I have been riding off road for nearly thirty years, and while I do live in Colorado - a state where there are many world-class riding areas, there are off-road adventures outside of my state that I am interested in.  I have compiled a bucket list of places I’d like to take my family that I’ve read about in magazines. Some of these include the Hatfield-McCoy trail system in West Virginia, Baja, Mexico and Costa Rica; I will quickly go over what I have learned about these locations and why they would make excellent family outings.

Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, West Virginia

The Hatfield-McCoy Trail system is made up of six different systems covering over 500 miles. These trails are called Rockhouse, Buffalo Mountain, Bearwallow, Indian Ridge, Little Coal and Pinnacle Creek. According to the Trails Heaven web site, no matter which of the six areas a group chooses, there is something for every skill level. They are characterized as forested, mountainous trails; the pictures show very lush, green scenery with loamy soil. There are shots depicting dirt bikers ascending rocky hills; others show four-wheelers muddying up their ATV tires through a green forest. Either way, it all looks inviting to me! I like riding the ATV or dirt bike on a forested trail. During a harsh winter, I will daydream about being on my Big Red Pig, zipping through the forest and pretending to be a GNCC racer. Other days I dream about taking a lazy family ride with the family. 

If taking the family to West Virginia for an ATV trip, there are lodging options aplenty. Folks can camp, stay in a motel or a bed and breakfast; there is a place to stay no matter what the group’s preference. For my family and I, we would want to take our fifth wheel to the region, set up camp for a week or so, and take in all the sites and as many of the trails as possible. The issue for us is that this is about a twenty-four hour drive from our home; we would have about four hard days of driving round trip on this adventure. Someday maybe we will find the time to take on the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System.

Baja-California, Mexico

I first learned about the ambiance of the Baja in the movie Dust to Glory; the movie chronicled The Baja 1000. It told the stories of racers like Johnny Campbell and Robby Gordon. Most of these racers were simply infatuated with racing the Baja. It is the mystique of riding in this foreign land that has me wanting to someday make the trek to our neighbors to the south; I want to see if I can handle some of the situations that these famous riders tackle every race.

Mike’s Sky Ranch to the south and east of Ensenada, Mexico, has become somewhat of a Mecca for off road vehicles. According to the ranch’s website, a two wheel drive vehicle may have a tough time getting to the resort. Most folks arrive via four wheel drive, ATV or on their motorcycle tires. On multiple day tours, this is an overnight stop for guided groups. There is a swimming pool, hotel and plenty of space for a rider to rejuvenate himself and be ready for the next day’s ride. I would like to be able to take a Baja tour and stay the night at Mike’s Big Sky Ranch. I will have to keep riding, get in better shape and save my money. Maybe when my son Joey is older, he and I can take this grand adventure together; it would surely give us a lifetime memory.

I would like to do this adventure on a dirt bike since that is what I have grown up riding. By the time Joey is old enough for this trip, I may have switched full-time to a four-wheeler. Joey has also mentioned how he would like to have a four wheeler.  So, we may be doing this trip ATV style. It does’t matter to me, I just want to spend some time with my son and off road in a place I have always dreamed of touring.

Costa Rica

Probably the biggest goal on my list is to one day travel to Costa Rica to take in an entirely new culture and tour the Central American country on a dirt bike. We have looked into doing this in about three years; our target date to go to Costa Rica is 2015. 2015 is the year I will be retiring as a volunteer firefighter after twenty years of service. It is going to be a celebration of my time in the fire service as well as looking forward to a future of not being called away at a second’s notice. Jennifer and I have passports that will expire that year, so we will not have to renew those prior to our departure; we will have to get one for Joey before the trip.

I have been in contact with the guys at Costa Rica Unbound in the Jaco, Costa Rica area on the Pacific Coast of the country for a quote for a tour; they have strongly suggested that I bring a group along to ride with. Thus far, I have not been able to convince anyone from my regular group to commit to going along. So, anyone who is interested, let me know! I am hoping that Joey will be skilled enough to tag along on the tour by that time.  Included in the tour is a guide, meals and dirt bike rental. You do need to bring your own motorcycle helmet, gloves, boots and other protective riding apparel on the trip. That would be okay with me since I am a little picky about my motorcycle helmet and boots.

Along with the group tour at Costa Rica Unbound, the accommodations would be at Marea Brava Resort. This is a beach resort which would also offer surfing, zip-lines and other adventures. This would definitely be an adventure of a lifetime; Joey, Jennifer and I would remember this for the rest of our lives.

Conclusion

These are probably my top three wishlist destinations for riding. I do have others that would be more attainable for the family, like Southern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona for some desert riding. I have seen stories of some great woods riding in the French-Canadian province of Quebec. That one would require some long driving, though, as it’s not as close as Utah or Arizona. My life will not be incomplete if these trips don’t happen, but they would give my family and I lasting memories forever.

James Parker

The holidays are now over and we are looking at a new year; that means it is time to start to make our riding plans for 2012. In the past week or so, I have been talking to some riding friends to see what their plans are for the coming year.  Some are going racing while others are just planning some recreational riding. Personally, I intend on simply riding more, since another obligation is starting to lighten up for me. Whether it is racing or trail riding, I will be out having fun with family and friends.

