FODS 2015 comes to Southern West Virginia!

[spklbuk]

A few of my FODS pics

The scenery was stellar

Sat lunch stop

Lee looks content

Mike checking for signal. We’ve got a Sat evening meal to order. Thanks Mike. While Lee surveys the landscape

I’m not saying what brought this look on

Dirt Dad from the Tenere forum kicks up some roost on his DR as the wind farm backs him up

Checking battle wounds

Lee having some playgroud fun

And Wayne

The playground. See what you and Tom missed Billy!

Here are some of Mrs. DSBikers pics. While the rest of us go out and take pics of motorcycles, riders in their gear, scenic vistas, roads and other such trivia. She has an eye for what really makes these gatherings special! Thank you Mrs. Wanda.

Friday evening at El Toro Joe’s BBQ Emporium…

As Mike and others contemplate tomorrow’s supper order, Bill is still working on today’s

High level conferences no doubt

Whad’ you say!? Whad who say? Wanna make somethin’ of it huh!?

A monsoonal Sat evening at the picnic shelter…

Billy and Lee having fun at Tom’s expense

Bench racing aplenty

Pam is certainly a rose between the Tom/Wayne thorns

Wayne paying the picnic admission fee

Now it is Alex’s turn to be the rose between Joe/Robert thorns. Jeebers the company you keep young man.

The whole crew and nothing but the crew…

FODS WV 2015 was a great weekend. Thanks to all who attended and to those of you who followed along virtually. Maybe we will have another go next June.

 

[beemerdons]

Many thanks Guys for my newest yamafitter screensaver, I had a previous computer monitor screensaver with Billy Fitz posed in the exact same position: But, he was stuffing a carne asado taco into his maw while we were down in Mexico's Copper Canyon! JSNS, what a Canuck Hoser eh!

 

[leedavis]

Maybe we will have another go next June.

Count me in...I had a blast!

 

[extrememarine]

Maybe? I know I will be there regardless - call it FODS or call it "Camping and Riding in WV" or what ever...

Maybe we will have another go next June.

 

[extrememarine]

I will give Wayne two more days and then if he does not tell us why his bike now needs a new set of handlebars I will be forced to put on my reporter's hat and tell the story as it was told to me. Like Fox News I vow that my version of the story will be fair and balanced (cough).

Hmmm...two days...maybe your version will be more colorful than mine...

Here's how I remember it - keep in mind, I did land on my head, so things good be a bit fuzzy yet. While climbing a "Rock Garden" as Jim referred to it, a 300lb rabid black bear came out of the bushes and tackled me; I fought it it off with my trusty leatherman multi-tool and then continued up the rock garden...

No, wait, that's now how it happened...

It was a racoon - a racoon jumped out of a tree and knocked me over...

No, that was not it either...

Oh, chipmunks - I wiped out trying to avoid a chipmunk. No, I think I squished 3 of them...

Saturday, our group was 2 DR650's, 2 Tenere's, and Lee and I on DRZ400's. Me on my goofy 17" front wheeled, TKC80 shod Super-Moto. Saturday was day three of my Dual Sport riding experience. So, Jim appoints me to ride sweep; keep in mind, everyone else has years of off road experience. Makes sense - put the no-talent rookie in the back so I don't hold anyone up or get run over.

On the way to the "playground", there was this slight incline to climb - a "rock garden" Jim called it - I figured this would be something like a Zen Garden - small pebbles with patterns raked in them. I was wrong. So up everyone went. My first mistake was not waiting for the riders in front of me to get up the hill a ways. As I start into it, the two Tenere's are attacking it with two very different strategies - one was in rock crawler mode, the other was in "WOT bat-out-of-hell" mode, I remember seeing them side by side and thinking I need to stop because they are going to bounce off of each other! Then Lee zigzags a bit and I move left to get a clear line. That put me on track to go over this 12" ledge that angled away to the left. I hit this with the throttle open while trying to lift the front tire over it.

Apparently, that was the exact wrong line to choose.

