Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
I think I know about them or at least some of them. I'm pretty sure that they used to camp out at Spinreel at the same time of the year that we did every year, for many years running then one of them discovered the building he/they bought it... or something like that (it’s been a long time). I also think Phil and one of the other Bobs may have been with them at one time but struck out on their own. I think Phil had a buggy business (or something) at one time but I don't think it was there. I pretty much stayed out of a lot that was going on there. I saw Phil several years ago when he came flying up Saunders hill and told us he had just lost his brakes, then grinning he took off again as fast as he could. His front A-arms were so wide that he looked like a 'water skipper' going across the dunes (one of those spider looking things that is so light that they can scoot along the top of the water using the tension of the water to travel on).
There were so many Bobs at one time that they had to have nick-names for them so you know who you were talking about.
Lee
There were so many Bobs at one time that they had to have nick-names for them so you know who you were talking about.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Down at the dunes again and did some checking up on the new laws. I would advise that you get one of the new books before you come here. A new class 4 (side X side) and some new definitions; key words here are 4X4, straddle and handle bars. Using these definitions a Honda Pilot and Odyssey are not ATVs but (probably) classify as side-by-sides as you don't straddle or have handle bars. Some of the other carts fall into the side-by-side type 4 category. Also, during fire season, you are now required to carry a fire extinguisher (2# min) and one gallon of water. I think there is more in there but I haven't read it all yet.
Class II and IV are required to have insurance as well as trucks and the like. It seems very complicated as my wife read it to me as I was writing this. Get the &%$*# book, its free which is cheaper than a ticket.
I was also told that there will be more people patrolling out there and I don't think this is on the dunes only.
Lee
Class II and IV are required to have insurance as well as trucks and the like. It seems very complicated as my wife read it to me as I was writing this. Get the &%$*# book, its free which is cheaper than a ticket.
I was also told that there will be more people patrolling out there and I don't think this is on the dunes only.
Lee
Last edited by Ol'fogasaurus on Wed May 02, 2012 7:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
- kopfenjager
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Good to know.Looking at the new regs online right now.
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
I stopped by and talked to Mo and Shawleen, a short discussion as they were busy stll cleaning up from the storms.
I went into town and talked to the guys at Parkers: they sell the ORV permits as do others' in the area but they also sell RZRs, quads and other toys of pleasure. They were not really aware of the rules as I think they had missed the wording in the manual. To clarify: a lot of class I's are now classified as class IVs because of the seemingly innocuous words: "straddle the seat" and the insets of 'handle bars’ vs. ‘steering wheel'; a nicely worded statement that is far reaching in its application.
Those little go-carts that they sell as 'dune buggies' that have one, two or more seats are now class II's and require the 2# fire extinguisher and the water requirement. They also have steering wheels which is additional pressure to put them in the class II category. There are several other marginal buggies out of China that now fit into the same class II category. Oh, and all of them require insurance and there are operator rules for them as well as the others that could eliminate certain ages to not be able to drive them. As I said, you need to get the 55 page book and go though it just as the Rangers and law enforcement will do.
The "fire season" rule to carry 1 gallon of water is going to take some planning although in the sand it is less thought of as necessary but again, we do ride through the trees on sand trails.
Lee
I went into town and talked to the guys at Parkers: they sell the ORV permits as do others' in the area but they also sell RZRs, quads and other toys of pleasure. They were not really aware of the rules as I think they had missed the wording in the manual. To clarify: a lot of class I's are now classified as class IVs because of the seemingly innocuous words: "straddle the seat" and the insets of 'handle bars’ vs. ‘steering wheel'; a nicely worded statement that is far reaching in its application.
Those little go-carts that they sell as 'dune buggies' that have one, two or more seats are now class II's and require the 2# fire extinguisher and the water requirement. They also have steering wheels which is additional pressure to put them in the class II category. There are several other marginal buggies out of China that now fit into the same class II category. Oh, and all of them require insurance and there are operator rules for them as well as the others that could eliminate certain ages to not be able to drive them. As I said, you need to get the 55 page book and go though it just as the Rangers and law enforcement will do.
The "fire season" rule to carry 1 gallon of water is going to take some planning although in the sand it is less thought of as necessary but again, we do ride through the trees on sand trails.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Quick note about changes in the southern Oregon dunes:
The Riley Ranch now has an entrance bridge. The trail to the dunes is lined with barbed wire (thanks greenies for the safety item. The road is narrow, one lane and is between two (currently) sand lakes (water table lakes). There are better barriers in some now closed area to keep people from going down into the RR area and putting sand and themselves on the tracks.
