Scorpa 250 Long Rider

When I moved out here eight years ago I had two friends that had gone trials riding with me inside the company I ran at the time called Let's Play. So I bought three Scorpa 250 Long Riders. These are masterful bikes. Well made and in the hands of a good rider can do magic. One friend immediately moved to Austin and the other to Brazil. Then the insurance company forbade me to let guests ride the trials bikes, so I have three trials bikes.

These bikes are geared more like a tractor. My top speed is probably 40 or so and that's wide open in fifth gear. I'm guessing because there are no instrument gauges, no lights, no seat, and a .6 of a gallon gas tank. I had seats put on mine big enough for one cheek or the other and a 1.2 gallon tank. That's not much but they aren't designed for what I'm using them for, long range exploring. Yesterday I filled the tank, carried a gallon of gas on my back, and two 32 ounce Poweraide bottles of gas in a fanny pack. A little over 2.5 gallons total. Two canteens of water, a couple energy bars, small took kit, camera in pocket, Go Pro on baseball cap and there's not much room for anything else. Had I broke down it was a 30 plus miles walk back to here and or a ten plus mile walk out to the highway in Needles where there is little traffic this time of year. There is no phone service, the walkie talkies don't work from that distance, and the low last night was 18. I'm careful as I can be on a road with that many challenges.

Here is one of the amazing machines that allow me to do long range exploring. You ever wanted to feel like you're a big horn sheep dancing in the rocks, this is the way. The last picture is coming out of the canyon to merge with the Chicken Corner road and the short five miles or so back to the lodge.