Back Yard Tracks... Let see em'

[NQ1965]

Now for some pic's of a real backyard track that we pounded a kazillion laps on and where I learned to jump and develop speed and stamina on. The track is owned and built by a close friend of mine. It's been inactive and flattened for some time, but we're in the talks of building it back up again.

The pic's are of my buddy, my son and I, and all pic's taken by my Darling wife Nancy.
When my buddy and I began riding together, I was amazed at how good and clean he rode. He has a lot of natural talent as a rider, and has raced some in the past. He and I pretty quickly matched up in riding abilities, and it made for some really good head to head runs. We had a ton of fun and were always pushing each other. Then my son started riding a 125, and then we both struggled to match up against his youth and quick-learned skills.

I don't have pictures of just the track per say, but a lot of shots of us going at it, and you can see much of the track layout in the background. Most photo's are of the front half of the track, of which we had a back half that was on the other side of the creek. It had turns and berms, and one small double jump, before returning you back to the front.
I also have a helmet cam video that I will load up when I find it.​

 

[NQ1965]

An older Go-Pro video of me riding some solo practice laps at the track, probably getting some warm up in before an upcoming race.

 

[Double D]

Awesome I will post some too

 

[KX514]

That creek jump looks really cool. Pretty good track.

 

[trent56mx]

This picture is from '11. My track but my parent's backyard. Been covered in weeds for 5 years now.

Was easy to maintain when I was younger and lived there riding 80/125s. Bike/track/jumps got bigger, moved one hour away. Hard to stay motivated to keep up on it with so many open practice tracks in NE Ohio.

Very easy to make new friends when people find out you have a decent private track.

 

[NQ1965]

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This picture is from '11. My track but my parent's backyard. Been covered in weeds for 5 years now.
Was easy to maintain when I was younger and lived there riding 80/125s. Bike/track/jumps got bigger, moved one hour away. Hard to stay motivated to keep up on it with so many open practice tracks in NE Ohio. Very easy to make new friends when people find out you have a decent private track.

So, now that you aren't so young anymore, living out in the adult world, are you still going Big Air like that ?

 

[NQ1965]

Mike, what a great topic talking about kids and backyard tracks.
Years and years of fun here without ever knowing what a real motocross track was or riding gear. My kids grew up riding and never made it to a track We sure had a lot of family fun, even my wife got in on the riding action. Thanks for starting my trip down memory lane.

You're welcome Dano. It's always fun looking back on those times, especially now that the kids are all older and living their own lives.

Considering how inspiring it was when you made the mid-life decision to go off and race a motocross race for the 1st time in your life, you showed them the thrill of living a little on the edge. That took courage! And of course the simple joy of riding motorcycles. Memories forever.

Oh, and by the way.... You still owe them that real backyard track for when their back home.

 

[trent56mx]

So, now that you aren't so young anymore, living out in the adult world, are you still going Big Air like that ?

Yeah but not much longer, I'm about 7/8 washed up haha

 

[k01]

Now for some pic's of a real backyard track that we pounded a kazillion laps on and where I learned to jump and develop speed and stamina on. The track is owned and built by a close friend of mine. It's been inactive and flattened for some time, but we're in the talks of building it back up again.

The pic's are of my buddy, my son and I, and all pic's taken by my Darling wife Nancy.
When my buddy and I began riding together, I was amazed at how good and clean he rode. He has a lot of natural talent as a rider, and has raced some in the past. He and I pretty quickly matched up in abilities and riding it made for some really good head to head runs. We had a ton of fun and were always pushing each other. Then my son started riding a 125, and then we both struggled to match up against his youth and quick-learned skills.

I don't have pictures of just the track per say, but a lot of shots of us going at it, and you can see much of the track layout in the background. Most photo's are of the front half of the track, of which we had a back half that was on the other side of the creek. It had turns and berms, and one small double jump, before returning you back to the front.
I also have a helmet cam video that I will load up when I find it.​

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Much of that looks like the lower part of old 5 Brothers GP track, Rt 312, near Bremen, creek jump too. Thought that was what I was seeing when I first looked.

