[NSR] No F'ing Way

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:22 am

A friend of mine ... a guy who has been trying to convince me to give dirt bikes a shot ... just passed along this You Tube link:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gsYNFhO6c8g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

To a person such as myself that doesn't much care for heights, this was 6 minutes of pure queasiness. Needless to say, this wasn't much of a sales pitch.

Rob

Major Redneck · Post by **Major Redneck** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:32 am

i could not finish watching... thats nuts... i guess they were doing this just for the fun of it??? damn goat would have a hard time walking some of that...

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:03 am

I would have a difficult time walking that path.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:12 am

last comment was "estan locos" which I think roughly translates as they are crazy, and I agree. The trail does remind me of a few spots that I hiked in Tennessee on the Appalachian trail a few years ago on Spring Break. Cliff up to the left, cliff down to the right, and no where to stop and rest.

rsrider · Post by **rsrider** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:16 am

Haha, every time the guy looks back at his partner, he's shaking his head like, "WTF are we doing up here?" There were a couple of serious transitions in that clip. Beautiful scenery and some rough looking trail.

If you didn't grow up riding dirt, I would either advise against it, or go really really slow on some easy trails, because you will fall down. If you look at the professional road racing riders who practice in the off season on dirt bikes, they injure themselves all the time while riding those things. Even more so than when they are going around a road course at triple digit speeds. I grew up riding dirt, and I quit riding in my early 20's, because crashing (which you do all the time) just became too much pain. It is fun, that's for sure, but frack the crashing part. And sometimes you don't even have to crash. If you watch the vid you can see how the bars are being twisted by the front tire deflection off the big rocks. Pulled muscles are common, tweaked joints, and banged up knees. Ice will become your friend.

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:19 am

That is awesome!

iMoses · Post by **iMoses** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 4:03 pm

TVB wrote:I would have a difficult time walking that path.

I agree... Dang! Too scary for me on foot much less on 2 wheels... pretty vistas though...

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 5:45 pm

Who needs a dirt bike?

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:12 pm

ericalm wrote:Who needs a dirt bike?

that looks like YOUR vepsa! Is that you?

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:21 pm

ericalm wrote:Who needs a dirt bike?

Riding the cliffs of Adobe, eh? Such a scenic drive!

Coffeejunkie · Post by **Coffeejunkie** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 6:33 pm

That is amazing balance, but for me never in a BAJILLION years. It looked like part of the Inca Trail.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:26 pm

ericalm wrote:Who needs a dirt bike?

Now if you were riding a Genuine I'd say enter it in the photo contest

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:52 pm

Heh heh heh…

Yes, it's a quickie photochop!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:45 pm

bluebuddygirl wrote:last comment was "estan locos" which I think roughly translates as they are crazy, and I agree. The trail does remind me of a few spots that I hiked in Tennessee on the Appalachian trail a few years ago on Spring Break. Cliff up to the left, cliff down to the right, and no where to stop and rest.

Ever since reading Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods", I've been planning on hiking at least a section of the Appalachian trail. I think you just talked me out of that.

Rob

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:58 pm

rsrider wrote:Haha, every time the guy looks back at his partner, he's shaking his head like, "WTF are we doing up here?" There were a couple of serious transitions in that clip. Beautiful scenery and some rough looking trail.

If you didn't grow up riding dirt, I would either advise against it, or go really really slow on some easy trails, because you will fall down. If you look at the professional road racing riders who practice in the off season on dirt bikes, they injure themselves all the time while riding those things. Even more so than when they are going around a road course at triple digit speeds. I grew up riding dirt, and I quit riding in my early 20's, because crashing (which you do all the time) just became too much pain. It is fun, that's for sure, but frack the crashing part. And sometimes you don't even have to crash. If you watch the vid you can see how the bars are being twisted by the front tire deflection off the big rocks. Pulled muscles are common, tweaked joints, and banged up knees. Ice will become your friend.

I hear that loud and clear. I've avoided dirt bikes largely for many of the same reasons you mention here. I've never had a major injury related to any of my hobbies to date. I've ridden ATVs with my dirt loving friend for over 10 years and neither of us has ever been injured on the quads. His dirt bikes are another thing altogether. I think he gets hurt at least twice a year on his bike .... ranging from stitches to broken bones. I don't mend as quickly as I used to.

Rob

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:00 pm

Rob wrote:Ever since reading Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods", I've been planning on hiking at least a section of the Appalachian trail. I think you just talked me out of that.

I've hiked several days of the AT in Virginia, and it wasn't anything like that. You just need to pick a section that matches what you're looking for.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:34 pm

That vid is sweet. I'd be afraid of all those cactus though... man I hate cactus.

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:11 am

I couldn't watch that whole thing. It made my hands sweat. That's just insane.

