Reliability Run Ride Report

[OhioTed]

Thanks to you POG members who turned out for the Spring Reliability Run, hosted by the Ohio Valley BSA Owners Club.  

From my point of view, it was a good event.  The area had received just enough rain during the week to keep the dust down, and weather forecast for the weekend was ideal - sunny skies and temps in the low 70's.  

However, just after sunset on Friday night the skies unexpectedly opened up and we received a substantial amount of additional rainfall.  More rain fell overnight, too.  With key time less than 12 hours away, I wondered how the brand-new, first trail section might be effected.  

Saturday dawned clear and bright, and in my role as a support rider and event photographer, I headed out just as the first minutes were leaving.  My first stop was a substantial creek crossing, just .1 mile into the run.  Unfortunately, whether by intent or by mistake, I watched as rider after rider bypassed the first turn and went right up the road.  What a shame, as this first section was a nice bit of trail.  After about ten minutes or so I gave up, stuffed my camera back into my fanny pack and took off down the trail.  

A bit further on, the "new" trail section turned out to be a bit of a challenge, as there had been logging taking place and the very soft and loose soil had turned to mud as the result of the rains.  And yet, my very mild little putt-putt ride - a stone-stock '77 Honda XL175 - churned along pretty well.  We were even working with a handicap as the little bike must have swallowed some water and/or grit early on as the throttle was sticking a bit and she wouldn't pull the main jet.  That, combined with the (max) 10 hp the XL puts out meant that I ended up pushing up several hills.   Further along I found myself on the trials course.  I hadn't arrowed this section of trail and did not realize that the trials guys were using the same arrows as us to guide their riders between sections.  

Hoping noone else made the same mistake as me, I doubled back, got on the RR trail, and was soon on the first road section.  I rode slowly, hoping to see later minutes catching up.  However, despite my 2 mph average through the woods, nobody passed me.  Uh-oh.  We continued on, with numerous trail sections filling this portion of the run.  Yet, still very few later numbers.  True, there were only 50 of us participating, but I still thought bikes would easily be catching and passing me.  I stopped frequently, at good trailside photo-op points, but could hear no bikes coming, so I kept packing up and moving on.  Finally, upon entering a nice section of trail which includes several excellent water crossings, one of our guys on an LC4, along with a fellow named Tim on a Husky Enduro came along.  

Unfortunately, they blew right past the turnoff, but I hollered and waved and got their attention.  After taking a few pictures and getting them headed down the trail, I drug the big log on which we had put turn-arrows right out to the edge of the road.  Scheduling challenges led to us arrowing the course a full week before the event, and now our fluorescent-orange arrows had been watered down to a pale yellow color, making them much more difficult to see.  I then got back on the XL and putted down the trail, stopping at every water crossing, hoping to get some good photos.  Still, hardly anyone was coming by.  Finally, at a particularly good spot, some riders filtered by, including Gary and Toni Roach, each on Pentons, as well as Jack Penton, riding his '77 MC5.  Jack had surprised us all by arriving unannounced on Saturday morning, and looked awesome on the trail.  

Just up the next road section aways was another particularly nice section of trail, which I was really anxious for everyone to enjoy.  The arrows pointing to it were still in place, and I was pleased to see that the mileage on our route sheets was spot-on correct for the turns.  I angled into the woods, passed a couple of guys on XR Hondas, and waved for them to follow, as there was one tricky turn about half-way through the section, which I wanted to make sure they followed.  The trail ended in a little valley, with a fun water crossing and simple little mudhole.  I parked the XL, dug out my camera, and prepared to at least capture the XR riders coming through.  Oddly enough, the minutes ticked by but they didn't come down the trail!  Then I heard bikes coming, but they were up on the road.  At least half a dozen or so bikes went by and I realized immediately that they had missed the turnoff for the trail and had instead gone on to the next road intersection.  At least they were pointed in the right direction, but had sure missed a sweet little section of trail.  

I set off after them, hoping to get into a position to take some pictures, but these guys were moving pretty good.  I recognized Stevie - one of the BSA club members on his very capable 441 Victor, plus one of the RR regulars on a 125 Zundapp, and either Ollie or Al Martin on one of their distinctive KTM-orange Pentons.  Several other riders were in the mix, and they all easily outdistanced me and the half-power Honda.  I finally caught up with them in a big, open field, where once again a trail turnoff had been missed.  Much waving and pointing had this group once again headed in the right direction.  I followed them for a while again until the trail got a little tough and my 5-hp Honda simply couldn't keep up.  

