Mother glamis has many dangers out in her wonderous dunes: Witch Eyes, sudden drops, sharp ridges, collisions, blowing sand, and a whole bunch of others. However, there are some hidden dangers that can strike at any time.

Cruising along the flats after a slapptacious dune ride with your friends, you find yourself racing back to camp. <span style='font-size:25pt;line-height:100%'>"The last one back has to cook dinner"</span> you screamed as everybody makes a mad dash. All looks good as camp is just off in the horizon.
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There's no way your getting denied victory...Or are you?
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This is the side view of the direction you were just heading. The steepest part of that berm in the center of the top picture is almost invisible, almost 4 feet deep, and very hard to see during mid day sun. This scene can be very ugly, and very very painful. Slappy has witnessed a few folks hurt themselves, and each time, it was a trip to the Brawley Hospital.

Here's a couple more views:
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Look, smooth sailing...
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Not so...

These tracks show up near all camping spots throughout Glamis...Please be careful out there when riding the flatlands, especially during the mid day sun. There's no need to expose yourself from the inside out.

Good advice Slappy! I've seen quite a few people hit those with ugly results. One of my friends still has a nice scar on his chest from hitting one of those on a two wheeler over four years ago. And yes, he was, "racing back to camp." :shock:

Excellent advice. I've done that a few times myself. Deciding I want to go 4th gear on the flats, and end up upside down. Now I just cruise them in 1st and 2nd gear. Over the March gathering, we were parked at Wash 6 and actually saw a few trucks go in to them and I don't think they knew it.

Andy

Slappy, you should have posted this a few trips ago for downhillin's sake

If anyone can find a kiddy track its me. Those things are what made me a believer in riding boots. I know for a fact I would have had a broken leg if I were not wearing them. I hit one in Pism and hit my shin right in the middle of the cross bar of my bars. Bent the snot outta it. You can keepo the kiddy tracks. I dont want them and I have grown to hate them. I do however enjoy watching some of the kids ride in them. The longer they ride them the more daring they get and the faster they go.

Racing back to camp........Did it once. Now I just make the lunch for everyone. I've hit one of those beauties. I'll buy the 1st round at camp. Peace

Ummm, been there, done that! A night in Brawley...my wonderful wife picking me up in the motorhome on the way home and dropping me off at Mission Hospital to stay another 3 days after the surgery to screw me back together!

You really learn who your friends are when among other things you have both arms broken! :shock:

And yes, it was a race back to camp (on the way back from spending 3 hours at BMV) with my dumb a$$ way out in front!

yup, been there done thast, fractured 2 vertabrae in my back a month after buying my 400ex back in 2000 after hitting one of those near roadrunner.

Dang.. just yesterday we smacked one of these.. we were going slow in the buggy and it still whooped up on us..
No damage, but lost of dirt! :ninja:

Thanks to one of those stupid kiddie berms at buttercup my friends g/f is getting a new airbags, a left front tire, ball joint, and front bumper:) . Actually it happened over Prez Day weekend so gee this shows that those damned insurance companies take their sweet time!!!

Could have been worse :shock:

[quote]g/f is getting new airbags[/quote]

DJ hit one of those once............broke his right wrist. If it were not for the face guard on his helmet, which cracked pretty good, he wouldn't have any front teeth left. :black: :roll2:

ya'll should drive/ride a little more careful, that is what I think......
I only see those bermy things round da campsite areas.....
I too have been the victim of the berm monster, but it was soo my fault. I was pretending that I was the jeep in Jurassic Park and the monsters were try'n ta git me. He-He-He.... :bounce:

Maybe if you ever have an extra flag it would be nice to place it by these things. :black:

I'll be cone-n the area. Peace

nice

And imagine , what if the kid that made the track was still there? Becareful out there folks, just cause there isnt a rain forest dosent mean it isnt the jungle.

Yeah IFLYGLAMIS can atest to my stupidity, coming back from a ride over christmas my brother sister and I all coming back to camp, my bro takes off for camp so me being the idiot I am ASSumed it was clear so I pulled to the left of the dust and hit a 10' circle all the way open in 3rd and did a nice impression of a ragdoll. Got a couple bruised ribs only because I kept it wide open otherwise I wouldn't be here today telling my idiot story.

Just the thought of hitting one of those fast gave a guy shivers

Yeah Esco if you had shown up about a day earlier you prolly could have seen it.

EEEEEEEE...yer right esco, just got da major shivers thinkin about socal hittin that thang...

Mrs. Bear Down hit one of those drops 2 weeks ago and she landed pretty hard and hurt herself pretty good. I had to take her to the Medical Clinic at Boardsmanville and the Dr. Jeannie had to give her a IV of Budlight, needless to say she did not feel the pain till she got home. And right after that first drop we were more careful and avoided another drop which was worse.. As with anything with the more riding experience you have the more careful you are.