The RR area at Box Car hill has barriers by the tracks to keep the sand off the tracks. The rest of the hill is back open.
The Hauser access has been changed and the trail does not allow access to some areas. The greenies have closed more of the dunes so the tree's area is out of bounds I guess. The greenies are writing a lot of tickets and are enjoying it too much. More people are now being hired to police the recreational area users. They are holding meetings on changes but not letting people know about them so no opposition input.
There looks to be a private area that is being worked on.
A new class of vehicles (which I think I have already talked about but I will fill in later (if I already haven’t done it).
The security station at the Riley Ranch is where a sheriff lives. He, as I understand it is the authority of what the Oregon Legislature does. I haven’t talked to him myself but he seems to be accessible.
Lee
The Riley Ranch now has an entrance bridge. The trail to the dunes is lined with barbed wire (thanks greenies for the safety item. The road is narrow, one lane and is between two (currently) sand lakes (water table lakes). There are better barriers in some now closed area to keep people from going down into the RR area and putting sand and themselves on the tracks.
The RR area at Box Car hill has barriers by the tracks to keep the sand off the tracks. The rest of the hill is back open.
The Hauser access has been changed and the trail does not allow access to some areas. The greenies have closed more of the dunes so the tree's area is out of bounds I guess. The greenies are writing a lot of tickets and are enjoying it too much. More people are now being hired to police the recreational area users. They are holding meetings on changes but not letting people know about them so no opposition input.
There looks to be a private area that is being worked on.
A new class of vehicles (which I think I have already talked about but I will fill in later (if I already haven’t done it).
The security station at the Riley Ranch is where a sheriff lives. He, as I understand it is the authority of what the Oregon Legislature does. I haven’t talked to him myself but he seems to be accessible.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
We’ve been down on the dunes for a week now and up to last night we have had OK to very warm weather. It has been raining almost steady from about midnight on and not one has been on the dunes. The rain is supposed to continue on at least through the weekend.
Because it has been so wet so far this year, the mosquitos are very bad. I was building a hitch to match a three-wheeler to a Craftsman dump trailer.
You wouldn’t have thought it but it took 2 ½ days of work to get this done. I was using scrap metal and the cost of 4 10X1.25 mm bolts and a 5/8” drill bit was about all I had to buy.
By the time I got some DEEP on me I had been poked by the mosquitos so much I got a histamine reaction and all my joints, muscles, tendons were so sore and sensitive that I haven’t been able to do anything like rebuild the carb on my buggy which needs to be done before I can go out.
This turned out to be a breakdown visit more than a ride visit to the dunes. The grass has grown so fast that it will have to be mowed before we leave Monday (if the rain stops anyway).
Lee
Because it has been so wet so far this year, the mosquitos are very bad. I was building a hitch to match a three-wheeler to a Craftsman dump trailer.
You wouldn’t have thought it but it took 2 ½ days of work to get this done. I was using scrap metal and the cost of 4 10X1.25 mm bolts and a 5/8” drill bit was about all I had to buy.
By the time I got some DEEP on me I had been poked by the mosquitos so much I got a histamine reaction and all my joints, muscles, tendons were so sore and sensitive that I haven’t been able to do anything like rebuild the carb on my buggy which needs to be done before I can go out.
This turned out to be a breakdown visit more than a ride visit to the dunes. The grass has grown so fast that it will have to be mowed before we leave Monday (if the rain stops anyway).
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Got to the dune yesterday afternoon; the weather for driving was spectacular and by that I don’t remember seeing a cloud in the sky once the sun came up (8 hr drive). Once here I went to talk with some friends to get some help unloading something and catch-up on the gossip (so-to-speak); I found out that one of the guys I know fell off a ladder at his house while working on his gutters and fell off the ladder landing on a rock (I don’t know how big or small it was) and broke his pelvis. Not good for someone my age. Also got caught up on some other things but that was the main topic worth talking about.
We had to go into North Bend/Coos Bay and got slowed down by some bicycle riders; there is a sign saying for them to walk their bikes across using the side walk but you know at least one of them didn’t. I am not sure that the bridge is designed to handle that many fully loaded logging trucks moving at less than 10 mph over the whole north end of the span. It was a picture perfect site though as there was a fog bank coming up the channel and it slowly blew across the mid-span of the bridge. Talk about you’re “smoke on the water: but this was a clean but not transparent white not dirty colored. The bridge is two lanes and you could not see the traffic in the opposing lane or much farther in front of you either.
