Dirtbike

[giant_mtb]

Dammit, I haven't even learned to ride yet and y'all are making me want to go get a dirt bike. I'm sure there are some awesome trails around CO.

Do it do it do it. If you can ride on dirt confidently, riding on the street is like riding on a glass smooth pillow of easy. 

[BimmerM3]

Do it do it do it. If you can ride on dirt confidently, riding on the street is like riding on a glass smooth pillow of easy. 

lol. Don't want to spend the money right now.

[giant_mtb]

Went for a nice long cruise today.  Did just under 96 miles of dirt roads, logging roads, and more little dirt side roads.  Never had to touch my reserve, which means I was getting at least 60mpg.  2.3gal tank including .7 reserve means I used at least less than 1.6gal.  Damn.

[giant_mtb]

It's that time of year.  The colors are starting. Went for a nice little mine tour this evening. I really feel blessed to live near a mine. So many trails and powerlines and old RR grades and access roads.  It's awesome ORV territory, especially dirtbike.

[MrH]

Did some camping and riding.  Washed her up today when I got home.

I need to go back up to the boundary waters next summer.  Looks great.

[giant_mtb]

Was 65+ degrees today.  Couldn't pass up the chance to get a good ride in.  Did some mine 'venturing.



Check out all the sweet tracks I made downhill there last time I was out this way...'cause motocross!  Slidey turns are fun.  Nice loose rocks for it.  Used the bigger standing rocks as obstacles/turn points.

[BimmerM3]

Pretty trees!

[giant_mtb]

Pretty trees!

Yeah man. Colors are bloomin'.  Seems to come outta nowhere every year!  Always awesome to get a nice warm, sunny October day to enjoy some colors.

[giant_mtb]

Really hoping I can squeeze in a trip up north to the Keweenaw.  Their colors are probably peaking now and I dunno if we're really gonna have any decent weather coming up to make a trip worthwhile.  Regardless, I at least want to get up to the Estivant Pines (old growth, white pine forest) before snowfall, no matter the color or cover. 

[giant_mtb]

I frequent this spot on ze dirtbike.  It's right off the trail, totally open, no No Trespassing signs or cameras.  There're tunnels and passages in the basement...me and my gf went down there the other night...she got spooked and didn't want to go very far.  It was funny...I'm super bad at watching scary movies while she loves it.  But I'm totally cool going into some dark passages while she's not about it at all.

But anyways, I took these pictures when I went for a walk with Kota, the dog I semi-frequently dogsit.  So I'll just put them here.

Not really sure what this building was.  Obviously something to do with mining/railroad/maintenance/something.  There's an overhead crane in the one section.  Pits under the floor, big concrete footings.  The doors aren't big enough for trains or mine trucks or anything, so maybe it was some sort of mill/processing place where machines were mounted to the floor footings?  Dunno.





Boat sitting against the far wall.  Like a 20 footer by my eyestimates.


Overhead crane.  Flanked by concrete footings left and right, and a pit towards the back there...


Giant flywheel of some sort sitting outside...blue dog leash on the center hub for size reference...

[Eye of the Tiger]

Looks like a good place to squat.

[giant_mtb]

Looks like a good place to squat.

Too well-traveled.  Great place to draw penises, though.

[giant_mtb]

Freakish nice weather last week.  Took a climb.







I miiiiiight have taken some of the MTB single track on the way back down...

[giant_mtb]

Now that snow is finally here to stay, cleaned up the garage and winterized the bike. Filled up the tank and put some Stabil and Seafoam in it.  Turned the fuel off at the petcock and burned all the residual stuff out and ran the treated stuff for about 10 minutes.

Part of me wants to try riding it on the snowy streets. But I know what that results in.  If it didn't mean making a fool of myself in front of all the neighbors I'd do it.

[Cookie Monster]

Ugh. I really want to get dirt wheels. I already bought all the dirt gear. Just can't find a freaking wheel set.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ugh. I really want to get dirt wheels. I already bought all the dirt gear. Just can't find a freaking wheel set.

For RX-7?

[giant_mtb]

Ugh. I really want to get dirt wheels. I already bought all the dirt gear. Just can't find a freaking wheel set.

Really?  Is the frame different that you can't just throw regular YZ250 wheels on it?

[CaminoRacer]

I've been running Stabil in my tank since October. I think I'm gonna get in the habit of doing it all the time unless I know I'm riding multiple times that week. That way there's no risk of gumming up the carbs over time.

[Cookie Monster]

Really?  Is the frame different that you can't just throw regular YZ250 wheels on it?

Yeah, WR250R/X has different hubs than any other Yamaha dirtbike. I need WR250R wheels only (with an X rotor and sprocket).

Slim pickins.

[giant_mtb]

Yeah, WR250R/X has different hubs than any other Yamaha dirtbike. I need WR250R wheels only (with an X rotor and sprocket).

Slim pickins.

Oh yeah, WR, not YZ.  That sucks.  Probably $Texas, eh?

[giant_mtb]

I've been running Stabil in my tank since October. I think I'm gonna get in the habit of doing it all the time unless I know I'm riding multiple times that week. That way there's no risk of gumming up the carbs over time.

That and/or Seafoam if it's a year round machine (?).  Seafoam isn't a stabilizer, but it is a detergent.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Ethanol free gas for carbs.

[giant_mtb]

Ethanol free gas for carbs.

That, too.  I only put ethanol-free in my carbed things; dirtbike, snowblower, lawnmower.

[Eye of the Tiger]

That, too.  I only put ethanol-free in my carbed things; dirtbike, snowblower, lawnmower.

I am amazed every time my mower starts. I've used the same old gas can that filled up two years ago, and i let it sit in the carb all winter. I have never changed the oil or air filter. I'm hoping it might give me an excuse not to mow the lawn.

[giant_mtb]

I am amazed every time my mower starts. I've used the same old gas can that filled up two years ago, and i let it sit in the carb all winter. I have never changed the oil or air filter. I'm hoping it might give me an excuse not to mow the lawn.

Right?  My lawnmower probably hasn't had an oil change since it was new and it's at least 13 years old...it was my dad's and I know he never did anything with it because I used it all the time as a kid.  It didn't run when I got it (it sat for a few years since he bought a Husqy riding mower), but I cleaned the carb and put a new pixie plug in it and she chooched right up.  Still didn't bother changing the oil.

[CaminoRacer]

It's rare that I see ethanol-free gas. Honestly I think I've only ever seen it in Iowa (ironic since I figured they'd love corn products)

[giant_mtb]

It's rare that I see ethanol-free gas. Honestly I think I've only ever seen it in Iowa (ironic since I figured they'd love corn products)

That sucks.  There are a couple less-chain-y places locally that offer it. A godsend in this area.

[SVT_Power]

It's rare that I see ethanol-free gas. Honestly I think I've only ever seen it in Iowa (ironic since I figured they'd love corn products)

Shell v-power

[CaminoRacer]

Shell v-power

Only in Canada. Most US stations add 10% ethanol to V-Power too.

[MrH]

Yeah, I don't know of any gas stations around here that offer it without ethanol. Wish I did.

There is a place down the road that sells E85 though. If I ever wanted to do some crazy build, I'd have zero issue finding E85 pumps