We met at the motor home bright and early. Jimmy led us to a deep wash full of heavy sand and we learned, one by one, how to ride in it. Along the way, nearly everyone fell, which was a great opportunity for people to learn to pick up their bikes. There's a wonderful technique to that which makes it almost easy (almost!). Again, Jimmy led the way and we followed.

Jimmy also taught us how to extricate ourselves if we happen to dig the rear wheel down into the sand. I was quite pleased to learn this!!

After our fun in the wash, we headed out over the lakebed and onto a jeep road. We careened over rocks and gullies, "leapfrogging", until Jimmy stopped us at a particularly steep, loosely gravelled hill. He demonstrated how to go from a stop and, by working the throttle and clutch, to pick your way safely and in a controlled manner up this kind of a hill. It turned out to be much more efficient than my usual "close-your-eyes-and-gas-it" approach ;)

Of course, Jimmy taught us how to get down the steep other side of the hill, too...

After we'd all had a chance to try the steep hill several times, Jimmy led us on some more fun roads and, ultimately, to a much-appreciated and -deserved lunch of pizza. We talked and cooled off in the shade of the porch a while, and then we hit the DUNES BOWL. Wow! We really spent some time there, just wriggling our way through the sand, finding out what the bikes could take and when they'd say "enough!" and toss you down.

Of course, I had to get stuck in the sand...just to show the folks back home. No worries, though, as I had learned that morning exactly how to get out! And if didn't even hurt!

One part of the bowl was quite steep, so we took turns trying to get to the top. Glen fell and Jimmy helped him "on site".

After a GIANT nudge from Heather, I tried the hill, too. Boy oh boy, did I wipe out good! We got the bike up and then I fell again. Jimmy coached from the bottom of the dune and Heather and Ryan waded out in the deep sand to assist me. The bike and I slid about ten feet back down the hill after the fall before we finally stopped. Then I fell again after picking up the bike and trying to go back downhill. So we picked it up again...I learned a lot!