ChucksKLRST
Team Colorado
You all might remember last Wednesday that Chucksklrst had gotten into a bit of a jam and had to get bailed out by Whit Brown from over on ST-Riders. Well here is the report on how we recovered the bike yesterday.
Any way here are the events to retrieving the bike. I had 4 people with dirt bikes to help retrieve the bike and My son and I in my Jeep Wrangler. Total crew of 6 people. I drove the jeep as far back into the back country as I dared, about 4 miles off the main dirt county road 32. This left us with about 2 to 2.5 mile hike from 9000 ft. to 10400 feet where the bike was. My son started up the mountain and I waited for the rest of the crew to unload there bikes and catch up to us. As I was waiting a old guy on a quad 4x4 came by and we got to talking. He offered to ride me up as far as he could with the quad. What a great break. We passed Dave, my son , about half way and the quad guy got me with in 5 yards of where my bike was. One of our bike riders had already been to the site and had told me some one had propped up my bike with some sticks to keep anymore fuel from leaking and also turn off the petcock. And all my stuff was still there. By this time another one of our riders arrived at the site and we started to develop a retrieval plan. My son arrived with the nylon straps he was back packing and the other two riders arrived with the come-along and other equipment . Tools, Spark plugs, Oil, Battery ect. Of course, I had tools on the bike but wanted to be prepared incase they had walked away in my absence.
First thing we did was using the come - along, and straps, retrieved the bike up to the trail and stabilize it on level spot. Next we pulled the magneto cove cap and turned the engine over by hand to make sure it was not going to Hydro Lock on us. Remember it was wheels up for a couple of days. Motor seem OK in this regard. Second thing we did was to check and see if the Crank Case was FULL OF GAS. Once this was resolved we went to see if it would start. Click, Click, Click, Battery was dead, as I had forgot my Zumo on the bike and forgot to turn it off. Time to remove side covers and seat to get to the battery and replace with the new one that I brought along. Since we were that far into the bike we pulled the fuel tank and replaced the plugs with new ones in case the old plugs were fouled out. Next I decide to open the air-box and inspect the air filter to see if it and the air box were FULL OF GAS. Amazing how much volume of air or LIQUID will fit into that little air box. Remove the air filter and left it out for the time being, as at 10400 ft, the bike will need as much air as it can get. Buttoned every thing back up, and put in a additional gallon of gas. Now came the pivotal moment. Will I be able to ride it out, or are we going to have to push and pull the bike up and down some steep and rocky inclines on the way down. We had two mountain saddles to get over before it was all down hill. Everybody kind of held their breath and crossed their fingers as we went thru the check list. Gas on, Kill Switch on, Key ignition on. Push start button. Wrrr, Wrrr,Wrrr, stop let the battery rest a min., Take a breath, try again. Wrrr, Wrrr, putt, Wrrr,Wrrr, putt. It is trying. Let the battery rest another moment and take another breath and try again. Lets hope we don't run this battery down before it wants to start. Turn key back on, push start button. Wrrr,Wrrr,Vroooooooooooom. Deep breaths all the way around. Lots of high fives as the bike settled in to a high idle using the throttle lock. We started packing up the supplies that were left and the tools and straps. Put the side covers and seat back on the bike. Installed my soft bags which had my STuff for a two day trip I was going take. My Son Dave started his hike back down the mountain as soon as the bike started. The rest of us, after packing up, did some dual sporting down the mountain. Once down to the bottom I decided I did not want to ride it the 120 miles home so we loaded it on to Jeff,s (my Son-in-law) trailer and he towed his bike and mine back home. I let my Son (Dave) drive the jeep with me as a passenger and I just wanted to veg out and relax from a 3.5 day Stress Trip. All is well that ends well. Could not have done it with out THE TEAM. Now comes the clean up this week and rechecking every thing to make sure all is correct.
Edit: I had called the Forrest Service folks on Friday morning explaining what had happened and gave them the bike's location. I presume they went and propped the bike up as seen on picture 5 and 6. When I left the bike on Wednesday the bike was wheels up hill.
