Croom Riding Area

[mrbones]

My Mother is kind of like that, but my Dad goes to bed at 6:00am! I ended up some where in the middle.

[dt]

I got a new camera…














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[dt]

Hmmmm. Looks like my license plate got introduced to my new tire today.


Dang, sorry you need to keep looking at this dirt bike. I’ll take one of my others up sometime for a change in scenery. Hey, or maybe one of you can post yours. 

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[dt]

Shots from Croom today…



















Had a nice Ryan Villopoto style endo today. Those are always fun.Came up a little short on a jump I’ve only done 200 times. Nothing broke on the bike, though. Guess I’m still getting used to the bike.  

[maureen]

Glad you're alright! I'm on the hunt for two wheels again so maybe I'll be seeing you out there soon! 

[dt]

To be honest, I now ride mostly like that dude on the Husky in the other thread. I got the new bike to support that. It’s definitely a lot tamer than my YZ250F and YZ426F before that, etc down the line, and much friendlier. After all, I’m turning 51 on Wednesday and hope to extend my riding for many more years. Nonetheless, I’ve come to expect an occasional fall riding in the dirt (I mean sand). Endos are rare, and admittedly stupid; what usually gets me is a deep rut or catching the tip of the handle on tree.

That’s why I always dress well, and wish everyone else I see out there did similarly. That very day I was wearing an EVS Revo5 chest/back protector (with shoulder pads), with the attached EVS RC3 collar. I also wear a FAMMZ Kidney/lower back belt and rigid forearm/elbow guards. All my pants have knee and hip pads, and I alternate between high and shorty boots, depending on how hot it is. The Icon shorties aren’t as much protection, but they rise well above the ankle. Obviously, a helmet and goggles are staples, and are required by the State in all riding areas. Even with all that, I’ve had quite a few injuries (from minor to serious) over the years; could have been much worse without the gear.

Sorry to ramble. It was a good opportunity to promote wearing gear out on the trail. You’ve seen what some of those kids wear out there. 

[maureen]

I agree. Wearing gear is the easiest thing that you can do to prevent major injuries! My boots saved my ankle last year when I went tumbling with a bike! Thank God that I am able to think clearly in those moments, so I actually threw my weight with the bike as well and was able to prevent being snapped like a twig at the ankle!  I could go on and on about how gear has saved my a$$ (literally--hip pads are wonderful) but I'll just leave it at I agree with you!

Even if I were just riding like the guy in the Husky video, I'd be a hell of a lot better of than I am right now...bikeless! I'm on the hunt though


I can't wait to get out there. Richloam also looked very interesting.

[dt]

I was getting the bike ready for tomorrow and just remembered that there were a bunch of signs up at Croom last week that they’re closing the riding area for the month of August to pave the road from the front back to the camping area. They’d already started widening the road last week. Imagine that!

[mrbones]

A paved road? Did Hell freeze over?

[dt]

I have been neglecting my dirt time for the last three weeks due to trips and work and whatnot. But I put some serious suspension mods on the G last weekend so I needed to get out and see how they work. I was surprised to see that the road work has gone nowhere, in probably two months. There were no crews or equipment doing anything today. Overall, I’d say that they may be only halfway done widening the road. That is, it’s widened only about half way up to the campgrounds. The other reason I wanted to get out was because I understood that they were going to shut the riding area down for the month of August. I don’t think so, based on what I saw. Here are some shots of the road up to about just after the big curve before the Hammock day area. The last photo is about what the whole road was like three or four months ago.

[dt]

Today’s topic: Gloves.

Gloves:  A subtopic of Gear, gloves are a brilliant invention designed to protect ones hands whilst, among other things, riding motorcycles and ATVs. What can happen when you don’t wear gloves? Well, by way of example, yesterday two families (seven people, neighbors from a town that will go unmentioned) loaded into the Croom Motorcycle Area with their ATVs and parked aways but an earshot from me (I learned later that it was their first time at this treacherous facility). Nothing unusual, they arrived mid morning and I ran my final loop around the place just after they arrived. When I returned and was getting ready to load up my bike, two times one of the women flew into the day area frantically yelling that someone was hurt and bleeding “bad!” After the second time, and on my observation that no one seemed like they we’re doing or were going to do too much, I cranked the G back up, rode over and asked if I could help. The lady explained that another lady (turned out to be a 58 yo) had wrecked an ATV back in the forest…then points in the general direction (okay, there are 2700 acres of forest in that direction)…and was bleeding, again bad. Since searching the forest didn’t seem like a good idea given the potential situation, I told them to take me too her and proceeded to follow one of their ATVs on my dirt bike out into the forest to where the lady was standing…covered in blood on one side, from the shoulder of her loose fitting sleeveless blouse, down to her shorts, along her bare/unprotected legs and on to her previously white tennis shoes, no socks. Quite an amazing site, indeed. I asked her if I could see the wound, which was clearly her hand as she had it covered with a bloody white towel. She didn’t respond, so as she teetered precariously side to side, woosy from the blood loss, I lifted the towel and…well, let’s just say my first thought was to get her back to the day use area and get an ambulance called, which we promptly did, but not before asking two young guys in their group to look around for the rest of it. Fast forward, the Hernando EMT was on site in an absolutely impressive ten minutes and off she went to Brooksville Regional. This is not the whole story; there was so much fail in this incident that to properly describe it, I’d certainly overload mrbones server. So, I’ll just stick to the topic…gloves protect your hands, wear ‘em.

[dcameras]

gloves protect your hands, wear ‘em.

preach on brother, preach on

[mrbones]

Some people learn the hard way.

two young guys in their group to look around for the rest of it

Look for what? A piece of finger?

I was just looking at gloves yesterday. I found a nice fitting off-road glove at Wal-Mart made by Fuel. I'm quick to judge Wal-Mart sold gloves as crap, but these were nice with some kind of gel sewn into the palm. I'd say they're nicer than my $40 Fox gloves at 1/2 the cost. I might go back and get them after all.

[dt]

It was the better part of the back of her hand.

So where have you been hiding, anyway?

[dt]

I couldn’t ride last week because of work, but I hit the trails early this morning. The good news is no one got themselves all trashed this week. Weather was excellent…actually cool early this morning…I guess that’s good news too. Update on the road: Nothing, they haven’t done a thing.

I haven’t had the camera out for a long time so I took it today. Tucked it in my tail bag and then proceeded to totally forget I had it, until when I was just about done for the day. Here’s a shot down in the very southwest corner, right next to I-75.



Here are a few more:

[da34613]

hi new to riding and none of my friends have off road toys.been to croom a couple times but i would like to go with some who know knows there way around.im free most weekday if there is anybody interested.feel free to email me..thanks

[tpastorjay]

Hello, I am new to the forum but have spent a lot of time in Croom over the years and hope to be there more often in the future. I am 65 years old and as of late have been racing motocross with Florida Vintage Motocross. I am recovering from injuries incurred while racing a TT event in Ocala. Maybe it is time to get back in the woods and just enjoy riding again for a while.

[da34613]

well if your ever up for riding during the week i can join you.i have no idea around croom and would like to see it.

[dt]

Welcome to the forum da34613! I’m glad to joined.

The good thing about Croom is that there are a couple principal trails (A that runs right down the middle north-south on the west side of the road and R that runs north-south on the east side of the road) that will always give you a point of reference. Plus there are perimeter trails that you always know you’ll run into. Our admin mrbones created a real cool satellite map with points of interest. It’s over in his ATV Forum… LINK. Check it out.

[da34613]

anybody for croom this week?im new to riding just want see trails and stuff..

[gearhead400]

I drove by croom last weekend when I was picking up my new bike at wesley chapel. Couldn't believe it when I saw those...road machines on the main road!

Refering back to the first page, no, those pictures don't do that old mine justice! I went in there as an amateur on a quad and came out with my handlebars mangled as well as my face where the handlebars had come through my helmet. It was easy in, hard out back then. Those trails seem to change shape every month though.

 

[mrbones]

Hey gearhead, I know you. Welcome sir!

Yeah, the amount of rain we get can also change the trails, too. That's sometimes good, sometimes bad.