335: Ambush on the Rockpile Trail

In a way, this is what happened to me while toward the end of my Pachaug rockpile ride yesterday.

I went for another weekend Pachaug enduro loop ride yesterday, and I decided to change things up a bit by doing something I hadn't done all year:
I left the house later so that I would finish the ride at dusk.
While this made washing the bike a pain in the ass since I'd have to rely on my outside porch light, it made the ride, itself, enjoyable since late afternoon and dusk favor my eyesight because there is little to no bright sunlight making me squint all over the place.
Because of the improved vision, I turned up the wick a bit and rode my favorite pine-needled sections faster than I have in a while, if not ever, and found that immensely enjoyable.
That, alone, made the ride worthwhile.
I can only imagine what it would be like to have what's considered normal vision, both in having 20/20 and not having trouble with bright sunlight washing-out details on the ground.

Another thing new that I did was adding yet another trail section that I believe I've never ridden before in my life, a section that is an actual part of the Pachaug enduro loop.
You see, there are a few trail sections that I skip every time I ride the loop because I think they suck and are not fun for me.
Typically, that means sections that are very wet and very rocky to the point that it's more of a case with putting up with terrain I don't like than getting some enjoyment out of it.

The thing that's different about this new section is that not only is it another section that is a part of the loop that I'd been skipping, but I believe it was not a part of the Pachaug enduro loop back in the days when I first rode it with some friends in the late 1980s, and the trail I'd been taking (allowing me to skip it) up until yesterday was actually part of the loop back then.
So, what I did was instead of turning right at a three-way intersection, I turned left, and this basically had me making a bigger clockwise loop to get to the same spot a few miles later.
I have to admit that the first half of this new (to me) section wasn't fun because it was similar to a snotty rock garden, but after that was past, it was enjoyable.

New England is synonymous with rocks, folks.

The title of this bloggy post and the pic to go along with it is in reference to what happened at about the 50 mile mark (the ride was 56 miles in total).
My ol' buddy Tim the squirrel defender and the outdoors man was, basically, waiting along one of the last paved road sections for me to ride by, and when he saw my headlight coming up from behind him, he pulled his car a few feet ahead and stopped it squarely in the path of where I'd be turning off the pavement onto the trail.

This was a drag because I didn't feel like stopping to talk with anybody, really, because it was already a few minutes before sunset and I did not want to spent the best minutes of lighting conditions just making small talk.
Not just because it was Tim, but no matter who is would have been.
However, I was still courteous enough to grant him his wish and did stop to chat for about five minutes before telling him I had to get going.
He wanted me to stay longer, but, he's a big boy, now, and I did not leave the house later just to waste the best part of the ride (lighting-wise) chatting about nothing important.

Of course, the fact that I'm a criminal and an asshole who did it on purpose in his mind for killing a squirrel with my Ford Ranger almost two years ago has some bearing on this, but, that's not the main reason I wanted out of there - I just wanted to continue the ride without interruption.
Period.
No matter who it was.

So, I finished the ride at dusk, and it was a good one.
I got the WR-250FY washed via the light from a single light bulb, and although it wasn't as thorough a job as usual, it was good enough.
The bike is currently serviced and ready for another ride on the rockpile loop, and odds are, I'll go today.
If I do, I'll probably edit this post with an update on how it went.

Hoping for no ambush,
-John

Edit:

Today's Pachaug rock pile ride went off even later than it did yesterday, to the point that I cut about 15 miles out of it for a total of 43.
The ride was pretty good and I feel like I rode good as well.
I made another decent pass through my favorite pine-needled section, although I believe yesterday's was a little bit faster, although at another favorite section I rode faster today than I did yesterday.
All-in-all, it was a decent ride out there today.

Next weekend, though, I'll probably leave the house at a more normal time so that I can both not worry about running out of daylight and be able to wash the bike in daylight, too.

Another good thing is that I did not run into an ambush on the trail. ;)

-John

334 Illiterate Idiots

Here is the real reason why some people claim that they don't need no stinkin' service manual to wreck - oops! - work on their motorcycles.
This person seems to be in the early stages of supreme idiocy, and is probably in extreme bliss since bliss is made of ignorance.

