As happens not nearly often enough, I got a random text message from my pal Wendy (Charlie’s Place, Wendy on the Ridge, etc) about a trip to Stonyford. Just as my phone buzzed the alert for the message, Ryan Parker and I had attached the final circlip holding my piston to the crankshaft on my motorcycle. We were in the middle of replacing the top-end of my motor with a new piston, rings, gaskets, etc, a necessary 6-month maintenance item on bikes like mine. Once we got the bike running again, a few short yet iffy minutes later, I immediately jumped on the trip, with a huge thanks to Parker for the help with the top-end.
After a long, arduous day of working deep in the bowels of the old Lipton Tea Factory on a Thursday (more on that another day) I skipped out on a night ride with Curtis and the gang. Who knows, had I gone, I too might have had another Curtis Beavers induced leg-grapefruit. Anyhow, leaving as early as possible made the trip even better. True to spazzball form, Wendy and crew wouldn’t be arriving until late, late, late on Friday night. I got there Friday afternoon, and enjoyed blowing things up in the campfire with the firefighters (seriously) we were camping with. The wet and moist conditions made for some of the safest fire-ball circumstances possible. Immature, yes. Dangerous, probably. Fun, with no harm done, YES!
The worst part of a top-end job is getting the damn circlips around the rod that holds the piston in place. Parker gettin' 'er dun.
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Working in Parker's garage. Notice my bike is in pieces.
The old piston and rings. We measured 65 psi of compression before tear-down. After re-assembly, she was back to 185 psi.
The most frustrating circlips in the world.
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It was cold. This cold. Saturday morning.
(Note the Ramen noodles stuckinside the ice. I eat well!) Wendy just loves those cold, camping mornings!
Saturday morning, after letting the ice melt out of our coffee cups and pleading for the sun to quickly rise above the hills, we attempted an 18 person group ride. With riders ranging from A-Class to beginning weekend warrior, somehow it was a lot of fun, and the group still rode at a frightening pace. Conditions were epic on the south-east side of the park. Occasional icy puddles separated tasty berms from the knee-deep whoops on the tight straight-aways. Back at camp, 14 people left to return to the work world. Sucks for them! |
Moonrise.
Ryan actually wore his shoe out trying to start his bike. Success at last.
Blammo!
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Bringing the beehive back:
Cole and Shawn.
I found that hotdog in the saddle bag on my bicycle a few days later. Dammit!
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Sunday morning, Wendy wasn’t feeling so hot, so she didn’t come on the ride. We rode southwest from camp, and did the Goat mountain loop. Highlights include riding across enormous puddles frozen completely solid, roosting through virgin snow-covered trail, and oogling at amazing views of Mendocino National Forest. As far as the eye could see, there were mountain ranges after mountain ranges, with a glimmer of the pacific in the extreme background. The monster group of Saturday.
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Check out the snowball about to hit Cole.
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Snow angel?
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Frownie face and boobs means it's a portrait of Wendy that morning.
Good bye snowman! Note huge airborne snowball.
Coming up to the summit of Goat mountain, Shawn fell over and completely removed the front brake lever from his moto. This meant he’d be riding down, in ice and snow, from around 6,000 feet to camp at around 2,000 feet. Adventure!
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Hydration and snowman stop:
(note: NO CANS ARE EVER LEFT BEHIND! RESPONSIBILITY!)
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Bob, almost to the summit on a huge, heavy bike (compared to our MX motos)
We randomly met Bob on the trail, a dual-sport rider in the middle of a connector loop from Middle Creek to Goat Mountain and back. I was in front, and passed him on a steep, icy, and very snowy climb, afraid that if I stopped I couldn’t get back on the trail. After nearly reaching the top, I couldn’t hear Shawn or Cole anymore. 10 minutes later, I rode back to Bob, and finally hear Shawn and Cole coming form afar, broken brake lever highlighting the conversation.
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Shawn a few feet below the Summit of Goat Mountain.
Riding back to camp, Cole’s front brake locked up for a moment, causing a quickie crash. I had a rear flat, and missed out on some excellent singletrack. It was a long ride, well over 40 miles, with about 50% in snow. Tiring, but so much fun!
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'Twas another great Stonyford trip! The last trip, with Wendy and Kyle last July, resulted in Kyle tearing every single ligament in his shoulder. After surgery the Friday of this trip, Kyle should be back on his 2-wheeled machines in a few months. Doc says 8 months, I say 3 months!
Heal up quick, Kyle! |
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