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Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
TORO LOCO!
George and I went on a ride today to the Illiniza Volcanoes. We had ridden up into some really spectacular country and reached an altitude of about 13,500 ft. A single lane dirt road went up to about 11,000 ft. and from there on up it was either 4X4 or motorcycle country only, OH or Bull Country! As we we're riding up George had pointed out some of the bulls grazing in the surrounding hills that they use in the Bull fights. I had seen these bulls on previous rides and they don't look very impressive as they are not all that big probably 1000-1500 lbs, compared to BIG Bulls back home that go 1500-2000+ lbs. I had been assured that they were an entirely different variety and could be quite ferocious however . On our way up into the mountains we had had to stop and open some barbed wire fence gates. As we were descending back down the Mountain I was out in front a ways and as I approached one of the gates there was the biggest bull fighting bull I had seen to date standing in front of the gate. I stopped about 30-35 yards away. The Bull looked at me. I looked at the Bull. I was thinking he sure is a lot bigger than most of these other bulls. The bull turned towards me. Not sure what he was thinking but he evidently didn't like me much and evidently was not overly impressed with my size. I'm sitting on my motorcycle wondering if these bulls are really all that ferocious or if they just get them all riled up when they put them in the Bull Rings. I was assessing my options, which were limited. To the left is a dirt wall from where they have carved this narrow road out of the mountain and to the right is a steep ditch with water in it and on the other side of the ditch is a very steep slope. Basically it was either forward or turn around, and go back. The Bull now lowers his head and starts dragging his ample sized horns through the dirt and pawing the ground with his feet. I'm no expert but I have seen a few bullfights on TV and this type of behavior was usually followed the Bull charging some Spanish dude with a Red Cape. I am now thinking that the Bull is certainly displaying these aggressive tendencies I have been told about and that he doesn't like me on HIS MOUNTAIN! The fact that I am not Spanish and I don't have a Red Cape, I decide doesn't make any difference to this particular bull. I am now debating as to if I should just stay calm hope he decides to go down the mountain, or hang a u turn in this little dirt road and HAUL ASS! The Bull is really not very far away and I decide he could cover the distance in about 2-3 seconds and it would easily take me 3-5 seconds to get turned around. I also am thinking that the Bull will see my retreat as a sign of fear/weakness, not as a sign of intelligence. So I'm still looking at this Bull pawing and snorting when he makes a little charge of about 5-6 yards! Now I can see his beady red eyes as he goes back to his pawing, snorting, horn wagging. I figure the next charge is the real thing and am debating what to do as George pulls up beside me now, right where I would attempt to make my quick u-turn and kills his motor. (George is on one of my Yamahas with its nice calming blue color but he normally rides a red Honda) We look at the Bull we look at each other, with one eye, keeping the other on this Bull. George starts telling me "Be Cool, Stay Calm" while raising his RED GLOVED HANDS for emphasis. George has his RED GLOVED hands up in the air moving them up and down telling me to be calm! The Bull Charges! I do the only thing I know to do REV THAT 426 Yamaha to about 10,000RPM, it is bellowing WHHAAAAHHHHH and the light brightens up and is shining in the beady eyes of this bull as he is coming towards us head down and tail up! I am about ready to dump the clutch and launch my screaming MOTO LOCO motorcycle into this charging TORO LOCO as a last resort when the bull decides that maybe this skinny blue thing that was just going blat blat blat IS BADDER THAN HE THOUGHT! He jumps the ditch and then parallels the road about 10 yards down hill from us. I tell George "Lets get the flock out of here!" I roost up to the gate, making lots of noise, get off open the gate George has gotten his bike started and drives on through then I roll my bike through the gate and as I shut the gate the bull has crossed back onto the road standing & staring at us. It was touch and go for awhile! George and I were both thinking, Where is Fred and his 9MM when you need him? Pretty Cool Ride! We then continued our ride down the Mountain with a light sprinkle dampening the ground that had been sandy and dusty on the way up turning it into near perfect traction and stopping all of the dust. At the end of the day we decided it had been some Bad Ass Mountains & Bad Ass Trails on some Bad Ass Motorcycles and 1 BAD ASS BULL! Thank God I was able to scare him off. Guess it was a good idea to take those baffles out of the mufflers!