Report Moab dirtbike ride; Slickrock trail and Poison Spider & Golden Spike

[Greg]

Figured I'd start a report about the recent Moab ride... I have several pics from the ride and a bunch of vids. One vid from Slickrock is uploading to YouTube, more coming as I get to them!

We had Stratton on a YZ400F, Cheston on his WR400F, Jon (Strattons friend) on a CRF450X, Derek on a CRF450R and myself on a WR450F.

Feel free to add your pics and vids guys!


From Slickrock -

Jon made a valiant attempt at the Escalator, trying to skirt around the hole on the 2nd ledge... his rear tire washed out and he dropped the bike pretty hard. He tweaked his radiator enough that it started leaking coolant. I made a run up Escalator and after seeing the big hole, I passed, turned around and called it good enough. We ended up patching up his radiator with JB Weld in the parking lot, then heading to Fins & Things for a evening ride... the JB Weld held just fine the rest of the trip!

From Golden Spike -

I had a few momentum/commitment/clutching failures on ledges and ended up wiping out. Just before we got to the Golden Spike Jon spilled on a spot that had several good sized ledges one after another, his CRF dropped to the left and he ended up snapping off his shift lever! He rode the rest of the trail shifting from 1st to 2nd by hand. I had an amazing 'splatter' on some of the bigger ledges and crushed my right peg and shifter. On the way back Jon pinched the front tube... we would air up the tire, ride for 15-20 min and do it again. It got us back to the trucks!

My shifter peg and brake lever after an epic wipeout! -

 

[sixstringsteve]

that looks like a blast. Was Golden Spike and handfull, or was it do-able on a dirt bike?

 

[Greg]

that looks like a blast. Was Golden Spike and handfull, or was it do-able on a dirt bike?

It was rough, but doable. The constant ledges really wear on you, most everyone mentioned how sore their wrists were. Going up the bigger ledges could be a workout if you didn't clean them, down wasn't hard IMO. We rode into the Crack and back, so everything we went down, we had to go back up. It was a lot of tough riding.

Early in the ride I had a pretty big wreck after killing my bike at the top of steep ledge, went over backwards and as I'm told, my helmet bounced after hitting the rock. I was rattled and off my game the rest of the ride.

 

[Rot Box]

Nice pics looks like you guys had a good time!

 

[Greg]

Nice pics looks like you guys had a good time!

It was a great time, I do want to ride more of the common 4x4 Moab trails soon. The ledges make me want a Rekluse! The weather couldn't have been better, it was a great time to be in Moab riding!

 

[Greg]

Here's the first vid... Slickrock. Not everything is in there... it's hard to choose what's the best stuff!

[video=youtube;VkHFFH3T0hQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkHFFH3T0hQ&feature=share&list=UU3hyW69nuc5PInZAoiIryIg[/video]

You do have the option of HD, so click it!!

 

[Herzog]

Wow, looks like a great time. I see guys going up Pritchett and other ledgy trails and wonder how they do it. Must be painful the next day.

 

[Greg]

Wow, looks like a great time. I see guys going up Pritchett and other ledgy trails and wonder how they do it. Must be painful the next day.

I wouldn't try Pritchett! Well, maybe I would... but I'd have to be well prepared!

 

[Hickey]

I saw a guy go over backwards on Yellow Hill once. I did not envy him.

 

[benjy]

How long did the slick rock trail take on dirt bikes? Seems like you were burning through it!

 

[Greg]

How long did the slick rock trail take on dirt bikes? Seems like you were burning through it!

We played around quite a bit, stopped often and generally didn't try to move fast... even then, I'd guess about 3 hrs? If we were trying to buzz thru it, stuck to the trail (and knew it better!) I bet we could have been around an hour or so?

 

[Tonkaman]

I can't wait to see our video from day 2, that was one hell of a good ride!

 

[Greg]

My "FAIL" video from Saturday....

[video=youtube;RagvHh9K33g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RagvHh9K33g&list=UU3hyW69nuc5PInZAoiIryIg&index=1&feature=plcp[/video]

 

[Cherokeester]

Nice choice of music.

 

[drtsqrl]

Good seeing you guys out on the Spike. Looks like you were having fun... I must admit I was a bit envious. It's been too long since I've had a bike!

 

[ChestonScout]

I absolutely loved riding PSM and GS. Very hard on the body so I decided to limit myself on some of the bigger ledges and take an easier route. I felt great at the end of the day but the day after I was a mess. Shoulders are still a bit sore today.

I really didnt get any pics. Just a couple from the overlook that are just like Gregs.

The traction was crazy. Even with my worn DOT knobby.

I learned a lot and its nice going with good riders. I had to push myself a bit here and there and do a few things I normally wouldnt have. But I only tipped the bike over once the whole trip. Stalled a few times but just clutching error. I thought for sure I would be on my side about the whole time.

Thanks for the great time!

 

[sixstringsteve]

Greg, you're an amazing rider. Good thing I didn't come on that trip, I would have died (unless I was on a trials bike). Every time I run that trail and I see dirt bikes, it makes me want to come back on a bike.

 

[Gravy]

Greg did you get any video of Jon and I jumping up the psm waterfall?

 

[Deleted member 12904]

Looks like so much fun. Ive never done moab on a bike but started texting friends this morning trying to plan a trip for november.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Greg]

Nice choice of music.

:thumbs: I tried to pick something appropriate!

Good seeing you guys out on the Spike. Looks like you were having fun... I must admit I was a bit envious. It's been too long since I've had a bike!

You too Jeff, always good to run into you on the trail! Don't be too envious, I'm paying the price for my pile-ups with plenty of bumps and bruises!

I absolutely loved riding PSM and GS. Very hard on the body so I decided to limit myself on some of the bigger ledges and take an easier route. I felt great at the end of the day but the day after I was a mess. Shoulders are still a bit sore today.

I really didnt get any pics. Just a couple from the overlook that are just like Gregs.

The traction was crazy. Even with my worn DOT knobby.

I learned a lot and its nice going with good riders. I had to push myself a bit here and there and do a few things I normally wouldnt have. But I only tipped the bike over once the whole trip. Stalled a few times but just clutching error. I thought for sure I would be on my side about the whole time.

Thanks for the great time!

You did great Cheston! Considering how difficult the trails were on Saturday, you did amazingly well! One of the best things I did when I was starting to ride was ride with better guys, you'll learn faster when you're pushing yourself and watching what others are doing.

Greg, you're an amazing rider. Good thing I didn't come on that trip, I would have died (unless I was on a trials bike). Every time I run that trail and I see dirt bikes, it makes me want to come back on a bike.

I'm not that good, but I think I can hold my own with other average riders. My biggest downfall these days is being out of shape! My endurance SUCKS, I get winded easily these days. I need to get back into better shape and I'll be a better rider.

PSM and Golden Spike on a bike were awesome, despite how rough it was I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Greg did you get any video of Jon and I jumping up the psm waterfall?

I do, but I can only edit and upload one video at a time... and it takes hours to send them to YouTube. I should be able to start editing our PSM-Golden Spike ride tonight and hopefully let it upload overnight.