Our Dirt Jump’s Biggest Enemy!

[@SkillsWithPhil]

It was great to finally catch back up with you, we'll have to do it again but without the goatheads. I'm still finding them stuck to my shoes/tires from this visit!

[@eliashanchett]

I live here and they are the reason I went tubeless lol those things kill tubes

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah that was awesome, so fun hanging and riding with you! Can’t thank you enough for the hard work, would have been brutal to do solo! Maybe we’ll meet you in the Northeast next year!

[@gagegreen7798]

Phil, you need to have seth and porter over to your yard to ride.

[@Sebsamazingcodmgameplay]

Hey dude

[@KestrelYI]

Be careful not to spread them :) Absolutely evil.

[@adamweb]

It always cracks me up when people first discover goatheads... When I moved to Idaho from Kentucky I was constantly getting flats with every tire I tried on my road bike and finally settled on running slow and heavy Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires with SmartGuard. Even with tubeless, I once ran over a vine on my XC bike and the rear tire looked like it was bleeding sealant from a porcupine attack!

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah these are insane! Growing up in Kentucky I don’t remember them either, but now I know! Super bummed to find them in the yard, but now I know at least so I can stay ahead of them!

[@mrkthmn]

For me it was the opposite experience, haha. I grew up knowing that you rode on the sidewalk or you got a "thorn." Period. It wasn't till I was an adult and got to ride in another state that didnt have goatheads that I discovered how awesome it was to ride off road without immediately getting a flat.

[@kslayer12]

In Florida we call em Sandspurs, I think that's how you spell it lol. They are all over FL for the most part. Some places like central FL I seen less Sandspurs ( still had them in central ) but we also had stinging nettles. Idk which was worse, probably the stinging nettles. But I remember playing in a flooded street and jumping on a storm drain covered in Sandspurs and I about fell. My feet were bleeding and had to walk on the side of my feet back home to my parents to help pull them out.

[@McKenzieMansour]

I live in idaho too! Just a tip for when the season comes back, go to your bike shop and get your tires slimed. It makes your tires less likely to pop from the small ones. With the large ones, there nothing you can really do.

[@htownblue11]

Porter you are such a great advocate for your sport. You always want to help and support others in your sport. And you’re a top notch father by what we know and see.

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, I really appreciate that! I love this sport more than anything, it's fun to share that with everyone from my perspective! Doing my best at parenting as well, not easy but the most rewarding thing for sure!

[@darius33714]

5:12 the most devious laugh

[@wolfman8666]

I love how Eric shows all the hard work that goes into maintaining his jumps and doesn't sugarcoat the tedious work at all

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah it is not easy having jumps, but it's definitely worth all the work! This one really sucked, but I do love to dig and build too! Good to show the work ethic for sure, hope to pass it on to the next generation!

[@wolfman8666]

Wow thanks for reply, been loving the content recently

[@PorterMTB]

@@wolfman8666 great to chat with you! Really appreciate that, working on some really special videos that'll be coming out in December from our huge trip to Ecuador this year for mountain biking volcanos and jungle, good times!!

[@wolfman8666]

@@PorterMTB sounds awesome, super excited for those vids

[@wolfman8666]

And great the chat with you too!

[@oliverskates2226]

this family is amazing. please keep going owen and milo your gonna be great

[@gregbeasley2657]

Old fleece blankets and old electric blankets from the thrift store work awesome to get rid of sand spurs at the beach , I suspect they may work well for the goats heads as well .

[@PorterMTB]

I'll have to try that! Thanks!

[@youtubecantsaveallthesnowf8601]

Was just gonna suggest this. Thrift store blankets dragged behind my utv keeps my back lot free of goatheads.

[@blubug768]

I havent had goatheads on my property for years, and as soon as I installed some tublitos my property is COVERED in goadheads 😠

[@PorterMTB]

Yikes, that sounds really expensive haha

[@waynehiggs6529]

The easiest way is go to your local carpet supply shop and ask for any old carpet underlay foam from jobs where they have removed it to lay new stuff, most shops happily give it away. Then go home and roll it out and walk on it, carefully roll it up and wrap in plastic and dispose of. Otherwise wherever u can get cheap foam in a roll and do the same thing.

[@PorterMTB]

Oh that's a good idea!

[@IDMTB3D]

roll foam pool noodles over the area that will get a lot of goat heads up, best bet is to pull them before they get big unfortunately.

[@PorterMTB]

I'll have to try that!

[@AZMTB]

Been following Phil for years, pretty cool to see you guys getting together! Those goat heads are CRAZY!

[@PorterMTB]

We had so much fun together!!! Yeah I was pretty devastated to see how many were actually there!

[@JStheman-p79]

@@PorterMTBthe sadness in ur eyes💀

[@stevenallmanguitar]

One day I hope to make my yard look like yours. luckily here in Idaho I just have to worry about common weeds, but good job persevering through and getting it done!