A slight wind just came up but not enough to blow the mosquitoes away. I am going to look like I have measles by dinner time.
The camping areas we could see were pretty much empty and I don’t hear anything out on the dunes. I think most people would give their left gonad to be out there right now.
Lee
We had to go into North Bend/Coos Bay and got slowed down by some bicycle riders; there is a sign saying for them to walk their bikes across using the side walk but you know at least one of them didn’t. I am not sure that the bridge is designed to handle that many fully loaded logging trucks moving at less than 10 mph over the whole north end of the span. It was a picture perfect site though as there was a fog bank coming up the channel and it slowly blew across the mid-span of the bridge. Talk about you’re “smoke on the water: but this was a clean but not transparent white not dirty colored. The bridge is two lanes and you could not see the traffic in the opposing lane or much farther in front of you either.
A slight wind just came up but not enough to blow the mosquitoes away. I am going to look like I have measles by dinner time.
The camping areas we could see were pretty much empty and I don’t hear anything out on the dunes. I think most people would give their left gonad to be out there right now.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Sorry to here about your friend breaking his pelvis... Stay off of the ladder.
Need to get a bigger skeeter swatter, I hate them little B@$t@rd$. They find me in the middle of the desert and I am the only one they will bother......
Enjoy the stay.
Mike
Need to get a bigger skeeter swatter, I hate them little B@$t@rd$. They find me in the middle of the desert and I am the only one they will bother......
Enjoy the stay.
Mike
Jackpot motorsports
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
We thin skinned people have to be bothered by something so the little blood suckers, when they smell blood attack; hmmm sounds just like politicians doesn't it. I think the season for them is just about over, the ones I saw were small and it was cool enough out that they were flying slowly. It has been so dry hear on the left coast that there has been a spate of forest and brush fires; since the mosquitos usually are nesting in the grass and the grass is brown and breaks easily, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of young female blood suckers that fly up when I cut or walk through the grass. I still haven’t done the hill part which is under trees which usually has a lot of the tiny little vampires sitting in ambush.
The weather guessers are calling for liquid sunshine by this weekend but just when is going to happen is still up-in-the-air. It is sounding like whatever is coming in is going to be at least as low as the northern part of CA and north up the coast. Seattle is calling for it on the weekend and here they are talking about it coming in either Thursday or Friday so we are doing all the outside stuff now.
Today is my day to get up on the ladder and clean gutters (the north side is a 20'+ drop so you have to clean from on top of the roof. When I know I have to do it I usually let my fingernails and toenails grow so that when I take off my shoes and lay down on my tummy to clean those gutters I have some traction aids). My friend was doing gutters also; he was installing some new foam product that allows water to go though the foam (as I understood it) but keeps the needles and leaves out. Not completely sure but "Talking Bob" (there are several guys named Bob in that very loose group so you have to differentiate which Bob you are talking about) said he was the one who had told my friend about them; my friend had bought several boxes of them and was installing them.
We are waiting for the temperature to come up so it dries up any dew that has fallen which has been a lot less than normal. When the on shore flow came in about 3:30 yesterday afternoon you could feel the moisture in the air, it was like walking in a low cloud when you were in the mountains. You could occasionally feel big drops fall on you so there was some sheen to the grass; not much but probably just enough to feed the little vampirettes.
Anyway, it is clear and sunny and I cannot see a cloud in the sky so if you have plans to enjoy the dunes… hurry!
Lee
The sooner you get behind, the more time you have to catch up. (author unknown but possibly Garrison Keeler)
The weather guessers are calling for liquid sunshine by this weekend but just when is going to happen is still up-in-the-air. It is sounding like whatever is coming in is going to be at least as low as the northern part of CA and north up the coast. Seattle is calling for it on the weekend and here they are talking about it coming in either Thursday or Friday so we are doing all the outside stuff now.
Today is my day to get up on the ladder and clean gutters (the north side is a 20'+ drop so you have to clean from on top of the roof. When I know I have to do it I usually let my fingernails and toenails grow so that when I take off my shoes and lay down on my tummy to clean those gutters I have some traction aids). My friend was doing gutters also; he was installing some new foam product that allows water to go though the foam (as I understood it) but keeps the needles and leaves out. Not completely sure but "Talking Bob" (there are several guys named Bob in that very loose group so you have to differentiate which Bob you are talking about) said he was the one who had told my friend about them; my friend had bought several boxes of them and was installing them.
