I know nobody's going to care, but...

[Robb]

...I simply must share an amazing experience I had yesterday. :bounce:

Through a friend of a friend, and my own winning personality :D I found myself attached to a rather premier, invitation-only dirt biking event during their furlough in my neighborhood. I tagged along with a dozen or so riders... that is to say, I started out with them.

Few of them were under 50. All of them were the best trail riders I had ever seen. And it was their day off to go ride with one another. :wow:

I pulled up, got introduced around. Just about the nicest bunch of guys I'd ever met. And we were off.

I've never pushed myself so hard. And they still lost me. And, the topping on the cake, after a spell one of them came back to me, hung out. Said he wanted me to ride my own speed, was going to hang out and make sure I didn't die on a forest trail somewhere miles behind the group. I finally convinced him it was my backyard out there, I could make it home, just not at those kinds of speeds. He contented himself doing laps on the trail, riding up to the group and then back to me, turning around to do it again.

Several of them came back at different points, both to check on me and to chat me up. They all were quick to suggest it was my smaller-engine bike, or probably my tires, or just a bad day, it's cool. :rofl:

Anyhow. Super-gracious guys. I found out later they were all talking about the cajones it took for me to even want to head out with them, much less go.

Great day. I've seen how far people can go with the sport, and I met a bunch of really nice guys. One of the organizers heard about my morning riding with the big boys, told me to get a bigger bike and ride some more, and next year come on the whole event with them.

I told him next year I'm gonna bring a helicopter. :D

[bigwillq]

1. That's awesome!

Glad you enjoyed the day!:hi:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. I really want a dirt bike.

I have an ATV and that's fun, but I think a dirt bike would be more fun.

[Robb]

5. Well, it's a lot easier

...to spill your beer on a bike. ;)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Don't worry. I don't even take beers on my ATV rides.

[Deja Q]

3. Cool!

:thumbsup:

Sounds like you had an absolutely terrific time!

[Robb]

4. ...And made it back to the office by noon!

I was sore after like five minutes. :D

...All that picking the bike up off the ground stuff. Wears one out. ;)

[jpgray]

6. Reminds me of the time I biked 30 mi with a decathlete friend

Her bike was a chrome-molybdenum miracle whereas mine was a crappy heavy piece of fiberglass. She had a cool lycra suit and I had a rolled up pantleg. Ah, good times. Sounds like you had fun!

[Robb]

7. I remember the moment I knew I was in over my head

We were heading up the county road to the trailhead, and I looked down and my spedometer read 70. :rofl:

I just about lost it making the first turn, still on the big wide dirt road. I'd never turned on anything that fast! :D

[sendero]

9. Man I miss...

.. dirt biking. When I was a sport, you could go off-road all over the place. Nearby was an Army Corps lake with acres of land around with all kinds of terrain. There is nothing quite like it.

Nowadays, it's hard to find a place to ride.

What kind (size) bike you riding?

[Robb]

11. It's a 250

Everyone else was riding 400 and 450 KTMs. One guy on a big Suzuki. :)

[sendero]

13. 2-stroke or 4?

What make?

Back when I was at it, a 250 was about the largest dirt bike you could readily find. Always in 2-stroke, which is my preference for dirt. When I'm struggling up that hill I want to hear noise dammit - not the thumping of a 4-stroke :)

[Robb]

14. Ah, I like the quiet

My little Kawi used to be a Forest Service bike. It's quiet enough to sneak up on critters, light enough to wind through tight trails.

I like the thump. :)

[flvegan]

10. The KX125 I used to ride would never keep up

with the guys with the KX250s. All the skill in the world won't make amends for FAR superior equipment (your tires, smaller engine). Hell, just ask the locals about my Clydesdale ass on my Gary Fisher Sugar and them on various Crack-and-fails...uh, I mean Cannondales...

[Robb]

12. Well, they DID all have big 4-strokes

I'm pretty sure I pushed that 250 (4-stroke) as hard as it's ever been ridden.

On the plus side, I would've been completely dead if I had to be picking up a 450 a dozen times. :D