NASTIEST PLACES RIDDEN

[Rain Man]

I got a story here to tell.  Back in 1976 when my Jackpiner and I were both like brand new,I found these mud hole out in the woods up here in Maine. Well it was a cool Sunny November day and the boys and I were out exploring the neighborhoods for more trails to ride on. So we came upon this place that had these mud bogs which, at the time were foreign to us.  All I know is when you road through them wfo in 3rd, the roost was astonishing!! Boys, we covered each other in that mud hole with the roost flying up in the air 20 or so feet !!  what a blast we had back on that November day in 1976 !!  Fast forward to 1988, the Pentons are long forgotten, Team green is the bike of the day and those mud bogs are now a National Super Fund Site !!  seems like me and the boys covered each other with Carcinogens left over from a thing called the "Tannery pits".  10 million dollars later and the mud holes are gone forever, wow did that stuff fly everywhere
Raymond.

[LynnCamp]

Interesting story.  Sometimes I wonder how any of us survived all of the escapades of our youth.  A little luck, the grace of God, and a fast machine ... Thank goodness the body is such an amazingly resilent thing!

[tomale]

I can not compete with that story but let me tell you mine. When I was 18, we use to ride in a place called Clear creek. It was east of King city in california. I think that it has been closed now for some time. There was a creek and it was clear but the area had been used for mining many years before. Just miles and miles of sand. I think that the problem with the water was two fold. one was the high alkline content making it undrinkable and two, mercury that was suppose to be on the bottom. Almost nothing would grow in the area but weeds and a few pines trees. but they were far a few between. Supposedly there was a plant that grew there that only grew there and there was alot of talk about closing the area because of it. Why close the whole area?  too big of an issue for me.
One day my neigbor (my mentor) who had retired from racing had taken  us kids riding there. I was still on my first bike. a 68'? susuki 90 It was slow and it did not handle very well but I did not know that at the time. We had gone on a long ride... several hours and Bob had stop at the top of this hill. I just knew where we were so I went screaming by him. To my shock I was not where I thought I was and and I was flying down this steep hill. There was sage brush on either side and the trail weaved between them. To make matters worse the creek was at the bottom accross the road and over a small clif. I put by back brake on but I started tank swapping. I felt like I was saddled to a bull instead of a bike. I tried to down shift and that helped but not as much as I would liked but I continued to use brakes slightly and then down shift... finally I came a stop inches from the clif and I was shaking and in need of clean underware. Bob came down the hill after I had come to a halt and said "That was great Thom you looked just like Joel Roberts flying down that Hill". I am not so sure of that. Everyone thought it was pretty funny and I think so now but It still gives me the shakes when I think of it. How I managed to stop that ill handling bike I will never know. Maybe it was the grace of God. It has been said that " God favors the foolish" Then I guess thats me.  How have I managed not... to break every bone in my body is a wonder to me. The fact is I have never broken a bone. I learned the lesson from that day and before I leap I look. Maybe that is why I prefer Moto cross to cross country. Still I love to trail ride and the more woods the better I like it. Lots of that around here. I think it would be cool to have a jackpiner for the woods.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[Gavin Housh]

Thom, Clear Creek Riding area is still open. It is about 50,000 acres of land. The area is host to the Quicksilver AMA national enduro held this late January every year. I went last year and it was harder than hard. Most people houred out before the first gas. I houred out before the first check! There has been some talk of BLM closure in this area. Something about "closed unless posted open" I'm not sure where the issue stands at this point. Anyway Your story made me remember the release form we had to sign before we could race. It stated that the area was filled with aspestos and that your right to do anything had been singed away if you were to contract aspestosis. I'll write back later and give you the web address for the AMA Disrict 36 enduro host club, they have info on the race. You can also look at the California state parks web site and search there for Clear Creek. They have some history of the area as well as pictures. It seems that some Spanish Bandidos used the hills and rocks as a hide out back in old times. Cool stuff if you like that kind of thing. Gavin

[Gavin Housh]

Thom, Sorry the host club didn't have the same info up as last year. They had some descriptions of the coarse, how tough it was in years past and such. Also sorry for the misspelled asbestos. Must have been one of those brain farts.

[tomale]

Wow that is cool to know. Thanks Gavin, I have lots of great memories from that place. I am hoping to make a trip to california sometime in May. It would be nice to ride there again.
I love History especially when it comes to the old west. The family story is that my great grandfather was a mountain man.
 I have family all over down there.
The reason for the trip is to see family but I had planned to do some riding as well.
Maybe we could hook up when I get down that way and go for a ride? I think I remember how to get there. California, that is south of
Washington isn't it?

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[tomale]

Gavin, Now that I think of it I remember that clear creek was a favorite spot for enduros. I think that they use to hold quite a few there. maybe 3 or 4 every year. but that is a bit fuzzy and it was more than thirty years ago. You know what they say.. If you can remember the 60's your weren't there. I am a boomer and i sort of remember those days but not as much as you might think. Thanks for the momory lane. Even if it is foggy with limited visability.

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.

[OhioTed]

quote:Originally posted by Rain Man

I got a story here to tell.  Back in 1976 when my Jackpiner and I were both like brand new,I found these mud hole out in the woods up here in Maine. Well it was a cool Sunny November day and the boys and I were out exploring the neighborhoods for more trails to ride on. So we came upon this place that had these mud bogs which, at the time were foreign to us.  All I know is when you road through them wfo in 3rd, the roost was astonishing!! Boys, we covered each other in that mud hole with the roost flying up in the air 20 or so feet !!  what a blast we had back on that November day in 1976 !!  Fast forward to 1988, the Pentons are long forgotten, Team green is the bike of the day and those mud bogs are now a National Super Fund Site !!  seems like me and the boys covered each other with Carcinogens left over from a thing called the "Tannery pits".  10 million dollars later and the mud holes are gone forever, wow did that stuff fly everywhere
Raymond.

[OhioTed]

Rain Man,  Your story led me to recall an enduro we rode in the upper pennisula of Michigan about ten years ago.  It was extremely hot and dry and was not until nearly the end of 100+ ground miles of trail that we encountered anything other than dry sand.  However, I rounded a turn to find a single, bathtub-sized mudhole, and can you believe, there was a guy stuck in it?  I guess mud is like a magnet to us. Is it also true that, as is the case with Eskimos supposedly having one hundred words or so for snow, we have the same for mud?

[tomale]

Ted, That is amazing. Mud must be like a magnet. I can imagine that guy that was stuck being me. The stuff just gravitates towards me. I use to work ( for a while) in a clean room where we assembled hoses for medical machines. I lasted all of 6 weeks. I am just not that clean. It took me for ever to assemble the stuff and when I did they still had junk in them. I clean up pretty good but most of the time I look more like Pig pin on Peanuts than the Preacher that I am. Talk about an idenitiy crisis.
This is great fun hearing all the stories!

Thom Green,I own and ride a 76 250 MC5 MX which I bought new.