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#Post#: 628--------------------------------------------------
Uncle's Desert Challenge 2014
By: Rusty Shovel Date: March 26, 2014, 11:13 pm
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There was a pretty good turnout for the Desert Challenge, about
70 riders showed up for the event. It was a motley association
of bikes. DRZ400's, WR250R's, and EXC's were the most common
dual sports. I saw a couple Huskys, a smattering of converted
CRF's and WRF's. There even some die-hard KLR riders, God bless
'em.
[img]
HTML https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8mOKsrnScTw/Ux3K2lyXU7I/AAAAAAAAA2U/bpNL-xw5-dY/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5565.JPG[/img]
My favorite bike there was an old XL125. Some bikes were just
done right.
HTML http://www.geocities.co.jp/MotorCity-Circuit/2519/catalog/honda/xl125b.jpg
The rider meeting was short and informal. Folks were in no rush
to leave the buffet breakfast provided by the event. Many folks
went back to their hotel to grab some extra gear; it was cooler
in the morning than many anticipated. I wore an old jacket, a
Klim jersey, a pair of Klim Mojave pants, and a well-used
daypack. I carried the usual assortment of tools, tubes, and
spare water.
I had trucked the bike to Big Bend with Patrick "TenFootGlass."
Patrick rode his tastefully modified EXC530. We met Logan, a
buddy of a person to whom I'd sold my old WR250R. The three of
us set out without fanfare.
[img]
HTML https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ueGB7TNIpD8/Ux3Ll8Zw26I/AAAAAAAAA2k/8L0jX293L-I/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5568.JPG[/img]
Our bikes are still so pretty.
[img]
HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3OcyVeOGAvg/Ux3K36-B5xI/AAAAAAAAA2c/MVZylMD0ZJw/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5566.JPG[/img]
But that would quickly change:
[img]
HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a4VOWQp22qg/Ux3MSnFsYOI/AAAAAAAAA3E/JzXZ7FtnNdo/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5572.JPG[/img]
The River Road along the Rio Grande began sending shots over the
bow. Little pits of sand and loose stone that wanted to lead us
astray.
Some trails seemed firm, right up to the point where they
weren't.
[img]
HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5K6NChpNPRA/Ux3MRlYqawI/AAAAAAAAA28/GJj30h6k8qg/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5571.JPG[/img]
At about the one-hour mark, Patrick was leading the pack down
into a dry arroyo. His front tire ping-ponged off a couple
baseball sized rocks before burying itself in the powdery silt.
He went head over handlebars and landed not too far ahead of his
bike.
[img]
HTML https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kT0TQ6mVvog/Ux3MjkYb4QI/AAAAAAAAA3M/FDTMD245Zuw/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5573.JPG[/img]
When I saw Pat on the ground holding his arm, I thought for sure
we were done. But Pat's tougher than that. He was dizzy (from
the adrenaline dump) and his shoulder hurt (from his one-point
landing), and his elbow was bleeding. But after a short break
and a few gulps of water, he was ready to go.
It was, I think, the first time Patrick mentioned that his fan
didn't seem to be running. Mine and Logan's were running like
gangbusters. We should've done more that shrug--but that's
hindsight for you.
I wasn't much later that I had a spill of my own. I was
climbing a hill that required a bit of clutch work. At the top
was a pool of sandy rock. I gunned it to get the front tire
lighter, but instead my whole rear end whipped out and I went
down in a heap. Bruised hip and ego. Lorna (my bike) had
sustained some damage to her foot shifter.
[img]
HTML https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-TnlxDarMuJI/Ux3NDG97ciI/AAAAAAAAA3c/lFmm9HQzYY8/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5575.JPG[/img]
Notice how it's scrapping the magnesium off my cover. It ran
sloppy like that until we caught up with a bunch of regulars.
They all had opinions, but the simplest suggestion was the best;
the shifter has simply come loose. One Official KTM star key
later, I was back on the road.
