Ride report...Was Two things that can't swim..

[R7]

Me (never been a water fan) and my YZ450

Weekend report to follow tomorrow evening, I'm shot and heading to bed

[OreoGaborio]

... you tried to wash your bike mid-ride, didn't you? You're sick, Mark... you're sick.

[DuncanMoto]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)

I want pics!

[CBR929RE]

how are you gonna post a teaser like that. at least give one pic all zoomed in so can't really see much. leave a lot for the imagination

[breakdirt916]

was a swampy rut really a pond?

if so, those got my friend and I pretty well last weekend too...I had to wash my gear twice to get rid of the swampy stank.

in all seriousness: is the YZ vapor locked?

[theothersean]

3 things that can't swim , mark, the yz and the ktm

[GixerJockey]

how are you gonna post a teaser like that. at least give one pic all zoomed in so can't really see much. leave a lot for the imagination

Oh... You're new here 'eh?

[csmutty]

Oh and I thought sinking my 2 stroke was bad....ouch.

[CBR929RE]

Oh... You're new here 'eh?

sorta, been around 5 months or so. but you gotta read my whole post. I was thinking a zoomed in pic where you basically see just about nothing useful would be a perfect teaser for this bunch.

[GixerJockey]

sorta, been around 5 months or so. but you gotta read my whole post. I was thinking a zoomed in pic where you basically see just about nothing useful would be a perfect teaser for this bunch.

Yup, definitely new...




(pssssttt... that was what we call a rhetorical question)

[CBR929RE]

Yup, definitely new...




(pssssttt... that was what we call a rhetorical question)

hmm guess my idea of posting a worthless pic to be a dick to everyone was a little off. you don't want any teaser, you just want good pics of what happened.


(guess I shoulda put the first part of that reply in little letters so you could have focused on the main part, the joke)

[OreoGaborio]

Hold on... here, I'll show ya how to deal with GixerJerkie

Oh... You're new here 'eh?

Shut up, Novice

[BMFR6]

Me (never been a water fan) and my YZ450

Weekend report to follow tomorrow evening, I'm shot and heading to bed

hell, the bike is probably trash now. give me $100 and I'll take care of it for you, you'll. never have to see it again.

[CBR929RE]

Hold on... here, I'll show ya how to deal with GixerJerkie






Shut up, Novice

I'll have to let you handle that. thanks for the backup though

I don't think I can get away with that when I'm lower. Closest I've come to becoming a novice was getting my race certificate, never did the rookie race to get the actual license.

[GixerJockey]

Hold on... here, I'll show ya how to deal with GixerJerkie






Shut up, Novice

OOOoohhhhh.... WTF? Here and on Facebook at the same damn time? You suck Pete... And so does Richie!

[Jaynnus]

Poor Noel....oh who am I kidding...

[R7]

Way to bastardize a thread

... you tried to wash your bike mid-ride, didn't you? You're sick, Mark... you're sick.

That's a good idea Pete, I never thought of a mid ride wash

was a swampy rut really a pond?

if so, those got my friend and I pretty well last weekend too...I had to wash my gear twice to get rid of the swampy stank.

in all seriousness: is the YZ vapor locked?

The YZ is fine, was locked for a bit until we stood it on end to drain the water

3 things that can't swim , mark, the yz and the ktm

I told you I have a phobia of water


Aaaaaaanyway...

Bob M had plans to stay at Balsam Woods campground in Abbot Maine for the holiday weekend and Todd and myself were staying at his grandomothers camp on Wetstone pond in Abbot.
Todd and I loaded up the bikes and gear Friday after work and were on the road by 5:30pm. As usual, traffic was a horror show and the 5 1/2 hour drive took close to 7 hours. We arrived at the camp about 12:30am, it was cold inside and raining outside. Despite the cold, it was time for some much needed sleep.

Saturday am...

I forgot what time it was, but we had company show up at what seemed like 6am. I didn't hear a knock or anything, just someone yell, GET UP, IT's TIME TO RIDE! Good morning to you as well Bob Thanks Bob and Nancy for waking us up and not wasting anymore of the day.
The plan for the day had been a half day ride, we made plans to have Bob meet us back at Todd's place at 1pm. We still had to unpack and go into town shopping for food for the weekend.

I wanted to take a ride to see my Aunt, and what better way than to make a trail ride out of it. Bob showed up a bit early as usual and Todd and I were a little late getting ready as usual. We were on our way to Harmony by 1:15. I haven't been riding up there for a while and didn't remember all the trails, missed a few turns but it was all good. We made it to Harmony in a little over an hour at a spirited pace. I was a little nervous once in Harmony as one gas station was closed, and the other was out of gas. With a 1.8 gallon tank and already close to 40 miles logged, I knew it'd be close!
We stayed with my aunt for less than an hour before starting back. We decided for the short loop back because of the fuel range. Quite a bit of road, even though it was still marked as ATV trails, we cut the miles in half and made it back. The riding day ended with just under 60 miles for the day. Not bad for a late start.



The wind had been blowing so it never felt warm, it also put a damper on the campfires at night.





That evening we invited Bob and Nancy over for diner. I whipped up some meat souce with garlic, peppers, onions and ground beef...made some pasta, cooked a dozen ears of fresh corn on the cobb. Todd whipped up some bagged salad and stuck some premade bread sticks in the oven!
Needless to say, we ate like kings (and a queen) that evening, and thanks to Bob and Nancy for stopping at the bakery for desert

Sunday was the big day!! We had big plans for an all day ride and wanted to cover 150 miles We met Bob at the campground at 8am for breakfast, all you can eat for $5 and no mess to pick up after..



