404 Tons of Leaves on the Ground

What weighs more - a ton of lead or a ton of leaves?
Know the answer?
I'll allow you to simmer on that one, Lenny.

Well, the original plan for today (Saturday) - which was hatched last Sunday afternoon after the ride out of a guy's back yard onto trails not familiar to me - was to go with that same crew of guys I rode with last weekend and do some more terrain-unknown-to-me riding in a town north of here called Putnam.
During the past week, I started to regret saying that I'd go as I was basically longing to get back onto familiar terrain, also known as the Pachaug enduro loop.

Luckily for me, the guy who actually concocted the plan showed up at jerk just yesterday to buy some dirt bike supplies (yes, that kind of stuff is sold at jerk), and when he came over to me and asked if I still wanted to go, I took the opportunity to tell him that I'd changed my mind.
What a wonderful coincidence that was since it got me off the hook.
At least, for him, I was able to give him my used M603 front tire I'd promised him, as my used one was in better shape than his used front tire.
All's well that ends well.

So, today was back to normal - as it's been regularly for the past 3 solid years - and yet another ride out on the ol' Pachaug rock n' roll pile, and going solo as is the norm.
I had two brandy-new Bridgestone M22/M23 tires mounted, the weather was comfy and cloudy (YES!!!), the ground was dry, and I felt good.

So, how was the ride?
It was good, all-in-all.
I backed the pace down a notch in many spots due to not having been out there for two weeks (or, was it three?) and didn't want to:

1) Plow straight on into some tree-hugger's idea of a booby trap as I've done before (yes, folks, there are assholes out there who are brainwashed into believing that my riding a WR-250FP on a STATE OF CONNECTICUT-APPROVED DIRT BIKE TRAIL LOOP WITH A LEGAL MOTORCYCLE ON TRAILS THAT ARE, AT MINIMUM, 40 YEARS OLD is somehow hurting a single fucking thing with the Earth's well being, jezzuschrist. Yes, it is absurd, but their tiny brains have been washed so well.).
I felt that there was a remote chance that the autumn weather conditions would bring these loony-tunes characters out for a tree-humping nature walk, which is when they do their dirty work.

2) With autumn weather comes autumn leaves down on the ground, covering the ground and doing a good job of hiding the very same obstacles I'd rather be able to see.
They can also be slippery.

I'm happy to report no booby traps or other mishaps were encountered, and the ride went off well.
It was too bad I didn't feel confident enough to ride at 100% but it was close enough, and the cloudy sky was just what the doctor ordered - I could see as well as I'm able to without having to squint like a mad man.
I did 50 miles, skipping the southern section because I felt it probably had numerous water holes left from the rain the Friday before last (yes, it takes a few weeks of dry weather to dry it up reasonably well), and basically had an decent ride.
The bike felt fine beneath me, it ran just fine and strongly, the suspension was working well, and the M22/M23 tires were feeling very good, as usual.
Those tires are basically like magic, gripping the ground, rocks, and tree roots like nothing else in such a well-rounded and balanced manner.
That means the tires feel good both accelerating with the bike straight up-and-down, and while cornering, too.
Braking, as well, is great, and the overall feel of these tires is still as of yet unmatched by any other tires I've used.
A front M603 is another good front tire I like out there, but even that must be used with the M22 rear for me to be completely happy.
The interesting fact about the M22 and M23 is that they made their debut in 1981, and still to this day are Bridgestone's hard terrain tire for their motocross tire line-up.
That's right.
It's still their tire 31 years later.

So, the ride is over, the bike washed and lubed, and I've eaten supper.
As long as the weather forecast is accurate, we'll have the same kind of weather conditions for tomorrow up until around 4:00 pm.
Hmmmm.
Another Pachaug ride?

-John