[@masoncobbley8597]

If your in Southern idaho(rupert, burley, twin fall, idaho falls ) anywhere between we have goatheads.

[@mattspen]

@@masoncobbley8597 I second that, before I found tubeless, Idaho goat heads would ruin my rides including back up tubes. We have them in desert of central Nevada too.

[@stevenallmanguitar]

Yikes, yeah I live up in north Idaho and haven’t come across any yet

[@PorterMTB]

Good luck with the building, it's a lot of work but totally worth it, and fun to build anyway!

[@OmnieStar]

yay ty for upload. Glad you guys are doing good!

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks! We were doing great and having fun!

[@rockytalkndawoods3057]

Love the dirt jump steep style instead of the send it and slam style riding. Totally agree with Phil.

[@PorterMTB]

You know what's up!

[@clairegerring8120]

For next time you can get leaf blower’s with a hoover

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah good call

[@KestrelYI]

NO DIG NO RIDE. For some reason I think Owen would also do a great ' TWO DOLLARS. Where's my two dollars???'

[@PorterMTB]

Yes, he would crush that line!!

[@Dan_Kornfeld]

Shovel the top soil into a screen sifter (DIY wood + mesh), then spread out the filtered top soil. Keep doing what you do!

[@PorterMTB]

Might have to resort to that! Thanks, glad you're enjoying the vids!

[@savagegragon0232]

I love the vids as a mtber myself, plz keep posting more! 🤩

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome, thanks! I'm on it, many more on the way!

[@thedemonhamster]

Those goatheads are relentless!!! We have them here in Boise too.

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah they are, I've heard it's bad in Idaho!

[@thesportykids2001]

I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!!!!

[@PorterMTB]

Thank you!! That means a lot, have an awesome day!

[@planecrazyhorizon]

love your new videos they always brighten my day

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome, thanks! Just got a new one out today with Owen!

[@planecrazyhorizon]

@@PorterMTB nice

[@HDCairnsAviation]

since sunlight can't get under a tarp, I reckon you would put tarps over your most used tracks and nothing will grow

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah I'm, starting to think about tarping the whole riding surface!

[@mattspen]

Yes! Great collab! No goat heads back east huh? You guys were on point with all those jokes! One of my favorite episodes!

[@PorterMTB]

Oh that's awesome to hear, thanks, it was a fun one!

[@Mrfix80]

Here in central and eastern Oregon we have goatheads all over. Many years ago my backyard and alley we're covered in them. I took care of the alley by spraying roundup every 2-3 weeks for 7 years. Now goatheads are completely gone. Stay after it in spring and summer and you'll get on top of it. Great video, feels like a normal weekend of hanging with friends

[@PorterMTB]

I can’t believe how bad they are and how quick they took over, I know we’re gonna be dealing with it for years. Like you said we’ll have to hit it hard in the spring and catch them when they are small.

[@phoenixGrassl]

Love the video Eric! 🤘🏼🤘🏼

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks, appreciate that!!

[@MikeysMTB]

I love your vids! You encouraged me to build my own backyard jumps

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome!!!

[@mossyhollow3732]

That torch should be really loud at full open. Sounded and looked like it was in low idle. The ones with the second trigger lever work awesome to roast goat heads.

[@PorterMTB]

I'll have to try that out! I did adjust audio levels for a better viewing experience, that may explain the sound you heard!

[@ilikedirtbikes.]

Phil just wanted to ride you guys got him doing yard work😂

[@eeryminotaur960]

Now this is why I live in Oregon. 😂 It is more common to find a four leaf clover than to find a goat head plant.

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah you're lucky there! Although you do have poison oak which is also terrible!

[@eeryminotaur960]

@@PorterMTB that is correct! I didn’t think about that!

[@kasuraga]

I used to get punctures a lot on my commute from these. Switched to running my favorite fat street tire (maxxis hook worms), maxxis dh tubes, and a tire liner. No more punctures. I can run through hundreds of goat heads, and just pick them all out later. None puncture through. I even pick out glass shards that manage to puncture through the tire but the liner stops them.

[@PorterMTB]

Good call, those hookworms are thick for sure, especially with the liners and thick tubes!

[@kasuraga]

@@PorterMTB absolutely went from multiple flats a month on a 150mi/week commute down to zero. It's a heavy wheel setup for sure but not having to worry about flats is a lot more important

[@ethanmeyer5404]

Love the dad jokes 😂

[@PorterMTB]

Glad someone does haha, they make me laugh!

[@xtrainerchronicles2085]

Drag a piece of old carpet over the area. The goat heads will stick to it. Spray the area with surflan pre emergent herbicide to prevent them from coming back. Use something like weed master for break thru plants in the spring and summer months. This is the only way to be rid of them.

