Instead of working, I took a day off and went riding with HardTaco.

Normally at this time of the morning I would be drinking coffee and driving the F150 to work. Instead, I was geared up and headed out on orange.




I met up with HardTaco (Josh) at his place in Durham and after a quick stop at Sheetz for gas and air, we were off, north to Roxboro. The goal was to just get out and ride, and maybe ride a few trails up that way. Josh used to live up there, but his memory is not what it used to be, as we will soon learn.

Somewhere along the way:





The scenery riding up was great - long straights bracketed by newly turned farming fields, and just enough twists and turns to keep it interesting.

We made a grand entrance into the big city of Roxboro, and stopped by the local shop to see if we could find a DRZ-400 brake lever for Josh's buddy, which, incidentally, is the reason he couldn't make it today.



Double checking the part.



Of course, they didn't have one. But that didn't stop us from stomping around the place in our MX boots making the proprietors nervous. I think they thought we might sit on one of those shiny chrome Vulcan cruisers. They sure looked comfy. Like a sofa.

After that we were both hungry so we stopped at a local Mexican joint and had lunch. That was delicious.

And then we found some trails. Sweet!



Trying to find a way around.



This trail went along a steep ridge - go too far over and you fall into the drink. Might break something, too. [:@]

That rock wall used to be part of an old mill.











Remember what I said about Josh's memory, well, the trail was more like bush whacking. Apparently these trails back here had not been used in a long time. We struggled getting through in a few areas and because we weren't getting much air flow, my bike boiled over at one point. First time that ever happened. I have the radiator fan kit, I reckon I ought to put it on.

What's this, lunch? I already ate, thanks. Besides, this little guy wouldn't even be enough for an appetizer. He lived.




Bush whacking up to the top of a little knoll. This was right after my bike boiled over we stopped and took a break.






I think I'm going to go this way. Which way are you going to go, Josh? Because there sure as h3ll ain't no trail here, just pick a direction.











Actually, I like bushwhacking. You have to think fast, and react faster, meanwhile, the bike is slipping and sliding underneath you while you hit every fallen log and loose rock, all the while you are trying to plan the route through.


Made it on up to the top and had a look around.



Hmmm. Very thoughtful, but I'll pass, thanks.




We kept going after that and found some actual trails. Josh is in this image somewhere. Can you spot him?



I can't.


Trails getting progressively more use:





We rode around up there for a while and had a good ride.

On the way back, Josh's posterior couldn't take it any longer and we had to stop for an a$$ break.



I was still good on the Renazco:




We ended up stopping by Josh's buddy's place on the way back into Durham to see how broken the brake lever was. Nice place!



We think he could have rode, it still had a little bit of lever left. It was starting to get a little late after that, so we called it a day and navigated Durham rush hour traffic on the Durham Freeway. I had a big cement truck right on my a$$ the whole way. That was a whole lot scarier than that drop-off along the side of that trail, but I think it may be a tie with the port-a-toilet in the woods.

We did about 130 miles total. Sure beats workin'.

 

how warm was it? It looks warm......There were flurries in the air up here...a real late start to Spring, grass is still dead from winter and no signs of buds on the trees yet either...I hope the summer lasts into January when it finally arrives.

 

nice job Brian.............. thanks for sharing

 

Well that beats a day at work anytime. Hopefully we start getting some more ride reports. The woods look nice an cool, not hot.

But how big is HardTaco...he makes the klx look tiny in this pic.

 

Great report! What brand are you mirrors?They look like the real deal.

"On the way back, Josh's posterior couldn't take it any longer and we had to stop for an a$$ break. I was still good on the Renazco"

The good ol stock Kawi seat. I can identify oh too well.

Yet another ringing endorsement for Renazco. But we still have, hrrrrrumph! those who will look at a photo say they must not be comfortable because they 'curve' too much. Sorry Mud Junkie. I couldn't resist.

 

It hit 84 today - beautiful day for a ride.

Josh is a pretty big dude. He resprung the KLX so I think he's got it handling pretty well. He doesn't have any problem horsing it around through the brush. I'm guessing close to 6', 200 lbs.

 

Excellent pics Brian, what kind of digital camera are you using? Love all that green and I'm not talking about the KLX - as always, sweet KTM guy!!!

 

Thanks!

I've actually got a Frankenstein mirror arrangement right now - the one on the left is a KTM mirror, I can't remember which bike it actually came from but I like them a lot. I had one on the right, but an unfortunate incident resulted in it being broken, so I just have my old Ken Sean folding mirror on the right. I keep meaning to order a new KTM mirror for the right, but I keep forgetting.

Yeah, the Renazco was great today. I've been there on the KLX seat too. It's a real PITA.

 

I've got a Canon PowerShot SD750. Those greens really did come out good, didn't they? Must have been a combination of the bright sunny day and the new spring leaves coming on. The KTM ran great! Of course, as soon as I got home, I pulled the plug and drained the oil while it was still hot. Hey, it was time for a change anyway.

 

why all the klx hatin? Jeez. Had a good time today, while brian would have usually been riding to work in his plush F150 sipping coffee I would have been getting screamed at by my favorite sgt. at police academy, so knowing I was riding instead of learing to be the police was great. I was miserable during the road sections though with the doodoo stock seat and the 13-48 gearing(but hey, it was still riding). The woods were fun. Brought back some memories of when I made the trails over 10 years ago. Oh yeah, sorry for the few pics I have, I remembered when I got back why my gf gave me her old camera and got a new one.....it has a funny habit of deleting pictures. Here are the few I got




....I think brian has a video of me doing a textbook wheelie if im not mistaken...hint hint.