As for riding dirt, I think it's actually a good idea if you have the opportunity. I did just a tiny bit of dirt riding years ago and I think the experience really helped me with my street riding skills. When you're on loose dirt and rocks, you quickly learn important things like gassing it when the rear is sliding out, rather than braking. I only rode on the kiddy trails and hills - one of the perks of being a teeny-tiny adult is that I can pass for a kid when fully geared for dirt riding

. I had a lot of fun riding the easy stuff, but I did not have any desire to do the big hills.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:29 am

TVB wrote:
Rob wrote:Ever since reading Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods", I've been planning on hiking at least a section of the Appalachian trail. I think you just talked me out of that.
I've hiked several days of the AT in Virginia, and it wasn't anything like that. You just need to pick a section that matches what you're looking for.

And the section I was on was not that severe. But there was no place to stop and rest for a couple miles at a time. It was my first day, and I was exhausted. It had been almost all uphill going South from Damascus into Tennessee and coming from Ohio terrain, with 30 lbs. on my back it was quite the adjustment. It also was beautiful and peaceful and I didn't see a single other human for the first 8 hours I was out there. I am going again this year in about a month. I will post photos when I get back.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:36 am

bluebuddygirl wrote:And the section I was on was not that severe. But there was no place to stop and rest for a couple miles at a time. It was my first day, and I was exhausted. It had been almost all uphill going South from Damascus into Tennessee and coming from Ohio terrain, with 30 lbs. on my back it was quite the adjustment. It also was beautiful and peaceful and I didn't see a single other human for the first 8 hours I was out there. I am going again this year in about a month. I will post photos when I get back.

Sounds very nice. At the risk of turning this into a My Trail Is Better Then Your Trail contest, I'm going to mention my personal favorite place on the planet: Isle Royale (in Lake Superior). Trails ranging from mild to difficult. Fewer visitors per square mile than any national park outside of Alaska. No bears, but lots of moose, and a few reclusive wolves. No phones, no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury (except for Moosehead beer at the Rock Harbor Lodge).

Howardr · Post by **Howardr** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:17 am

I have a fear of heights and had to stop watching. Those guys are nuts!

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:38 am

That's nothing. You ought to see some of the mountain biking we do. I wish I had helmet cam footage.

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 12:23 pm

I'm with you Rob... I pretty much saw no value in watching it after about 10-15 seconds.

This is bad enough.... (the guy with the helmet cam on is my chiropractor

)
http://www.flixxy.com/down-hill-mountain-bike.htm

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:46 am

TVB wrote: I've hiked several days of the AT in Virginia, and it wasn't anything like that. You just need to pick a section that matches what you're looking for.

That's what I assumed. Again, after reading several of Bryson's books, I realize he not much of a risk taker ... at least not when it comes to putting his life on the line.

bluebuddygirl wrote:And the section I was on was not that severe. But there was no place to stop and rest for a couple miles at a time. It was my first day, and I was exhausted. It had been almost all uphill going South from Damascus into Tennessee and coming from Ohio terrain, with 30 lbs. on my back it was quite the adjustment. It also was beautiful and peaceful and I didn't see a single other human for the first 8 hours I was out there. I am going again this year in about a month. I will post photos when I get back.

I definitely plan on hiking the trail (I'm not sure how much yet) either this year or next. Thus far, the only real risk that I'm aware of is to personal relationships. My daughter's best friend set off last summer with her fiancee, intending to hike the entire trail. They didn't even make it 100 miles and they called it off. Not only the hike, but their wedding as well. As far as I know, they've never spoken again.

I'm looking forward to seeing your pics.

TVB wrote:Sounds very nice. At the risk of turning this into a My Trail Is Better Then Your Trail contest, I'm going to mention my personal favorite .[/place on the planet: Isle Royale (in Lake Superior). Trails ranging from mild to difficult. Fewer visitors per square mile than any national park outside of Alaska. No bears, but lots of moose, and a few reclusive wolves. No phones, no lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury (except for Moosehead beer at the Rock Harbor Lodge).

Isle Royale is right at the top of my list of things to do. As many times as I've been to the UP, I haven't made it there yet. We are heading up to the Copper Harbor area in June, so I'm hoping to spend a couple of days on the island then

Rob

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:44 am

Rob wrote:I definitely plan on hiking the trail (I'm not sure how much yet) either this year or next. Thus far, the only real risk that I'm aware of is to personal relationships. My daughter's best friend set off last summer with her fiancee, intending to hike the entire trail. They didn't even make it 100 miles and they called it off. Not only the hike, but their wedding as well. As far as I know, they've never spoken again.

The summer after we graduated from high school, one of my friends (just "friend", not boyfriend or girlfriend) and I went on a 6-week bicycling trip together, camping in a 1.5-man tent. We were still friends at the end, but we were each plenty happy to spend time away from each other by the time we got home.