At one point, my XL did suddenly clear its throat and I once again passed some riders hoping to get far enough ahead to shoot pictures, but another trail section and the bike's carb getting fouled up again thwarted those plans.  The rest of the run went about the same.  I would go like heck on the downhills, but was slowed to a crawl on any climb.  A small group of riders fell in with me, indicating they were tired of watching for arrows and reading the route chart.  The second half of the ride was set up for easier riding, and was without incident except for one spot where a tree had fallen across the trail with only about three feet of clearance underneath.  No problem with the old bikes, but guys with 12" of suspension travel under them were having to lean 'em waaaaay over.  

I was not involved in arrowing the second half of the course, but once again by watching the route sheet and my odometer carefully, was able to match everything up just fine.  The only other interesting section was right at the end.  We ALL missed this turn, but interestingly enough it appeared that Jack, Toni and Gary were right in front of me and were doubling back to pick up this section.  My little group and I followed.  Everyone but me wicked it up when we hit the trail and I got to see one of the riders on a really cool, vintage Triumph 500 twin just BURY it in a mudhole, only to simply wack the throttle and totally roost his way out of the goop.  Great job!

After finishing up, I putted around, checking to see who was in and how their rides went.  There were a few dnf's, but also a number of guys who said they got lost, couldn't pick up the course, and just packed it in.  I wish it had gone better for them.  We tried hard to set up the course to be ridable yet interesting, as well-marked as possible, and with the mileage and route sheet as accurate as we could make it.  In the end, I thought it was (and is) a great and fun ride.  It should be noted that OVBSA Club co-founder Clark Francy, who while young at heart is no spring chicken, does virtually all the work by himself to make the Reliability Run a reality.  Clark does get some help from his son, Matt, as well as Stevie - the guy with the 441 Victor, but it's mostly all Clark, all by his lonesome.  So, if you were out there and care to rate the ride, please keep in mind that we wouldn't even have the opportunity for the this fun event without Clark working his tail off to make it happen.

                                          Ted Guthrie

[marsattacks]

Ted, I for one could never find fault with any volunteers who devote their time and effort to give other vintage bike riders a chance to ride trails in such a beautiful and relaxed setting.  Yes a few sections (for me, the two early uphills) got really greasy pretty fast.  My Pirellis were pretty high on pressure and completely packed up with mud.  Nevertheless, it is more rider than equipment and plenty of other riders had no problem.  For my part, I stalled 3/4 of the way up hill No. 1 and blocked Toni who was making a good pace until she got to me.  Thanks to Gary and Bink who helped me up once the Bultaco Frontera finally sputtered back to life (that secondary kick on a steep muddy hill is no fun).  I did see a gent paddle-wheel an old Triumph up that hill with sneakers on, so honestly how much does the equipment really count?

After a few crossings, one pretty darned deep, and I must have shorted something out.  At mile 14 or so, I got smoke coming from down below and it wasn't steam.  The heat started a fire in my seat foam and with the help of a few lost riders we got it semi-doused.  After that, no spark in the vintage Femsa points ignition would return.  So I got a ride back to camp and returned to haul the Bul out the weeds I left it in.

I haven't had the time yet to figure out if the ignition is fried or just on hiatus.  Here are a few pics of the "fire in the hole".  Once again, thanks to the ovbsa.  Sure, maybe it got a little confusing but everyone I talked to had a great time!  I hope to do it again in August.  Best, John

You'll notice that the heat seared through a bolt-hole in the fibreglass seat base and did almost zero damage to the seat base (mild scorch mark) but completely ignited the foam itself.  Luck the tank didn't catch!  Yes, that seat got really hot -- I thought it was jalapenos from the chili on Friday night!







Click here to see Mars attack:
http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0208/images/marsattacks.jpg

[OhioTed]

Thank you for providing your rider report, John.  Sorry to hear that you had problems.  That is amazing, what happened to the Bul.  I had been wondering why the seat was off when I saw the bike parked after the run.  Do you know how Bink made out?  (Note, Bink is a POG'er and friend of John's, who rode the event on a super-cool Ossa)

[marsattacks]

Ted, Bink (also from Mars) did fine.  Fouled one plug deep in the woods (like last year), just before my seat started smoking.  He completed the ride with no more mechanical problems but he did miss a lot of turns and was, like about four other riders I saw, a perfect stand-in for "A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World".  (if you ever saw that movie with people chasing to and fro without knowing exactly where they were going).  We will see you in Aug. if not before.

Click here to see Mars attack:
http://www.ufodigest.com/news/0208/images/marsattacks.jpg