We are waiting for the temperature to come up so it dries up any dew that has fallen which has been a lot less than normal. When the on shore flow came in about 3:30 yesterday afternoon you could feel the moisture in the air, it was like walking in a low cloud when you were in the mountains. You could occasionally feel big drops fall on you so there was some sheen to the grass; not much but probably just enough to feed the little vampirettes.
Anyway, it is clear and sunny and I cannot see a cloud in the sky so if you have plans to enjoy the dunes… hurry!
Lee
The sooner you get behind, the more time you have to catch up. (author unknown but possibly Garrison Keeler)
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
It’s been a while but it is our turn to do site maintenance down here. We left at O'dark-thirty this morning and made Portland about 9:20 am. We rain into rain starting at Vancouver WA and it continued off and on the rest of the way to Coos Bay/North Bend. The hills and mountains were a photographer's dream as the clouds were in the low spots climbing the sides of the hills and mountains, and the low spots, between the mountains, along the rivers were foggy w/rain; like clouds sitting on the deck. It is expected that there will be showers through Wednesday with them dropping off as you got closer to Wednesday.
I was busy driving (actually trying to see the road through the low clouds, rain, and the water thrown up by other vehicles and big trucks) but the wifie-poo got to see a bunch of Elk as we passed the Elk viewing area; most of them were under the trees but a few were out feeding. I think she saw 20+ elk but again, I was busy driving so I couldn’t see much.
The sand on the dunes is heavy because of all the rain; the rivers and ground water lakes are up and showing. We heard some two and four-stroke quads out on the dunes for a while until the low clouds/misty rain came back in.
Wifie-poo and I took 3 over flowing and one half full wheel barrow loads of pine needles (the 1” short kind) and pine cones off the driveway; there must have been a couple of good wind storms here.
Not the best weather for riding but then there are not a lot of people out there either.
Lee
I was busy driving (actually trying to see the road through the low clouds, rain, and the water thrown up by other vehicles and big trucks) but the wifie-poo got to see a bunch of Elk as we passed the Elk viewing area; most of them were under the trees but a few were out feeding. I think she saw 20+ elk but again, I was busy driving so I couldn’t see much.
The sand on the dunes is heavy because of all the rain; the rivers and ground water lakes are up and showing. We heard some two and four-stroke quads out on the dunes for a while until the low clouds/misty rain came back in.
Wifie-poo and I took 3 over flowing and one half full wheel barrow loads of pine needles (the 1” short kind) and pine cones off the driveway; there must have been a couple of good wind storms here.
Not the best weather for riding but then there are not a lot of people out there either.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
We've been down here for a few days doing catch up work. One of the other guys was down here a couple of weeks ago and we are finishing up part of what they did and doing some more spring yard keeping.
We started out with rain and then mixed rain and sun. The dunes are heavy because of all the rain but there are people out on the sand. We had to do to North Bend today so we stopped by Horsfall to see how busy it was there. Just as we were coming in we met an ambulance and two medic aid vehicles coming out of the day use area. The camping area was less than half full and nothing but quads, three-wheelers and a couple of side-by-sides. One of the guys we know blew a head gasket on his turbo RZR and the other one did something to the left front suspension.
We had some sun but now it is overcast but the dunes are trying to dry out.
Lee
We started out with rain and then mixed rain and sun. The dunes are heavy because of all the rain but there are people out on the sand. We had to do to North Bend today so we stopped by Horsfall to see how busy it was there. Just as we were coming in we met an ambulance and two medic aid vehicles coming out of the day use area. The camping area was less than half full and nothing but quads, three-wheelers and a couple of side-by-sides. One of the guys we know blew a head gasket on his turbo RZR and the other one did something to the left front suspension.
We had some sun but now it is overcast but the dunes are trying to dry out.
Lee
- Big Dave
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
I swear we are going to make it up there with the baja one of these days. I've been to Winchester Bay many times since I was a kid, but I want to go and stay a while and camp out with some STFers
I don't always show my signature. But when I do, it's in this area.
