Today was the first "warm' day in several weeks. I have been cooped-up too long! I took my Hawg-Ty out for a 15 mile run just to get out of the house.
I planned to climb my mountain, crest the top, circle to the north and loop back home. There is a new fire road South of my home one mile I wanted to check out as well.
I knew there would be snow and that God-Awful Caliche Mud. The Russian Steps in the spring are very much like this mud. Imagine Pan-Cake batter with Elmer's White glue added to it. Not only does it stick to everything,it is slicker than dog snot to boot.
So I rolled out the bike, added some fresh gas, set the choke,open the gas valve and pulled the rope starter. It fired up on the 2ND pull. (you have to love the 6.5 HP Predator engines.)
I left my drive way and picked up and abandoned road that used to be County Line Road but was moved 250 yards to the West 50 years ago because of solid mountain rock.
The remnants of the old road are still passable on foot and mini-bike! Lots off felled trees,boulders,loose gravel and very steep climbs ahead. And winter has added snow and that cursed mud.]
The first 1,000 yards were pretty uneventful.
The old road gave me a chance to "feel" the bike and the steering and what to expect when I hit the mud.
The snow was nothing to drive through,no slipping at all.
I'm about 1/2 way up the old road heading due North.
Being trained to always be alert, I did not hit this tree with my knee or handlebars. The bike had slid side-ways after I gave-it-some-gas to avoid a boulder.
Lot of Mule Deer tracks all through the snow. This winter has really brought them down from the crest. I see many every evening in my front yard.
due to land slides and earth quakes most of the old road has been covered up with tress and boulders over the decades.
The rotten granite and gravel really makes for a nice ride. Lots of traction.
The old road shows up again. It hard to believe this road used to be 24 feet wide. Any of the original surface has long washed away being taken over by the run off from Thunder Mountain.
The road ended here with the tress taken over the right-of-way.
All that you can do is wind around the trees and boulders. The is a Fire Road going up the mountain a hundred yards away now.
Boulders, snow and a Cholla Cactus to my right...one slip up and its a very painful trip into thorn city.
A steep climb to the fire road. The balloon tires really dug into the snow. I flew up to the top of the rise with no problems.
Now the long climb to the summit of Thunder mountains North Face.
End of part 1.
Many more to follow.