Welch Weekend

Disclaimer: This ride report will not contain a whole lot of details, due to the fact I have very little clue as to where we rode. I'm guessing the Brainiac Brothers will be able to share the Garmin and Google details at some point. I'll just ramble a little about our ride. Stay tuned for upcoming (useful) details...

OK. This is what I know... A good ole boy from Carolina that Gump, Ruger and Wacker had ridden with before was wanting some company to ride with this past weekend. He grew up in Welch, still has two quads with a relative there and knows the mountains quite well. Eager to add to their trail-map library, Ruger and WackDaddyO agreed to meet up with him. Wi-Fee and I were also free this past weekend, so we gladly tagged along. We all arrived at the Pocahontas Motel in Welch Friday evening. Spring had definately sprung in W.Va. Very pleasant temps. Flowers were blooming. Even saw a few crabapple trees in bloom. The trip was already a success for Wi-Fee. Spring flowers and greenery make her a happy girl.

Saturday morning we all met Carolina Guy at the Sterling Drive Inn for a good breakfast. After the proper fillup, it was time to head for the mountains. The temps were a little chilly starting out...(insert Midget jab here). It had rained the night before, leaving the trails in perfect riding condition. Ahhhh, yes. What a great idea this was! Very nice riding. A good mixture of woods and lease road trails. Easy cruising trails. Technical rocky switchbacks. Plenty of slippery mud too. The woods though still mostly brown was very scenic. Spring runoff had the streams flowing full and clear. Mountain waterfalls were numerous also. We stopped for lunch (yep, no kidding) in, uhhh... maybe a town called War. Some pizza place. Very good food and iced tea(says Wi-Fee). My pizza was extra good. Also a spotlessly clean kitchen for those that like that sort of thing. Day one mileage +/- 125 miles.

Sunday morning was a little cooler than the previous day. Had to wipe frost off the seats before heading off to breakfast. But just like Saturday, it warmed up enough in the afternoon that two or three shirts kept you warm. Getting way back in the mountains, like we were, showed a different side of WV. If any of you in QCR land know someone that really wants to go off the grid, we can offer some suggestions. We are talking several miles beyond the middle of nowhere. Beautiful country. Very difficult to get to. Lunch on Sunday was just outside Gilbert at The Blue Moon. Chicken and burger sandwiches, fresh cut fries, and nachos. All were very good. Before ordering, we made a call to our friends PL and The Mayor but they weren't home. As we were getting ready to head back to the trails, they just happen to drive by, spotted us, and pulled in for a chat. After a nice visit we were off. Looking forward to our stay with the Livingood's next month. Day two mileage +/- 150 miles. My Grizz odometer is sitting on 275. Two very full days of riding. The weather was perfect. The trails and scenery were great. So was the company we rode with. We had a really good time.

Thanks for letting us tag along!
Wi-Fee and PP



I'm having technical issues with pictures...New laptop. Old brain.


More ramblings...

Burning question: How long can one dog bark? Answer: We may never know...

Toughest Rider Award: No contest! GUG~ I can't imagine (not even for a little bit)covering the miles we covered on her old-school 450 Honda.

Best Rant: Wacker~ After getting sprayed by the deoderizer while washing his hands. Wacker also gets the "Magnet" award.

King of Smart Aleck Responses: Ruger~ He's good. Really good.

Favorite Scare Victim(ambush style): Switchback Roller~ Glad she didn't drop her beverages. "Let's Be Friends"

Best quotes:

Carolinaism: "If you take your quad over that edge, you can go ahead and cancel Christmas."

Rugerism: "This ride is so covert, we can't go back into town until after dark!"

"A Good Time Was Had By All"

Good Stuff PP!!

Great ride report; enjoyed reading about all your experiences. Thanks for sharing.

Prairie Pounder wrote:

Day two mileage +/- 150 miles. My Grizz odometer is sitting on 275. Two very full days of riding. The weather was perfect. The trails and scenery were great. So was the company we rode with. We had a really good time.

Who loves a 150+ mile day? .....

Sounds like fun: did you get to see the badge?
Wacker i bet you didnt touch the walls did ya?
Rippin and tearin!
War the town has the best pizza shop her cheesesteaks are the best

Sounds like everyone had a good and safe time.
After reading this-- I WANT TO RIDE!!!!! (i feel better now )

Thanks for sharing.

Well done PP
BUT I still owe you ONE

It was a great trip. Nice weather and great trails. Night ridding was a new experience. Thanks Ruger and Wacker

Nice trip, nice report.
Actually- funny report. Great quotes. Laughed aloud.

Gump- War, what is it good for?....cheesesteaks....agreed!

Nice ride report PP. Sounds like everyone had a good time. Glad to see folks get out and enjoy the great weekend weather.

We had a high Mileage weekend too, about 660 total. Stopped in Athens Oh. Sat morning and dropped off a part for bev's new Patio door, for her Sunroom. Then it was on to Ky for a friends 80th birthday party, and visiting with several friends. Then back home on Sunday evening.

Sounds like a nice trip.

Nice Pictures. Thanks for sharing

Nice photos & report -- glad everyone had a nice time.

Nice ride, nice report, nice quotes!
Thanks for sharing.

You couldnt have picked a better weekend.

Good reports, glad everyone had a great time & the weather was so good
150 MI. DAY & 275 total is two good days of riding.
A good break in for GUG’s Honda

Quote :

Toughest Rider Award: No contest! GUG~ I can't imagine (not even for a little bit)covering the miles we covered on her old-school 450 Honda.

Also looks like no lack of good Food & Friendship as usual

Credit where credit is due...pp should have been a journalism major with his style and expertise. Not to take anything from others that post ride reports, but the bar is set high when pp writes. There is just something about his renderings that demand attention! Very enjoyable, pp. (or does "wif-ee" do this?!) Just one mans opinion.

polarislover wrote:

Credit where credit is due...pp should have been a journalism major with his style and expertise. Not to take anything from others that post ride reports, but the bar is set high when pp writes. There is just something about his renderings that demand attention! Very enjoyable, pp. (or does "wagreed very good.if-ee" do this?!) Just one mans opinion.

I agree. I usually don't hang out with people of this caliber I usualy like to hang out with people of a dumber caliber. makes me look like the smarter 1

PL your right... everyone talked about some sort of ride report several times throughout the weekend and we all thought it was in good hands with PrairiePounder being along to document the memories. He does a nice job putting "pen to paper" (PP) and pointing out multiply things that would normally go un-noticed.

Switchback 1st visit to the Sterling ~ Lined up ready to roll ~ Wi-Fee coming up the mountain.


Crossing a creek somewhere up Raysal Hollow ~ You run your quad off here you can cancel Christmas


GUG & Wacker on High Rock ~ Break time at the goldfish pond


Headed toward Bonnies ~ Creek Crossing down by the Tug Fork ~ Who loves riding at night?


This ride was so covert we had to come back in the dark

wacker wrote:

PL your right... everyone talked about some sort of ride report several times throughout the weekend and we all thought it was in good hands with PrairiePounder being along to document the memories. He does a nice job putting "pen to paper" (PP) and pointing out multiply things that would normally go un-noticed.

It was a unanimous decision that's for sure.

Thanks Ruger

Nice ride report PP and pictures. Sounds like ya'll had a good time.