MCCCT - Most Technical Areas?

[NiceUserName]

My husband and I are planning to spend 3 – 4 days and do part of the MCCCT that runs through our area. We would start in Wolverine picking it up near the A loop of the Tomahawk. I’m getting a little nervous because I’ve only been on a couple of sections of the MCCCT and it was fairly tight (the section that runs across the middle of the Tomahawk A loop, and in Luzerne from Deters Road over to M-72. Not a problem on the KX100, but I’m not sure how I’m going to do on the Husky TE250, which weighs about 250, plus my gear. I’m not a real big person and I want to have fun and not get beat up too badly. For those of you who have done the whole thing, are there parts of it that are tighter than the two I’ve mentioned above? I’ve already told my husband I would just as soon pass on the section through the A loop and take the quad highway around it.

Signed, the whimp. ?

[PumpkinHumper]

The 2 sections you list are probably some of the tightest trail in the system. If you can get thru those you wont have any problems anywhere else. There are challanges at other spots. But not tight trail spots. Rooty hill climbs. Rain washed out trail...That kinda thing. Some of the trail like the Atlanta system is sand and woops. But fairly open.

Man you list those 2 sections as spots you want to avoid...and I look at them as places I am drawn to...

[NiceUserName]

Thanks yzman! Those sections were a lot of fun on the KX100, but I'm trying not to trash my Husky any more than I already have and I'm thinking those sections would be a whole lot more tedious and hard on the TE250. The Husky has about 120 pounds on me as it is.

Did you catch the whimp reference????

[Huskies4Life]

Hey I have seen you ride that Husky around. Seems to me you ride it pretty darn good. A good challenge will only make you a better rider.

Leave the VW bug(kx100) in the garage and take the Porche(Husky)?

Mike

[NiceUserName]

Thanks for the pep talk Mike. Next time you come up I'm dragging you through that section of MCCCT on the A loop just for fun. And my beloved KX100 is the Short Bus Bike!!

On another note, is anyone aware of maps that show the whole MCCCT on a one page map? We keep flipping pages in our CCC trail book and were thinking of taping pages together just to see the layout.

[iroc8210]

Are you guys doing a ride/camp trip and thats why you're taking the Husky? Or are you planning on loading up the van and driving to different trail heads and camping out of the van?

[PumpkinHumper]

On another note, is anyone aware of maps that show the whole MCCCT on a one page map? We keep flipping pages in our CCC trail book and were thinking of taping pages together just to see the layout.

Something like this ?

[NiceUserName]

Are you guys doing a ride/camp trip and thats why you're taking the Husky? Or are you planning on loading up the van and driving to different trail heads and camping out of the van?

We're leaving from our driveway and will be picking up the MCCCT over by the A loop. Will be staying in hotels and eating in restaurants/gas stations to cut down on what we need to pack. You need a plated bike to legally run a lot of this trail, especially on those sections where you have to travel on pavement and dirt roads, so Husky girl it is. Besides, the KX is just way too short legged and small for something like this. I’m really looking forward to doing this and talked to Mark about my worries last night and he’s thought about it too apparently (he’s seen the aftermath of me getting my arse handed to me on a heavy too tall bike in tight sections and it’s not pretty and there were many tears of anger and frustration:foul: ), so we’re not going to be in a hurry and will be playing tourists in our own back yard sort of; taking pictures and going slow enough to enjoy the scenery. This will be a stop and smell the flowers kind of trip, not a arseholes and elbows go as fast as you can trip – like yzman400 would probably do (I've heard stories about him)!!!?

[NiceUserName]

Something like this ?

Ha! That's what I was afraid of!?

[PumpkinHumper]

This will be a stop and smell the flowers kind of trip, not a arseholes and elbows go as fast as you can trip – like yzman400 would probably do (I've heard stories about him)!!!?

Hey now...Im not all about that. Not all the time anyways...? I have my moments but I am getting old and stuff. I cant hang like that anymore. Especialy on Safari..ya cant ride like that for that long, youll wear yourself out. Although When I got in the tight nasty sections my throttle hand tended to take over and get the best of me.

I did run 20 miles of tight single track trail Sunday morning and was home drinking my coffie by 8:30am ?

[iroc8210]

We're leaving from our driveway and will be picking up the MCCCT over by the A loop. Will be staying in hotels and eating in restaurants/gas stations to cut down on what we need to pack. You need a plated bike to legally run a lot of this trail, especially on those sections where you have to travel on pavement and dirt roads, so Husky girl it is. Besides, the KX is just way too short legged and small for something like this. I’m really looking forward to doing this and talked to Mark about my worries last night and he’s thought about it too apparently (he’s seen the aftermath of me getting my arse handed to me on a heavy too tall bike in tight sections and it’s not pretty and there were many tears of anger and frustration:foul: ), so we’re not going to be in a hurry and will be playing tourists in our own back yard sort of; taking pictures and going slow enough to enjoy the scenery. This will be a stop and smell the flowers kind of trip, not a arseholes and elbows go as fast as you can trip – like yzman400 would probably do (I've heard stories about him)!!!?