The weather on this Sunday morning is cloudy, and we had a short rain shower that wet the ground.
I plan on heading out to the ol' Pachaug rock pile to ride, once again, the ol' Pachaug enduro loop.
I'm feeling pretty good, got a good night's sleep, and want to have a good ride on the WR-250FY.
I'll be more cautious in the shadows where I don't expect rapid evaporation of the water on the ground (and the rocks and tree roots), but, I've done it plenty of times before in these conditions.

The above photo is my thoughts on the usual reaction most people have when they ask for advice when they want to fix-up the 1907 Schmencycle they just picked up.
See, the scenario is usually one where the guy gets a dirt bike for low bucks and has visions of roosting off into the sunset for a total cash outlay of something like $1.98 on that very same bike.
The catch is that the bike was bought for low bucks in the first place because it's a beat-up P.O.S., and it needs a lot of work and money to make right.

Well, the typical guy goes onto a message board, starts a thread about having picked the bike up for cheap, and asks other members for advice on fulfilling his off-road riding dream.
In other words:
He states that the bike has problems (usually isn't even in running condition) and asks how he can make the bike into a good runner that can be ridden and enjoyed - for low bucks.

When I answer, I'll always recommend he buy himself a factory Service Manual for his exact year and model of motorcycle.
This may sound like sound advice to you, but most of these guys looking for assistance take that advice like Dracula being asked to take a swig of holy water.
The usual reasons they don't like the thought of that are:

1) They cost too much
2) They are too difficult to get
3) They cost too much
4) They are difficult to read, follow, and understand
5) They cost too much
6) They "don't tell you shit, anyway"
7) They cost way too much, and this is a low-buck project, remember?

I laugh when the dimwit plainly shows he has no intention of picking up the correct Service Manual because, shortly thereafter, he'll be asking the very same questions that Hallmark the typical guy trying to get his bike running without having a clue as to what he's doing.
Yes, he'll scoff at spending the money for a book written about his very own bike, but he'll spend days and weeks on it trying to make it a go without one.

In the above seven reasons not to get a Service Manual (sharp readers can tell there are really only four), reasons two, four, and six are downright funny to me.
Why?
Because they are the kinds of things written by a complete illiterate moron, as shown in the above pic.

Where do you get a Service Manual for a 1979 Honda XL-185S?
Geeeeeeeeee, Bucky.
Did you try asking at a Honda motorcycle dealer?
Or, perhaps you were shocked that Wal-Mart didn't have a copy on the shelf, right next to the pantyhose and toothpaste (made in China), and gave up due to that traumatic experience.

Service Manuals being difficult to understand?
Sure.
As long as you have no idea on how to or inclination to gain knowledge and understanding by reading a book specifically written for the very same P.O.S. that your grubby little hands are molesting.
Perhaps you were expecting 497 full-color photographs per page explaining how you are supposed to reach for a 10mm wrench in order to turn a particular nut counter-clockwise in order to loosen it, Leroy.
Hmmmmmm, yes.
Maybe we all should wonder how that information was left out while we take a seat next to you on the blue bus, huh?

Reason six is basically an extension of reason number four, as this is what the numbskull shouts when he throws a temper tantrum because he's frustrated that he can't ride his low-buck P.O.S. after months of trying to get it working correctly his way.
Folks, what the dimwit really means is that in order for his inept brain to follow a Service Manual, it probably would need 497 pictures (complete with drawings of little puppy dogs running around chasing butterflies with human-looking smiles on their faces) just to show him how to remove the seat.
Since producing such a book would probably require 1,584,083 pages, I doubt that Leroy and his P.O.S. could afford it.
See?
He could afford and easily obtain the Service Manual as they are really written, but the one of his daydreams would be ridiculously expensive, not to mention impossible to carry around easily.

