I found pics a buddy took of this weekend ride so I thought I would post it again with pics. 
Well I only rode 35 or so miles on Sat. I was riding with my motorcycle club on a barrowed street legal dirt bike (Suz DRS350) We left in groups of 6 or so people and proceeded out the Cle Elum ridge trail and out a side trail loop to Windy Pass (easily above 6,000 feet I beleive) It was dusty and warm but in the trees it was managable and the open ridges had a nice cool breeze. We made many stops along the way at lookouts. The first memorable one I could look north and see Cle Elum, Rosyln, Ronald, Salmon La Sac lake, Lake Kachees(sp?) etc. and they were waaaaaaaaaay down there.
Later on we were up higher and some bikes were starting to have some jetting problems. We stopped and rested and had a lite lunch of snack bars and drinks (water or gaterade etc...aka beer for some) We were out of view from anything man made and in a high mountian field full of wild flowers (purple, yellow, and redish/orangish ones) the breaze cooled me down and the sun kept me warm. I wanted to take a nap but stayed awake lending my non-knowledge to some friends jetting woes. The GPS a buddy had read about 5,500 ft there.
...and after that we proceeded to do some big climbing upsome narly switchbacks and found some snow left in the shade of the trees on the trail....then more steep climbs and switchbacks and we were at Windy Pass.
I only got stuck on one switchback that had about a 10ft wall of rock and loose shale. The rider infront of me had fallen at the top and was teetering (basically hooked his handlebar on the top edge of teh rock as it laid over) on the edge when I came up and stopped at the base (tranny from steep to wall ) I leaned my bike on the downhill side and he slid down the rock with his bike just missing me. I started the bike while standing at the edge of the cliff (thank god for electric start!) and chug the bike up while hiking up the rock face myself....I am surpised I made it but now my left arm is sore from hooking under the handlebar to hold the bike from sliding down the rock as it died mid attempt....and tried to drag me down with it... I didn't feel like taking the bike with clutch problems back down the mountain to try again. I had about a .5-1 second delay from letting go of the clutch lever to the rear wheel engaging. You really had to think so the power would hit where you wanted it to. Eventually I made it over the top and found a less steep place to wait for the guy behind me (we were the last two in the group). Once I saw him I started the rest of the climb and enjoyed even more scenery.
This whole ride/break/ride/fix jetting/ride/lookout type of riding had us at about 4hrs out and only covering 25ish miles (The jetting break was about an hour at least though...but one guys bike refuse to start or run at this point and it was a good 3-4 miles back to the nearest road to hope someone can drive into to find him and pick up his bike)....we decided to cut short the planned 53mile loop and come back on the North Fork Taneum creek trail via Lightning ridge wich had a cool short DH section in the trees with 3 TIGHT and STEEP switchbacks with a 2-3 foot ledge leading into the right hander (either keep the right foot on the brake or take it off for the tight switchback.....I chose life and rear brake to slide the street bike into the rut and it caught it. ) the trail opens up some in the clear cut seen below. The trail is 1377.1 if anyone goes up there with a map. It was short and had road access above and below it.
These dorks were watching me as I was coming down expecting me to bite it....they had just done what I was about to do, so they knew what could go wrong.
North Fork Taneum Creek trail...bridge crossing. Where I dunked my head and buddy changed his fouled plug.
Finally made it back to camp and managed to put on just over 35miles. I am still sore today. But I had a blast. It was almost survival on some of the Backcountry trails.....I managed to keep the bike on the trail for the most part but came dangerously close to losing it off the edge (and by edge I mean cliff) a couple times. I damn tear tore the seat off the bike my arse puckered so hard. lol. I dunked my head in the north fork river and it was a nice ender to the days ride.
OK Group shot.
Lots of pics from the weekend on this website. http://trav.smugmug.com/gallery/150771/1
Well I only rode 35 or so miles on Sat. I was riding with my motorcycle club on a barrowed street legal dirt bike (Suz DRS350) We left in groups of 6 or so people and proceeded out the Cle Elum ridge trail and out a side trail loop to Windy Pass (easily above 6,000 feet I beleive) It was dusty and warm but in the trees it was managable and the open ridges had a nice cool breeze. We made many stops along the way at lookouts. The first memorable one I could look north and see Cle Elum, Rosyln, Ronald, Salmon La Sac lake, Lake Kachees(sp?) etc. and they were waaaaaaaaaay down there.
Later on we were up higher and some bikes were starting to have some jetting problems. We stopped and rested and had a lite lunch of snack bars and drinks (water or gaterade etc...aka beer for some) We were out of view from anything man made and in a high mountian field full of wild flowers (purple, yellow, and redish/orangish ones) the breaze cooled me down and the sun kept me warm. I wanted to take a nap but stayed awake lending my non-knowledge to some friends jetting woes. The GPS a buddy had read about 5,500 ft there.
...and after that we proceeded to do some big climbing upsome narly switchbacks and found some snow left in the shade of the trees on the trail....then more steep climbs and switchbacks and we were at Windy Pass.
I only got stuck on one switchback that had about a 10ft wall of rock and loose shale. The rider infront of me had fallen at the top and was teetering (basically hooked his handlebar on the top edge of teh rock as it laid over) on the edge when I came up and stopped at the base (tranny from steep to wall ) I leaned my bike on the downhill side and he slid down the rock with his bike just missing me. I started the bike while standing at the edge of the cliff (thank god for electric start!) and chug the bike up while hiking up the rock face myself....I am surpised I made it but now my left arm is sore from hooking under the handlebar to hold the bike from sliding down the rock as it died mid attempt....and tried to drag me down with it... I didn't feel like taking the bike with clutch problems back down the mountain to try again.
I had about a .5-1 second delay from letting go of the clutch lever to the rear wheel engaging. You really had to think so the power would hit where you wanted it to. Eventually I made it over the top and found a less steep place to wait for the guy behind me (we were the last two in the group). Once I saw him I started the rest of the climb and enjoyed even more scenery.This whole ride/break/ride/fix jetting/ride/lookout type of riding had us at about 4hrs out and only covering 25ish miles (The jetting break was about an hour at least though...but one guys bike refuse to start or run at this point and it was a good 3-4 miles back to the nearest road to hope someone can drive into to find him and pick up his bike)....we decided to cut short the planned 53mile loop and come back on the North Fork Taneum creek trail via Lightning ridge wich had a cool short DH section in the trees with 3 TIGHT and STEEP switchbacks with a 2-3 foot ledge leading into the right hander (either keep the right foot on the brake or take it off for the tight switchback.....I chose life and rear brake to slide the street bike into the rut and it caught it. ) the trail opens up some in the clear cut seen below. The trail is 1377.1 if anyone goes up there with a map. It was short and had road access above and below it.
These dorks were watching me as I was coming down expecting me to bite it....they had just done what I was about to do, so they knew what could go wrong.
North Fork Taneum Creek trail...bridge crossing. Where I dunked my head and buddy changed his fouled plug.
Finally made it back to camp and managed to put on just over 35miles. I am still sore today. But I had a blast. It was almost survival on some of the Backcountry trails.....I managed to keep the bike on the trail for the most part but came dangerously close to losing it off the edge (and by edge I mean cliff) a couple times. I damn tear tore the seat off the bike my arse puckered so hard. lol. I dunked my head in the north fork river and it was a nice ender to the days ride.
OK Group shot.
Lots of pics from the weekend on this website. http://trav.smugmug.com/gallery/150771/1