ATV

Kyler is the most serious quad rider with whom I regularly ride. He likes racing and has not slowed down in the winter months. This winter he has been running a winter hare scramble series on his four-wheeler with the Valley Dirt Rider’s Series in Berthoud, Colorado. In fact, I had invited him to ride this past Saturday at the Bijou, but he declined since he was preparing his quad for a race the next day.

Hare scramble is not the only form of racing Kyler is going to participate in this year. On January 28, he will be attending an Arenacross race in Denver at the National Western complex. This football field sized track will be a change from the vast desert-like hare scramble courses he has become accustomed to over the past year or so. It will be interesting to see how he fares in this type of race.

Once the warmer months are upon us, Kyler will be racing the Colorado Off-Road Championship Series (CORCS). This is a hare scramble type of race; so it is simple - the fastest rider in each class wins the class, and there is an overall race winner. Kyler has led his class in series points in the past; I’m sure he will be at or near the top of his class in 2012.

The event Kyler is most excited about is the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) event he is going to enter. This is The Mammoth in Park City, Kentucky on April 28 and 29. Since he decided to do this, he has hardly stopped talking about it. Not only is Kyler excited about it, I am excited for him. For many years I have watched these races on television and thought how much fun those trails would be to ride. He is not only going to get to run his ATV tires through these trails, but he is going to get to race against some of the best ATV riders from all over the country. This should turn out to be something he will remember for the rest of his life.

Motocross

My friend Mark will be racing in the Rocky Mountain Motocross Association circuit again this year. He will be piloting his Honda CRF 450R as he navigates the senior class; the senior class means he is on the north end of forty, just like me. Mark tells me that he likes to participate in the races not to win, but to just go out and have some fun. He has established quite the camaraderie with the other fellows in his class. He says that for the most part, these guys are just out to have fun and be outside. Mark doesn’t make every race on the schedule and has no sponsors.  He goes out to test himself against the other racers; also, he likes to just to be outside on Sunday afternoon.

The RMXA is somewhat of a local race circuit here in Colorado; the most that Mark will have to travel for a race will be about 150 miles one way. He usually leaves early in the morning for the track and comes back home late in the evening. He really enjoys what he does and looks forward to spring coming so that he can go racing.

Enduro

Mike, who was at Taylor Park, is looking at running an enduro in the desert near Grand Junction in late March. Originally, we thought this would be a hare scramble; however, we very recently received information that it will be an enduro. The difference being that an enduro has check points and special tests that need to be completed. The person with the fewest points wins the race. As mentioned earlier, in a hare scramble, the fastest rider is the winner.

The Grand Junction race is the event that Mike has been trying to talk me into entering. I am still considering it, since I am eligible for the senior class. The thing to remember about the senior class is that those gentlemen may be the best and fastest riders. These guys have many years of experience on motorcycles. Most did not start riding yesterday; they may have thirty plus years of riding under their belts. I keep thinking I may enjoy writing about racing more than participating. Mike keeps telling me it would be better to race; it would make a better story. I will decide in the next month or so what I want to do.

If this enduro or other Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit events don’t work out for Mike and me, we may look at doing the same series (CORCs) as Kyler.  There are motorcycle classes offered in that series; in fact this may be the series that we put my son Joey in later this year after he has had more time aboard his new Honda motorcycle. Joey keeps asking about racing; a hare scramble may be the way for him to go since he is all about going fast.

Trail Riding

Taylor Park is on the list for this coming summer. Dave, Mike and I who were all at Taylor last summer have already been kicking around some dates. For Dave, he says there will be absolutely no racing for him; he is happy just zipping up and down the trails for recreation. It looks like this year our Taylor trip will be in July, rather than August. The reason for the earlier date is that some others who go to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally would join us in Taylor Park if the dates did not coincide. My old friend Jason, who joined us at the Bijou last week, is one of those folks. He goes to Sturgis every year on his Harley Davidson, but he would also like to go to Taylor a few weeks earlier with us to ride his Honda CRF450X.

Conclusion

It looks like my friends have some fun in store for 2012! It seems like this is going to be an eventful OHV year for my circle of riding buddies. Whether we are racing or just out trail riding, we will enjoy ourselves. With as much wear and tear is ahead of all the machines, winter maintenance will be important to ensure that we have trouble-free trips - especially a thorough check of the ATV and motorcycle tires. I’m already getting tired just thinking about it; but it will be fun!

What a surprising weekend this turned out to be! The weather forecast for our area when the weekend began was for snow and cold temperatures. Fortunately for us, the weather forecasters were wrong; turns out Sunday afternoon was bright, sunny and close to fifty degrees. When my buddy Kyler texted me Sunday morning to see if I wanted to go to the Bijou at about one o’clock to ride, I jumped all over it. I sent out another text to see who else wanted to go, and four other people showed up besides Kyler and me. In the group were myself, my brother Brad, buddy Mark, buddy Jason and his son Jaxon - all on dirt bikes; Kyler was the lone ATV rider. A good time was had by all on this surprisingly mild January day.

