Received June 2, 2005:
ACT 2005 NEWSLETTER
Hello again, I’m still here, but with better news this time. So before I lose anyone with too much talk, let me give you some dates.
Yes, Ride Dates for rides in 2005.
The dates are June 25 & 26, then July 23 & 24 to Bear Valley,
and August 20 & 21, Georgetown (Dave & Kathy’s) to Kirkwood.
The Blue Lakes Ride is also scheduled as a first-time 3-day ride on Sept 30, Oct 1 & 2.
I made group reservations, etc for these dates back in January when I was getting ready to have a full 2005 Ride Calendar, before I knew I would take a job that changed everything. I have kept the reservations just in case, and now a new development gives us the opportunity to do those rides and go to those great places. It is because John Fry volunteered to do whatever he could to help out, and then made the commitment to be our Ride Host for these rides. Since I work weekends, John will take my place and do what I used to do at a ride, and I will get everything ready for each ride, just as before. I hope to join everyone on the rides at least for the Saturday night dinners. John is a great guy, retired, an expert cross country rider, and a friend who has done all my rides many times over, for a long time, so he is more than well qualified. Yes, it’s another way again to keep the rides going, but a lot of people said they hope that can happen, whatever way possible, so here we go again. I hope you will be able to support John and I and help make this work.
I will have the details on each ride coming to you ASAP. Our computer crashed creating some huge problems, some we haven’t solved yet, like not being able to use our website. We don’t know when it will be working again, but we’ll be sending ride info & entry forms to everyone on our email list, and mail to our riders who request postal mail. If not having a website affects the size of our turnouts, at least most everyone will be riders we know, who have ridden our rides before. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” is not just some old cliché, but sometimes it’s the only to keep going, as the following story of unrelenting determination will demonstrate.
Story time? There’s usually a story with the opening newsletter each year, but I didn’t feel much like storytelling the first time. This one seems appropriate now, and interesting, I hope. It is amazing what people can come up with when they have to, or when we want something bad enough. Like when Hal lined up 2 motorcycles end-to-end, knobby to knobby, wheels off the ground. One wouldn’t start and there was nowhere to push it in the bottom of the gully. Gassing up the good bike in gear rotated the tire of the dead bike, just like pushing it, and it started!
When my day’s ride came to an end once on a remote, desolate hillside, no sweepers, alone and broken down late into the winter night, I tried using my spark plug to ignite a fire. It not only saved me, but the sight of my fire sparked the hopes of 2 other lost and beaten riders stranded on the hillside. Their excited voices bellowing out of the once silent darkness sure surprised me.
But those are other stories. Yes, I’ve been in a few challenging situations, but even so, I was amazed listening to Wild Bill, an amazing guy himself, tell me his survival story.
I just can’t seem to include all the good stuff I want on our Blue Lakes Ride without somebody “finishing” in the dark. Like 2 years ago when several of us crossed the rocky, slippery Carson River in the dark, trying to get to Virginia City in time for the big buffet group dinner. We made it, but only in time to find the dinner doors closed, all of us shut out, because we were too late, but that’s not the story either.
So back to Wild Bill, one tough guy, who even after a body and bike bending, disastrous, head-on collision, was only out for a short time, but I’m sorry, that’s still another story. As long as he can keep moving, Bill will follow my roll charts, mile by mile to the bitter end, no matter what, outlasting any Energizer Bunny.
As if the expert route on the Blue Lakes Ride isn’t long enough, Bill had also taken several wrong turns during the day, making a bad investment in too many bonus miles. Riding on fumes, alone, in disappearing daylight is a bad mixture that can fuel some serious paybacks. About 15 miles from the finish, he ran out of gas at the bottom of Sand Hill. There’s no sign of civilization in that deserted canyon, light or dark, unless the local party people are out, but not that night. The sun had also gone down on the sweeper, who was “short-cutting” it to the motel after my one-hour tire change. Bill was the last man standing out there in the desert darkness. It’s hard enough to find your way thru this section in broad daylight, let alone in the dark, but he couldn’t afford to risk trying to find an easier way out. So he pressed on, mustering up that true grit of the survival mode, trying to read the roll chart in the dark while pushing his dead 450 up, up, up, and up the steep hill opposite Sand Hill. How do you push a 450 up a hill like that at the end of a 10-hour, 200-mile ride? With your thumb, of course! Now, even more than grit and being fit, his wit kept him moving. Using his electric start button, he kept inching his way up! It was 2 more miles up and over the ridge before he felt the relief of the city lights below, and was able to coast off the mountaintop. Even from there it was a 10-mile push ahead, until a Good Samaritan appeared on the road and bailed him out, giving Bill gas! Wow, he made it, “riding” the whole route, even if riders were headed to bed when we were both checking in.
I have scheduled this year’s Blue Lakes Ride as a 3-day ride, to give us time to enjoy all the good stuff, but with no more bedtime stories like this one.
