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Sunday November 20th Speedy is excited about today's
ride , so I wake up early & feed my face . Some of my favorite folks are joining Speedy for a juant across the Pa. mountains
, plus a few new folks from Cecil County Maryland & one former member who will rejoin the flock.
After warming up my AARP body with a cup of hot
chocolate, I get a last lick from my cannine buddies & a good-bye kiss from my better half. hE! HE! With the
weather forecast being atv user freindly , I fire up the Speedball Express & motor across the mountains towards Frackville,
Pa. & the start of another " FAMILY RIDE " .
As I rattle into the parking lot of Motel 6 I see new
& old faces chit chatting & unloading their trusty quads. Chris Cooper has returned to the flock with a new 2006 Honda
700 4x4 Rincon ( fuel injection ) & is letting the others check out his new atv. Jim from NJ has a new KTM
dirt bike especially made for trailriding ( 300 two stroke) & is also excited about testing his latest purchase. Steve
Loftis & daughter Tammy are smiling from ear to ear & READY to RIDE! Great folks! Brian & Joe soon
arrive & unload & exchange handshakes & hugs with the other Speedball's . Our newest members arrive last &
begin to unload their quads. Once Megan , Jeff & Bunky unload & get situated, they make their rounds &
introduce themselves to the other groups of Speedball's scattered around the parking lot.
By a little after 9:00am the Speedball's & their trusty ORV's
are warmed up , loaded up & READY to head across the mountains to enjoy the wonderous beauty of these rugged Pa.
mountains. Being COLD & not sure of our newest members skill level , the pace is modest & the miles click off fast
as we head towards Shenandoah to access a trail short cut to the Hazelton train tunnel. Plus the difficulty factor does not
contain any butt puckering terrain . Once we are comfortable that they CAN ride, Speedy will take them on some butt puckering
trails! LOL!
As we go up & down mountain after mountain
the newest members prove that they are ready for more technical trails. Being only Megan's second atv ride she is clearly
becoming more & more confortable on her Honda 250ex. By the time we start descending down a pretty knarly
trail , Megan is grinning from ear to ear & ready for her next challenge. YEHAAAAAAA! With boulders
& large rocks banging the bottom of everyone's quads , the ten Speedball's arrive safely at the bottom & head
off towards the Hazelton train tunnel . Being on the shady side of the mountain this trail is COLD! BRRRRRRRRRRR!
After over seven miles of this COLD trail we are ALL chilled to the bone by the time the train tunnel looms ahead.
With everyone being chilled
to the bone , Jeff is the only one to enter the darkened chamber & soon disappears into the dark watery abyss as the rest
of us attempt to warm up. Minutes later Jeff comes BLASTING out of the tunnel in a MASSIVE shower of water !
Not being ready , Speedy fails to catch a snap shop of Jeff & his " 650 Brute Force " wheeling & BLASTING as
he exits the Hazelton train tunnel. As the water drains from his body , I ask Jeff , " Want to do it AGAIN , so I can
get a photo ?????? " " NO WAY " is all he has to say! LOL! Can you blame him!!!!!
With a soaked but happy Jeff , we head off towards an area called the " Playground " . As we head up & over
mountain after mountain the pace is a little crazy at times , but the leaders just wait & then blast off again at
each major turn in the trail. YEHAAAAAAAAA! Joe & his Susuki King Quad is sometimes hot on Speedy's A$$ !
LOL! He loves a FAST pace! HE! HE! Before too long the Speedball's are buzzing up & down coal bank after coal
bank, while old folks like myself just relax & snap a few photos of the youngsters having a BLAST! Tammy
& Megan can't seem to get enough of these user freindly hill climbs. HE! HE! Jim also has fun testing his new
KTM dirt bike !
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