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Triple Shakedown Weekend Run

480 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by oldworld 124, 10 d ago

Mistervelocity

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago

I've got another BDR ride planned for July and met up with 2 of my 3 co-conspirators. I needed to test out and break in my TTR225 swap. Jerod was out for his first ride since replacing the cracked cases on his XL500. He also had built a huge skid plate and added an oil cooler, as well as new springs and rear shocks. Marc bought a DRZ400 and Giant Loop over the winter that will be replacing his Conestoga KLR650. We planned to cloverleaf from the dam so we'd never get too far from the trailers.

I met Jerod at noon on Friday. We did a short out and back with the intention of completing last fall's failed trip. We ended up at the tip of a finger of the Dry Creek arm.

Water Plant Sky Mountain Natural landscape

We doubled back to meet up with Marc and discuss a route. We rode up past the dam and took Fisherman's Rd to the top of the rim.

Sky Bicycle Mountain Plant community Wheel

We were headed to the suicide cliff and making good time. I stopped at the 3-way intersection and Marc was right behind me. We waited a minute for Jerod to catch up but he didn't appear. We doubled back and found him at the bottom of a gully sitting next to a big sagebrush. His bike was up, his helmet was off, and he was using his shirt for shade. Apparently he came over a rise , caught a rut, then slid/bounced about 30' to the bottom of the hill.

He was bruised but not broken. The most serious concern was that he was having trouble breathing and his ribs were pretty sore.

After he was ready to ride we went down the hill to the lake again. There had been a massive amount of water flow and it had taken out part of the road at the bottom. We actually met and talked to the couple who live in the house down there. The guy said it happened Monday night and the water was about 6' deep, bringing huge boulders off the hillside. You can see Jerod and his bike in the center background for scale.

Jerod got washed up and cooled down, then we dropped down to the suicide cliff for a couple minutes.

It was late in the afternoon and we weren't sure about camp spots so we just headed east with our eyes peeled. We settled next to Succor Creek for the night.

Day 2 coming later.

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Mistervelocity

Discussion Starter · #3 · 18 d ago

He never left the trail and it all happened pretty quick. As near as we can tell from the marks on the ground, he caught a rut and the front washed out. When it went down, he and the bike bounced and slid about 30' on the gravel. We were running relatively fast through that section.

His left shoulder and arm were a bit beat up and he had a fist sized knot on this upper bicep. The next morning he had really dark football sized and shaped bruise on his right thigh, presumably from the tank and bars. He also had a bruise near his left kidney. I guess he's gotten Xrays and nothing was broken but he's got some fluid collected below his left lung.

More on how it played out later.

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Mistervelocity

Discussion Starter · #6 · 18 d ago

We got up the next morning and Jerod wasn't feeling much better we were planning to go back to the parking lot to refuel and top off our water bottles anyway. We were riding gravel road and stopped at the turnoff to head toward the lake when he tapped out. Rather than split up,we all rode through Adrian and back up the lower Owyhee to the dam. We loaded his bike then Marc and I went west. The flowers were really out.

Sky Flower Plant Plant community Natural landscape

We took the Northern route over to Freezout lake, then the reservoir, then the cabin.

After Freezout we went through @oldworld 124's gate (it was open now) and over to another cabin, then the magic bus.

We explored the bus a little. Based on the stickers all over the ceiling, a couple periodicals, and expiration dates on cans, we figured it's probably been parked there about 25 years.

We spotted a cave last week so Marc and I rode up there and crossed the creek for a closer look. No bears inside but the swimming hole just below looked really tempting.

More later.

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Mistervelocity

Discussion Starter · #7 · 18 d ago

Our destination for the night was the Griffith Ranch. We zigzagged to the southeast and dropped down to the lake head.

We actually rode past the ranch and waved at some kayaker on the way to the abandoned airstrip. I wanted to show him Birch Creek across the river. We doubled back to the ranch and were about to unload our gear when one of the kayaker climbed up the bank. We exchanged introductions and she said they were planning to camp there. We offered to leave them some privacy and we moved upstream, camping right next to the remains of the missing persons' tent @admiral cleared 2 years ago. It was full service.

Around dinner time a couple of the neighbors delivered some cold beverages, that was pretty thoughtful. Just as it got dark the lightning started and the wind really kicked up. It was blowing hard enough to lay the tent down against my chest. That kept up for about 2 hours. It sprinkled for about 15 minutes but I stayed dry enough and actually slept pretty well.

The next morning we grabbed a couple pics and bolted for the trailer.

The total was 255 miles. DRZ did just fine and Marc only crashed once, although he denied it the next day. TTR-W ran great. Aside from an easy to fix leaking cam cover, zero issues.

I'm still not dead yet.

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Mistervelocity

Discussion Starter · #10 · 17 d ago

The one I use appears to be discontinued. It's nothing special and there's probably lots out there just like it. It's the size of a fat hoagie when it's rolled up.

Amazon.com: Trazon Camping Sleeping Pad - Mat, (Large), Ultralight Best Sleeping Pads for Backpacking, Hiking Air Mattress - Lightweight, Inflatable & Compact, Camp Sleep Pad : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

If you're shopping, I'd look for something with dual chambers. If it claims to be insulated, that's a plus too.

This is my current pillow.

Amazon.com : NEMO Fillo Luxury Pillow : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

I'm going to start looking for a more compact sleeping bag. Mine is an XXL zero degree. It's really spacious and comfy but just can't be packed small. If I could find the equivalent with down fill, I'd be tempted to spend the coin.

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Amazon.com: Trazon Camping Sleeping Pad - Mat, (Large), Ultralight Best Sleeping Pads for Backpacking, Hiking Air Mattress - Lightweight, Inflatable & Compact, Camp Sleep Pad : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : NEMO Fillo Luxury Pillow : Sports & Outdoors

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