The Summer of Stupid: 7400+ miles of 2up - OBCDR, CDT, TAT West and more...

[babyhuey]

I don't know what you do for a living, Little Wan, but may I suggest you start a business as the world's firsts backseat tour guide?

Your function would be strictly photography, ride reports and color commentary. I bet you'd get a lot of business. You're too small to eat much and could be stored neatly with the gear at the end of each day. A real value.

Thanks for this report. It's been a blast so far.

[LittleWan]

Originally Posted by larryboy

That's kind of silly, I've never seen a motorized vehicle eat grass/weeds in one county and poop it out in another county...horses and elk do that..keep them out.

hey LB, I can see not wanting deep tracks in the mud, though. Oh well, whatever. I’m just a tourist. And I like what’s good for elk.

Originally Posted by acesandeights

The soil (with contaminants) can get on your bike, then when it falls off or is washed off the noxious plant/weed/contaminant grows where it shouldn't. It's a pretty big issue in certain parts where I live (S. Oregon/N. California) where it kills trees at a significant rate. Not to hijack the thread, but just an FYI in case you really wondered. Port Orford Cedar Root disease is a big deal and is spread this way, and it is the reason why at certains times of the year certain areas become closed to motor vehicle traffic (when mud is slung).

Hi acesandeights - we’ve got issues like that in the bay area, too. Sudden Oak Death for one. Thanks for the info!


I hope you and larryboy can still be friends - don’t make me break out that sheep video again!

Originally Posted by babyhuey

may I suggest you start a business as the world's firsts backseat tour guide?
You're too small to eat much and could be stored neatly with the gear at the end of each day.

Aw, thanks babyhuey! I’m glad you’re enjoying the report. I think BigWan might disagree with you though! I’m short, but stumpy and heavy like a fireplug:






Day 16 continued...



Our GPS tracks were broken and hard to follow on this section, so it was completely possible that we were in the wrong place.
We started exploring other paths...





Wow, there’s still some snow up here!




Alright, Fleecer RIDGE has got to be up that hill.
We went back.










We stopped and looked at the sign again.
Oh, f**k! It’s only closed to motos from October 15 to December 1!



Gah! We're such dumbasses.

R.I.F., baby.
Reading is fundamental!







Aha. We must be getting close!






oh. my. god... Now I want to frolic!

[Bob]

we must be cosmically or comically connected.
Before I opened the link, I knew it was going to be "the Hills are Alive".
Beautiful pic!

[dave6253]

Hey LittleWan, I just want to point out that summer is officially over. When you are done sharing your Summer of Stupidity we all expect you to cover the other three seasons!

[LittleWan]

Originally Posted by Bob

we must be cosmically or comically connected.
Before I opened the link, I knew it was going to be "the Hills are Alive".
Beautiful pic!

Hi Bob! haha, maybe. Or it could be that I already used that sound of music clip when Gravitycheck was frolicking in Oregon.
It’s a pretty catchy song and has been stuck in my head for a while. Maybe yours, too?

Originally Posted by dave6253

Hey LittleWan, I just want to point out that summer is officially over. When you are done sharing your Summer of Stupidity we all expect you to cover the other three seasons!

Very funny, Dave - don’t even joke about that! I’ll just be happy if I can finish the SoS by Turkey Day!


Hey redog1, Oops I missed you there...yeah, we were dying when we ran into Rose and Blanche



Day 16 continued...


Good grief, this day is taking forever...

Okay, so we went up that gorgeous wildflower-covered hillside and kept hunting around for the trail.
BigWan wants me to make it clear that none of this was Norm’s fault.
It’s just that our stupid tracks ended (back where we ran into the Golden Girls),
and then they didn’t start up again until a mile or so away.
We just had a nice blank area where Fleecer Ridge should be.

here it is again, smaller



We went up as far as we could ('til we ran into a fence).
It was really, really beautiful up there. I would have liked to hang out more, but it was getting late.
I told matt that I wanted to camp there.
He said, “yeah, that’s great. Except that it’s sloping. And rocky. And probably pretty cold.”
Oh, that.
I can’t believe I didn’t take more photos.
Sorry!

We were doing a lot of quick turns and riding off the trail -
I thought there was a chance we’d be slamming into a rock or down a hole or whatever so I put the camera away.
Now I kick myself - it was just spectacular up there. Sigh.
(And that’s why I need to get a shockproof camera).

After checking out every possibility near the top, we figured it must be lower down.
BigWan remembered seeing a ride report with some “sleepy” "fainting" KLRs, so he had an idea of what the steep part should look like.

We saw this faint trail and headed down...





Checked out the view




Hmm...it’s not down there.




What about over here?




Nope. But, we startled this guy. Oh - sorry, bud! He was a big boy...




Matt had a good feeling about this direction.
Trying to see if Norm has anything, yet...

[larryboy]

Originally Posted by acesandeights

The soil (with contaminants) can get on your bike, then when it falls off or is washed off the noxious plant/weed/contaminant grows where it shouldn't. It's a pretty big issue in certain parts where I live (S. Oregon/N. California) where it kills trees at a significant rate. Not to hijack the thread, but just an FYI in case you really wondered. Port Orford Cedar Root disease is a big deal and is spread this way, and it is the reason why at certains times of the year certain areas become closed to motor vehicle traffic (when mud is slung).

Yeah, I know..I was being mostly sarcastic.

Luckily the Port Orford thing is a non issue now, since they burned them all up in the Bisquit Fire.


Boy LittleWan, that looks very familiar as you're looking for Fleecer Ridge..looks like the same area where I racked my head off a rock.