For all of you who wrote back to me saying, “tell me more”, etc, I’m sorry I haven’t answered you yet. The move here and adjusting to such a major change is taking longer than I anticipated, and I guess I’m still on “Ivan- time”, rides or not. I received so many great responses to the news about this year, that despite everyone’s disappointment, it has been very encouraging, uplifting, and often entertaining, and very appreciated. I didn’t have any good answers to questions like, “how’s it going?” or “what’s the possibility of any future rides?” or “what about renting roll charts?” so I put off answering everyone for a while, like almost 2 months now.
After my computer crashed, it’s taken a while getting the computer experts to find what we lost and get it working again. Our roll chart program and address book is restored, but I’m still trying to find all those great emails I received so I can personally answer everyone who wrote to me. I only moved down the road to Valley Springs, still here in Calaveras County, still at this full time job, but if you wrote to me, I’ll tell you more later, as soon as I can.
Meanwhile, as impersonal as it might seem addressing everyone as just an “undisclosed recipient,” it’s because this is going out to everyone on our mailing list. I hope the news about the rides sounds good to you, and that you will be back to help make my 22nd straight year of doing these rides, a successful and fun year, despite the uncertain start and unusual new changes.
Thanks, Don
Received May 5th, 2007
ACT 2007 NEWSLETTER
Hi, this isn’t my typical annual greeting and ride announcements for the new season that you might have been expecting or even hoping for, but it’s the best update I can get out to you at this time. Since you are in my special group of riders, it also has some personal info to go with the news:
Today I’m finishing our 2-day move out from our apartment at the storage facility where we have lived and worked for over 2 years now. That all came about abruptly, with no notice, when we found out the facility place was being sold, our job was over, and we had 10 days to get a place and get out. Tomorrow I will no longer be able to receive (or send) any emails for at least 10 more days, when we are supposed to get a new provider and new email address. So today, while Karen is packing our stuff, I have to get this out while I still have a computer hooked up and email access. We’ll also have a new phone number, but my current number will refer you. I don’t’ know when we we’ll update our ACT website or the Ride Line (which I haven’t changed or checked in 2 months). First, I have to figure out what I’ll be doing for a job, income, health insurance, and where we will settle down to live again, although we do have a house for now.
With all that said, welcome to our 2007 ride season, my 24th consecutive year offering motorcycle Trailrides and Dual Sport rides across Northern California and Nevada. I don’t know when the 2007 ride season will start or how many rides we’ll have, but I’ll do some, somehow. With only a year to go now, I have to get to my 25th year, and celebrate it with everyone!
Over the years its been our riders, people like you, who have been the most important part of making our rides what they are and kept me coming back year after year, despite the obstacles. Earlier this year in February, I actually had a full schedule of rides set up, and even made hotel reservations, including Bear Valley for July 21 & 22. However, I didn’t have any working motorcycles to ride and get started with then and I still don’t, even though I had all 4 running last year. I’ve been waiting for 3 of the “newer” motorcycles to get fixed, one I took in at the start of last year, one in October, and one over 3 months ago. It’s OK now though; I don’t have any rides coming up, no garage, and no free storage space anymore. My priorities were changed in a hurry.
Still, with this beautiful, perfect spring weather and excellent riding conditions, and for the last 23 years repeatedly being accustomed to riding long days this time of year and setting up rides, (usually we are doing the Pioneer Ride this weekend) its very difficult to not think about it and wanting to be out there with everyone, enjoying the trails, scenery, greenery, lodging and dining together in the so many great places we go. Who knows, maybe June in the foothills, then the high country in summer, fall season specials; there’s still a lot of year left, Lord willing. I just won’t have any certain news or rides dates till who knows when. When that does happen, I hope it won’t be too late in coming so you can still fit a ride into your Calendar.
We probably won’t post any ride dates on our website this year. Instead, we will email you direct with all the info about the rides, calendar, sign-up forms, etc. I have revised my mailing list to select only people who have ridden with us before, mostly all A/B riders, and some new people who are friends of our riders and recommended they join us. I may have missed some people in the process, but we now have our new group of Select Riders, and the rides we have this year will most likely be open to only our Select Riders and your invited guests. Only our Select Riders will receive information about our rides, which we want to keep confidential. You are receiving this because you are an ACT Select Rider. We may also send to everyone a shortened general announcement, without all my personal stuff, stating that our 2007 ride season is on hold until further notice, which you may also receive since I haven’t completely updated my email address book.
Sorry I didn’t have better news, but I’m working on it and will update you ASAP.
I hope to see you this year, Don
Received June 28, 2007 Mid-Year Update:
PLESE READ all of this:
Since Dual Sport rides work better with each rider signing-in anytime between the set sign-in times and starting the ride when you want, rather then having one set time for a group riders meeting like we used to do, I can’t give out “last minute” instructions or info about chart changes.