 

[NQ1965]

Back around 2002 or so when we first started riding again, a coworker/friend of mine had a son racing Hare scrambles and GNCC's. I wasn't much into woods riding at the time and certainly wasn't ready for racing, but he talked me into being a course marshal at 5 Brothers.
I remember the creek crossings they had. I also specifically remember them having some pretty steep hill climbs, enough so that they would have to give an alternate (longer) route.

I helped him at 5 Brothers and Hocking Valley M/C club.
Hare Scrambles helped me remember what I really wanted to do was Motocross.

 

[MarctheSharc]

#1 -want the sounds of you 3 ripping 2 strokes so close to each other
# 2 - who's the sleeveless stud?

#3 Trent - Baggies ? maybe LBZ's? ....sic pic

 

[k01]

Back around 2002 or so when we first started riding again, a coworker/friend of mine had a son racing Hare scrambles and GNCC's. I wasn't much into woods riding at the time and certainly wasn't ready for racing, but he talked me into being a course marshal at 5 Brothers.
I remember the creek crossings they had. I also specifically remember them having some pretty steep hill climbs, enough so that they would have to give an alternate (longer) route.

I helped him at 5 Brothers and Hocking Valley M/C club.
Hare Scrambles helped me remember what I really wanted to do was Motocross.

Mike, 5 Brothers used those hills for GP too. You would have loved the Hocking Valley MX track. I road and raced there in the 70's and 80's. Up and down, through and around the woods in those hills. By '02 you could only see remnants of it around the property.

 

[NQ1965]

#1 -want the sounds of you 3 ripping 2 strokes so close to each other
# 2 - who's the sleeveless stud?

Sounds and Vid's of the three of us going at it, I just might have. Not helmet-cam, but she took a lot of video back then. Been wanting to do a short condensed moto scrapbook video for a long time.

Sleeveless Stud (#44) is my buddy Randy. Track owner, life long avid motorcyclist, 50+ moto-soldier and still looks that way today.

Mike, 5 Brothers used those hills for GP too. You would have loved the Hocking Valley MX track. I road and raced there in the 70's and 80's. Up and down, through and around the woods in those hills. By '02 you could only see remnants of it around the property.

I see that Hocking Valley M/C Club still open and operating, (via facebook), how come we never here of anything about them on here? I remember Hocking Valley Club having a.lot of wooded land. Wonder why they don't run GP's there?

 

[trent56mx]

#1 -want the sounds of you 3 ripping 2 strokes so close to each other
# 2 - who's the sleeveless stud?

#3 Trent - Baggies ? maybe LBZ's? ....sic pic

Fly baggies, had shift baggies at an earlier time also, never had LBZ. Wore them for moto and skiing. When the bottoms got tore up from mx I zipped off the lowers and used them as mtb shorts. Threw them away last year because I got tired of looking at them.

 

[NQ1965]

Not exactly local, (or small), but a bad azz private track.

Is This The Worlds Best Back Yard Motocross Track ???

 

[k01]

I see that Hocking Valley M/C Club still open and operating, (via facebook), how come we never here of anything about them on here? I remember Hocking Valley Club having a.lot of wooded land. Wonder why they don't run GP's there?

They did run GP races with Dist 11. Great club and place to race.

 

[NQ1965]

I see they have an active website too, but only host Adventure and Dual Sports rides.

 

[adam63]

A good friend of mine has been playing with the drones recently. He is still flying a little to fast in this vid. but it will give you an idea of what is possible as he learns how to fly slow enough to film the bikes. He is doing this with a racing drone and not one of those big box store things that will fly by themselves.

 

[MarctheSharc]

That track has a huge hit - would like to see more of that.

 

[adam63]