Another "How Not Too" installment.
Well I guess they can't all be good rides. This isn't much of an AR, but it fits in better here then anywhere else.
Got up at 0500 started coffee and started getting ready. I was highly confused because for some reason I kept thinking it was friday. Had it been Friday I would have know where I was going to ride for the day. You know how it is, some places aren't weekend friendly for uhm...different reasons. Knew there where a couple of spots I hadn't been in a very long time saved on the GPS so picked one of those. Twine, zipties, bailing wire, and a towel, and I still wasn't happy how the GPS was mounted, it would work thou. Got all ready and was out of the house before 0600.
Following the GPS I really had no idea where I was going. Only been to this place once over a year ago and someone led me. Knew the general area, but it was hella further then i remembered. First freeway then backroads. Got off the freeway and waited and waited and waited at the stupid light. Finally made it past that and rode on. Shortly after, that minding my own business going the speed limit, passed a cop. He actually made a U-turn and followed me for awhile. Not a clue why. Usually no one pays me no heed.
Entered what kinda looked like a neighborhood with a sign out front. Wish I would have got a picture, but figured I would be turning around soon so didn't bother. Said something like, "Private roads, no trespassing, surveillance 24hours, keep out". There was no gate and granted the roads had NO painted lines on them, but I still figured they where county roads and not private, so continued on.
Kept going an finallyyyy came to this sign. I knew I was in the right when I continued on past that first sign. Must just be the neighborhood getting tired of traffic, 4x4's and the like passing through.
There are a few different roads, trails to enter. The one I took turned out to be a mud-bog within 20feet. Got stuck, foot in the mud, and fell over getting my right side muddy and wet. Stupid 4x4's making there own trails. Took awhile getting out of the mud. This happened a few times throughout the ride...start down a road only to realize it turns into a make-your-own muddy trail...then figure out a way to turn around in the mud.
Anyway continued on down my first trail that came to a lake. Looked around, cool, hopped back on and road away........less then a foot and somehow fell into a hole I didn't see. WTF??? So here I'm sitting on the bike, with the rear tire in a hole and no way to go forward or even get off the bike. If I move around to much I might fall to the right...MORE into the hole. If I climb off the bike to the left...the bike is likely to fall away to the right...MORE into the hole. Finally grabbed roots, plants, etc... and pulled myself out without pushing the bike deeper. Here are some pics of the bike sitting there before hauling it out. It's a lot more precarious then it looks.
It's a very small little ORV park. You can't get lost, but you can get turned around and forget which roads you've been on and where the trails are. I remember this from last time I was here.
Rode around on the main roads hitting any trails I could find. Sometimes I had to turn around because of mud, other times I soldiered through. Tried to make it up one trail. Steep ass one, almost made it to the top but there was a ledge over a foot tall. Got the front wheel over, but then lost momentum and slid back. Wasn't too fun backing, sliding down the trail. Kept going and actually found the other end to the trail and started down that. Was having an OK time until I came to a root. Hit it wrong and went down. Tail end of the bike coming down right on a rock breaking my turn signal pretty bad.
Made it down the trail and took a break to fix the light. Mosquitoes started bugging me and I was just pissed about the light just dangling there. Ended up tying it and decided enough had gone wrong and headed home. Of course I used the twine from the GPS so had that in my pocket. Left a different way then I entered so would be riding down the road one handed while I looked at the GPS in my other hand. LOL. Made it home safely thou.
Boy, what a long read for such a short day.
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Subject: Adventure today - HNT 
6/13/2010, 9:19 am
excellent, we need more crash pics!