Still Another Ride

Yesterday afternoon, Ray and I decided that we had enough time to take a ride up to Pine Creek Reservoir. It is about 4 to 5 miles above where Ray lives, so we could ride right from his house and have plenty of time. Here are a few pictures of what it's like up there.











You can't see them in these next two pictures because the zoom on my camera isn't that powerful, but there are about 15 to 20 Rocky Mountain Goats about half way up the mountainside.




And this is Pine Creek Reservoir.



Jim 8-)

Whats the temperatures up there?

Jim,thats really some nice looking country..I'm glad you enjoy riding so well,,,I mean,,a man of you advanced age out riding anything is a news story in itself..LOLOlolOLOlol,,Love ya buddy.

Saltfisher I don't know what the temperature was exactly when we were up there, but at times it can be twenty degrees cooler than down in the valley where we live. When we left it was pretty hot but I still wore a sweatshirt. Ray thought I was nuts. At the last minute he decided maybe he better take one too. When we got up there, he admitted that he was glad that he took one after all. When that sun goes down over those peaks it gets cold quick up there.

John to be honest I don't personally know anyone my age that can do what I do on a motorcycle. I know that there are other guy's that can, I just don't know any of them. The big bikes we have are yamaha WR-450's. They are big, heavy and very powerful machines. They are pretty much for the fire roads and open trails that are not too small or have too many obstructions and tight turns in them. The trials bikes are a totally different world. You don't need a trail or anything like that to ride them. They will go anywhere. Mine is a Beta Elf, 250cc two stroke, with a 5 speed transmission, made in Italy. Top speed is about 30 m.p.h. Rays' is a Montessa Cota, 250cc two stroke, with a 5 speed, made in Italy also. His top speed is about the same as mine.

They don't have much of a seat, and in fact the ones that are being made in the last few years have no seat at all. They are meant to be ridden standing up. Some of the later models only have a fuel tank of not much more that quart capacity. In "Observed Trials", they don't need to hold much more than that. Here's how it works. The lay out a course over some of the most unbeliveable terrain you can imagine. They post observers (hence the name "Observed Trials.") along this course so that the entire course can be seen by at least one of them at all times. Each rider starts out and goes through the course. Any time that either of his feet touch the ground, a boulder a log or anything other than the bike itself, he loses points.

The pro riders do things on these bikes that boggles my mind. I do it becuase it's good excercise and I believe it helps maintain and even sharpen your balance, coordination and other motor skills. And when I say excercise, I mean some of the places that we go flat kick you butt.

So I feel pretty fortunate actually to be able to do the things that I do at my age of 62. I actually know people that are half of my age, and a few that are even younger than that, who can't do the things I do. And my belief is that if I keep doing this type of activity, and keep working hard it will stay with me for a long time yet.

Here are a couple of videos you can watch to appreciate what these little motorcycles can do with the right guy riding them. And one of them is from your neck of the woods John, Tennessee.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Gorn5FpWo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D2hkEh-Qdg&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIMGuWROpsQ&feature=related

That takes some practice.

My hats off to you Jim,,you amaze me..I figure i'd hurt myself REAL bad REAL quick.

Jim That Is Some Very Awesome Land You Have Around You, I Have Always Thought That It Would Be Cool To Find A Western Book To Read That Was About The Area You Are At And Just Sit There And Read The Story And Use Your Imagination And Try To Picture What It Would Have Been Like. Thanks Buddy For Sharing Your Outings With Us Please Keep The Pictures And Stories Coming.