Pittsfield State Forest - 1st Loop - We're Lost! - Massachusetts, United States

          The weather was perfect as we took off.  Jim decided to take dirt, rock, and root samples in the first ten minutes of the C.C.C. trail and bent his shifter into the letter "C".  "C" is not for "cookie".  "C" is for "crooked".  Jim needed to use the heel of his boot to change gears the rest of the day.  What a f@#$in' hero!

          Then we saw her; the mother of all angry inclines.  Solid jagged slate, wet from the early morning rain, angled up and away from the trail, glistening with an evil smile.   Its neighboring "go arounds" laughed at us for we knew there was no way around her.  She seemed to beckon us, "Come climb me." So what does Craig do?  Comes to a dead stop.  That's the way to climb a hill.  Dumbass.

          We all take a shot at her.  Brian, picks the obvious course, right over her and completes the task.  Jim takes a side path and gets swallowed in a crevice.  Brian pushes him out.  Craig takes the same route and the crevice opened its jaws and took the KTM from his hands.  Dirt nap.  Joe and Anne go up the chocolate slope in the back with the quads like it was nursery school and tow Craig's bike and bruised ego to the top.

          As this was taking place, Mark was draining gas from the carburetor of his early model XR; the first of about 12 drainings.  Mark wants (needs) to be a hero and follows Brian's path.  We got the cameras (still and video) ready, for we knew this would be a historic event.  The roar of the 89 Honda's baffle barked from around the corner and Mark, in all his Fly gear glory, commenced his rise to infamy.  It looked good until about half way when the tires began to spin.  The bike jerked like a crazed bull, rubber melting away.  Our eyes widened at the epic moment that was unfolding before us.  That was quickly replaced with laughter and tears as the bike (and Mark) launched into the air taking out a small tree and one of Brian's nine lives.  "Crash!"  Mark finishes his attempt by making dirt angles.  All this on video folks!

          We continued along C.C.C. trail to Shaker and onto Taconic Sykline Trail.  Hey, we had maps and a GPS system. "Just keep going straight" was our plan.  We hooked a left thinking it was West Mountain Trail but we were very wrong.  When we passed some hikers and a pedophile driving a little boy around in a Jeep we knew we weren't in Kansas anymore.  After some directions from the boy-lover we headed out onto Cascade St.  That's right folks... picture 6 offroad vehicles driving through your neighborhood.  Four of those bikes were operated by tools who are wearing coordinated dirt bike uniforms.  Priceless.  We find our way to the Main Entrance of Pittsfield State Forest.  That's right, MAIN ENTRANCE.  We mozzied straight on past the park gates, people picnicking, and exercising.  Lovely.  We knew were we had to go and this was the only way.  We finally meet up with some riders (in a designated riding place) and took Taconic Skyline Trail back down through the park.  We get our baring and make our way back to C.C.C. trail and to the parking lot.  Joe and Anne didn't stop; they drove their quads onto the trailer as to say, "We've had enough of these shenanigans".  Really though, they were both good riders and were fun to have along.  We know Craig appreciated them (tow strap anyone?).

          We ambushed our sandwiches, chips, jerky and drinks and took a much needed break.  Joe and Anne left as we prepared to do one more short loop.  C.C.C to Shaker to Taconic to West Mountain trail (steep hill…beware) and finishing back at the trucks.   It was a great time and we can't wait to go back.

Trail Report

Dumps

Craig 2,  Jim 1, Brian 1 and Mark 2.

Damage

Craig:  A scratch on his hand left hand guard.  Wah!  You big baby!
Jim:  Shifter and pride.
Brian:  Showroom baby!
Mark:  1989 baby!

Pictures

Check out the pictures in the Photos Section of the Bristol Dirt website.  There are also two highlighted maps of the trails we rode.

It was "a beautiful day for riding" and Mark's bike still owes him nothing.

P.S.
I will post the video of "Mark's Heroic Moment" when I get it from Joe and Anne.