Loading Up

After a quick trip to the gas station to fill one of my five gallon gas cans with 91 octane fuel for the Big Red Pig, I went to the motorcycle garage to arouse the bike from its winter’s nap. I turned on the fuel valve, opened the choke and gave the kick starter a few tries. It did not start, as it has been pretty cold in that garage for the past couple of months. In order to help it warm up, I decided to simply set it in the sun for a few minutes while I did some other chores. After about ten minutes of lounging in the driveway, soaking up the bright sunny January day, it started right up! Now that I knew the pig was going to run, it was time to get loaded.

While the bike was idling, I put my gear bag with my motorcycle helmet, boots and other protective riding apparel into the back of the pickup truck. I also loaded the aforementioned gas can, a few tools and a lawn chair. This day, I was traveling light, since the Bijou is only about four miles from home. I didn’t take the usual extra tubes, air compressor and tire irons to the Bijou; if I have problems, I would usually just head home to make necessary repairs. However, as it turned out later, I would have the need for my tire tools.

The Ride

I was the first to arrive at the riding spot; I wanted to be there a little early since because I wear knee braces, it takes me a little longer to dress for the ride. By the time the others began to arrive, I was dressed and had the Big Red Pig unloaded. While the other guys were getting ready, I got the motor started. Then Jason came to me and asked if I had my air compressor because Jaxon had a flat front motorcycle tire. I told him I did not have the compressor along; however, I did have some CO2 cartridges in my pack that we could use to pressurize the low tire. That seemed do the trick, and it made it through the afternoon.

We never went on one large group ride; we paired off and went for short rides instead. The Bijou is a smaller, private riding area; most of the area can be seen from the parking zone. So what everyone would do is make a loop through the sand, over the whoops, up the hills and down the ravines. Then we would all convene back at camp to talk about the trail conditions and how much fun we were having. I remember the comment that I made most often was how happy I was to be out in the warm winter sun. After the first couple of loops, guys started to leave for one reason or another; Kyler and I were the last ones to leave just before sundown. We were the two that brought everyone together on this day, so it was only fitting that we be the last ones to leave.

The Bijou is a somewhat sandy riding spot; it has some nice loamy dirt on the hills and in the ravines. The conditions on this day were excellent, since there was still  moisture leftover in the ground from some pre-Christmas snow. The moisture provided for excellent grip in the corners - I really never felt the rear tire sliding. The only problem with grip that I had was on one very sandy trail; at times during the year this trail is actually a river. My motorcycle tires were just not right for the sand; they are made for intermediate to rocky terrain. I just did not have any control on this particular trail; I am not complaining, but the bike is just not set up for the sand.

Conclusion

What a great day! I know I can speak for myself and possibly the others who were there on this day; we all had a good time. Most would think that January in Colorado would not be a good time or place to ride OHVS; however, we live in a part of Colorado which does not get as much snow as the mountains. Days like this are not at all unusual; every winter we can usually get in a few weekend days of riding. Though we do still have many winter days in front of us, it is nice to sneak in some riding here and there over the long winter months. This day gave us a little taste of what’s to come in the warmer months. We may only be a couple of months away from loading up the camper and the motorcycle trailer to hit the mountain or desert trails for some epic riding. I can’t wait!

James Parker

Instead of the normal New Year’s Eve celebration, my family and I have a tradition of watching Red Bull No Limits. This year two men jumped their vehicles over 300 feet of water at Embarcadero Marina Park in San Diego Bay at midnight (EST) to mark the New Year - Robbie Maddison on a motorcycle, and Levi LaVallee on a snowmobile. To some this may seem like just a promotional sideshow; however, I see this as a way to popularize the sport of offroading. It can only help our cause to have our sport featured positively in the mainstream.  

Snowmobiles

Although I am a Colorado native, I have never been on a snowmobile. Racing down snow-covered trails in the cold has never appealed to me. However, I have great respect for those who do partake in the sport. These are our wintertime brethren; these folks are using many of the same ATV trails we ride on with our dirt bikes and four-wheelers in the summer time. They have to fight the same fight we do in order to keep the forest service trails open. Without snowmobilers, our fight would be even more difficult.

In my last post, I discussed the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition.  Snowmobilers are a large part of the COHVCO; they back the coalition as much as the ATV, dirt bike and Jeep groups. This time of year, it is the snowmobilers who are cruising up and down my favorite trails at Taylor Park. Right now, they are up at ten-thousand feet making lifetime memories, much like my family did last August. Snowmobilers want to keep those trails open as much as my ATV and dirt bike riding buddies; they want to pass the hobby onto upcoming generations in the same way as us dirt bikers.

Levi LaVallee brought sleds to the mainstream on New Year’s Eve, with national television coverage on the hour-long special. To highlight snowmobiles even more, he jumped a record 412 feet!  He actually flew further than any dirt bike has ever flown - in the tandem jump with Robbie Maddison on his dirt bike, LaVallee was still in the air when Maddison was rolling down the landing ramp on his motorcycle tires. It was simply astounding to watch the sled, which weighs the equivalent of two refrigerators, fly as far as many home run baseballs. I can foresee the No Limits show getting more people interested in snowmobiles in 2012.

