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Today was... interesting.

By theclone,
in General Dirt Bike Discussion

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Grand Master

theclone

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I had to be airlifted out of the Cleveland National forest by helicopter today. :ride:

Here's the whole story:

There are these trails that go up in the mountains behind my house. I have always wanted to ride up there, and today I finally decided to do it. Started out at about 10:30 AM. The trails started out as some easy fire roads, which turned into single track, which turned in to nasty, overgrown, rutted out single track. I rode for about 30 minutes in these trails before I decided it was too much and I started to turn around. By this point I am pretty tired (I had already dumped the bike a couple of times)

So somehow I managed to make a wrong turn somewhere. At this point I realize I am lost. But I'm still on a trail, so I decided I would follow it until I led me somewhere where I could get my bearings. Its now about 95 degrees, and I have no idea where I am, and I'm on some of the toughest trails I have ever been on. Great.

Then, to make things worse, I come up on a really nasty looking hill. These were obviously meant for hikers, not motorcycles. I almost make it to the top, when I lose momentum, and tip over to the side. And of course I decided to fall to the side that falls down into a ravine. After about 5 minutes I finally climb up and out. I pick my bike up. Not an easy task. Now I am fricken exhausted. I'm not even gonna try to start my my bike back up.

Then I decide to leave my bike and walk up the hill a little ways to see if I can see a way out. Nothing. So I keep walking. Just a little further, and maybe I'll be able to find a way out. After about a mile, I get to the top of a ridge and I can see the way out. The only problem is there are no trails that lead directly to it. Just a bunch of slippery single track that leads to god-knows-where.

At this point, I don't know what I'm gonna do. Its hot, I'm thirsty, and out of breath. So I sit under a bush and call my parents. They really cant do anything to help. It was really frustrating. The only thing I can do at this point is call 911. after talking to them for about 15 minutes, being transferred back and forth, etc, they finally tell me help is on the way. I can see a fire engine coming up the road. But its so far away, they really cant do anything.

Then the guy I'm talking to on the phone (I think it was USFS) tells me they're gonna send me a chopper. It arrived about 5 minutes later. Riverside County sheriff. The circle around me for a while, and they're saying stuff over the loudspeaker which I cant understand. Then they land somewhere about a mile away, and take off again. They came back to me, and hovered about 100 yards directly in front of me (remember im on a ridge)

They start edging in closer. I'm like "what the hell, they can't land here" Then the guy in back opens the door and signals to me to crouch down on the ground. "Ummmm okayyy" then I realize what they're about to do.

The chopper comes closer and closer. I can't even look up because all the dirt its kicking up. The pilot comes in right next to me about 3 feet off the ground. The guy in back reaches out and I grab his hand. I throw a foot up on the skids, and climb in. I have never felt so relieved.

Its a short ride to the landing area. (a reidential street lol) Theres an ambulance, a fire truck, and of course my parents. I can see people watching from their backyards. The helicopter lands, I get out, and am walked straight to the backseat of a cop car. I thought I was in trouble or something (technically I shouldn't have been riding there ? ) but it was just so I could cool down and get some water. After the cop telling me how stupid I was to be riding in this heat, EMT checked me out, and I was good to go. I decided not to go to the hospital cuz I my vital signs were all good. Probably should have just to be safe, but I didn't want to have to foot the bill. So I told them no.

When I got home I drank about half a gallon of water and some pedialyte (electrolytes) then took a cold shower.

I learned an important lesson today: NEVER ride alone. Especially in the heat. I had heard it before, but I needed to experience it to to fully inderstand the importance of riding with a buddy.

I also learned riding in a helicopter is fun! :applause:

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MxKx

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That was... interesting. Now you have a good story to tell ?

I have a very similar story that happened a few days ago, but I don't want to hijack your thread, I'll post it later.

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Grand Master

jjgixxer

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:applause:

No shit! You'll be selling the bike to get a start at paying off that tab. :ride:

Why didn't you just follow your tracks out? ?

no crap, I could not leave my bike for anything. Heck I hate walking 50 feet away from it in the woods let alone a mile or so, or even leaving it behind.

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NGKsparky727

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I think my brother said a careflight ride was like $10000 one time ? ...but yeah i would have been out tere with a buddy and we woulda camped out till it got cooler and we got some energy back...Im scared of woods (animals, weird people, monsters, etc.) so i would not have been out there myself...

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Double_440

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WOW...not to beat a dead horse, but NEVER RIDE ALONE!!!!!!good thing you had your cell phone(and got reception) and you made it out okay...your well being is the most important thing...a bike can be replaced...you can't ? glad to hear your okay though....we've all done stupid stuff, there is no teacher like experience...i'm glad i outgrew that stage :ride:

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nester

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Oh 17..going on 18...

I understand you still believe in monsters. There was a report that bigfoot has now turned to raping young boys in the woods. There's also the chupacabra(goat sucker) moving northwards this time of the year. Moth-man is also at large in your area.

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Grand Master

theclone

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OK I still have to go back to get the bike. I'm not really worried about anyone taking it- its in a pretty remote area. We're gonna take my dad's 4x4 quad.

And I could have and probalby should have tried a little harder to ride my bike out. But I hadn't really planned on walking out. I was just gonna try to get to the top of a hill. But I ended up going too far away from the bike, then I thought I might as well walk out. Then I started feeling heat exhaustion coming on (dizzy, nauseous, hella thirsty) and I didn't want to take any chances.

well, we're off to extract the bike. I'll get some pics.

And as for the chopper ride- its free. It was riverside county sheriff, not life flight. Man getting into that helicopter was some Fear Factor shit!

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