[@PorterMTB]

I'll have to try that!

[@doncrescas]

Goatheads were the main reason I went tubeless

[@PorterMTB]

Good call!

[@bretcowan7486]

Try wrapping a 55 gallon drum in burlap and rolling it around. The goat heads might get stuck in it. That's what we use to clear out sand spurs down here in Florida. 🤷🏻‍♂️🤙🏻

[@PorterMTB]

That's a good idea, I've seen something like that to pick up goat heads that people sell. Goatheads and sand spurs are terrible!

[@JoshCockerham]

love y'all's videos so much ❤

[@PorterMTB]

Thank you!! That means a lot!

[@allanridesbikes5856]

We have goatheads a plenty in SoCal. Crash landing on a pile of those would be like pulling a Mick Foley falling on tacks.

[@PorterMTB]

Oh wow that would suck to land in a pile!!!

[@Rhino245]

In Australia we have bindies that come around spring and they're kind of like those goat heads but not as bad. Since we do like to walk around bare foot alot they can hurt if you don't have tough feet

[@dougwillison992]

Double g’s they’re called in WA… hectic prickles

[@StokedShroomer]

We call them 3 corner jacks in S.A. Or caltrop.

[@PorterMTB]

Good thing aussies have tought feet haha! That sounds horrible to step on though!

[@WeekendPirate]

Such a cool backyard but the hard work pays off

[@PorterMTB]

It’s always worth the effort!

[@potatobomb676]

In Scotland thistles are one of our national symbols

[@davekimball3610]

Here in New Mexico, I swear our cars get flat tires from goatheads, not just bicycles.

[@PorterMTB]

I believe it!

[@kidsjennings2536]

i would love to see more videos from milo's enduro race or something see milo hit you jump line he's ready

[@PorterMTB]

I have a feeling he wants to hit them next year... we'll see, I'm in no rush to have him hit the big jumps!!!

[@SkitllzSUB]

Yalls backyard ramps are raddd

[@CoreyReacts]

DUDEEEE We used to get these in our yard in Texas as a kid and we would be running barefoot and boy was it rough.

[@PorterMTB]

Oh wow, can't imagine stepping on one barefoot!

[@CoreyReacts]

@@PorterMTB would would the one leg skip hop cry fall sorta thing lol. Sorta like when you slip a pedal and hit your shin :'D

[@onerider808]

Pretty cool how you got your son into the flick, and that Phil got involved helping. Sub.

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks for following along! Had a blast with Phil, and yeah the kids love riding and doing stuff with me!

[@colleendriesen5164]

@@PorterMTBdcvt🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@angelcontreras3956]

Your so lucky to have skills with Phil

[@PorterMTB]

We had so much fun together!

[@rcranes2227]

Goat heads get stuck to stuff, right? Work with that. Use some of those EVA foam squares they use as floor padding in kids' rooms or as padding in garages. Lay it down, step over it, pick up goat heads, scrape them off into wood stove or campfire, repeat!

[@PorterMTB]

Good call, I'll try that!

[@aznwierdone]

I had a ton of goatheads in the yard i moved into. Me and my partner would shuffle around the yard to pick up as many thorns as possible since they seemed to stick well to shoes. Its worked surprisingly decently

[@aaronjacqsmiles4045]

You pointed it out but my daughter heard this walking by and she's like why do dads think they're so funny and laugh at their own lame joke's? I said I dunno I made you and busted out laughing she gave me the eye roll

[@streetrage8694]

What's up Porter Family how's it going!🤙🏻 keep up the great vids love the channel.

[@PorterMTB]

Doing great, hope you are as well!! Just got a new vid out today, and the Ecuador trip videos are up next!

[@pRiO_pRiSm]

This video reminds me of my setup, im out in the desert and I always have to deal with goatheads. With the chickens I usually wait until they roost, close them up, and ride the next morning

[@PorterMTB]

Sounds like you have a rad setup, good luck with the goatheads!

[@bonboozled8359]

If Milo is old enough I would be recommend him doing the nica races because they are really fun

[@PorterMTB]

He loved racing NICA this season, it was his first year!

[@ryanmarr6202]

Potter is goat

[@HighlanderNorth1]

💨 I've never dealt with these, but I'd think you could first spray the plants with Spectracide nonselective weed control to kill the entire plants early on. In the meantime, if you find some of their thorny spur things laying around, just break out a backpack blower and blow them 50 feet to the left or right, into the brush. From there, they'll get hung up on brushy weeds, making it unlikely for them to be blown back out of the brush into the trail again. Or blow them into a central spot, then rake or sweep them into a dustpan and into the trash. As long as you continue to use this area for biking, make sure to periodically go back out and spot spray the young weeds before they can produce new spurs.

