The Dirty Crew got together for another fabulous day of riding dirt bikes in the dirt at Tahuya State Forest on January 1, 2012. They wanted to start the year off right.
Special Guest Star Ruthie went along for her second outing. Again, she rode the TDC Honda XR250R. Ghostface KLR had spent an entire day doing maintenance on it the day prior. With a broken decompression cable and a throttle cable operating with only three strands remaining, Ruthie once again proved that riding dirt bikes is the most fun one can have while still wearing pants. She crashed only once while navigating a slippery rock/root/gravel/corner situation while practicing her proper Shane-Watts-style of using the twistgrip like a doorknob. It didn't work.
E-rock hadn't ridden in a while. His arms instantly went to jello for the first 15 minutes of the ride. Then, miraculously, were fine. His WR250F stalled out in deep water twice. The first time he was able to roll through to dry ground. The second one was due to ATV riders blocking the high-ground, leaving E-rock little choice but to take to deep water. What is up with ATV riders anyway?
MotoBum got off line on one section of trail and got his left leg pinned between an embankment and his trusty WR250F. He was laughing too hard to flag-down Swamp Monster for help, but was able to free himself once the laughing subsided. Later, he got the wind knocked out of him as he clipped a fallen tree sticking out into the trial with his chest. Feeling a bit beat up, he attempted to self-medicate by consuming two fish-bowl margaritas at dinner. It worked. But E-rock had to help him with the second one, which was probably a good thing for the interior of Ghostface KLR's truck as it ended-up not getting barfed on.
Ghostface KLR continues to love his Gas Gas EC300. It's been detuned enough now to be fun and "ridable." MotoBum rode it for a minute and swore it off for life. It still has way too much power. Swamp Monster rode it and loved it. Now he's obsessed with getting one of his own. The low weight and low seat height just work well for some people. Ghostface KLR loves his bike so much that he launched off his favorite jump without spotting the landing, landed in a large puddle, and rode the second half of the ride soaking wet. He couldn't wait to get his pants off.
Swamp Monster captured some video with his helmet-mounted GoPro camera... after his CRF250X started, that is. It actually started on the second long push this time (exhausting MotoBum in the process). It won't initially start from the kickstarter or the push-button anymore. Swamp Monster thinks it might be time to check the valves and rebuild the carburetor... shortly before putting it on craigslist in order to fund-raise for his own Gas Gas.
The 24.4 mile short route taken:
Download this track (.gpx format)
2012: The First Ride video
Ruthie Contemplates "The Ravine"
MotoBum Eats a Cookie
Door On Speed
