04-13-2014, 10:17 AM | #1 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Southeastern Washington desert
Posts: 14,761
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Ride to the snow
It's been sunny and warm for a long time already, but Roger and I are heading to the Blue Mountains this morning and try to get up to the snow line.
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Happy to serve. |
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04-14-2014, 02:49 PM | #2 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Southeastern Washington desert
Posts: 14,761
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It turns out we did not have to ride far. At about 5,000 feet and up on the northern and east facing slopes there was plenty of snow. We did get up to 6,000 feet or so on the sunnier western and south facing slopes.
I got stuck in the snow on some tight single track. I had to kill the bike and dismount and attempt to back the bike up about 200 feet before I could turn it around. Even there it was so tight the bike had to be lifted vertical and pivoted to turn it around. The WR and the YZ enjoying the early summer sunshine. Where exactly are we? You can see the snow that remains at the higher elevations. In the foreground you can see the amazingly beautiful trail we were riding on. Roger playing with his Go Pro. I'll link to some videos when he posts them. This is the tight section we turned around on. I mis stepped and fell off the cliff to the left. The picture does not do it justice but its an honest 60+ degree cliff down for hundreds of feet. I was blessed to land on a small tree that kept me from falling off. The bike, which I was walking besides and not on or even running as we backed down, fell on me pinning me to the small tree. Roger helped me climb out of the small tree, but getting the bike out of the tree and back on the trail was hard to do. Thank God not a scratch on me or the machine. No worse for wear. I love this guy. Great bike. The cliff is very poorly seen in this pic but it's the best I have. Roger wound up in this creek. On the uphill out of the creek which was steep and slimy he hit a rock and flipped off the back. When I got to him he was on his back in the cold snowmelt stream and the WR was beside him with a broken front brake lever. He bashed his knee but no real damage thank God. All things considered it was a wonderful ride. So beautiful here in the Northwest.
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04-14-2014, 03:11 PM | #3 |
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Sardis, BC, Canada
Posts: 25,977
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When I first looked at the cliff, I was thankful that you didn't fall.
Then I saw your comments. I'm grateful that you guys are ok. Looks like an awesome ride!
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Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer |
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04-15-2014, 11:40 PM | #4 |
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Idaho
Posts: 25,054
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Thanks for posting the beautiful photographs.
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Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894 |
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04-16-2014, 10:53 AM | #5 |
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Posts: 648
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i can smell the cold mountain air!
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1971 Garelli Gulp 50cc with open ports and 16 mm Bing Carbie + 1980 Honda XL 223 ZS + 2007 Zongshen LZX200G + DR400SM |
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