Motorcycles

Freestyle motocross has been around for many years; it is becoming more and more a mainstream sport. Pioneers like Travis Pastrana, Cary Hart and Mike Metzger brought us such tricks as the Backflip, the Lazy Boy and the Heart Attack. These gentlemen brought the sport to the general public, as folks wanted to see these sweet tricks. Some people, I think, just tune in to see the potential carnage if the riders fail (kind of how some people only watch hockey for the fights). Although these guys sometimes suffer some serious injuries, most tricks are pulled off successfully in dramatic fashion.

With Maddison performing his daring tricks on national television on New Year’s Eve, he is bringing dirt bikes to the mainstream, the same way LaVallee is with his snowmobile.  In doing these stunts during these New Year’s Eve shows, non-dirt bikers see it and become interested in the sport. Many may end up purchasing bikes of their own and delve into the sport. This night Maddison jumped his dirt bike 378 feet over the San Diego Bay. Three years ago on New Year’s Eve he jumped his motorcycle to the top of the Arc de Triomphe at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas. 

The more times an FMX rider does such a feat in the national spotlight, the more offroaders will gain positive public relations, which will help our riding population grow. This gives us a stronger voice with our elected officials; it makes the politicians see that this is a community to be reckoned with - we cannot be ignored. When we have the government officials’ attention, it will make it harder to close our trails. I am passing on my lifelong hobby of dirt biking to my son Joey; I would like to see him pass it on to his children. I will do what I have to do to keep these trails open for future generations.

Conclusion

Not only does a program like No Limits bring offroad to the mainstream, I think it also helps to portray the sport as a family activity. In the warmup to the actual jump, the program highlighted how Maddison and LaVallee are family men.  Maddison had his wife, young son and his parents in attendance and they were very much in support of his feats. LaVallee had his fiancé and his parents at the jump and they greeted him as he landed the record-setting jump.

What I have gathered from watching this program and from previous years’ shows, is that these guys are putting offroad in the mainstream in a positive way. They are setting records every time they throw a leg over the seat, they have portrayed offroad in a positive light and they are showing that they are good family men. This promotes goodwill among riders of ATVs, dirt bikes, snow mobiles and Jeeps. They are helping in the cause of keeping our riding trails open; so please keep supporting these daredevils for this reason. The groups who are fighting everyday to keep our public riding areas open need our support.

James Parker

The end of 2011 is here already; Christmas has now come and gone. When you begin planning your offroad trips for 2012, take a moment to remember those who help protect the places we like to ride our vehicles. These groups include the Blue Ribbon Coalition and National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council, on the national scene. Many states also have localized groups, as well. For instance, Colorado has its Stay the Trails Program and the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition. Due to the recession, these groups, which rely on donations to survive, are in need of funding. Since it is time to start planning for the 2012 season, consider a donation and/or volunteering time to one of these groups. 

Blue Ribbon Coalition

In 1987, Clark Collins, Founder and the first Executive Director of the Blue Ribbon Coalition, was told by the Governor of Idaho at that time that recreationists were not politically significant. He was also informed that the wilderness was more important than motorized access to public lands. Collins’ idea was to gather recreationists to educate them as to how public lands were not being preserved for the public, but from the public. In other words, land officials wanted to keep our ATV tires and motorcycle tires off of public lands. This set the coalition on its course to promote national advocacy to protect off highway trail preservation.

Motorized vehicles are not the only groups that the BRC works to protect. They also work to help promote the sharing of trails with groups like hikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. The philosophy here is for all outdoor trail users to share the outdoors and preserve them for the future use of all users. Basically, this is a group who wishes to promote, educate and preserve responsible usage of public lands by all outdoor groups.

If you belong to one of the outdoor groups that uses these trails, it would behoove you to donate time or money to this cause. The folks at the Blue Ribbon Coalition are working hard to protect our recreational activities; sending a little help their way would be a good way to start the 2012 offroad season. More information can be found at sharetrails.org.

National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council

The NOHVCC is an organization that works to promote and provide information to individuals, groups and organizations in order to provide a positive future for the OHV community. This group values the fact that off roading provides quality family and social time. It provides for a physical, healthy outdoor activity. The organization promotes a responsible lifestyle on OHV trails; promotes the appreciation of natural and cultural resources. To me, an OHV is a release from the stress of daily life.

NOHVCC mainly targets its audience through state and local clubs; in Colorado, we have the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council. COHVCO then helps to stabilize local clubs such as the Northern Colorado Trail Riders Association or the Bookcliff Rattlers Motorcycle Club in Grand Junction. These clubs will then work to promote responsible trail use locally, through organized rides and trail maintenance days.

What can you do to help? 

Join one of the local clubs or donate money or time. We have donated money to these groups and have been members of COHVCO for nearly ten years.  Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to help with trail maintenance. However, in the next couple of years my volunteer service in an unrelated organization will end and my family and I plan to help with trail maintenance projects in Colorado.  For now, we will simply be sending some money their way.