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
Just a couple hours drive for us, let us know what the plans are.Big Dave wrote:I swear we are going to make it up there with the baja one of these days. I've been to Winchester Bay many times since I was a kid, but I want to go and stay a while and camp out with some STFers
Mike
Jackpot motorsports
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
We finally made it to the dunes again after a stop in Bend OR to go to my youngest stepson's graduation from nursing school (his second degree). The weather there after the driving day was hot and a lot of sun burned grads were had at the outside ceremony. The trip was fraught with rain, hail and an ice storm that turned the north bound lane of the road to Prineville into a skating rink where several cars spun-out and played bumper cars. Three hurt but not seriously according to the news.
The trip here yesterday was long but mostly sunny until we hit the coast then it clouded over. Most everyone was here and I nhad my work already done for me... I don't know what to do now.
I did get the buggy started and I may not have to rebuild a carb or two. After taking off the outerwear (found two tears in the driver's side outer wear (The bug Germinator is closed on Sun and Mon) and the filters need to be cleaned but it I did get it stared and it runs OK other than I still got a periodic pop when idling but it could be plugs too as it had been a long time since they were changed.
One of the guys smoked an engine in his Pilot and spent the winter tearing down the Pilot and its engine. W/o going into a lot of detail he did a smoking job on the rebuild and it sounded great. A bunch of them went out to break the engine in but he got towed back w/in an hour. It looks like he smoked the engine again and it is sounding like the fan may not be working or the sensor my have been the original problem but anyway it goes, it goes back home... again. When he got down here he had a compression of 150+#s when he got back ~95#s and it takes 100# to fire the engine.
One of the other guys tried to off his self out on the dunes too but as luck would have it his luck held and he only needed to do an easy fix on his two-wheeler.
The same guy took his quad out and back again on a rope. Lucky this time as it was fouled plugs.
Weather is overcast/high clouds with periodic sune breaks and swirling winds. I haven't been out on the dunes yet but I will get a sand condition before too long and report.
Lee
The trip here yesterday was long but mostly sunny until we hit the coast then it clouded over. Most everyone was here and I nhad my work already done for me... I don't know what to do now.
I did get the buggy started and I may not have to rebuild a carb or two. After taking off the outerwear (found two tears in the driver's side outer wear (The bug Germinator is closed on Sun and Mon) and the filters need to be cleaned but it I did get it stared and it runs OK other than I still got a periodic pop when idling but it could be plugs too as it had been a long time since they were changed.
One of the guys smoked an engine in his Pilot and spent the winter tearing down the Pilot and its engine. W/o going into a lot of detail he did a smoking job on the rebuild and it sounded great. A bunch of them went out to break the engine in but he got towed back w/in an hour. It looks like he smoked the engine again and it is sounding like the fan may not be working or the sensor my have been the original problem but anyway it goes, it goes back home... again. When he got down here he had a compression of 150+#s when he got back ~95#s and it takes 100# to fire the engine.
One of the other guys tried to off his self out on the dunes too but as luck would have it his luck held and he only needed to do an easy fix on his two-wheeler.
The same guy took his quad out and back again on a rope. Lucky this time as it was fouled plugs.
Weather is overcast/high clouds with periodic sune breaks and swirling winds. I haven't been out on the dunes yet but I will get a sand condition before too long and report.
Lee
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Re: Report from the southern Oregon Dunes
The sun is out, it is warm (not sure of the temperature but a sweat shirt is getting too hot to wear), the wind is from the south (this time of the year it is usually from the north), the dunes are drying out and fluffy with wet sand several inches down. There are "toys" out now as we can hear them, mostly quads and (probably) type 4's; e.g., side X sides. I haven't been through the camping sites yet so I don't know how full they are for sure but I would try to save a spot on line if you are planning on coming down.
I got some 'Outerwares' this morning from The Bug Germinator... yellow (others colors are coming in later in the week) but I don't care. I washed the filters and they are currently drying but I think they need to be replaced as they are well over 20 years old and dimpled and bent in the filter area. the "Outerwares" were in worse case than I though, the one tear turned out to be two tears and I am still finding worn through spots in some places on the sides of the covers.
Lee
I got some 'Outerwares' this morning from The Bug Germinator... yellow (others colors are coming in later in the week) but I don't care. I washed the filters and they are currently drying but I think they need to be replaced as they are well over 20 years old and dimpled and bent in the filter area. the "Outerwares" were in worse case than I though, the one tear turned out to be two tears and I am still finding worn through spots in some places on the sides of the covers.
Lee