Riding with a Legend

Ten days ago I was fortunate enough to riding with my buddy Jim Rice (of On Any Sunday fame) in California. We went down to Jim's 'home track', Hollister Hills for a day of trail riding.

CRFs packed and ready for a day in the dirt

What an incredible place! It is huuuuge! Filled with single-tracks, switch-backs, MX tracks, hill climbs and mad trails... oh... and a TT track thrown in for good measure! Cost: $5 parking for the day.

Jim telling some race stories on the way

It's some of the best dirt riding I've ever done. The facility is specifically for dirt-bikeing and brilliantly kitted out and maintained. Makes anything I have been to in the UK look like a hovel run by bandits.

The 'day-paddock' area... trails extend into the distant hills... one could get lost in there and never get found!

The Americanos like thier jumps and after the first half-hour 'warm-up' on some of the wider trails, I'd done more jumps than I've done in my entire life!

Turn 1 on the TT track... hillclimb in the distance

Jim is one hell of rider and blindingly fast - I was playing catch up the whole day. We finished off the days riding with a few laps around the TT track where Jim used to race 650 'Scramblers'. Of course, being racers...it landed up being a sprightly affair. Actually... most of the day was like this!

The best darn lunch I've ever had out riding! Homemade cherry-pie was deeeeeelicious!

A fantastic day just riding and hanging out with Jim. Man, I sure wish I lived 6000 miles closer and could do this more often. Thanks Jim for an awesome time! We must do it again soon :-)


Food for the soul!

Great riding and great company under sunny California skies... what a day!