Whether it is time or money, make sure to remember NOHVCC for a charitable organization when making donations in 2012. These folks are working to educate elected officials and the general public about our sport. They have a strong presence in legislative bodies; they are one of our voices when it comes time to fight trail closures. To find more information on NOHVCC, visit nohvcc.org.

Conclusion

These are just a couple of the groups working to maintain our off road trail systems. There are other groups that support the use of forest service trails. One in particular here in Colorado is the Stay the Trails program, which educates riders and the public to proper trail etiquette. Research the organizations in your area. If these programs do not receive our support, eventually we will have nowhere to ride. Get involved now before it is too late; these groups need our help in 2012!

James Parker

The end of an era has arrived! I have sold, among other things, my first motorcycle. The Yamaha MX 100 has been in my possession since March of 1983.  Also gone are two of Jennifer’s motorcycles and a long time hauler. The urge hit us last week to simplify our lives and we decided to downsize our recreational inventory.  Not to worry, though, we still have four motorcycles and one ATV sitting in our garage. There is no way that we would entirely abandon our offroad summertime fun.

Yamaha MX 100

This is the motorcycle that got me started back in the sixth grade. As my mother tells it, my brother and I begged and begged for my parents to let us purchase a couple of used motorcycles that we found at our local Yamaha dealer.  I don’t recall how long this begging went on, but eventually, my parents broke down and let us purchase the two bikes.  My brother got a DT 125 while I got the MX 100; these were the bikes that we cut our offroad teeth on and gave us the bike bug for life.

I rode this bike hard for about the next four years until I got my first motocross bike. This was the motorcycle that I learned my basic riding skills on; I also learned maintenance routines, like changing motorcycle tires and tubes on this machine. I spent many hours zipping around our family farm or on vacant lots near our house.  Back in those days, many of the kids who lived around us had motorcycles or three wheelers (these were the days prior to quads).  After school there would be a group of kids racing around an oval track that had been sent up on a string of vacant lots.  I remember making connections in this way with kids that I would probably otherwise would not have had any association; those days after school gave me many memories I still cherish.

Jennifer’s 175 Enduro

Along with my MX 100, we sold Jennifer’s Yamaha DT 175 Enduro; this was the bike we bought for Jennifer not quite ten years ago so that she could try her hand at riding motorcycles. This bike served her well for the first few years; it was a tame enough bike that she could learn some basic riding skills. This was also a small street legal machine that gave me something to run around town on doing different errands.

My fondest memory of Jennifer on this bike was while our two Labrador Retrievers, Harley and Cassidy, were still living. Harley was the big bull yellow lab male; he liked to dig a hole in the dirt under the pickup and take a nap while we went riding.  Cassidy, our petite little black lab female, loved to chase Jennifer as she rode the trails. Whether Jen was just tooling around the farm or zipping around the trails of the desert of Grand Junction, Colorado, Cass was sure to follow. One time at the farm, Cassidy did so much chasing, that she wore the pads off of her paws. We had to put ointment on the pads and tape baby socks to her feet for about a week until the damage was healed. That poor little dog must have been hurting; but it made me giggle when she would try to walk in those socks.

Jennifer’s Suzuki DRZ 250

Once we became a little more serious about our riding and began to take trips into the high Colorado Mountains, we purchased a DRZ 250 for Jennifer from my riding buddy Dave. This bike gave her the additional power which she needed at the higher elevations. Now we were climbing steeper, rockier terrain. The 175 Enduro just wouldn’t cut the mustard in a place like Taylor Park; in fact, on our first trip to Taylor, Jen spent the week on the 250 giving it a test ride. She liked it so much, we ended up purchasing it a few months later. After purchasing the four-wheeler this year, she decided that four wheels were more her style and she no longer had a use for the motorcycles.

A Hauler is Sold

We have had a Tahoe and two pickups sitting around our place for the past several years with only two licensed drivers in the household. We decided about a week ago to sell our old Dodge pickup because it was just sitting in the garage taking up room. This was the truck I would usually take to some of our local rides at the Bijou or out at our farm. The vehicle had a lower profile bed, which made it easy to load motorcycles into the back. It doesn’t sit as high as our ¾ ton pickup, which we have to keep because it pulls our 5^th wheel.  Now when going on a local ride, we will either be using the trailer or rolling the machines up into the bed of the taller pickup.

The old Dodge served us well over the years, with several trips over the Rocky Mountains to places like Grand Junction and Taylor Park. It did well in the time in we owned it and gave us some reliable service, but it proved to be a bit unnecessary.

Conclusion

All this downsizing in our garage gave me somewhat of a liberating feeling. I have a philosophy that if it does not get used within a year, then we probably don’t need it. These three motorcycles had not been used at all this past season. In the case of the 175 and 100, those two had not been ridden in several years. The 250, which did not go on any of our trips in 2011, has been replaced with the Kawasaki Prairie 400 ATV purchased earlier this year. The old Dodge pickup was simply just one too many vehicles sitting around; it was the one we needed the least, so it was time to let go. Don’t worry, though, there are still plenty of offroad machines sitting in our garage.

