancel out of this one. ..seemed oddly appropriate Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 I owe you a fuel filter - saved me a lot of grief....I'll have one for you the next time we meet. You can buy me a beverage next time, and we're even. Glad I could help! That filter was a cheapo from AutoZone, barely cost anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted August 10, 2010 Last year, same spot: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites