I have not posted in awhile,but I thought I'd share this with you. I live in New Mexico on a mountain named "Thunder".
The reason is that in a storm the sound of thunder peels for as long as 30 seconds as it echo's through the valley.
I have always wanted to ride on my mountain but it has always been off limits due to the extreme fire danger.
My mountain is now open for limited use.
I took out my 65 year old Trail King and drove up and over the mountain for the first time. The fire trails go for several miles and offer very steep,rocky passage with large rock outcroppings,loose rocks and boulders. The trails start at 6,500 feet and wind up to 9,500 feet. Thunder Mountain is the farthest south mountain in the Rocky Mountains.
It took me about 45 minutes to cover about three miles,all up the mountain. On one trail I had to use low range to climb the path as it was so steep. I stopped to take a photo and found I could not stand upright! Looking back down the path I realized I was on a very steep incline and really should not be there. I fired up the engine and let the clutch /brake engage only to find there was no longer any traction on the 8" knobby tire. All I could do was dig a trench where the bike sat.
I man- handled the mini and aimed it facing down the path and the clutch/brake did its job as it woks just like a Jake brake and uses the compression of the engine to slow the bikes descent. I never had to touch a brake levers.
I by-passed this peak and drove another mile to another fire trail and climbed that one. While almost as steep the ground was clay rather than rotten granite and getting to the top of the mountain was relatively easy as the rocks were for the most part fist sized.
Getting low on fuel, I descended Thunder Mountain and drove back home. I noticed that the climb was impressive as it wound past massive rock plateaus, over boulders and rock fields hundreds of yards long. The Trail king did what it was designed to do. Get you there and back.
I could not be happier with the junket up my mountain and the first trail is only 50 yards from my garage. I will be piling up many miles over the next few months as the mountain is quite long and wide, And it is in my own back yard, literally.
Click on the photos several times to view full size.
The start of the fire trail.
One of the first obstacles to be dealt with.
One of the steep rocky trails
The trail leaves the developed area and climbs the slope to the east
A path to the top of the mountain,elevation 8,000 feet.
A boulder field on the way to the top
The easy trail up the slope
A view from the top.
One of the many rock layers that has to be climbed.
The reason is that in a storm the sound of thunder peels for as long as 30 seconds as it echo's through the valley.
I have always wanted to ride on my mountain but it has always been off limits due to the extreme fire danger.
My mountain is now open for limited use.
I took out my 65 year old Trail King and drove up and over the mountain for the first time. The fire trails go for several miles and offer very steep,rocky passage with large rock outcroppings,loose rocks and boulders. The trails start at 6,500 feet and wind up to 9,500 feet. Thunder Mountain is the farthest south mountain in the Rocky Mountains.
It took me about 45 minutes to cover about three miles,all up the mountain. On one trail I had to use low range to climb the path as it was so steep. I stopped to take a photo and found I could not stand upright! Looking back down the path I realized I was on a very steep incline and really should not be there. I fired up the engine and let the clutch /brake engage only to find there was no longer any traction on the 8" knobby tire. All I could do was dig a trench where the bike sat.
I man- handled the mini and aimed it facing down the path and the clutch/brake did its job as it woks just like a Jake brake and uses the compression of the engine to slow the bikes descent. I never had to touch a brake levers.
I by-passed this peak and drove another mile to another fire trail and climbed that one. While almost as steep the ground was clay rather than rotten granite and getting to the top of the mountain was relatively easy as the rocks were for the most part fist sized.
Getting low on fuel, I descended Thunder Mountain and drove back home. I noticed that the climb was impressive as it wound past massive rock plateaus, over boulders and rock fields hundreds of yards long. The Trail king did what it was designed to do. Get you there and back.
I could not be happier with the junket up my mountain and the first trail is only 50 yards from my garage. I will be piling up many miles over the next few months as the mountain is quite long and wide, And it is in my own back yard, literally.
Click on the photos several times to view full size.
The start of the fire trail.
One of the first obstacles to be dealt with.
One of the steep rocky trails
The trail leaves the developed area and climbs the slope to the east
A path to the top of the mountain,elevation 8,000 feet.
A boulder field on the way to the top
The easy trail up the slope
A view from the top.
One of the many rock layers that has to be climbed.
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