| Distance = 36 Miles There was a local Poker Run today for ATVs. The basic idea is they ride from bar to bar on the back roads and trails. The plan was to meet up with Jeff and try to find the pack as they rode through. We didn’t really want to ride along with them, but thought it would be fun to stay close by, and watch the mayhem. On my way to Bens house, where I unload my ATV, I ran into Brent, Bens dad. He was on his way to the store, but after he saw that I had the ATV with me, got the urge to take a ride also. So we both rode out to Jeff’s house, which is in an even better location for starting out. Brent had never meat Jeff before, so they spent a good bit of time talking and getting to know each other as we took breaks during our ride. I think they hit it off rather well, Jeff agreed with what I said about Brent just being an older version of Ben. Brent has alittle different riding style than we do. He will take the main roads, and most trails very slow and casual. But, with a blink of an eye, he will be rocketing up a hill climb that would make you think twice. Jeff was surprised a couple times with the climbs Brent went up, all of which we of course followed him up. We couldn’t be outdone after all. I find that most of the time, the hills look alot worse than they really are, when you are sitting at the bottom of them thinking about going up them. I have had the front end lift alittle on me, and get a bit light, but never really thought I was real close to flipping over. The closest I came was when I attempted to go through a very deep mud hole. I knew that I had no chance of making it if I went straight through it, so I tried to straddle the bank of the hole. Well, that didn’t work at all. I got about half way through it, and it got much deeper than I though. I had the ATV just about on its side as it was laying in the hole. The right side of the ATV was completely submerged in mud, and I think the frame was grounded out some on the edge of the hole. Yet another time the winch saved me. I hooked it up to the back of Brent’s ATV and it got me out fairly well, though it was pulling Brent back some. Afterwards Jeff asked me why I didn’t take a photo…. I must say, I don’t know, that’s a first for me. It was a sight seeing it that tilted in that hole. Brent was more interested in riding with us, than trying to find the Poker Run pack. So we showed him a couple areas that he had not been to before. One of which was Pirate Camp, where we sat and talked for quite a while. We did a bit more exploring on our way back in to Hells Hollow, where we took one last break with Brent before he headed home. Jeff and I continued to ride for a few more hours, going from place to place trying to find the Poker Run pack. The closest we came, was running into a few other riders that were also trying to find the pack. One of the main reasons we never found them was that there was only about 35 to 40 people in this Poker Run. Jeff said that some of the previous ones had reached over 100. Even though I had not planned on actually riding in the Poker Run, I was disappointed that there were not more riders out. There were also supposed to be a few mud bogs, but I dont think they ever ended up doing those either. It was a nice sunny day, but very very dry. The roads and trails were bone dry, the dust was so bad at times, I was basically guessing where I was going. I don’t see how some of the riders made it through the day without goggles. Only a few photos this time. We stopped by a couple graveyards that we knew about, but had not been to together. These are photos of what seems to be the Thorns Family graveyard. |
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| This graveyard is rather interesting, we believe it to be Masonic. Most of the head stones have poetic writing on them, and some shapes and symbols usually not seen. | ||
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| We think this may be the cup of the Holy Grail. Something none of us have seen on a headstone before, at least not locally. | ||
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