I was fairly happy with a successful trailside "repair." So I
felt like an old salty when we arrived at the nameless gas
station that had two pumps and one grade: "GAS." I figured one
tank couldn't do too much harm. The gas station sandwich,
however, threatened me all sorts of harm. In the end, that
stale bread with mayonaiseless slimy meat was a meal fit for a
king. But was couldn't dally long, We'd somehow managed to burn
through 6 hours!
Patrick was eager to go!
[img]
HTML https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ET5ySmc4J-U/Ux3NKaE56PI/AAAAAAAAA3k/UjKfuooc-g0/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5577.JPG[/img]
The afternoon portion of the ride was less technical than the
morning had been. Which is good because it was getting hot and
we were pretty worn out at this point. Logan, who was clearly
in the best shape amongst us, kept wanting to zip ahead--he
alway came back though, I appreciate a safety-minded crew.
Because our pace slowed, we got more pictures like this:
[img]
HTML https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rCvQ7S4AZ_U/Ux3N4-klGXI/AAAAAAAAA4E/arrcQoIrV7s/w1357-h260-no/DSCN5581.JPG[/img]
Isn't that pretty?
This is the last picture I took while my bike operated normally
(see how peacefully I smile).
[img]
HTML https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d3f-kMWc-Y0/Ux3N0UiaiTI/AAAAAAAAA38/mPjgZc1lGZA/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5580.JPG[/img]
Not long after this photo, on Ole Mine Road (I think), we passed
several EMT's who are working on a hurt rider. I decided then
and there that I was gonna slow it down. I was getting too
tired to take silly chances. As it turns out, going below your
normal speed is dangerous. While cresting a mild hill, my front
tire twisted off a small rock and put me hard on the ground.
I'd kicked my peg with my shin, but I was alright. Lorna,
however, had dented her clutch cover to the degree that I could
hear it eating away the inside of the case. Bummer.
I spend the next several minutes in 1st gear. After a few tries
I got it into it's upper gears, but clearly something bad had
happened.
Despite my hobbled bike, we were making fairly good time. We
muddled through a section of baby talk sand that was exhausting
before reaching a stretch of road. After 200 miles of rugged
country, the road was a blessing. I was going 95 just for the
sheer ease of it. When I reached the next turn, however, no one
showed for several minutes. I started driving back and was
intercepted by Logan, who explained that Patrick's bike had
completely seized up while going 70mph down the highway.
HTML https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lVINAOpotEY/Ux3PmXsSegI/AAAAAAAAA48/Xiy4CqRGpMY/w647-h863-no/DSCN5591.jpg
Here's his 70" skid mark. It's a miracle he didn't drop it or
get rear-ended.
Anyway, so Patrick's done. Another group comes up behind us and
I ask if Logan can join them. Logan was really hesitant, but in
the end I told him I'd be pissed if he didn't finish the race
for all of us.
I rode back to the hotel via the freeway, picked up the truck,
picked up Patrick and his dead bike, drove him back to the
hotel, then went back out and finished the course on my own.
Now, I know going it alone isn't the wisest. But as much as I
love company, I sometimes crave solitude.
[img]
HTML https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZEGbyiSSbfk/Ux3Oe_xeJ1I/AAAAAAAAA4Y/BO7csINbGK4/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5584.JPG[/img]
No more eating dust; just me and a dirty road. I loved it.
[img]
HTML https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8ZPdm32NFFQ/Ux3PDzwzUKI/AAAAAAAAA4k/9NQfpyd79l0/w1151-h863-no/DSCN5586.JPG[/img]
I finished the challenge and can't wait to do it again next
year. As long as I have proper case protection!
#Post#: 633--------------------------------------------------
Re: Uncle's Desert Challenge 2014
By: Colorado Rider Date: March 27, 2014, 8:39 pm
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Nice images Rusty; thanks for sharing!
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