[redog1]

A Lot of "blue hairs" in Colorado in side by sides. I think it's great there's something out there that can keep them out and enjoying the country as they age. They were having a blast cruising the passes. I'm not that far from possibly being there myself.

[LittleWan]

Originally Posted by larryboy

Boy LittleWan, that looks very familiar as you're looking for Fleecer Ridge..looks like the same area where I racked my head off a rock.

Ooh. That was Here?? You're so low key, I didn't remember you talking about Fleecer Ridge (although, matt said he had read that you didn't think it was a big deal and that's why he felt it was fine to try doing it 2up.
He trusts your judgement! ).
Off trail, there are so many big, hard-to-see-rocks - that's exactly why I was so paranoid about breaking the camera.

Originally Posted by redog1

A Lot of "blue hairs" in Colorado in side by sides. I think it's great there's something out there that can keep them out and enjoying the country as they age. They were having a blast cruising the passes. I'm not that far from possibly being there myself.

haha, yeah - we saw 'em too. Good for them! As long as they give us room to pass! Actually, those Rhinos look pretty fun...




Day 16 continued...


So, we were still trying to find the infamous Fleecer Ridge...
We were starting to get a little irritated, actually.
Where the hell was the trail?
This better be the right way...




It was!
I was so excited and nervous, I almost forgot to take photos!
We were going down and it was pretty steep and loose...
“Crap! Stop! I need pictures!”

Poor BigWan, I don’t think that’s what he wanted to hear just as he was trying to drive an 1,000 lb.+ schoolbus down a giant hill!
Could my timing be any worse??

He’s such a good husband/chauffeur/bus driver.

Matt dutifully stopped the bus and I got off to take some pictures.
Wow, it was really hard to slither off the seat at that angle!
Here’s looking back up at the top of the hill





Down the hill





I hiked down a bit and took a photo looking up at Matt and the bike.

Whew! The incline was so steep, it was really difficult to walk!





I was trying to take a photo from the side, but of course at this point...
BigWan was all, “Kel! Come on, I can’t hold this here forever!”
Oh, sorry!
So, this photo is kinda jacked up. I just snapped a quick one and jumped back on.
It looks like I was too close and I think the camera was at a funny angle...




But then again, if you look at this tree (highlighted in pink), it looks pretty straight up and down. The one to the left of it does, too.
So, I wasn’t that far off...
Anyway, it was steep - and we weren’t even stopped at the steepest part.





Maybe the video will help...
In the beginning you can hear us talking. It was matt's idea to shoot video.
I was skeptical about it and was worried that the camera would break if we crashed.
I don't like sliding down hills and this was pretty loose.
Matt’s saying “Hope for the best...”




Yay! Made it!

[dave6253]

Nice Shot!

Originally Posted by LittleWan

[larryboy]

Originally Posted by LittleWan

Ooh. That was Here?? You're so low key, I didn't remember you talking about Fleecer Ridge (although, matt said he had read that you didn't think it was a big deal and that's why he felt it was fine to try doing it 2up.
He trusts your judgement! ).
Off trail, there are so many big, hard-to-see-rocks - that's exactly why I was so paranoid about breaking the camera.

It was an area that looked like that, I've got a little blurry spot around there from hitting my head. I was off the trail, looking for a way thru like you do on the OBDR and snagged a rock...cracked helmet and bleeding out both nose holes I gave up and found a main road. I really don't think I was that far north, but it sure looks like it.

Good video on the way down, looks like a ski slope.

[ksmdigital]

Was that a sigh of relief at the end of the video?
Make steep your favorite!

Kevin

[redog1]

Flash back to Piute Trail side route.
Larryboy, I remember reading your ride report and if memory serves me , you and your bike were pretty beat by the end of your ride.

[Nixels]

Great video!

Now, if you and BigWan overdub it with some karyoke punk rock song - it'd be like a motorcycle musical.

[Lion BR]

Please don't give her any ideas.
On the other hand, maybe it is a good idea.

Originally Posted by Nixels

Great video!

Now, if you and BigWan overdub it with some karyoke punk rock song - it'd be like a motorcycle musical.

[LittleWan]

Originally Posted by dave6253

Nice Shot!

Thanks, dave! A huge compliment coming from a photomaster such as yourself

Originally Posted by larryboy

It was an area that looked like that

Must have been close by. It sure looked like this spot in your video. Your poor head!

Originally Posted by ksmdigital

Was that a sigh of relief at the end of the video?
Make steep your favorite!
Kevin

Hi Kevin - hell yeah, it was! Matt was calm and cool, but I had been imagining Total Mayhem! (I like the guy in the string bikini )

Originally Posted by redog1

Flash back to Piute Trail side route.

Hey redog1 - haha, we also have video from that Piute section (black diamond) ...coming up in the 3rd half of the report.

Originally Posted by Nixels

Now, if you and BigWan overdub it with some karyoke punk rock song - it'd be like a motorcycle musical.

Originally Posted by Lion BR

Please don't give her any ideas.

Naw,
a punk rock Sound of Music has been done...
Edit: looks like that clip is gone...
Maybe try THIS one?

Oh, wait. You wanted a motorcycle...





Day 16 continued

Too bad we didn’t think about turning around and going back up Fleecer Ridge...
Now, that would have added some excitement to this stupid ride report.
Instead, we kept going...










We weren’t sure where we’d end up camping, so we stopped to pump some water.





Just following the tracks










Is this still the CDT?





It got worse and worse, so we decided bail on that part and catch the trail further up...
Here we are. Hmmm...Is this an improvement or not?





The rocky opening looked like it had ankle-smashing possibilities so I hopped off to take a couple pics...