As I fire up the Speedball Express for the northward journey to Frackville, Pa. , I reflect on Friday nite's weather forecast for today's Great Adventure & HOPE & PRAY the weatherman is correct for a change???? LOL! COOL, CRISP & CLEAR with some cloud cover would suit us just fine. Either way the folks who show up for today's ride have braved MUCH COLDER conditions the last two rides ( near ZERO at ride time ). TODAY will almost seem like Spring, with temps at sunrise near 27 degrees. HEAT WAVE! HE! HE!
By 8:00am we have six hardy souls who have decided that they are READY to RIDE! It's agreed that with numerous trails closed by downed trees in Frackville, Pa.( MASSIVE ICE STORM ) , we will launch from a vacant lot near St. Clair & further explore the NEW trails we located the last two rides & further expand our range eastward & northward .
After relocating to an alternative launch site , it's not long before our merry group is unloaded , dressed & quads warmed & READY!!!! OH! BOY!!! The pace is slow to modest as the skin starts to freeze on your forehead IF you go above 30mph & maintain this pace for any length of time. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Regardless , it's GREAT to be aboard my atv with my fellow Speedball's squealing with delight as we discover MORE NEW trails the further up the mountain we go. The hours go by FAST as we rattle up & down mountain after mountain, cross deep streams & scratch our way up steep banks & deep gullies & see and discover places & things we never knew existed. WHAT A GRAND TIME!
( ALL photos by Lee)
( CLICK TO ENLARGE!!! )
After letting Steve & the others have some fun on these coal banks , it's time to head to Wendy's in Pottsville, Pa. for a HOT lunch , but not before we explore one last section of mountain. HE! HE! With this thought in mind , we descend into a TIGHT & TWISTY network of boulder infested trails, that seem to go on FOREVER! After a hour or so , NO END is in sight! WHERE THE HECK ARE WE??????????????????? These trails go left , right , left , up & down & before long NO ONE has an idea where the heck we are?????????????? To make things even more interesting , we have to navigate around hundreds of partially fallen trees ! With our stomach's making LOUD noises & our fuel gauges getting lower & LOWER , we need to find a way out of this maze & SOON!
Mike & the front runners spot a fire tower through the dense canopy of these rugged mountains & with the aid of Lee's GPS we get our bearings, find a fire road & head off for that HOT LUNCH! While descending the last mountain , Lee's front wheel snatches SOMETHING & flips him off the quad & THUD goes this unlucky atver! OUCH! That HAD to hurt! Lee is OK except for some tender ribs & we proceed down the mountain & before long we are feeding our faces at Wendy's ! UMMMMMM! GOOOOOOOD!
After lunch , Mike Yucha , Steve , Heavy " J " & Hussien head off towards Minersville, Pa. to put on some fast miles, while Lee & I take a much shorter route back towards our trucks in St' Clair.
Even though Lee & I loaded up our quads a few hours early , both of our bodies told us that we had had enough for one day. Mike & the others could be heard ZOOOOOOMING across the mountain across from our launch area & needless to say , were still having a BLAST & brought a smile to both our faces! LOL!
After wishing Lee a safe journey home , Speedy headed up Rt #61 & before too long Speedy & his sore arthritic bones were soaking in a HOT TUB & getting his AARP body ready for Sunday's jaunt across MORE frozen Pa. turf! HE! HE! I SURE LOVE THIS SPORT! Your AARP atv buddy!
SPEEDY RACER
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