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Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 2:52 pm
by crofrog
Date: 5/4/08
Location: Tasker’s Gap, George Washington National Forest, VA

So delusion39 and myself headed down to the Peter’s Mill / Tasker’s Gap OHV area this last Sunday. After getting run off the road in the tow vehicle by a double laneing asshole we parked a few miles out near a cool trout stream unloaded and rode to the Front Royal Country Store.

Which had a nifty scale:
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Unfortunately they where out of OHV permits so we rode on down to Edinburgh Gap Rd road up and over the mountain range to the Hess station. On the way back up to the Taskers Gap OHV parking lot. Delusion39 hit a good bit of oil going around a switchback and the bike took a nap on us:
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Knobbies leave funny skid marks:
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He was fine though just a few holes on the gear:
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The corner:
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However somehow the bikes starter switch broke in the fall which required a quick electrical repair:
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The culprit:
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The elite toggle switch starter:
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We got to the trail head and took the Peter Mill trail. It was a pretty cool trail which I didn’t really get any pictures of because I was to busy riding. It was similar to the top section of greenridge orv trail which I’m sure many of you are familiar with. Just with more rocks and less elevation change it was fairly dry and dusty which just a few deep puddles.

We got to the end of the trail on the other side and delusion39 started playing around more while doing some donuts his bike took another nap:
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He headed back down the trail (it’s a out and back type thing) and stopped at a deep spring fed hole to take some pictures here’s delusion39 going splashing through:
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And me:
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I put the camera away for a while again and we headed into Taskers after staying on one of the trails there which was some fairly fun rockey single track we bailed out to a forest service road and set the GPS back to the car.

And on the way there found some cows that’d looked delicious:
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All loaded up and ready to go:
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It was a good day over all defiantly want to go back once my broken wrist is healed when the rocks might be a little easier to handle.
Chris

And a parting thought:
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Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:17 am
by delusion39
So, the lesson here is to make sure you bring your OWN camera so you can capture other peoples mistakes instead of them just capturing yours..

I've had better days. :boohoo:

Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:01 pm
by Teethgrinder
Sounds like a smashing day.
:lol2:
D39,
You and that bike must be very good friends if it's willing to take such floggings from you. Looks like a super-fun time!
:loveit:

Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:47 pm
by RRob
Nice report. And yeah, that is one crazy skid mark!

I've been to Taskers/Peters Mill a bunch of times and have developed a real love/hate relationship with the place. I'll never forget the hour I spent trying to get my two week old CRF450R through the worst rock garden in the place. I'd go 4 feet, stall, kick a hundred times, go 4 feet, stall, kick a hundred times. That was a tough day.

This is the loop I normally ride when I go there. Yellow is easy, red is moderate and purple marks the rock gardens. The next time you're on the Peter's Mill Run side, try trail 457/474 instead of doing an "out-and-back".

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Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 3:31 pm
by delusion39
Yeah, I beat the crap out of my bikes, but that was an exceptionally bad day. Another factor that wasn't mentioned was that my goggles had a ton of moisture in them between the lenses that I was hoping would evaporate before we got to the trail. The oil shows up so well in the photo, it's the only way I can envision not seeing it in the road. I have a ton of street miles under my belt, so if I'd seen it, I would have steered clear. I really didn't even think there would be a chance of crashing the dirt bike on the street. Was def an eye opener. Knobbies just don't have that much contact patch. In post crash review, I think I made the right decision buy just holding on for the low side, not like I had much choice anyway since it happened so fast. I don't think twice when the bike begins to step out when I'm riding hard, but that time, it didn't stop going!! Live and learn, the former being most important.

As for the 457/474 loop, if it's marked most difficult in that area, I didn't mess with it. I "rode" 494 on the taskers side, I don't recommend that "trail" , it's ALL rocks, no dirt. Interesting challenge, but I wouldn't call it fun. 474 looked the same way from the trail head. I need some dirt, all rocks is a nightmare.

Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 1:18 am
by Bucho
Its been a couple years since I've been but those rocky sections are no joke.

I could easily picture World champion trials guys using it to practice and play on.

Re: Taskers Gap Trip Report (5/4/08)

Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:12 am
by Roadracer_Al
Sounds fun. Let's go! :harhar: