Turned out to be a GREAT trip for us...first time at Dumont for New Year's. Arrived Thurs. late afternoon, pretty windy still but not too bad. Hung out at camp, movie night. (Forgot the popcorn, dammit!) Got lots of riding in on Friday, even let the kids take their quads to comp that night, traffic wasn't bad at all!! Saturday was awesome! Sunny and warm, couldn't have been better! Made it to the S. Pole to meet up with the DDR peeps....nice to finally meet desertskyz in person...and see some familiar faces from the Xmas party. Bunches of riders; buggies, quads, Rhinos, 2 wheelers, had them all!!
Me and the kiddos made it to the N. pole from there, sat and watched as folks started rollin' in, but Davey did not. Waited...and waited...but still NO Davey! Finally got the call, "Where you at?!" "We're here, where are you?!" He was stranded somewhere behind the little hills west of the N. pole. Banshee blow'd up on the way out! He was left behind. A complete stranger on a black Honda found me at the pole and took Chase and Jon to go to the rescue!! You guys ROCK!! No hesitation, just hopped on your quads and took off! Can't thank you enough for helpin' out...Chase, you da man!! Needless to say, our DDR ride ended there. I took the kiddos back to camp. Thank goodness my oldest, Justin, had come out Sat. morning with his buddy to join us. He drove his truck out to get Davey and his busted quad.
Still partied out at comp Sat. night...loaded up the trucks and drove out. The rangers were thick out there! Watched a CHP unit pull over some dude in a p-up (he hadn't turned on his headlights, duh! BIG clue, I'm drunk!) They hauled his a$$ off in handcuffs. Some close calls on the hill that night, a buggy flipped, but no ambulance rides that I know of.
Some observations:
1. LOTS of people head to the dunes for New Years
2. DDR peeps ride REALLY REALLY fast!
3. Coals under your chair is the BOMB!
4. Long johns are a must for night riding
5. Never again forget the popcorn
6. Smoking anywhere near a campfire is redundant
7. Oven mits can and WILL catch fire
8. My little ol' flare light will light the way home, even in thick dust
9. My new flagpole/flags ROCK
10. Rhinoking knows my Justin from way back when! COOL (small world)
Thanks again to Chase and Jon...they went above and beyond to help a guy out!