Any way here are the events to retrieving the bike. I had 4 people with dirt bikes to help retrieve the bike and My son and I in my Jeep Wrangler. Total crew of 6 people. I drove the jeep as far back into the back country as I dared, about 4 miles off the main dirt county road 32. This left us with about 2 to 2.5 mile hike from 9000 ft. to 10400 feet where the bike was. My son started up the mountain and I waited for the rest of the crew to unload there bikes and catch up to us. As I was waiting a old guy on a quad 4x4 came by and we got to talking. He offered to ride me up as far as he could with the quad. What a great break. We passed Dave, my son , about half way and the quad guy got me with in 5 yards of where my bike was. One of our bike riders had already been to the site and had told me some one had propped up my bike with some sticks to keep anymore fuel from leaking and also turn off the petcock. And all my stuff was still there. By this time another one of our riders arrived at the site and we started to develop a retrieval plan. My son arrived with the nylon straps he was back packing and the other two riders arrived with the come-along and other equipment . Tools, Spark plugs, Oil, Battery ect. Of course, I had tools on the bike but wanted to be prepared incase they had walked away in my absence.
First thing we did was using the come - along, and straps, retrieved the bike up to the trail and stabilize it on level spot. Next we pulled the magneto cove cap and turned the engine over by hand to make sure it was not going to Hydro Lock on us. Remember it was wheels up for a couple of days. Motor seem OK in this regard. Second thing we did was to check and see if the Crank Case was FULL OF GAS. Once this was resolved we went to see if it would start. Click, Click, Click, Battery was dead, as I had forgot my Zumo on the bike and forgot to turn it off. Time to remove side covers and seat to get to the battery and replace with the new one that I brought along. Since we were that far into the bike we pulled the fuel tank and replaced the plugs with new ones in case the old plugs were fouled out. Next I decide to open the air-box and inspect the air filter to see if it and the air box were FULL OF GAS. Amazing how much volume of air or LIQUID will fit into that little air box. Remove the air filter and left it out for the time being, as at 10400 ft, the bike will need as much air as it can get. Buttoned every thing back up, and put in a additional gallon of gas. Now came the pivotal moment. Will I be able to ride it out, or are we going to have to push and pull the bike up and down some steep and rocky inclines on the way down. We had two mountain saddles to get over before it was all down hill. Everybody kind of held their breath and crossed their fingers as we went thru the check list. Gas on, Kill Switch on, Key ignition on. Push start button. Wrrr, Wrrr,Wrrr, stop let the battery rest a min., Take a breath, try again. Wrrr, Wrrr, putt, Wrrr,Wrrr, putt. It is trying. Let the battery rest another moment and take another breath and try again. Lets hope we don't run this battery down before it wants to start. Turn key back on, push start button. Wrrr,Wrrr,Vroooooooooooom. Deep breaths all the way around. Lots of high fives as the bike settled in to a high idle using the throttle lock. We started packing up the supplies that were left and the tools and straps. Put the side covers and seat back on the bike. Installed my soft bags which had my STuff for a two day trip I was going take. My Son Dave started his hike back down the mountain as soon as the bike started. The rest of us, after packing up, did some dual sporting down the mountain. Once down to the bottom I decided I did not want to ride it the 120 miles home so we loaded it on to Jeff,s (my Son-in-law) trailer and he towed his bike and mine back home. I let my Son (Dave) drive the jeep with me as a passenger and I just wanted to veg out and relax from a 3.5 day Stress Trip. All is well that ends well. Could not have done it with out THE TEAM. Now comes the clean up this week and rechecking every thing to make sure all is correct.
Edit: I had called the Forrest Service folks on Friday morning explaining what had happened and gave them the bike's location. I presume they went and propped the bike up as seen on picture 5 and 6. When I left the bike on Wednesday the bike was wheels up hill.
I could not have done it with out the Recovery Crew.
Thanks to my Son Dave, my Son-in-law Jeff, Craig and Paul (DR650 rider friends of mine) and our own Team Colorado ST-Owner's member Pat (pdfruth)
And a special thanks to Whit Brown from the ST-Riders forum for rescuing me on Wednesday afternoon. Driving out to Terryall Reservoir to pick me up.
Picture Left to right, Pat, Dave, Paul, Jeff, Craig. I am taking the picture.Attached Thumbnails
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I think I would rather get stranded in the mountains of Colorado then in the Red River of Wichita Falls. BTDT for 11 years.
Good to hear the happy ending.