We were on our way by 8:45am, it was a cold start, temps in the 42-43 range. The plan was to head to Bingham, then to the Forks for lunch at the Northern Outdoors, then take the long way back into Greenville/Moosehead lake.
Todd took the lead today and we were on our way, another spirited pace and we were covering ground quick.





There was some confusion at a couple trail intersections, not marked that great, and a couple of the older ones being closed. about 40 miles into it, we head down this trail that just keeps getting wetter and wetter, and the puddles are growing bigger! We come up on this water crossing and I knew I was screwed. Todd stalled and had to dab a foot in the water, yup it's deep! After watching Todd and Bob bouncing off the rocks under the water, it was my turn. I make it about half way into it, on the gas...next thing I know the front end is gone and I fall over in the water with the bike. The bike stayed running but my right hand was stuck in the muck on the bottom and I had a hard time getting it out. By the time I was free, the bike had been running under water for 10 seconds or so, it stalled as I went to pick it up. Not sure what words fell from my mouth, but I know it wasn't pretty and had heard words like this from others in the past I push my bike out of the knee deep water and up to high ground. First try at kicking it over and I couldn't budge the starter.
We stood the bike on the rear wheel to let the water drain and Bob Rocked the rear wheel back and forth a bit to maybe open the valves and let any water out. Tht seemed to work because it did kick over, but wouldn't start.





After draining the carb bowl and finding some water and crap in there, it did finally start. After about a half hour, we were on our way again. At this point I was freezing my ass off as my right side was wet and both legs were wet upto the knees.
Even though I had a minor issue with the water, we were making killer time. We were in Bingham and fueled up in less than 2 hours. Next stop was the Forks!
We were again making great time, speeds were up, Bob made me ride in the middle because he said I ride faster, I guess I do get a little lazy when I ride in the back All was well and were weren't far from our second destination. There was this sinkhole in the trail, saw Todd hit it..oh shit, I had no time to react and I hit it as well...ehh, no biggie? Went another mile or so and just as the trail started to get narrow and look fun, Todd looks back, sees me and keeps going, I look back...what, no Bob? WTF! I wait a minute or 2 and turn around to have a look. I backtracked a good mile and at this point was getting very nervous! Finally I see him but I knew something was up, wabbling all over the place, helmet flopping like his neck was a weable wabble...this isn't gonna be good! Once I get beside him, he looks down at his rear tire, and yup, it's flat and has a big dent in the rim! Shit, We were 35-40 miles from camp! Remember that big sink hole? Bob didn't negotiate that one as well as Todd and I (or we got lucky) and clipped a rock, slicing the sidewall of the tire and adding a big dent to the rim.
The only option was to ride it back. I forgot how long exactly it took but it was close to 2 hours from that point to get back. How the tire stayed on I don't know, but he was able to get up to 30mph at some points!
Even with my spill in the water and Bobs flat, we ended the day with close to 120 miles. We would have easily hit our 150 mile mark, and then some.
None of us had a extra tube or a way to inflate it, but given the slice in the tire and the dent in the rim, I doubt it would have helped. At least now we know we can ride 40+ miles with a flat

We were back at camp around 3:30 and had plans to head to the campground for diner with Bob and Nancy. I had to give my bike a quick cleaning before I even got out of my riding gear, but that's nothing new.



We were all exhausted and chatted about our days ride over diner that evening, great time as usual

Monday, the final day...

Motivation was low, we knew Bob wasn't riding so we were in no hurry to get going. There was talk of maybe taking a ride into Greenville which was about a 40-45 mile round trip, but it never happened. I wanted to head over to my little camp and dig up some spruce trees to bring home and plant in my yard. We had decided the riding was done so we went and dug up the trees, came back to camp, packed up to head home. Left about 2pm and pulled in my driveway around 8:15pm. Traffic still sucked in Mass.

All in all, a great weekend

[CBR929RE]

awesome pics. looks like some of those trees are on fire because of the changing colors.

[OreoGaborio]

Not sure what words fell from my mouth, but I know it wasn't pretty and had heard words like this from others in the past

Did you say poop?

I bet you said poop.


or maybe... MAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRK!!!

Friggin Rye. Where is that bastard, anyway?

[breakdirt916]

great ride report, nice pics, and pretty f'in sweet deal, that the bike started after being under water

40 miles with a flat tire is pretty wild...but what else can you do besides carry a spare tube?

[Crash Dummy Denno]

Hold on... here, I'll show ya how to deal with GixerJerkie






Shut up, Novice

and yet another Dennoism is stolen

[Mondo]

wow that looks awesome

def something I'd like to do before the end of this year! And im not talking about dropping the bike in the stream or the flat tire

glad you had a fun time

[Paul_E_D]

Keep changing the oil in that YZ. Or better yet sell it and upgrade to the sick new 450?

[R7]

40 miles with a flat tire is pretty wild...but what else can you do besides carry a spare tube?

I don't think a spare tube would have helped in this case, at least i don't think it would have held up to 40 more miles.

wow that looks awesome

def something I'd like to do before the end of this year! And im not talking about dropping the bike in the stream or the flat tire

glad you had a fun time

You can cover some serious miles, and ride into town for food a fuel so it is pretty cool to ride that area. Weather turns quick though so this season is shot, but maybe next spring I may try something organized based out of my little camp.

Keep changing the oil in that YZ. Or better yet sell it and upgrade to the sick new 450?

My first thought was to check the oil and it "looked" foamy after a short time running after the swimming leasons. I checked the oil when we got back to camp and the bike had cooled down, it was clean with no signs of water? I plan on changing it anyways seeing I'm near the 10 hour limit to the oil life I'm guessing having the crank case vent tube re-routed for trackdays (catch can) saved it from sucking water in the vent.

[breakdirt916]

and why weren't you riding the WR?!