Silver City, the HARD way.

[Sasquatch]

Dad and I joined two of our friends on what should have been a short loop up through Silver City Idaho.  We had decided on a route up that we had not been on in about 8 years, and that was on full Moto-X bikes.  This should have been our first clue.  We did not remember how rough it was, because on a dirt bike, you just pin it and fly.  But when you are on a 550lb adventure bike..... well, that is a different story.



The players:



Sasquatch (yours truly) 2001 Triumph Tiger

Janard (aka: SasquatchDad) 2004 Triumph Tiger

Steve Kranz, 2000 (ish) Kawasaki KLR 650

Dennis Dixon, 2000 (ish) Kawasaki KLR 650



To lend some credibilty to how tough this trail is, all of the players have been avid dirt bikers for many years.  



Back to the story....  Right after turning off of Renyolds Creek Road on to Tiddy Creek Rd. we started to hit some really steep rocky sections.  The photos really do no justice.







The views were beautifull:







More nasty:







You can see the valley floor we came from off in the distance:







Random scenery:







Things are really getting tough here.  This shot really does not describe how steep, rocky and slick this trail is.  Yes trail, it has long since degraded from the road it used to be.  My skid plate got bashed many, many times dropping off rock ledges and steps on this road.







Dad making his decent







Steve, enjoying the break before the real tough part.







Just about 600 yards later, this section claimed it's first victom.  SasquatchDad got hung up in that monster rut with his tiger.  You know how big tigers are, this rut swallowed it.  When you come around the lower switch back you actually have to cross the rut.  I made it, barely.  I had to grit my teeth, grab a handfull of throttle and simpy jump/bash across it.  Dad didn't quite make it.  I could not slow down untill I reached the top about 1/2 mile later.  At this point, I grabbed Dennis's KLR and brought it back down to where Steve and Dad had at least got his bike back upright (it was completely upside down in the rut/revine).  I was to ride Dad's tiger up the hill, letting him ride the much easier KLR I brought down.



These two shots are from same spot, the first looking down at the disasterous corner, the next looking up the hill where we had to go.











Finally on top and into Silver City.  We will think a little harder before deciding to take the Tigers on a trail we used to ride dirt bikes on....

[BigDave]

get that cot outa the locker cuz I'm comin' up...... =P~

[Sasquatch]

get that cot outa the locker cuz I'm comin' up...... =P~

Any time Dave! :D

[Steps]

Excellent report and pictures!  Makes me want to journey west.

[Sasquatch]

More photos of the same trip from the camera of Steve Kranz.



A photo of me, something you rearely see in my ride reports.







SasquatchDad, after the brutal climb, quoting the quote of the day, "I have a perfectly good KLR sitting in the garage at home."  (The KLR is much better suited for this type of ride.







Oh yeah, this looks like a nice smooth forest service road for the Tigers...







Real smooth... This is SasquatchDad trying to help keep my bike from going farther down the slide.  We had to ride accross the face of this.







Now, to show me up, SasquatchDad took his bike and rode it accross with no problems.  



Happy to be at the destination, Silver City.



SasquatchDad (aka: Janard)







Dennis Dixon.  As a side note, Dennis is a pastor that I have known since I was in Junior High youth groups.  He married my wife and I.  Great guy.







Steve Kranz, self portrait.

[newmanr19]

very cool 8) - how did the fastway pegs work for ya? I bet they are a lot nicer when riding standing on the pegs then the stock ones eh?

[Sasquatch]

The pegs were wonderfull.