Off to the rock pile,
-John

Edit:

Today's rock pile ride out on the ol' Pachaug enduro loop was good.
There was water in the usual spots where it collects after a good rain (I wish it were like it was in July - dry as a bone), but that didn't pose too much a problem for me and my WR-250FY with the Bridgestone M22/M23 hard terrain tires.
Even though the tires don't work well in anything wet or soft, I got through those wet and mushy sections in one piece.

I really enjoyed my favorite pine-needled and whooped-out section today, even though I got the timing of a few whoops wrong and ended-up riding off the side of the trail for a moment.
No big deal because I just picked a spot where I'd make my correction and rode back on track without stopping.
Maybe someday I'll have the placement and shape of all of those whoops memorized, something that's hard to do when I won't see those miles of whoops until I ride through them next weekend.
Too bad I don't live right there.
Riding out to that section (and therefor, the whole Pachaug enduro loop) would be something I could do even after jerk, not just on weekends.

I'm looking toward going out there next weekend, and that's a good sign.

I also saw several illegals out there on motocross bikes and an ATV coming by in the opposite direction, so, I just pulled off to the side and waved until they all passed.
No real skin off my ass, just as long as we don't have a head-on collision someday.
That would suck - been there, done that.

-John

333 is Half of 666

The WR-250FY Firebreather just after being washed following today's Pachaug rock pile ride.
It was a good one, I'm glad to say.
Or, more accurately, write. ;)

I've read that the real meaning behind 666 is not that it means the Antichrist, but really is an esoteric (meant to be hidden from all the dumb people down below the supremely evolved bigshots with the truly mature minds) meaning for the ultimate in human achievement:
The New Man.
Or, when man has become perfected enough - through the use of superior intellect - to become god.
Notice I used a lower case g. ;)
Naturally, only those who have superior brains and the correct genetic makeup are capable of such things.

Today's ride in the ol' Pachaug rock n' roll pile was a pretty good one. I rate it a 7.5 out of 10.
That's not too shabby.
It could have been better, but there was a lot of standing water in the usual spots where water collects after a good rain, and that's what we got on Thursday and Friday.
Still, even though there were some slippery spots, I felt good and I rode in a decent manner and I enjoyed myself out there.
I'm looking forward to going out there again next weekend, already, and that's a good sign. :)

I also saw a couple of skinny trees that had been intentionally bulldogged down across the trail, probably by some skinny punk environmental fuckface retard bozo freak loser jerk.
These homos, assuming that they are truly irritated that guys like myself ride their dirt bikes on the LEGAL DIRT BIKE TRAIL, YOU GODDAMN IDIOTS, seriously need to get a life.
No, wait.
They need to get punched in the face, and then get a life.

I saw plenty of tire tracks out there, today, and also saw fellow riders at their trucks parked in the parking lot at the start of the rockpile loop, but I didn't actually see anybody while out on the loop, let alone ride with anybody else.
My ol' buddy Tim the Squirrel Defender called me just after I got the bike washed and told me that he was out there on his mammoth Honda XR-650R, as well, although he said he started his ride just after I finished mine.

Well, I guess it's time for beauty sleep.

-John

332 Fuzzy Little Critters Running Across the Road

You best be watchin' where you be steppin', little forest critters, lest somebody in an automobile squash the daylights out of you.

I have an ol' buddy named Tim who I used to work with, and more recently, have ridden dirt bikes with.
Tim fancies himself an outdoorsman, much more so than most people.
He feels he has a better understanding of how all things outdoorsy work, and has a better appreciation for it.
I believe that also includes me, even though I have literally lived in the woods all my life.
When we go riding together, he sometimes shows more interest in a bird that swoops down into view than riding the bike.
In fact, I believe that his riding a dirt bike is at least partially due to it being an easier way to cover miles and get out into the woods to observe, study, and admire nature.
It makes him feel good.