Rob wrote:Isle Royale is right at the top of my list of things to do. As many times as I've been to the UP, I haven't made it there yet. We are heading up to the Copper Harbor area in June, so I'm hoping to spend a couple of days on the island then

June tends to be a little cooler and damper than July/August, but less busy and still a good time to visit. If you're there for a couple days, hiking out a day on the Greenstone Trail, then back on the Rock Harbor Trail would be a good plan. I wrote most of the Wikitravel article, so you can glean the majority of my wisdom from that, but feel free to drop me a line if you have questions or want recommendations.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:09 am

Rob wrote:
I definitely plan on hiking the trail (I'm not sure how much yet) either this year or next. Thus far, the only real risk that I'm aware of is to personal relationships. My daughter's best friend set off last summer with her fiancee, intending to hike the entire trail. They didn't even make it 100 miles and they called it off. Not only the hike, but their wedding as well. As far as I know, they've never spoken again. I'm looking forward to seeing your pics.

Rob

Sounds like the best pre-marital counseling they could have gotten. If after 100 miles you split up forever, I am guessing that the marriage should not have occurred.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:41 pm

I'll do a bump on an old post.

I received another email with the same You Tube link. I thought I'd already posted it on MB and just found it with a search .... here it is again so that I can once again share my uneasiness.

Rob

still shifting · Post by **still shifting** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 1:58 pm

Not for Me thanks, Goat paths are for goats and big horn sheep. R

TroutBum · Post by **TroutBum** » Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:29 pm

The only way I ride that is on a trials bike. They are the nearest thing to a mountain goat.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:47 am

I'm not sure I'd even enjoy hiking that trail on foot. Being close to death isn't really "my thing".

dakotamouse · Post by **dakotamouse** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:15 am

My husband is a dirtbiker and I don't think he's tried anything quite like this. Well he better not have! If he survived the ride he would then have to survive my wrath!!

Jenn L · Post by **Jenn L** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:30 am

And I thought some of the bridges I mountain biked across were freaky... I've done nothing like those! No jumping either. I did a trail in southern Ohio once where I got to a cliff I had to jump to the trail below...well that's where my ride ended that day.
I couldn't watch that dirt bike video.

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:42 am

Off road riding is the greatest developer of riding skills that you can get.
And practically no one rides those things in your video.
It's just good to learn control while the bike is sliding around on limited traction surfaces, how to steer by using body weight and seeing what it's like to fall down without getting hurt. It can be fun pressing the limit on purpose and taking spills as part of the learning curve.

Having off road skills saved my hide on the road when a woman pulled out of her driveway into my path, saw me and then pulled back through my path to go back into her driveway. Without thinking I ended up sliding sideways across her lawn, grass flying all the way. Rode it out like a champ, never going down. When I finally stopped, I gave her a one finger salute, revved up and dropped the clutch and sent some sod her way as I exited. I never regretted having a Bonneville as a first bike.

"Explain that to your husband tonight."

Get in the dirt. It may save your life.

dakotamouse · Post by **dakotamouse** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:55 pm

Beamster wrote:Off road riding is the greatest developer of riding skills that you can get.
And practically no one rides those things in your video.
It's just good to learn control while the bike is sliding around on limited traction surfaces, how to steer by using body weight and seeing what it's like to fall down without getting hurt. It can be fun pressing the limit on purpose and taking spills as part of the learning curve.

Having off road skills saved my hide on the road when a woman pulled out of her driveway into my path, saw me and then pulled back through my path to go back into her driveway. Without thinking I ended up sliding sideways across her lawn, grass flying all the way. Rode it out like a champ, never going down. When I finally stopped, I gave her a one finger salute, revved up and dropped the clutch and sent some sod her way as I exited. I never regretted having a Bonneville as a first bike.

"Explain that to your husband tonight."

Get in the dirt. It may save your life.

I have a license to worry and I know how to use it. He dirt bikes and most of the time what I don't know......is probably for the best.

Beamster · Post by **Beamster** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:01 pm

dakotamouse wrote:
Beamster wrote:Off road riding is the greatest developer of riding skills that you can get.
And practically no one rides those things in your video.
It's just good to learn control while the bike is sliding around on limited traction surfaces, how to steer by using body weight and seeing what it's like to fall down without getting hurt. It can be fun pressing the limit on purpose and taking spills as part of the learning curve.

Having off road skills saved my hide on the road when a woman pulled out of her driveway into my path, saw me and then pulled back through my path to go back into her driveway. Without thinking I ended up sliding sideways across her lawn, grass flying all the way. Rode it out like a champ, never going down. When I finally stopped, I gave her a one finger salute, revved up and dropped the clutch and sent some sod her way as I exited. I never regretted having a Bonneville as a first bike.

"Explain that to your husband tonight."

Get in the dirt. It may save your life.
I have a license to worry and I know how to use it. He dirt bikes and most of the time what I don't know......is probably for the best.

The quote "Explain that to your husband" was about the woman who had to explain the tire marks on the front lawn, lest you thought it was about you.

dakotamouse · Post by **dakotamouse** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 11:45 pm

Whoops, I did think you meant me!

Modern Buddy

[NSR] No F'ing Way

[NSR] No F'ing Way

[NSR] No F'ing way