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Ryan' s adventure at Big Bend

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Adventure of my 15 year old son at Big Bend.
Spring Break March 2014

Things did not go as planed up to the departure Saturday morning. Finishing the trailer and weather took up any prep-riding time that I thought Ryan might do the weeks before we headed out. So with 30 min. of stadium parking lot time on his motorcycle (on any motorcycle), we headed out. Arriving Saturday around 6:30pm at Big Bend Resort & Adventures, we had time to check in, setup camp, eat and took a quick drive to Terlingua Ghost Town. Sunday morning we headed for Big Bend National Park with wife and daughter to do some sightseeing, stopping at Panther Junction and lunch at Rio Grande Village. Returning we unloaded the bikes off the trailer, put on our gear (including Sena BT headsets) and made a few laps around the campground for Ryan to get a feel of riding on dirt/gravel. Then headed to Ghost Town for Ryan's first adventure. No issue and it went great. Ryan came back grinning from ear to ear. That evening we ate dinner at the campground talked and planned for Monday.
10 miles Sunday

Monday Morning we head back to Big Bend National Park on the bikes. As we turn on Old Maverick Road to Santa Elena Canyon, I hear Ryan say “I think I have a flat, it's all slippery.” I could see he did not and told him it was the washboard road and he needed to speed up or slow down to a speed were things would smooth out. He did just that saying things got smooth around 35 mph, did not help me I still rattled at that speed. I keep asking he if he saw this or that which he keep saying “NO I'm watching the road.” Arriving at the canyon, we ran in to three riders coming from River Road West taking a break to then go up Old Maverick Road. It was two Blue DRZ's and a KLR. Did our sightseeing and headed over to Castolon for lunch with the wife and daughter.

After lunch we headed to River Road West. Ryan was riding better then I had expected and at a faster pace then I thought, he was handling all that the trail thrown at him. In and out of the washes no problems, sand/gravel did not slow him down. Came across the two BMW's stopped, they signaled they were OK so we did not stop. Turn up Black Gap Road ~3 miles in, we hit a long sand run. Things were going good for about 75 yards, then he came off his plane, got a little squirrely and down he went landing on the left side on a soft sandbank burying his left handlebar deep into the sandbank and knocking off his left rear turn signal, no other damage. He was not hurt, just ended up with a small bruise on his left inside thigh. Could hear on the headset that he was getting tied so at that point, thought it would be good to turn around and head back the way we had came not knowing what was in front of us and him not having any trouble with what we had already rode. For some reason the pace slowed a bit. Passed two Blue Yamaha's on RRW that were heading east. Came back across the two BMW's that were stopped earlier and talk to them for a few minutes. They were waiting for their help to arrive said they had called them on their sat-phone, still did not find out why they had stopped but they were OK. Made it back to Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive with no problems. Heading over to meet up with the wife and daughter at Panther Junction. As we were heading down the rode, I heard him say “I prefers the asphalt.” Then he said “My BUTT hurts” and I told him mine did too. We had done over 90 miles by then. So I had him seat way back on his seat and drag his feet. Did ask him a few more time if he saw this or that and he would answer “Yes” this time. Meet up with the wife and daughter and head back to the campsite with no problems.
139 miles Monday

Tuesday Ryan meet a friend at the campsite and road his bicycle around with him.
He did take a short ride on the motorcycle around the campsite and on the roads on back side of the campsite.
10 miles Tuesday

Wednesday morning, we woke up to heavy winds causing a mild sand storm. Not letting that get in the way of our plans to ride out and visit Ed out at his place on Terlingua Ranch, we put on our gear and headed out. This time the wife and daughter followed as a Sagwagon just in case the winds got worse and so they can visit with Ed also. No problem on the way there, had a good visit with Ed and headed back to the camp sight. At the intersection of Sawgrass and South County Road, I heard Ryan say “Brakes! Brakes!” and then I see him straighten out that right turn. He ran up and over the sand bank on the side and then I saw him and the bike flip over on the their right side throwing Ryan off. Looked bad, I could here the wind getting knocked out of him as he hit the ground. To my surprise and relief, he told me he was OK and took most of the blow to his butt. The bike was not damaged either. He had just entered the turn to fast. As Sagwagon pulled up, Ryan said he had enough for the day and mom did too. So we loaded his bike up. Head back to the campsite.
20 miles Wednesday

Thursday Loaded up and headed home.

Ask Ryan if he would do it again, he sad YES!
and is wanting to go on the PIE Runs now.

Tried to get Ryan to write this but he declined.
 
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Ryan got broke in right! Seems learned pretty fast!
Thats a lot of miles. They call that immersion therapy!
I would like to make the trip with you sometime with my boys.
Good ride report!
 
Kids can be very resilient and I can relate somewhat to your ride report.

First time I let my 16 yr old ride real off road trails he had yet to fully master the controls. After one stop in the woods he took off in first gear but popped the clutch too heavy, front wheel came up and him hanging onto the bars caused him to whisky throttle the gas. He went WOT 15 ft straight into a big tree head on.

Later that night while he was examining his large blue/black shoulder bruise he commented to me that "the crash didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I'm not afraid of crashing anymore Daddy." That realization by him greatly removed the apprehension from his riding and allowed him to relax and improve greatly over the next few rides. The following weekend I introduced him to sand, logs, whoops and more trees at SHNF and he attacked all without fear. I had more fear watching him, especially the first time he came upon a 2 ft diameter downed tree (without prior instruction) and hit it head on without lifting the front wheel and both him and bike bounced airborne like a rag doll. I did get plenty overheated and tired from stopping to help him pick up his bike that day but he took it all in stride and is still jonesing to ride dirt every chance he gets.

_
 
Very nice...... Ryan good job. Looks like had good time, your riding skills have improve.:clap:
 
Kids can be very resilient and I can relate somewhat to your ride report.



First time I let my 16 yr old ride real off road trails he had yet to fully master the controls. After one stop in the woods he took off in first gear but popped the clutch too heavy, front wheel came up and him hanging onto the bars caused him to whisky throttle the gas. He went WOT 15 ft straight into a big tree head on.



Later that night while he was examining his large blue/black shoulder bruise he commented to me that "the crash didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. I'm not afraid of crashing anymore Daddy." That realization by him greatly removed the apprehension from his riding and allowed him to relax and improve greatly over the next few rides. The following weekend I introduced him to sand, logs, whoops and more trees at SHNF and he attacked all without fear. I had more fear watching him, especially the first time he came upon a 2 ft diameter downed tree (without prior instruction) and hit it head on without lifting the front wheel and both him and bike bounced airborne like a rag doll. I did get plenty overheated and tired from stopping to help him pick up his bike that day but he took it all in stride and is still jonesing to ride dirt every chance he gets.



_


Sometimes it works out to get the first "hit" out of the way, like a pro quarterback playing his first game after knee surgery. He's a little skittish and then after his first sack he picks up his play to the level before the injury.
I'm glad you guys had a good ride!, and that your son wasn't seriously injured. Sounds like great fun.
Scott



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Glad y'all stopped by. Looking forward to the next ride out here.
 
So I'm late to this story but I have to say it was wonderful meeting your young'uns at the campout and I know what a joy it is to get to ride with your son.:sun: Every time I saw you both on bikes, it made me smile! When will H be joining you boyz? ;-)
 
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