The reason I wrote that about my buddy Tim is because, one fateful day in February of 2010, we were driving down the road in my clammy ol' Ranger and a squirrel ran out in front of me.
I ran the squirrel over.
Tim reacted as if it were his own personal pet squirrel.
Basically, he became so upset over it, it drove a wedge between us and damaged our relationship.
Yes, folks, my running over a squirrel did that, and since that time, I rode with him a couple more times before deciding it was no longer feeling like a good time and worth the trip out to his neck of the woods.
Basically, Tim still feels that I need to be punished for running over the squirrel, and his way of doing that is acting like a jerk to me.

However, we still keep in touch via phone when he'll call about once a month on average.
I'd like to get together and do something we both enjoy - riding our dirt bikes - but not until I feel convinced it would be worth it.
Well, just last night, Tim called to tell me he's been scanning the classifieds for a Honda CR-F450X.
That's a Honda dirt bike that is, basically, the Honda 450cc version of my Yamaha WR-250FY.
That is, a dirt bike made for off-road use that is based on their motocross bike called the CR-F450R.
So, it's a CR-F450R with lights, odometer, 18-inch rear wheel, electric starting, softer suspension settings, and choked-up air intake and exhaust mufflers.
Once you get rid of the choked-up parts, you have an off-road version of their 450cc motocross bike.

I think this is great news because his current dirt bike, a 2007 Honda XR-650R - is simply a big, heavy tank for riding in the Pachaug rock pile.
In fact, most riders would agree that it's a pretty poor choice for that area since it's way more weight, mass, and size than makes sense out there, and the fact that it's a 650cc engine won't make-up for the weight and size penalty.
No, that big bike is meant for more wide-open spaces, and when he told me that he's thinking about a CR-F450X, I said that it was a great idea.
A CR-F450X would be a much better choice for the trails that we'd ride on, and would be much more enjoyable to ride.

If he ends up getting one of these bikes, I just may have to go riding with him again.
Hopefully, there aren't any kamikaze squirrels out on that day. ;)

Off to jerk,
-John

331-derful Rides

Yes, folks, riding a motorcycle off-road - even a late model motorcycle equipped with the latest techno-tricks - requires routine maintenance.
You may be surprised to discover how many guys that are supposedly "really into it" dread doing something as easy (and important) as an engine oil change.
Servicing the air filter?
Now, that's really pushing it. ;)

I rode out on the ol' Pachaug rock pile enduro loop again this past weekend, though I rode only on Sunday.
The reason for that was because I woke up on Saturday morning very early for some reason (out of bed at 3:30 am), and by the time riding time came, I felt too tired and lazy and, quite frankly, lacking in concentration to feel good about going.
So, I decided to spend part of the day taking a nice little nap to catch-up on the sleep I missed, and that helped a noticable amount.

Come Sunday, I loaded the ol' WR-250FY Firebreather into the ol' clammy Ford Ranger and met an ol' buddy named Tom out at the rock pile.
I've known Tom for about 20 years, and it was a change to be able to ride with somebody I've actually known for some time versus riding with somebody I'd either just met or only knew for a short time.
The ride was good, and nobody drew blood or hit the ground (that I know of), and Tom and I got a generous helping of all of the lovely rocks adorning the Pachaug loop.
The ride was the average 54 miles, and after we chatted at the loop's end for a while, we went our separate ways.

However, once I was on my own, I felt more energetic than usual, and decided to do another loop.
At first, I though I'd do a shortened version since I want to be back home before dark so I can wash the bike in some daylight, and it was already 3:00 pm, and the sun sets at about 6:50 pm.
A loop, the way I ride it, takes anywhere from 2.5 to 2.75 hours to do, and loading the bike up and getting home is another 45-or-so minutes.

Well, as it turns out, I did ride a slightly different route the second time around, but, the mileage was actually a few tenths of a mile more, totalling 55 miles.
Yeah, the miles can add up without you realizing it.
The ride was good, and had some good feelings, enjoyed my favorite sections, put up with the rocky ones, and called it a day unscathed.
I got home and was able to get the bike washed and tucked away by dusk.
Not too bad.
A good day, and seeing how I skipped eating any kind of lunch at mid-day, I ate a big supper to make up for it. :)

I should try to estimate how many miles and hours running time I have on the WR-250FY, just for curiosity's sake.
I know I'm racking-up the time and miles on the bike, considering each loop is around 55 miles and 2.5 hours.

