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Green Ridge report

Want to go for a DAMN Ride? So do we! :whoop:
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mdubya
DAMN Grand Poohba
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Green Ridge report

Post by mdubya »

I headed out to Green Ridge today to meet up with my very good friend Dennys (DP) who recently got himself a Yamaha YZ 250 F. DP road races and trains by riding mini supermoto indoors in the winter. He has been wanting to get something off road capable so he could further his training repertoire (any excuse for another bike :deal: ). We met up at lower Mertens parking area and started off for a lap. GR continues to do quite a bit of trail grooming and the section from 1/2 way between Mertens and the turn around to climb the ridge is all freshly graded with new water bars. Really freshly graded; there were hardly even any tracks in the dirt! The new Dunlop on the rear of my 520 sucks and it wasn't giving me any confidence. It breaks loose at the slightest amount of lean angle, where the previous Kenda Millville hooked up in an awesome way. Sorry to get OT, but the Dunlop wasn't good on the fresh grading. Our next encounter with trail maintenance was the rocky section after the fast run up the ridge. They have been filling in the rock section with tons of loose rocks, many the size of bricks and cinderblocks. This made for an interesting choice; nasty, jagged, exposed bedrock, or nasty loose, big and chunky rocks. Everywhere else was dry and dusty. After a long rest and some RockStar imbibement, we went out for another lap. I slowed the rebound and compression 4 clicks each on the rear and this calmed things down and helped the new tire work a little more predictibly. The RockStar was doing its job and my confidence and the pace was soaring. DP was all smiles. We swapped bikes at the upper Mertens junction and I got to try out the YZF. It is a very sweet bike and it worked pretty well around Green Ridge. The close ratio 4 speed was the biggest limitation on it for trail riding IMO. I had a good run on it and we swapped back at the 15 Mile Creek trail head, aka the start of the fun section. Back on the 520, the KTM showed me again just what an awesome bike it is; supremely torquey with a very serious top end to boot. It has excellent stability and sublime suspension. Maybe too sublime, but it sure soaks up everything!

We did that lap in about 1/2 to 1/3 of the time we did the first! :ride: We were rocking! Then the thunder started to rumble and we took cover in my truck. I don't think I have had a ride yet this year where it wasn't wet to some degree. It finally stopped raining and DP talked me into one more lap, in the wet. To my surprise, the rain made most of the trail better and more rideable. This was my favorite lap, and we pretty much railed it. DP tucked the front entering one of the bermed out turns, but he was fine. I got silly and almost looped the 520 when I gave it a bit too much wheelying a puddle. I couldn't get the front back down and almost wheelied right off into the woods. DP thought I did it all on purpose. (I think I carried the front thru about 3 puddles straight (not even close to on purpose :screwy: ).

We left about 8 pm. Green Ridge was beautiful as always. We all but had the place to ourselves today. Tough to beat that. :deal:
DRZ S and SM
Vertemati SM
KTM 520 EXC
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Grady
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Re: Green Ridge report

Post by Grady »

Sounds like you had an excellent time. I'm trying to get back out there again sometime soon, but with the gas prices it kills me to drive all the way out there by myself. Hoping to find another rider close to me to split gas costs with. Or if I can find a bike for my wife, I won't feel so bad spending the money on gas if the two of us were going.
chriskoz
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Re: Green Ridge report

Post by chriskoz »

Let's pick a date and head out. I live in Towson.
Great report BTW!
2006 VTX 1300
2006 YZ250F
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mdubya
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Re: Green Ridge report

Post by mdubya »

I am out of town next weekend, June 21 and 22 (including Friday and Monday), but I am up for anytime other than that. Our decision to go on a Friday rather than a Saturday really paid off with the place being empty. There were only 3 other groups located anywhere around the trail. On the trail, we were all alone. We didn't encounter anyone else in our three laps. The lap after the rain, the place was literally deserted.
DRZ S and SM
Vertemati SM
KTM 520 EXC
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Grady
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Re: Green Ridge report

Post by Grady »

Sounds good to me, I have a two bike trailer so its no problem. I work during the week, so weekends are best for me, but I might be able to call in sick.
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mdubya
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Re: Green Ridge report

Post by mdubya »

Weekends are fine, just weekdays are mo' bettah for riding. :mrgreen:
DRZ S and SM
Vertemati SM
KTM 520 EXC
DIRT101

Re: Green Ridge report

Post by DIRT101 »

Glad to see you and Dennys (finally) out riding.

It's getting a bit hot down here, we are almost into our 3 summer months where we skip riding. The rest of the year is near perfect.

George and I have new toys, a KTM 300XCW and a 250XCW. We haven't had much chance to ride them due t the heat.

I've go mine tagged street legal.

Abi is off up to camp in WV, in two weeks, so we are going bring the bikes up and do some of the hatfield McCoy trails.

Chris E. down in the sunshine state.

P.S. our 525 and 450 EXC's are for sale if you know anybody looking. I have Motad wheels that will fit either bike.
Teethgrinder

Re: Green Ridge report

Post by Teethgrinder »

mdubya wrote:Weekends are fine, just weekdays are mo' bettah for riding. :mrgreen:
I'm planning a weekend (Arrive Friday night, leave Sunday afternoon) camping trip to GR in the very near future. Since a lot of the ORV trail is a little too tough for the VStrom (presumably) I will probably camp just below it. But... I will let all who care know so that my spot could be used as home-base throughout the weekend if anyone needs it to rest, sleep, eat, drink, apply bandages or splints, make repairs, what-have-you.
:rickey:
Roadracer_Al

Re: Green Ridge report

Post by Roadracer_Al »

All bikes are dirt bikes, just some bikes are better dirt bikes than others.

In deference to the cast wheels, I would skip the rock garden on the wee-strom, but the rest of it is manageable.

Of course, now that the ORV loop is one-way, if you find yourself at the rock garden, you'll need to carefully pick your way through it.
desmocourtney

Re: Green Ridge report

Post by desmocourtney »

Nice report Mike.

I WILL join you one of these days!

If any Balto area guys want to split gas cost let me know.

desmocourtney@yahoo.com

Courtney
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