300 yards of Muddy Road Got the Best of Me

[Mark R.]

Here in New Mexico, some roads have signs that say, "Road Impassable During Inclement Weather." The reason is that when it rains, the dirt turns into something resembling axle grease, and may be several inches deep. It is a serious warning that is often ignored by many. It's a desert, right, what could be the problem?

Well, today I ventured out onto a road that should have had such a sign, and perhaps it had one that I did not see, so on a 300 yard uphill stretch on this road, I got massively stuck. It took me over 45 minutes to try to make it up that stretch, and when I had to admit that it was impossible to continue, it took me about the same to make it back down. I was really huffing and puffing.

I dropped my Tenere at least 5 times. The mud caked up under the front fender so badly that the wheel would not spin, causing a few of the crashes. I actually bent my Rumbux bars on a particularly energetic slam-down. When I finally made it back to pavement, the mud under the front fender rubbed so hard against the tire that it cut grooves along the side tread, making a big burning rubber stink as I rode.

All the rear tire-spinning shagged my rear K60, with many of the blocks cut and chunked.

It took $8 in quarters at the self serve car wash to get that 30 pounds of mud off. Yikes.

Note to self- Just turn around next time you encounter that mud.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Look on the bright side. In a few moths this will be a funny story even to you.

Having been stuck a few times with the Tenere I know how much it sucks with this big heavy bike. Glad you got out without any injuries to yourself.

 

[markjenn]

I dropped my bike twice in the space of a mile on dirt roads in the Jicarlia Indian Res. SE of Farmington NM back in 2004. It as exactly as you describe - in dry conditions, the roads would be navigable on a Gold Wing, but throw in a little rain and they become too slick to ride on anything, even a dedicated dirt bike with knobby tires. In my case, I started out on dry roads but came up behind a thunderstorm and was ill-prepared for what it left in its wake. I also was too deep into the woods to turn around as I was low on gas so I pressed on into wetter and wetter roads. I'm lucky I got out of there with only two low-speed crashes - I was having trouble standing on the road, let alone riding on it.

Very treacherous stuff, these NM dirt roads. You almost need to be prepared to simply camp out for awhile until things dry out.

- Mark

 

[Don in Lodi]

Always have enough tools with you to at least remove the front fender... ::005::

 

[snakebitten]

How much does a fender cost? Lol
I'm old. If\when I get exhausted enough, I loose my economic reasoning.
I'll break that fender off to get outta there.
Can regret it later at the parts counter.

 

[GrahamD]

Don't feel too bad.

The last tragics ride I was on 6 people got stranded. overnight. Just unlucky to go through after the rain.

5mm (1/5 inch) of rain by a passing storm...In the middle of the worst drought for decades.

 

[Mark R.]

I dropped my bike twice in the space of a mile on dirt roads in the Jicarlia Indian Res. SE of Farmington NM back in 2004. It as exactly as you describe - in dry conditions, the roads would be navigable on a Gold Wing, but throw in a little rain and they become too slick to ride on anything, even a dedicated dirt bike with knobby tires. In my case, I started out on dry roads but came up behind a thunderstorm and was ill-prepared for what it left in its wake. I also was too deep into the woods to turn around as I was low on gas so I pressed on into wetter and wetter roads. I'm lucky I got out of there with only two low-speed crashes - I was having trouble standing on the road, let alone riding on it.

Very treacherous stuff, these NM dirt roads. You almost need to be prepared to simply camp out for awhile until things dry out.

- Mark

Agreed. The stuff is so slippery, there are no good options when you encounter it.

 

[Mark R.]

Always have enough tools with you to at least remove the front fender... ::005::

I do. I should have removed it. Lesson learned.

 

[Mark R.]

Don't feel too bad.

The last tragics ride I was on 6 people got stranded. overnight. Just unlucky to go through after the rain.

5mm (1/5 inch) of rain by a passing storm...In the middle of the worst drought for decades.

Wow. Slick stuff there on your Tenere.

 

[maniac28]

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Now I avoid anything resembling that kind of soil when there are rain clouds nearby.

 

[Mark R.]

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Now I avoid anything resembling that kind of soil when there are rain clouds nearby.

Yup, that was me yesterday.