After the last ride’s roll chart mistakes and rider errors, which is at the least very frustrating for all of us, I feel this is IMPORTANT for everyone to read and remember. It appears that even after 20 years, no matter how much time I invest trying to be as thorough and careful as possible, my roll chart errors are inevitable. Besides, the deal is this; I get to keep my shadow until that day I have a perfect chart. Pre-riding the whole route a couple days prior to the ride helps, but is not the answer either. I did that and made errors correcting my errors. Besides, I don’t have the time or resources to do that along with everything else it takes. There are much better ways to deal with my roll chart errors and rider mistakes than the stories I heard this weekend, so here are some worthwhile recommendations:
Problem: My roll chart mileage was way off at the “HISTORIC BRIDGE” entry, even tho I have ridden that section and done rides thru there for 10 years now. Anyway, maybe you tried to figure out if I omitted a zero or put one in that shouldn’t be there, but that didn’t solve it. Examining the bridge to see if it was “historic” or new with its new coat of paint didn’t help. Others thought maybe it was the wrong bridge and then wandered around aimlessly without even looking at the map. BONG.
Solution: In cases like this, where the picture on the chart matched what was there, then you must be at the right spot, even though my mileage is off. Set your odometer to the mileage on the chart at that point and ride ahead to the next entry point. Now check that mileage at that picture, if it matches what you see, you’ll “usually” find it is where you’re supposed to be at that mileage. Even tho somehow we lost 5 miles somewhere, it doesn’t matter, the chart is working, you’re not lost, and the problem was solved.
Problem: riders missed the correct turnoff, even tho my mileage was right and markings were there. They persisted in going the wrong way because looked like the chart picture and there was ribbon there. So they crashed down a very steep hill following ribbons where there was no trail. Remember, if a trail is a newly ribboned “virgin” trail, the chart will say it’s new.
Solution: If you are supposed to go down or up a steep hill, cross a river, or around gates, etc, etc the chart will say so. If it does not say or show that, you are in the wrong spot, forcing the issue, using no common sense.
Problem: the roll chart says L but the arrow goes right?
Solution: The arrow in the direction to go is always boss over L’s or R’s. It takes precedence!
Problem: You’re at 2.0 L no zero and you know you are at the correct spot so & you go L on your merry way looking for the next entry of: 2.2 R trail 6. You go to 2.2 and nope, then 2.4, 2.6 3.0 etc, still nothing.
Solution: This is a hard one, but at 2.0 you knew you were in the right spot. Guess what? I missed putting the zero on the chart (too typical?). Instead of going back to the 2.0, zeroing & trying over, if you haven’t gone back and forth looking for the turn, reset your odo deducting the 2.0 mileage (where maybe the zero should have been). Then ride to 2.2 and guess what, there is the right turn, up trail 6, just like you were looking for. Like anything, this may not always work but try it before giving up.
The pictures on the chart are you’re key. Every little thing in the picture is important and its there for a reason. A gate post or drawing of a tree is not there for artistic value, but for the position of where to look and what for. Mileage will often be wrong but the picture are always right, UNLESS something gets wiped out by bulldozer, USFS, fire, etc, between the time I was last there and the ride date. That has happened too. Only answer for that is get out your map. In minutes you can find out where you are, then maybe see how to get where we’re going another way. The roads are numbered and main roads are obvious.
Problem: You get to a turn or fork in the road and it’s not on the chart but you’re sure the last thing you did was right, so you are probably in the right place. Assume I may have left out that entry making another too typical mistake. We had riders go 5 miles out of their way, the wrong way, going in circles, lost trying to solve the problem.
My solution: Try one direction or the other but only go to the mileage the chart has for the next entry. At that point, if that picture doesn’t match up with where you are and what you see, that means you should have chosen the other direction at the mystery intersection, so go back. If you didn’t get to the mud hole that was suppose to be at 1.8 and now you’re at some hill at 2.0 or more, you went the wrong way, go back. When the next picture matches the mileage and what you see, you’ll know you are still on course.
BTW, when you go back, always stay way to the right side, & go slow, watching for oncoming other lost riders.
One more common mistake: You are riding with 10 or 20 guys in front of you and the tracks have been obvious all day. You make a wrong turn and keep going 5 miles down a road with 1 track or no tracks on it. Guess what? I’m not saying follow tracks, but come on now; it can help when common sense was left at the start.
For this Saturday’s ride, June 30, I did not pre-ride this route since mapping it 10 days ago, so I will leave as early as I can, hopefully in front of everyone where it matters, and use chalk to correct any roll chart mistakes. I’ll put arrows or mileage on the ground, so if the chalk says 6.8 when you’re at 4.2 reset your odometer to 6.8, make sure you’re at that place on the chart and go. If there are any other questions, I’ll see you at the start, but if I find too many mistakes, you probably won’t see me at the finish.
I hope this has helped, but more so, I hope you need none of it. Then again, usually nobody reads this stuff, let alone remembers it or uses it. We had one rider put in the completely wrong chart then start the ride somehow and then not even figure out he had a real problem till he found me a half hour out on the route, when I looked at his chart. The irony is he was in 10th place, in front of over 20 other riders who were all using the right chart.
That reminds me, there are 2 roll charts for Saturday’s ride. Put the 1st half in when you start & take the 2nd half with you, which you will need when you get to Camp Connell.
See you tomorrow, Don