James Parker

Well now that we are in the dead of winter, the off season ATV and motorcycle maintenance has begun. First order of business is to take care of the Piglet (Joey’s new Honda), next I will start to fiddle with the quad, and lastly I will do the maintenance on my Big Red Pig.  Here in Colorado, it has already turned bitterly cold.  I have resigned myself to the fact that the majority of our riding is done until spring.  We will probably have a day or two when we will go to our local riding spot (the Bijou) or to our farm; but our multiple-day trips have ended for a few months.

The Piglet

I have already started with Joey’s new bike; since we bought it used, it did have a couple of issues.  After the first ride, it developed a fuel leak from the overflow on the carburetor.  I took the carb apart and adjusted the float, which solved that problem.  Also, the last time we had it out for a ride, it would not idle.  I am thinking after this carb work, it should idle better; hopefully we will be able to take it to our farm or out to the Bijou to see if this work helped.

Joey doesn’t know this, but for Christmas he is getting new grips; the grips that came on the bike are tattered.  After Christmas, he will get a lesson on how to install new grips.  Along with that, we also got him a handlebar pad for the crossbar.  He wanted the pad because I have one on the Big Red Pig; he wants his motorcycle to look just like mine.  The pad will make him and I look like a father and son race team!

The front tire that came with the little motorcycle is new; the rear tire is an older one. I think I will put a new Dunlop motorcycle tire and tube on the back. That should give him the necessary traction to tackle most any race course he may encounter next year.

The maintenance to be done on the Piglet is nothing major.  Just the typical stuff I save until this time of year, for when I need a good reason to go tinker in the garage.

The ATV

Since we bought our first four-wheeler this year, I have not had much of a chance to explore the motor all that much.  I want to take some time this winter to take it apart to see how it works; I don’t think there are really any issues to be taken care of, though.  I will probably put a new set of grips on it as well,  I think Jennifer would appreciate some new rubber on the handlebars.

It doesn’t look like this year’s budget will allow for the snow plow and tire chains I want to add.  The purchase of the quad itself and of Joey’s Piglet used up the extra fun money.  However, with a snow plow, I may be able to use the four-wheeler to earn extra money removing snow from sidewalks at some point.

The Big Red Pig

Since the budget was used up this year with the addition of two new machines, I may not be able to purchase new tubes and tires this winter for my bike.  It looks as though I may have to pick up some side jobs in order to have the new Maxxis tires I want for the next riding season.  Since I am thinking of doing a little racing next season, a new set of tires would be great, but if it doesn’t happen, the current tires would be okay for another year.

I will do regular maintenance on the bike this winter, but the motor has been running strong and the suspension still feels good. I don’t think that I will need to do anything major to the machine before the next riding season begins.

Conclusion

This is the time of the year when I can take my time to go through the machines properly and do regular maintenance.  It is also a good time to go through the machines to see how they work.  I learn many things when I take time to experiment with the machines during the winter. This helps me to know what is going on with them when we encounter problems on the trail.

Taking time to work on the machines in the winter also ensures that we will have a better chance of a trouble-free ride when we get out on the trails during the offroading season.  Once the maintenance is over, it will be time to start thinking of when and where we will go next season.  Whether we are off to the races or simply going trail riding, I can’t wait; it can’t come soon enough for me!

James Parker

As I was working on my holiday shopping list this past weekend, I thought of many items that any dirt bike or ATV rider would like to receive. For those of you who are not hardcore riders, but have a rider to shop for, these may be some helpful hints.  

Casual Wear

T-shirts are always a popular item for an offroader. These are an inexpensive item and can be worn to show off his favorite hobby. They may advertise a favorite supplier or manufacturer, or may simply be a novelty shirt with a witty catch-phrase. I like to have these t-shirts for our longer trips; when I am wearing a dirt bike-themed shirt, I know that I am no longer at work and I am on my own time.

A good item to go hand in hand with a t-shirt is a baseball cap; this is a popular way to show off one’s favorite manufacturer or sponsor at the races. Personally, I have a Honda cap I like to wear whenever we attend a race.  It lets everyone know that I am loyal to the brand. And, speaking as a bald guy, a hat is something I can always use to protect the dome; I can never have too many baseball caps.

Motorcycle Gloves

On some of our longer, multiple-day riding trips we encounter at least one day of riding in the rain. For this reason, I like to keep several pairs of motorcycle gloves in my bag. No one likes to wear wet gloves, so, for many an offroader, a good gift idea is a pair of riding gloves.

Helmets and Goggles

I like to replace my motorcycle helmet about every five years, whether it has been damaged or not. The only problem with purchasing a helmet for myself is that I am a little picky about the lid on top of my head. I usually do extensive research before a helmet purchase so that I find the one that I can wear for five years. Purchasing someone a helmet as a gift may not be the best idea, because it is something that has to be tried on first. If your loved one already has one in mind, though, it may be the ideal gift. 

I usually have multiple pairs of goggles in my gear bag, too - the only thing that I look for in a goggle is that it goes over my glasses. I have worn glasses since sixth grade, and without them I cannot see more than about a foot in front of me; so OTG goggles are a must for me.  Goggles are an item of which I will keep extras on hand just in the case of one of those rainy riding days.

