(cross posted at ADVrider KLX250 thread)

Well, my brother and I went to Michigan in the Indian River area to do the trails up there.

We got there early enough to spend about 3 hours on the trails Saturday afternoon. Within a few minutes I felt pretty good working the bike around the trails. There was a bit of apprehension on my part when we hit some of the deeper sand that was like riding on a beach. It was dry enough the sand was difficult to steer with any precision. On the straight stuff I backed off my brother's tail to allow myself to get into rocking back and accelerating a bit as I hit the sand and all went fairly well. Most of the sand was ATV trail width and mostly all straight stretches.

We got further east into the area where there is more dirt in the sand making the trails firm and almost dry dirt like to ride. Some beautiful woods and great trails. So all went well... at least that day.

Next day we went kind of casual heading over to the Douglas Lake area to see some friends of my brother's and one I hadn't seen in 35 years. That was great... until I tried to step up and over a trailer tongue while giving a hand hooking a boat and trailer up. I got up, clipped my toe on my other foot and fell pretty much face first into the road. I remember my brother saying, "You're bleeding pretty good." and seeing it on my hand. We go to get a towel to take care of it and... well, I don't know. I blanked out for a while. About a half hour or so later I'm sitting in a chair looking out at the lake with a towel to take care of my cut on my forehead. We talk about what happened until the cob webs clear out, then wait about another half hour to leave. Had a good fresh perch dinner on the way home.

Monday we hit the trails... for about a mile and a half. Extremely deep all sugary sand, like the beach again, but zig zagging through the woods with whoops and tight S turns all the way. Single track to boot. The outside was firm with plants and stuff where you can't ride up there, but it makes the surface condition like a trough filled with sand. You hit the outside to either side and the front tire will crab up the side and dump the bike to the outside. I'm in a constant tank slapper!

I finally get a bit of the idea to kind of ride it like berms, kind of leaning in hard and gassing it to turn the bike. Worked until the turns were quick switch back and I couldn't lean and gas quickly enough. The tire crabs up the outside bank dumping the bike over to the outside of the turn. Wouldn't have been too bad if my leg hadn't been under the back of the bike cranking my ankle a shade too far past normal. Ooph! Pop! My ankle was wasted, in spite of wearing boots.

Worst part was having to pick up the bike and then ride it another roughly mile through the same sugary beach like sand with an ankle in pain every time it touched the ground and the inability to shift completely - no strength. But we got out... wringing wet with sweat.

In all the mud and clay riding in the past where the front wheel would lock with clay jamming up the front wheel, that was a cake walk compared to this. I've never ridden anything where I was sweating like a pig in a mile. I've ridden rainy harescrambles that were pleasant compared to that fiasco on wheels.

By the afternoon it was clear, my ankle was junk so we packed up and left the next day.

Called the doctor on the way, went in yesterday and was sent for X-rays. I have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow at 10:30 am - it's fractured.

Sure screws up at least the next month, possibly more. I was anticipating riding in the Wayne National Forest and the AEP recreational area this summer, now that's questionable. Now I have to wait longer. At least there won't be sand like we hit in the Indian River area.

In a side note, I was using a Leatt neck brace to play it safe since I have a fused C5/C6/C7 (or T1). Not taking any chances. It bumps my chin bar if I try to look down close, but as it turned out I never had any problem with the riding. It was pretty much not intrusive in normal riding on the trails for my use. I will continue to wear it... after my ankle heals!

In another side note, I was running the Duro HF904 in the 4.10-18 size and was totally pleased with how it worked, all considered. In the good riding I could lean the bike, gas it and break the tire a bit as I wanted. In the rotten deep stuff the bike worked well without bogging. I could pretty much make it work fine. I'm figuring I'll stay with the narrower tire since it worked well and is less costly in the long run. If I went significantly more off road a set of knobbies would be far better, but that ain't happening at this point. Now to get them into some Ohio mud and see how they work, but that will be a while now.


Edit: Ran a 13/43, boy how cool would it be if the manufacturers would stick a 7 or even 8 speed in there. Years back I rode a Hercules 250 Six Days, that had a 7 speed. Way cool, creeper first and some serious mph in 7th.


Added here:

Marcelino Mod comment. I don't know how much it has to do with the richer pilot or the disabling of the KACR and the MCM, but the bike starts near instantly in all occasions. With the warmer weather the choke is almost unneeded, unfortunately I can't test this in freezing weather yet (or rather fortunately I can't). Fully warm, it fires up with the touch of the starter, no throttle. I remember Marcelino's comments about the timing of the KACR and it makes me wonder if the darn thing is even worth having there. My bike spins over without the slightest difficulty, my 650 definitely uses the KACR on it. I doubt the electric start engine ever needed the release, where the kick start versions do. Heck it only took a few seconds of cranking to get the engine going again after I dumped the bike on my foot and had some gas coming out the carb overflows.

 

Older guys trying to ride dirt bikes...they really should know better.

Hope they get you fixed up without much in the way of any permanent damage.

 

Ouch! Sorry to hear that-hope you can mend quickly.

I managed to break my scapula 3 years ago after what I thought was a soft lowside on my SV. Ended up being medi-vac'd to Chattanooga for a collapsed lung as well as the broken shoulder blade. That one still bothers me at times when I have to lift things over my head.

Sometimes it sucks getting old.....

 

I'm sorry you got so hurt! Sugar sand is all too common where I am. Hope you heal up well and get back out there soon!

 

Well...



It's a start. The orthopedic surgeon said we'd try this first. If it all looks good in 3 weeks I'm good... otherwise it's an operation. He said if there's too much slop in the joint (my words, he said play) it would be too conducive to severe arthritis and would require some work. If it heals good no problem. Saw the X-ray, kinda broke a chunk off the outside bone at the joint, not very pretty, but not horrible.

Winky the cat doesn't mind though - more lap time for her...



Thanks for the well wishes.

 

To many years of playing football left me with a good assortment of chips in both ankles-I kinda sound like a Rice Crispies commercial when I walk. I know that surgery isn't fun but it's a lot easier to deal with before any problems from arthritis factors in. Best wishes

 

Give yourself plenty of time for recovery. Old folks take longer to heal.

Cheers from the "Wussy"

 

I plan on doing so. Three weeks and they take a look to see if all is good. I'm being careful using crutches in spite of the walking cast, just for a while for sure.

I hope to get to ride off road again within six weeks, but I don't know. We'll see what the doctor says about the healing process.

Thanks.

 

Get well quickly, sounds like you need to take up square dancing!

 

Drag your butt out onto trails with several inch deep sand like that then try to work on tight 1st-2nd gear switch backs...

On second thought, square dancing might just help!