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September 21, 2018
Hamlin Gulch
Today, I finally broke down and went online to figure out how to turn off the traction control on the 2017 Honda AT. It has roughly 24,000 miles on it, but it only bothers me off-road when I'm climbing up a washboard and the stupid traction control keeps kicking in and shutting down the bike so that it basically won't climb a steep, rutted hill. When you need it most, the bike shuts down on you. Well played, Honda. Fucking idiots.
So, finally, I figured out how to turn it off. It only takes a few clicks of the left index finger. Great. Also, I adjusted my headlight down some. (A guy in Aspen on the street pointed out to me earlier this summer that the knob was a headlight adjustment. I didn't know. I feel bad for all of the people that I bright-lighted on 2 continents over the last 15 months.
Also, I realized that I'd already downloaded the owner's manual. I'm not clear if I have the original one or not. But I did find it online. I should really read that thing at some point.
Yesterday, I did a loop from York Gulch to Bald Mountain Lane to King Flats Rd to Columbine Campground Rd to Forest Service Road 739.1 to Hamlin Gulch Rd. I was fine up until Hamlin Gulch Rd. The thing is I used to ride these trails 20 years ago, and probably I was on an ATV, and probably I don't remember how rough they are and probably they've gotten worse over the years.
But I end up going down Hamlin Gulch Rd and it's immediately obvious that 1) I'm in way over my head and 2) it's getting dark and 3) there's no chance in hell of me turning around. Like...you could fall 300 feet easy. And the trail keeps getting worse and worse and there's nothing really to do but keep riding and pray. I think about leaving the bike and hiking out and just paying someone to ride the bike out. At one point, I come to some lumber in the trail....2x4's and 2x6's. This is never a good sign. It means the "trail" is so rough that someone needed wood to get across the boulders and not fall off the mountain.
The road forks a few times, and I try to stay on the "main" road Forest Service Rd 276.
Somehow, I make it to the bottom, and I see 2 trucks, and now I know I will live because, if these 2 trucks are here, then there's a road from here down to Fall River Road and if a truck can make it, then I can certainly make it.
This is clearly not the trail I remember riding from 20 years ago. Probably, I was on the other side of Fall River Road. I'm almost certain of that now.
Of course, no GoPro footage because my GoPro was dead, and filled with pictures. Ugh.
So, when I get home, I copy all of the footage off of my GoPro. Charge my GoPro. Charge my iPhone. Charge my batteries for the Garmin Montana.
Now, to go back and get some footage of Hamlin Gulch.
Posted by Rob Kiser on September 21, 2018 at 12:12 PM
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