First Timer!

[JalopySiR]

So I went dirt biking for the first time on Sunday. Damn it was awesome! I went with my friend Wally who has a CR125 and he let me use his brother's Yamaha 80. The whole experience was an adventure.

Wally lives in the projects in Holyoke, granted they are a nice project. Anyway, he can't keep his bikes there so we meet up at his garage on sargent street in the hood. Last time I was there someone got pistol whipped. I am also the only gringo. I just keep my mouth shut, and help Wally load the bikes into a janky old dodge Ram. The owner doesn't speak english, but if we put 10 bux in his tank he takes us to the spot and back.
I follow them to where we are going, which is another project. Awesome.

We unload the bikes while people are gathering to see what is going on. I am wondering why the hell are we unloading dirtbikes in the middle of a parking lot in the projects. Oh, well. Just keeping my mouth shut and enjoying the culture. I get geared up in my street gear, Wally in his dirt gear. He grabs the gas and says he'll be right back. He's gonna go stash it in the woods. Now I'm a lone whiteboy with a dirtbike in the projects.

When he gets back, he puts me on the 125, which was kind of intimidating. Anyway, we ride off into the woods behind the projects amongst cheers from the children who have gathered to see us off....

Apparently, there is an abandoned state park back there... abandoned you ask? Well, some shootings and stabbings happened there... People were killed, stolen cars torched. Whatever.

So, we do a little riding, I'm not really comfy on this thing and we switch, and I take the 80. Here we go. This thing is built with wiseco pistons and god knows what else, but I get comfy on it quick and soon have the throttle pinned. I LOVE 2 stroke power. nothing.. then.. BAM the front wheel comes up while bombing through some technical trails. It was a blast. There are also paved roads back there, albeit in disrepair. Wheelies and hooliganism ensues. In first you can't keep the wheel down on this thing. Downhills littered with rocks that would be difficult to walk down are taken at speeds that have my balls hiding up in my abdomen. We also hit some public roads, and I gave a sportbike rider a little wheelie stunning action. (when in Rome)
Three hours of riding later, we call for the pickup. Load up the bikes, I get lost in the projects on the way out...

So long, rambling, story short, I want a 2 stroke dirtbike now. I've never had so much fun on so small a bike. Clutch, rear brake, and throttle control are excersized to the max. I was sweating like crazy and had a huge grin on my face the whole time. Wheelies whenever remotely feasable.

Oh, and there's a "Lord of the Rings" tower back there.

[Paul_E_D]

I have a sweet KTM 125 for sale and I'd love to know where you were exactly. I lived in holyoke for some years. Your whole description of the event sounds so... accurate! You don't ask what's happening in holyoke, just keep your wits about you and enjoy the controlled chaos.

[gregp]

Same here. I rode off-road in Holyoke many years ago. Sounds like "The Rez" - the reservoir up behind the Mall. There was also some trails up behind the K-Mart plaza, and some of my friends used to live in the apartments there. There was also a small MX track up behind Jarvis Heights apts.
But that was 25-30 years ago! I would be surprised if any of it still exists, or is tolerated today.

[JalopySiR]

O.K. Wally doesn't know the name of the park, but the tower is called "Scott's Tower".

There is also a non-projects entrance which is wicked easy to get to. If you're on route 5 at the 4 way intersection where the Yankee Pedler is, go up the road towards the Soldier's Home, which would be on your left. Before you get there there is an on-ramp to 91N. Just before that there is a blocked-off road with a green gate. Wally tells me there is parking there and you can just ride around the gate.