I wish I'd have read this before MLK weekend. Hit one of those "running" back to camp. Fortunately, I landed flat on my back. The only damage was a I had in my back pack. I gave it a proper send off.

i hit those a couple times.....broken shoulder and one of the pegs sliced my knee

Well, me and Sarah (wifey)'s 400EX have some purty scars to show from our own tomfoolery involving one of these things...but it doesn't appear there are too many out there that don't!

Slap hopes yer ok PSD, they can do lots of damage when not seen

WE LIKE TO AVOID THEM AND JUST RIDE STRAIGHT OUT TO THE DUNES. WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THE CAMP CRUISING, BUT THATS ONLY IN GLAMIS ABD BUTTER CUP. IF YOU ARE IN GORDONS, JUST RIDE SLOW AND SAVE THE GAS AND DUST FOR THE DUNES. WE TRY TO STAY CLEAR OF THAT PLACE THO, ALL IT IS IS A HUGE DUST BOWL....

lamo i found out to look out for the birms the hardway in wash3

Hey Slappy, I don't add my 2 cents worth often, but would like to add a safety suggestion to this topic. As an Emergency Room Nurse, I have often come to the aid of fellow duners out there when the dunes (or stupidity) have bit back. I have since strapped a first aid kit to the rail for just those occasions, when I need to immobilize a shoulder, or some such thing, until the injured duner can be treated by EMS. I'd like to suggest that more people who ride the dunes do the same...learn first aid and be prepared for the unexpected. Thanks....

I'll bet I could clear the first one, and maybe the 2nd.
Have you ever seen the witch eyes at st. antony? one time I was crusing slowly, hit one, and it sent me over the bars...

WeebleWon, thank you for the info, and feel free to add your 2 cents anytime you want. Good idea, Slap will pass the word

I have been pretty lucky so far... My parents always taught me to ride slowly when I was anywhere near a campsite or on the flats. It seems to be paying off...

THEY TEND TO BE NEAR TREES OR BUSHES TOO, SO TRY AND STAY ON THE ROADS AWAY FROM ANY PLANTS....

For a great topic!!!!!

Uncle hit one back in '86.
Spent the weekend in Brawley Hosp.

We still had a good time though.

those kiddie tracks are invisible. even in the dunes i have problems seeing and cant figure out why.

does anyone know why the glare off the dunes is really bad sometimes...and any goggle recommendations to help alleviate it?

i notice the glare is worse riding is some directions than others. one would think the glare would be worse when the sun is high and bouncing off the dunes directly to your eyes.

but even on very cloudy days with no sun out i still have problems seeing changes in the dune topography.

there are several expensive goggles out there that are supposed to help with glare. oakely makes several iridium coated lenses...i believe others manufactures like scott do the same. ive always just run oakely standard grey tint lenes at mother g.

thinking about buying the expensive ($60+) anti glare lenses......anyone have a personal favorite?

Oakley sand goggles, come in clear and bronze, maybe more.......

I seem to really have a hard time with glare after the wind moves through or on a windy day. Seems to bring the silica to the surface or something and make the sand more reflective. I have oneal Blur goggles right now Not a huge fan and gonna get some Oakley sand goggles soon.

The Blurs seem to be Blurry......

I've worn my prescription glasses under my goggles (clear lense) for a long long time. They are the kind that change from clear to tinted, and they work great during midday sun and have nearly zero glare. There were a couple times during the midday sun when I took them off and rode with just the goggles (tinted lenses also) to see what the difference was without my glasses on. It was horrible. Not that my prescription glasses helped me see better, but it was like they had a polarized affect that helped me see the layout (ridges, transitions, slopes, etc...) really well. I don't know why. I even asked a few people in my group who have perfect vision if they could see ok while on midday rides. Most of them had a hard time with snowblind, even with tinted goggles. I let them put on my prescription glasses, and they could definitely see a difference in the terrain. It's kind of hard to explain. So maybe it has something to do with polarized lenses.

Now that my eye site has been corrected, I'm interested to see what it will be like without glasses. I did order some polarized glasses yesterday right after my operation just for duning purposes, and I will wear them underneath the goggles if I have to. I'm hoping they work just as good as my prescriptions glasses did.

used a pair of oakely pro frames with the 'black iridium' lens this weekend in mother G and absolutely loved them!!!

cant believe how well they work i was very impressed and think its well worth the $60.

yup, been there done that BACK IN 1995

I use the scott light sensative goggles which are polarized and have a great seal... good for day or night riding as they turn yellow at night and are kind of like poor mans night vision.
Eliminates the need for two sets of goggles or worry about a late day ride turning into a night ride and being caught with the wrong goggles. Well worth the $50 but dont expect miracles tho... at high noon and fresh blown sand I still have to slow down a little bit especially this time of year.
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/product_cata...tId=&mmyId=

Be carefull out there during these next few months.. When the shadows are gone from the sand - its a very dangerous place to ride..

Yeah its real bad when the wind blows and covers huge holes and makes everything look flat.