Tubes and Rim Strips

As mentioned in many of my posts this year, I have had my share of tire problems.  For the motorcycles, I keep extra motorcycle tubes on hand as a punctured tube can occur at any time. The day my nephew Cody had a flat tire, those extra tubes sure came in handy.  I looked through my collection and found a tube that fit the bike perfectly, my riding buddy Mike showed Cody how to change a tube and thirty minutes later he was riding again.

Rim strips are always a good item to have on hand, as well. These are large rubber bands that encircle the entire rim to protect the tube from being punctured by the spokes. When I had to replace the tube for Cody, I did not have an extra rim strip.  So I made due with duct tape; duct tape works in a pinch, but rim strips are preferred.

Oil and Filters

Oil and oil filters are probably the parts I use the most for our machines.  If you know what your offroader needs in order to properly change the oil, then these items would come in very handy in the upcoming year.

Grips

I have been known over the years to give handlebar grips as gifts; for the most part, grips have a universal fit. Sooner or later, all dirt bikes or four wheelers will need grips; this is another part that I have kept on hand. It is an item that at the time a rider needs it, it may not be easy to go purchase a new set.

Tie Down Straps

On any given trip, I may use up to fourteen or fifteen different tie-down straps in order secure our load on the trailer.  For any offroader who hauls his quads or motorcycles any distance, tie down straps would be an excellent gift. I use a combination of ratchet straps and regular motorcycle tie-down straps; I could never have too many.

Conclusion

These are just a few ideas for gifts for your favorite offroader; just remember that riding an ATV or dirt bike is an expensive hobby. Purchasing extra parts and accessories as a holiday gift will help the rider finance this hobby. I know I am always open to the idea of getting help in the form of gifts.

James Parker

We did make it to the Grand Junction, Colorado area to ride over the Thanksgiving weekend; however, things did not go as smoothly as planned. As Jennifer says, “Not every trip is going to come off flawless.”

Wednesday

Because of family commitments and the shorter days of winter, we were unable to fit in as much riding time as I had hoped. Originally, I wanted to get a couple of hours of riding in upon our arrival Wednesday afternoon, after making the three hundred plus mile trip. But because of the shorter days, we only had about an hour of daylight left upon our 4 o’clock arrival that afternoon. So Wednesday was out for riding.

Thanksgiving Day

The next morning was Thanksgiving Day and the plan was to visit Jen’s grandfather in the hospital first thing in the morning (no worries there, the World War II veteran is doing well and is recovering from heart surgery), go riding around midday and then have dinner later in the day. Grandpa has spent many hours offroading out in the desert area where we were headed and he offered a few pointers and told us to have fun. We assured him we would return later that day with Thanksgiving dinner.

So off to the desert we went! This area is just on the north end of Grand Junction surrounding the Grand Junction Regional Airport. We like to return to the same spot when we go out there to ride because it is a somewhat secluded area out of the way of other ATVs and dirt bikes. After Jennifer, Joey and I found our spot, we began to unload our riding apparel and machines, having about a two hour window for riding. As I was unloading the first bike (Joey’s Piglet), I heard Joey exclaim, “My pants are too small!”  I told him that he would just need to make due for the day and maybe he would get new ones for Christmas. My thought was that that would be our one flaw for the day and it was going to be a good day.

Once I had the dirt bikes and ATV unloaded, I did my pre-ride checks and began to start the motors. This is where the day really took a downward turn; I push the electric start button on the ATV and nothing happens. The battery is dead; it was fine just a couple of days before when I checked it at home. There are two simple solutions: I could use the SUV to jump start it or use the rip cord to start it by hand. I decide on the latter, and after setting the choke and pulling the chord a couple of times; the motor came to life. Okay, we still had about an hour and a half to ride at that point—all was good.

Next I went to start the Piglet. I turned on the gas and fuel began to leak out from the overflow on the carburetor. Okay, Joey could still ride it in this condition…he would lose fuel while riding, but he could still have some fun and I can figure it out later. I went ahead and started the motor to see what would happen; it started right up, but I couldn’t get it to idle. I had to restart it several times and kept thinking that if it ran awhile it would warm up enough that it would idle. It just never hit that point, so as a temporary field fix, I turned up the idle screw. After Joey rode for awhile, though, it began idling way too fast, so I ended up turning the idle down again after it had warmed up. Luckily Joey was content to just ride around the area where we were parked; he was not so adventurous on this day.  

Finally I got to my bike (the Big Red Pig), and it had no issues. The problem now was that we were running out of time. We only had about forty-five minutes of ride time until we had to start packing up in order to make it back in time for Thanksgiving dinner and to fix a plate for Jen’s grandfather to take to the hospital.  I decided to take a short ride of about twelve miles toward the north. This is the area I picture being a part of the hare scramble that may be held here in the spring. I spent this short time working on some techniques I learned from a video I watched the night before; picking lines in the trail for a possible future race. I was not going all out on this ride; I just did not feel the strength that I normally do when I ride the desert. Probably because of all the mechanical problems upon our arrival.