At this moment, I realized what the purpose of a larger front wheel on a dirt bike was - to roll over these ledges. Well, that goofy little 17" wheel did "roll" over it, but instead was kicked sideways, ripping the handlebars out of my hands and slapping the bike down on it's right side, which launched me *** over tea kettle. I landed on my left, head first, then forearm, then the rest of me.

Lee and I has Sena's connected and an open mic. I think he heard my "oh crap" and the tumble. I told him that I was down, and the first thing I heard in my ear was "Well I can't stop!!".

A quick reboot and deep breath confirmed no broken ribs (thank goodness), all my appendages were functioning and no bones were exposed. That was cool. So I sat up - I didn't puke or get dizzy - again, cool. I stood up (and didn't fall down) - even cooler. I picked up the bike, then realized I was on the wrong side of it, so I dropped it and walked around to the other side, and picked it up again. Lee is chirping in my ear, encouraging me, I'm sure.

There were no fluids leaking from the bike, all the controls were there, although the handlebars were bent. I keyed the starter and it fired right up - cool again. At this point, I realize the only option is to go forward, upward towards Lee, who is waiting for me at the top. Everyone else was well up the trail by now, enjoying the "playground'. I jammed the SM in gear, dumped the clutch and away we went. Up and over and on down the trail.

Once I spotted where Jim had parked (at the very top of a hill), I headed that way so I could do a better assessment of my body and bike. I parked and stepped off the bike, and the adrenaline receded. I thought it would be a good idea to take a seat - so I fell down right there.

That tumble rung my bell pretty good - and I had a pretty decent bruise on my right leg above the knee.

As I suited up to head back down for round 2 with the rock garden, Jim and the gang were pretty firm on the stance that they were not going to allow me to do that. I had to settle for a rematch in September.

I'm sure Jim and Lee will be alone shortly to add some color commentary...

They are barely bent...

 

[UberKul]

Maybe we will have another go next June.

Looks like a good time gentlemen. I'm trying to figure out a way to make this happen? Maybe a reverse TAT and U-Haul back in 2017.

 

[spklbuk]

Maybe we will have another go next June.

Looks like a good time gentlemen. I'm trying to figure out a way to make this happen? Maybe a reverse TAT and U-Haul back in 2017.

Now yer talkin'!!!

We may have to have a FODS, the long-play version to celebrate. Please for to bring that no account bug swatter with you.

 

[yamafitter]

Here's how I remember it - keep in mind, I did land on my head, so things good be a bit fuzzy yet. While climbing a "Rock Garden" as Jim referred to it, a 300lb rabid black bear came out of the bushes and tackled me; I fought it it off with my trusty leatherman multi-tool and then continued up the rock garden...

No, wait, that's now how it happened...

It was a racoon - a racoon jumped out of a tree and knocked me over...

No, that was not it either...

Oh, chipmunks - I wiped out trying to avoid a chipmunk. No, I think I squished 3 of them...

Lee told me you were knocked over by a mosquito....

 

[extrememarine]

Lee told me you were knocked over by a mosquito....

You know, it could have been. Since there are no pictures or video, we will never know for sure...

 

[leedavis]

Oh, chipmunks - I wiped out trying to avoid a chipmunk. No, I think I squished 3 of them...

Lee told me you were knocked over by a mosquito....

In hindsight it was probably the squished chipmunks. It's hard to get traction on 'em.

 

[LKLD]

Looks like fun guys!

 

[beemerdons]

I want to thank everyone at FODS 2015 who remembered "**** Old Don Stanley", extrememarine-Wayne / Jim-spklbuk / Canuck Hosers and all of the rest!

Did my Physical Therapy workout this morning wearing my new T-shirt, sure wish I could have been in West Virginia, I will be at FODS next year by golly!

6/30 marked my 3d and Final Orthopedic Surgery, as of now there is nothing Medical Procedures can do for my Shoulder, PT is now the only real answer!

Happier Days, Final Farewell off road dirt bike ride with my Arizona Buddies Darrel Wells and RussL; BMW FGS is sold and gone, I have so many memories!

 

[lonerider]

Good to hear the docs aren't going to be carving on you anymore. Keep after the PT and you'll be back riding again.