I wish I could have made it this time, but I was wondering how the ride was and how many riders showed up, how much snow, and mud. Also did anyone take any pic's that they are going to put up on the net... Hope that we can get with everone again and go for a ride this summer.
Thanks

 

The ride was great... there were so many riders, it was amazing. It was really cool to see ATV after ATV riding up the trails ahead of you. Watching the Rubicon get buried in the snow was fun too... the Polaris riders were there to help him (and give him $hit,I'm sure). I got to see a few people from this website... but of course I wasn't sure who everyone was. I was easy to see, I had the only TBoss there. I look forward to another group ride, this time how about everybody puts their ATVConnection userid on the quad I know who you are?

One sad note... after our ride I read that the forces of darkness have shut down Blackriver Falls riding area. The darkness is closing in...

By the way StitchZR2, I live in the Wedgewood development, close to Cnty E and Hwy 120. Are you going to the ATVAM ride on May 4-6th?

 

It was a very nice ride with temperatures in the high twenties at the start of the day and I think a little over 40 in the afternoon. The afternoon temperatures thawed out some very nice little mudholes after 3:00 PM and initiated the beginning of the 2001 mud season.

There was still about 18" of snow in some open field areas and this presented a challenged to some of the heavier quads in the group that wandered off to play in the powder appearing snow.

The snow crust was somewhat supportive but was very easily broken through with the warming temperatures. There was a lot of quad pushing going on for about an hour in the early afternoon but it was fun.

Polaris quads won the most quads in attendance award with the most popular being the 500 Sportsman. (They're taking over!) haha

After the uncountable Sportsman 500 models I think I counted 3 500 Magnums, 2 325 Magnums, 1 425 Magnum, at least 4 400 Xplorers, 1 Trail boss, 1 250CR 3 wheeler, a 350x 3 wheeler,
1 Rubicon, (got stuck) 2 Ranchers, 2 Grzzlies, 1 Wolverine, a couple of 450s and 2 AC 500s, and a few more which I can't remember (Okay Rangerchet, I remember your 425 Xpedition) I believe that there were 34 riders in all.

Our Trail Boss MNExplorer did a super job of keeping 33 disheveled cabin fever stricken MN atvers together and headed in the right direction .

It was a nice kick off to the "Legal Minneosta ATV Season."

 

I have to agree, the ride was great. MNXPLORER deserves a big pat on the back with bringing everyone together for the first event of the year.

There was an issue with the gas purchased from the stop in Nickerson though. Magnum needed a tow from the intersection of the Munger trail and the Continental Divide trail. I had bought my gas before him so I'm hoping I don't have the problems that he did.

I had heard a count of 38 machines total. The first group that had left consisted of about 10 or 11 riders to begin with and the second group were the good stewards and waited for some riders that showed up just as we were pulling out.

Thor was correct when he says the dominant machine was the SP500. One of them was mine I'm glad to say. Gotta love that IRS.

Trail conditions were great early on with a good hard pack and average speeds in our group of about 35-40 mph. The afternoon, like Thor also noted, yielded wetter trail conditions with the occasional spot of mud. Made for some good roosting if the guy behind got too close.

 

My thanks also to mnexplorer and the Polaris guys who allowed us to tag along ...a special note to thor...where did all those Polaris guys come from?
I've never seen so many Polaris quads stuck at the same time!! Maybe next time more Honda's will show up (?) Every one who went into that snow field got stuck!! Good fun ..thanks and see ya next time..

The slow crew..

 

Yes, it was a fun day. When we pulled up to the hitching post, I walked up to a guy whom was doing a re-count then. He got up to 42 quads. It was hard for us to keep everyone together at one time, so who knows for sure how many. Thor, you almost forgot me ahh? we only chatted all day. I agree, many thanks to mnexplorer. He made allot of phone calls, replied to lots of e-mails! Thanks for setting this get-to-gether up on our opening day! Now if the SNOW-WOULD-MELT!

rangerchet

 

Yes, it was a good time. ScramblerX from Mankato thought he was the BMOC with his Scrambler until he ran into the guy with the 250R 3 wheeler. Better luck next time SramblerX!!

All in all, it was a good ride. Alot of wheelers in one place. I was impressed. Somebody got impatient at the beginning of the ride and took off a bit too early apparently (as we lost almost 2/3 of the other riders). My crew sat at the first shelter on the Munger trail waiting for close to an hour, but no one showed. So we headed back through Nickerson to get gas for the guy on the 3 wheeler, but they were closed yet. Well, on to Holyoke then, maybe we'll run into the other crew there at lunch time. Then we had to stop for the guy on the 3 wheeler to fill his tank up with his reserve can, and off we went. No gas at holyoke, oh well, we'll get some back in Nickerson at 12:00. Off down some dirt road and through a section of whoops that go up and down hills, and I'm ready for my Excedrin. Sitting at the top of the hill, waiting for some of our crew who got stuck in the whoops, and around the corner comes about 30 screaming wheelers. OUR LOST RIDERS!!!! Yeah!! Where have you been??!!!
Anyway, we all headed back to Holyoke for lunch, and then me and my buddies broke off for some mud riding alone. Broke my chain, got hauled in by a Polaris. Friggin 3 wheelers.

 

Does anyone have any pics on the ride.....
Looks like you all had fun, mybe onetime this summer we can get with each other and try to get 50-75 atvs up. I think the more people that there are is better...
Thanks

 

Pics www.rooferx.homestead.com

 

I took some pictures but just regular pictures. Non digital. I have a friend at work that can scan them in for me but he just went on vacation for 2 weeks. So it would be a while. He would not mind scanning in maybe up to 4 pics. I think.
rangerchet