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St. Anthony Sand Dunes: "Plug Chop Alley"


Time Machine

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I got curious about plug chops so decided to give it a try. But finding someplace long and flat at the St. Anthony Dunes is not easy. Good friend and riding partner Shane Bird (Son of Sand) said he thought the bottom of Dead Horse Bowl might work. He was right, it's perfect.

 

The bottom of the bowl runs east and west and is shaped like a long narrow box canyon. The box end is on the western end. The bottom is mostly flat and plenty long enough for a WOT run. It goes up from east to west. I'm sitting on a small ridge at the east end that makes a good starting point.

 

Dead Horse is a popular bowl and sometimes the bottom is pretty tracked up. The picture below was taken on a weekday evening, we were the only ones there and the sand was perfect. The wind had blown hard the day before and I put the first tracks in the bottom.

 

Dead Horse is just south of Choke Cherry Dune. In the picture below Choke is just out of the picture at the right edge.

 

I've decided to name it "Plug Chop Alley".

 

So, next time you're at the St. Anthony Dunes, check out Plug Chop Alley if you're looking for a good place to check your jetting or if you just want to make a WOT pass.

 

And don't let the wide angle lens of the phone camera fool you, those walls are tall, steep and a blast to ride!

 

image2908.jpeg

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I was there when the 400ex was released, & I want to go back soooooo bad. You don't have the ocean as a back drop, but who cares when the dunes are huge & the sand is smooth

Yup, ocean would be awesome! Hope you get a chance to get back here some day!

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I hate when you post pics like this!

Ha! I understand! So I should probably worn you that you're really going to despise my next video. Sometime before the season ends we're going to go pro a ride through the big dunes of the west end. Stay tuned!

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I was in pismo about a month ago. We wanted to record a riding session, but no one had a go pro. So 2 of my cousins used electrical tape and taped their iPhones to their chest. It worked pretty well. I called it a "go-bro"... Patent pending :)

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When does ur riding season end? We pretty much ride year round here, just gotta dodge the constant rain lol

The main section of the big dunes is open from April 1 to December 31, but because of weather and sand quality the best riding is usually from early May to mid October. I was out there on a borrowed Grizzly last December 30, 8 inches of snow and 20 degrees.

 

 

http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/visit_and_play/places_to_see/upper_snake_field/St__Anthony_Sand_Dunes.html

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Ha! I understand! So I should probably worn you that you're really going to despise my next video. Sometime before the season ends we're going to go pro a ride through the big dunes of the west end. Stay tuned!

I'm anxious to see this!

 

I'm itching for a trip back to the big dunes like crazy.

 

The size and fun factor of those big dunes is impressive for sure.

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