-John

330, and Time to Get Dirty

The 2012 Yamaha WR-450FB.
I assume, anyway, that they will use the letter B to designate a 2012 model.
It features, what I feel, are some good, smart changes.

What I mean by the title is that if you are a lucky rider to be on the bike in the pic, I imagine you will like getting dirty very much, and have fun doing it.
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA announced the rest of their 2012 models yesterday, and one model that was changed was the WR-450F.
Changes made to the bike make sense to me.
Guys on the Internet forums are pissing and moaning that it didn't get the same engine and chassis design as the current YZ-450F, but, not only do I think the WR-450F did not get that because it wasn't any better for off-road use, but I also think most of these guys are posers that want to believe their WR-450F really needs that, or would have liked to feel like part of the YZ crowd.

The front fork got the (supposedly) same internals as the latest fork used on Yamaha's YZ motocross bikes.
Traditionally, the Japanese manufacturers debut the top-of-the-line techno tricks on their motocross bikes, and off-road models may or may not get the same stuff.
When the off-road bikes like the WR-450F gets it, it's often considered to be a big deal because it doesn't always happen.

The rear shock and swingarm are new, and the carburetor has been replaced with electronic fuel injection.
This alone (the fuel injection) will be enough to make some riders jump up and down for joy.
Why?
Good question, because I never got the feeling that any of my bikes needed to be fuel injected.
The ones that weren't (like my WR-250FY) always seemed to be just fine, and the ones that were didn't seem to be any better because of it.
I'll take either way, really.
I can only guess that some guys have a phobia about carburetors, or are electronic gadget geeks that are like the geeks on the SV-650 forums that often insist you need to buy the version that comes with electronic ABS, or else, you will have a wreck because the ABS is a life-saver.
I always felt that was a good one.
How about learning how to brake on your own?
You know - by using your own brain and fingers on the brake lever.

To me, the biggest changes on the WR-450FB are the fork, shock, and the new frame, which is based on the current YZ-250F.
Gee, more motocross bike trickle-down.
Personally, I'd much rather have this design than the rearward-facing engine of the current YZ-450F.
The chassis of the WR-450FB is much more traditional in the way the parts are positioned, allowing easy access to the air filter without tools, allowing a larger fuel tank to be fitted without wondering where the extra fuel will be carried, and, probably most of all, this new chassis will work just fine and dandy without adopting the YZ-450F chassis and engine design just for the sake of having it on the WR-450F.
You see, it actually makes sense to me to have the WR-450F keep the traditional-style frame and engine design because that is proven stuff and far from being obsolete, and using the latest suspension along with it should make the bike very good.

Of course, there are naysayers that will bitch because the WR isn't a YZ.

Off to jerk,
-John

329 and Doing Fine

I went out to the ol' Pachaug rock n' roll pile yesterday (Sunday), and it was a decent ride.
Not a great one because I felt less than 100% for some reason, but, I rode in an acceptable manner and I had some fun and got a workout in the process.

I decided to change things up this time, though.
As I found out the day before on Saturday, there was water in spots where there usually is none, so, instead of basically tip-toeing through these sections, I decided to concentrate Sunday's ride at my favorite pine-needled and whooped section.
What I did was basically skip some sections in order to get me out to the spot more quickly, and once there, I rode this section 4 times.
This section is about 2 miles long, so I had a nice 8-mile rip through the woods.

It turned out to be a pretty good idea, and the next time I get the feeling that the conditions along some of the trail sections might be a bit sucky, I'll probably try it again.
Hell, I may even do it again even if the trail conditions are at their best.
I liked it. :)

Did anybody want to puke looking at the hogwash 911 memorial bullshit all over Internet websites?
It would be more correct to see something like, "1o years after 911, the guys that did it are still not sorry, they're tickled pink that thousands of people were killed as a result of their pre-planned hoax, and they still think the population is stupid enough to let them do what they want with them."

That's more like reality.

-John