We had previous plans for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so this was the only chance we had to get our ATV and motorcycle tires out on the desert terrain. It was not the desert offroading weekend I had originally hoped for, but we all got a small taste of the Grand Junction desert.

Absent Buddies

I was bummed at the outset of the trip when I found out my buddy Mike was not going to make the trip; nor was my brother Brad or his son Cody. I had been looking forward to some good, hard riding with the guys on some of my favorite terrain. Oh well, there will be other times to hook up with those guys for some epic riding.

Conclusion

In the end, we made it in time for Thanksgiving dinner with just minutes to spare and made it back to the hospital in time to deliver Jen’s Grandfather his Thanksgiving dinner. He asked how the ride was and we just told him we had fun and the desert was in good condition. 

Most importantly, Grandpa got to spend some time with his only great-grandchild, Joey; making paper airplanes and racing them across the hospital room. For about an hour that evening, that room was a dangerous place to be as paper airplanes were flying everywhere. Those moments shared between Joey and his great-grandpa put the day into perspective - there are more important things in life than riding my dirt bike and ATV.

James Parker

This may be hard to believe, but we have been known to use the Thanksgiving holiday as an opportunity to ride our dirt bikes and four wheeler. If the weather cooperates, this Thanksgiving will be no exception. We will be visiting Jennifer’s family who live in the Grand Junction, Colorado area, which is a desert climate. When I have previously referred to going desert riding, this area is where I am usually talking about.

ATV, Motorcycle and Trailer Preparation

The Sunday prior to the holiday, I spent the afternoon in the garage preparing the trailer and machines for the three hundred plus mile trip from our house to the Grand Junction area. Because we will be crossing over the Rocky Mountains during a time of year when Colorado can experience treacherous weather, we will not be taking our camper. Instead, we will use our SUV to pull the motorcycle trailer loaded with our machines, tools and gear. Since I had not unloaded the trailer since the last trip, all I really had to do was reorganize it; the ATV had shifted itself back a few inches so it needed to be repositioned on the trailer. The two motorcycles were fine where they were, so they stayed in place. 

While making the trailer adjustments, I gave all the machines a once over. I checked motorcycle and ATV tire pressures on all three, because I figured since it has been cold, our tire pressures would read a little on the low side. I was right - all needed some air. The coolant and oil levels checked fine on all three, and just   I eyeballed everything else before heading to the car wash to clean the trailer and the machines. 

Since it has been cold, I have had my garden hose and power washer put away, so a trip to the car wash was the easiest way to clean the entire rig. I had not had a chance to wash the trailer and machines after the last trip. Proper trail etiquette says to always wash your quad or dirt bike after riding, so that foreign vegetation is not introduced into the next place you ride. Since a car wash wand can have too much force for a motorcycle, I used extreme caution as to where I pointed the water. I didn’t want to damage to any bearings.

Upon my return back to the garage, I loaded my tools and our apparel much in the same way as I did for our Taylor Park trip preparation. One difference is that although  I have a spot for three five-gallon gas cans, I will only take one of them on this trip. Since we will be staying in town I can fill it before each trip out to the desert. On a trip where we are camping, though, I would take all three cans and make sure all are full prior to our departure from home.                  

Where We Are Riding

Once all the bikes and accessories were loaded, it was time to think about where we are riding. The Grand Junction area is one of my favorite places to ride. I am not sure why this is the case, because it is so vastly different from my other favorite place, Taylor Park. As opposed to the rocky forested trails of Taylor, this is a wide open desert. I think part of the reason I like it so much is that the area offers Baja-like terrain for which my Honda XR650R was designed. It was the Baja king for much of the 2000s, until Honda introduced the CRF450X. A secondary reason for liking the Grand Junction desert is the fact that it is a family-friendly riding area. By this I mean that we can go for a trail ride as a family and we can all ride terrain that is suitable to our own skill level. For instance, Jennifer and I can go for a trail ride, if we encounter a section that is too hard for her, she can usually bypass it and we are still within eyesight of one another. As a family, I would say that this is our favorite place to ride, because we can all ride at each of our skill levels.

This ride may include people other than just my immediate family. Jennifer’s parents live nearby and they have a quad and a motorcycle; I am sure that one or both of them may join us. Also, my original riding partner, my brother, may come over to ride on Friday, along with my nephew Cody who was at Taylor Park this year. I am excited at the thought of my brother coming on this trip, as we have not had the opportunity to ride together in quite some time. I do not recall off hand the last time we did ride together. Lastly, my buddy Mike may come over, too, in order to do some pre-running for the hare scramble that he and I may race next spring.

Conclusion

I spent Sunday preparing for and dreaming about visiting one of my favorite riding spots with my family and maybe some of my buddies and am excited to go on this ride. The only problem we may encounter is the weather - after all, Colorado is known for extreme winter weather. Many Thanksgiving holidays, we have had this plan thwarted by foul weather. So far, the long term forecast is looking good for us to get our ATV and motorcycle tires onto some epic desert terrain. 

James Parker