That sounds pretty fun. Maybe if you know where you plan on stopping each night you can drop off your own little "care packages" ahead of time and then just drive around to pick them up afterwards...that could really eliminate having to carry much and wrestling with both gear AND the bike...just a thought.

[KTM Mike]

Nice - do you go by muddybuddy on DRN? do a search on DRN for the "5 40 and 80 ride". My son's and i rode the entire MCCT this spring with Young Ted. Some decent descriptions of the various sections of trails and what to expect buried in that write up. Have fun - enjoy the ride! I had a blast doing it. It is all doable. Young Ted (a young 80 year old) did it all on a 1977 Penton. I did about 300 miles on my 76 Penton (had planned on the whole thing, but bike troubles on day 1 put me on my 2005 KTM for the first 3 days.) It took us 5 days.

The stuff by Tomohawk is on the tighter side, some by Luzerne as you noted. Some short tight barely ridden stuff south of Tower, before you cross M-33 and hit the Atlanta system. Some sweet tight stuff down by Boon. All rideable - dont sweat it. Oh, much of the MCCCT in the Atlanta system has now been groomed - so whoops much nicer! In the Mio/Hunt Creek system, a pretty rocky rooty stretch where the two systems are on common trail. Just take your time, particularly if it is wet.

When are you doing this ride? If you are in need of a spot to do some wrenching on the bikes while near Atlanta, I live right along the MCCT - my garage would be available. (southwest of Atlanta, near corner of Mouch Road and Baker road). If not wrenching, and simply looking for a spot to stop - stop on by, or maybe depending on timing, I might ride with you guys for a while. Send me a email at KTM.mike.585((((AT))))gmail.com . and I can get you more detailed directions -

Oh FWIW - last I spoke to Mr. KTM/YZMAN400 he mentioned he wanted to do the entire MCCCT in 3 days.... can you spell monkeybutt? So dont buy his getting old garbage...

[NiceUserName]

Hi Mike! Yes, that's me. I had read part of the ride report and got side tracked with all the chatter and slow internet connection. I will go back and re-read that and also very much appreciate your input. Young Ted is my idol and I hope I'm in half as good of shape as he is when I'm 80!?

yzman400 just ain't right! ?

Edit: And appreciate your offer of help! Hopefully we won't need it, but nice to know it's there. Could you PM me your contact info?

[NiceUserName]

Mike, thanks for the PM. We will let you know our schedule when we get it figured out (sometime in mid September) and hopefully you can ride with us for a stretch of it.

Here's Mike's thread that he was referring to that I've printed out and will be reading tonight! http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?t=164892&page=1&highlight=mccct

[PumpkinHumper]

A little more light reading for ya

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=399989&highlight=mccct+safari

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301000&highlight=mccct+safari

[NiceUserName]

^ Okay, I've printed the two pager, the other is flippin' 51 pages!!! I won't make it to page 10 before my attention span snaps. Can you tell me where the actual ride report starts in the tome - please??

[PumpkinHumper]

That 2nd one was just our planning thread. Lots of jibberish in there but some good stuff also.

[cmore]

YZ, could we call it 3.2.300, 3day, on 2 300's

[NiceUserName]

Okay, looks like we are going to try and do five days and see how far we get. Going to start Saturday, September 6th.

Since we will be staying in hotels and not camping, I’ve been given the task of trying to figure out where we will be staying each night, and possibly trying to make some reservations since this is a holiday weekend. The big question for me is how far do I think I can go in a day. I’ve put away the KX100 and have just been riding the Husky as much and as often as I can. I can do the entire C loop (about 40 miles ?) in just under three hours with no breaks going at a moderate pace. I’m not exhausted after I finish the C loop, but it certainly takes the edge off me. So I’m thinking between ORV trail, two tracks, and roads maybe I can do 80 miles a day, maybe more?

We will be picking up the MCCCT near Crumley Creek Road (page 101 of Jeramey’s great maps), so first night we should be able to make Atlanta with no problem. Second night, Luzerene. From here, I’m not sure. St. Helens, Roscommon, Higgins Lake? Looks like a lot of miles of trail from Luzerne to St. Helens, but maybe it will go faster than I’m thinking? Can anyone help me out here? ? Thanks, getting excited!!

[PumpkinHumper]

Yea Cmore has been getting into me head putting in thought of the safari again. So Ive been poring over the maps last few days getting re-aquainted with the trail and gas stops again. What he has planned I dont know if it can be done but it sure would be fun to try. My ass will be dragging after this one for sure.

The east side north and south of the Lazurne area has a lot of trail in it and not much 2-track. It seemed to take us a long time to get thru that section.