(I posted this up on our local site, so some of this pertains to local people and locations.)


Well, I rode yesterday with 2 guys on quads (Vinson 500 and Recon 250) that work with my wife, and 1 of their friends and his son and his friend that were on 3 dirt bikes (225, 250, and 650). This had to be the most dramatic ride I've ever been on. We started out across the Sunoco station on the south side of Rt 19, (Bradley area?) and then rode all the way to a lookout point just south of Prince(?) and back. It was about 50 miles total.

Well, the ride started out fine, then halfway to the lookout point, my left rear tire (the one with the gash - from my pictures) started losing air - fast. I even had a tube put in this tire, so I had to stop every mile and air it up. After the 4th time, Steve, one of the dirt bike riders (the Dad) called his daughter to bring me some fix-a-flat, since we were close to the main road in Mt. Hope. Well, after that, it at least slowed the leak down to every 4-5 miles of air-up stops.

OK, next thing was Greg's Vinson getting stuck in a DEEP high center mud hole twice. I tried, and got a little further, but still got stuck, so that got us really soaked. Then Andy, Steve's son laid down his 250 dirt bike on some slippery mud and broke his clutch handle off. I switched his and Steve's (since his dad could ride it easier without a clutch). Well not long after that, Steve had a slip and slowly ran into a little tree and broke his guage cluster on his 650. So then we took the front brake lever off the Vinson and rigged it up on the bike, which made it better.

So we get to the lookout, hung out for a little, and headed back and made it halfway back and my electirc fan quit working (dirty connections from mud and stuff) and my high temp symbol starts to flash, so I stop to let it cool, and air up. Meanwhile, Steve and Andy and his friend (the bikes) go on ahead since Andy had to work later on that night. BTW, we started around 1:30 and it's around 6:30 now.

Next stop was at a huge mudhole where we encounter a Jeep stuck way in the mud with the 2 guys just chillin out and drinking a beer. We stop at the mudhole and laugh and talk a little, then I tell them that I think we can get them out. Then they laugh at us. So we go through the mudhole (through a more shallow section) and I back up to the Jeep (for those who don't know - Polaris Sportsman 600 Twin). I tried by myself at first, and just dug holes, then Greg hooked to the front of me, and we both dug holes. Then I tried by myself again in a different spot, and this time I got a head start and jerked it with 3-4 feet of slack first. Well, every jerk got it about 5-6 inches, and after the 5th jerk, I just stayed in it, and pulled it the rest of the way out. Talk about amazing. Those guys were flippin out! A single quad pulling out a stuck Jeep?! So that was a highlight for me. I forget the driver's name, but the pa$$enger was Mark who works at Advance Auto in Beckley, if anyone wants to verify it.

Well, after that excitement, we start on down a hill, and find Steve wrecked his 650 and broke his left leg! So Greg gets out his extensive 1st aid kit and makes Steve a splint, while Andy's friend and Mark (from the Jeep) and I move the dirt bikes and quads down out of the way so the Jeep can take Steve on out. Well, Steve is too tall for the Jeep, so luckliy, Mark's friend had gone out to get help (for the Jeep) and brought in a Ford Ranger, so we got him and put Steve in the bed, and they took him out to the trucks (about 2 more miles). Well, to get Steve's bike out, Greg rode it out and we left Jeff in the woods with 2 quads by himself. It was 8:30-8:45 now.

So after loading up their bikes and sending them off to the hospital, I took Greg back in to get Jeff and his Vinson. We got back to the truck and loaded up by 9:45, and I was home by 10:00. Talk about a crazy day. I don't think we could have made one up that dramatic.

I hope you all enjoyed my adventure story. What a day it was. I'll post a picture of three of us while we were on the lookout and Greg emails it to me.

Later on,

 

Update on Steve.....

He broke his leg in three places and needed surgury. He spent a few days in the hospital. Not sure if he got out yet. Crazy. I'll stick to 4 wheels thank you very much.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Man, that's was a tough ride. I have ridden that same trail, I am from Oak Hill and ride mostly the trails over at Swiss in Nicholas County. I used to 4 wheel Jeeps and trucks but got too expensive so I got into quads. Good meeting you.

 

Yeah good meeting you too. Maybe we can meet up on the trails sometime. My wife and I spent that Fri and Sat up in Fayetteville at Country Roads Cabins (weekend without the kids), and did stuff at Hawks Nest and ACE, ate at Sedonia and Smokies for dinner and Cathedral for breakfast. It's a great area. We got home Sunday late morning and I went riding that afternoon. It was a fulfilling weekend. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
PS, ever go to WVATV.com? That's for Southern WV riders.

 

Yea, I do visit WVATV, its a cool site, I just wish their were more people on the forum though. Myself and a few others from my church are planning a ride next saturday, maybe you and your friends can join us. We may go to the Swiss area but that detail remains open at this point.

 

Thanks for the invite, but we'll be on our way back from Gatlinburg (family vacation - 7/30-8/7) that weekend. Maybe some other time. BTW, where is the Swiss area?

 

Swiss is about 15 minutes from Gauley Bridge on rt. 39 there is another place nearby called Twentymile creek.