Mom's Last Ride...or 4 Wheeler Initiation

On Saturday Layne wanted to take me on a dirt bike ride up past Heise. I agreed because the day before when LarRene wished me a Happy Birthday she told me to "do fun things before you get too old to be able to enjoy doing them." So I will blame her partially for the experience I had. As for another teaser to how this story ends, for those in the know I will just say, "Tablerock."

So we left the house around 9:00 a.m and where on the trail by 10:00 a.m. The trail had lots of switch backs and I remember riding this trail a few years ago with Cody and he had to stop me from rolling when he saw that my four wheeler was on two wheels going around one of the switch backs. So having this in the back of my mind I was trying to be careful. The trail would alternate from bumpy boulders and rocks to tree roots cris-crossing on the trail to some actual flat nice trail, to two feet of slushy, muddy snow. So I felt like my whole body was being beat to death going over all of these obstacles.

The boys rode ahead of me because on the dirt bikes they can maneuver around the trails better and they would always stop after a while and wait for me to catch up. At one point going around a switch back I found myself on two wheels again. But the boys where already far ahead. So I stopped the four wheeler and got off and tried to get it back on all for. But of course it got away from me and went off the trail. Luckily there was a big log that stopped it from going anywhere but it was jammed enough that I couldn't get it unstuck. So I just sat on the trail waiting for Layne to come back looking for me. It wasn't very long before he came back up the trail. He was terrified when he saw me sitting on the trail, but so relieved that I was okay. After he knew I was okay he chastised me because he thought I was going down hill in neutral again, which he had just finished warning me not to do. He told me I didn't have to go fast because he would always wait for me. I let him know that I was in low gear but just didn't negotiate the turn very well. And that I knew he would come and get me, that is why I was patiently waiting on the side of the trail.

So we continued on the trail and I continued to cuss under my breath at the bumpy ride that was making me more sore by the minute. Finally we came to a nice smooth part of the trail, no rocks or roots sticking up, no ruts to try and negotiate. Then all of a sudden I hit something and before I knew it I was flying off the four wheeler and it was rolling over top of me. I starting screaming from the shock of it and kept screaming so that the boys would know something happened and come get me sooner rather than later. My brother-in-law, Kade, heard the scream and wondered what wild animal was dying somewhere. Zak and Tanner turned around first and saw the four wheeler rolling. They threw their bikes to the ground, (which is a no-no in biking) and sprinted to my rescue. As I was laying on the ground bawling the first words I heard where, "Mom, are you okay? Mom are you okay?" I screamed, "Yes I'm okay! I hate this! This is your deal, not my deal. I don't want to do this anymore!" Once Zak knew I was okay he got the four wheeler turned over and luckily on this part of the trail it only rolled down a few feet instead of the possible 100 feet on some other parts of the trail. After I was up on my feet I kept saying, "I don't even know what I hit." After some further investigation it turns out there was a tree stump about three inches in diameter sticking out from the side of the hill. My tire must have it it and it just rolled me over. All the boys where amazed that I rolled the four wheeler on the easiest part of the trail. But I guess if you are going to do it that is the safest place to do it.

They were all relieved that I was okay. At first the four wheeler wouldn't start after Zak drove it out of the brush because it had flooded from being upside down. Then his bike wouldn't start because when he threw it down on the ground it got messed up. But after waiting a while everything started and I "got back on the horse." My next thought was that I was so grateful that Karlee had decided not to come on this ride. That really could have been a disaster.

Here I am after the rollover having mostly hurt my pride, but definitely feeling other aches and pains creeping all over my body.

Our destination on this ride was to be the bottom of Garns Mountain and Layne told me there was a beautiful lake at the bottom of the mountain. So that motivated me to keep going. After both incidents of scaring Layne to death he didn't let me get too far out of his sight. And I told him that if I did die to make sure and have Sara give the life sketch since she would have everyone laughing and crying. So Sara, you're officially on notice.

After several more rest stops I was told that the lake wasn't too much further. When I caught up with the boys they were all off their bikes and laying down resting. I looked to my left at this little pond/marsh. I said, "This isn't the lake is it?" They all nodded that yes, this was the lake. I said, "You have got to be sh**ing me!" I actually did slur the word with the asterisks. They assured me, this was it.

So I told them this would definitely rank up their with my Tablerock experience. When I was a teenager my sister, Chris, took me and my niece, Sara, and my nephew, Dan, on the Tablerock hike. She had hiked it many times for girls camp and always raved about how once you were on the top you felt like you could reach out and touch the Tetons. We made it to the base of the last assent and saw a beautiful cloud. Sara said, "Wouldn't it be cool to be inside a cloud?" Well by the time we made it up the last shale climb to the top, we were in the cloud and couldn't see the hand in front of our face, let alone, "reach out and touch the Tetons." By the time we got out of the storm we couldn't feel our hands or feet. Sara had to have Dan unbutton her 501 jeans so she could go to the bathroom. We thought for sure we were going to die and just hoped my Dad would have the intuition that we were in trouble and send a helicopter to save us.

I have to admit that even though the "lake" was a disappointment, the area we rode through was beautiful. And like Kade pointed out, only a very small percentage of people ever get to see the areas we saw that day. We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful area and have it so close to home.

After resting at the lake we headed back. When we got to one of the main roads I decided to take it back to our truck instead of making another trip across "Hell Mountain" as I will now affectionately call it. Kade told me to just go down the road a ways and then follow it to the right and that it would dump me right out at Kelly Canyon Ski Resort. I did just that. But then there was a fork in the road he didn't mention. So I took the one to the right and before long saw a camp and asked them if this was the road to Kelly Canyon. They told me to go back to the fork and then go back a little further to the other road that went to the right. I did that and rode and rode and rode, clear up the mountain and down again, asking several other people if I was on the right road. No, go this way and that way and I was just going in circles. Finally I ran into the original people who gave me directions and the drove with me to the correct road. Within fifteen minutes I was back at our truck. It just took me an hour to get there. I thought sure the boys would already be there worried about where I was. But they showed up about ten minutes after I did. We ended the ride at about 6:00 p.m. What a day!

So I guess the answer to my Melodramatic title is probably both. I don't think I need to go on anymore all day rides. But after my four wheeler initiation I will get back on and ride again. It won't be for awhile though. My entire body feels bruised and sore. My left shin took the worst hit and I have a big swollen lump right below my knee. Dad hopes it isn't a blood clot. Me, too. Sara get ready just in case!