[@alexanderingham8109]

Lay down marine carpet in between the jumps, expensive but effective. Have a look at bare creek bike part aus to see this idea

[@PorterMTB]

I'll check that out, thanks!

[@loganandreatta3822]

I love the vids porter but I wish you would try posting more if you can cause we haven’t had a new vid in a month but I still love the vids

[@PorterMTB]

I know, I've been posting more frequently now though, and lots more good ones on the way!

[@ben1ata217]

10:17 holey moley eric those are some veins!

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah, I think it's cause I ride and dig all the time!

[@ben1ata217]

@@PorterMTB yeah for sure man, thanks for replying it means a lot. Love your content

[@twowheelsondirt]

This Louisville boy just led a MTB clinic down in Austin, TX... I've never really experienced goat heads before but dang my tires are now aerated... ugh!

[@PorterMTB]

Haha yeah we didn't have them in Louisville, as far as I can remember!

[@dalonfrench789]

Hey man, you could drag a large piece of carpet with a riding lawnmower or something like that or just drag it on foot and it’ll pick them up really well.

[@PorterMTB]

Might have to try that!

[@05GDF]

Nice collaboration 👌 loving it

[@PorterMTB]

We had a blast, glad you enjoyed it!

[@RandallLewis]

Packing foam! You can hop onto it and pick up hundreds in seconds. Then rub the foam together into a trash bag. That's what I use to clear goathead seeds all around Moab.

[@PorterMTB]

I'll definitely try that next time!

[@carstoniu]

phil cant say chicken hahaha🙈

[@PorterMTB]

Haha that was hilarious, he finally got it though! We all struggle with words sometimes!

[@austin7977]

Same I live in rosswell NM and it is bad with the goatheads

[@austin7977]

I love your videos and that video was helpful thank you

[@austin7977]

What kind of bike is it and is it a 24inch

[@PorterMTB]

I've heard NM is bad for it!

[@jamesgibson8702]

@PorterMTB did you try scraping them off with a shovel or spade?

[@PorterMTB]

We did end up picking them up with our shoes and then scraping the shoe bottom with a flathead, that worked the best

[@davidpessoa1257]

I never knew the amount of work it takes to take care of a dirt jump.

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah it's a lot to keep a set of jumps running, but always worth it!

[@kellysmith8985]

In Boise we have a bicycle festival called the Goat head fest! The mascot is a goat head. They are almost impossible to get rid of. They will lay dormant for up to 7 years in the ground and still grow. The bane of us bikers here in Idaho.

[@PorterMTB]

That's hilarious! They are the worst, sorry you have to deal with them too!

[@mplafferty]

Big Tom Saywer energy on this one. LOL

[@PorterMTB]

Haha nice

[@TeddyParker]

lol. I just started riding a dirt jumper after riding MTB for a while. day one riding it i get a double flat from these things. i'm really missing tubeless right now.

[@PorterMTB]

Man that is such a bummer, they ruin days!

[@IceDiamondArmy]

I wonder what if you have like an roller but rubber how that would do, and also have different rubbers and see how that do?

[@dominicpadula9835]

orange seal 100% the way to go

[@PorterMTB]

I love Orange Seal as well!

[@roushstge2]

You need one of those rubber flap wheel attachments for your weed eater that people use for snow and leaves. I'd think that would clear the goat heads off the track easily and super fast.

[@kainpwnsu]

I painstakingly rid my 1/3 acre yard in Utah of goatgeads and thistle! YES, it can be done. It took 2.5 years of pulling weeds every weekend and picking up as many seeds as possible was essential. Finally, I was in the clear, able to ride and walk barefoot anywhere I pleased! ...and then we moved. 🤬 ...but now live right outside the Corner Canyon trail system and bike park. 😲 It's a fair trade.

[@PorterMTB]

Nice work moving to Corner Canyon, lucky! I have a feeling I'm going to be doing the same, I'll have to be vigilant in the spring pulling everything immediately, I'm sure it will take a couple years.

[@boooyaaababy651]

Hey man! Get some concentrated vinegar , soap , salt and dilute it a bit with water and spray that on the weeds. It will Kill em! and keep it maintained

[@PorterMTB]

Oh I'll have to try that, we don't wanna use roundup because it's so bad for everything, we have chickens and a garden and dog and kids!

[@boooyaaababy651]

@PorterMTB I use it in my landscape company as my spraying license expired and haven't had time to do it. Play around with concentrates. There's also a few more options as well! Cheers man happy holidays

[@MRGOLD99.999]

I got a half acre and I had to grab the shop vac and vacuum a bout 2/3 of the half acre but this is the best way and the few years after I just scan the yard for new plant coming up and pull them as soon as I see them I heard the seeds can stay viable for up to 10 yrs

[@MarksREmarks]

i have seen KZbin video's of people using GOATS to eat everything in the garden, the goats mouth is not affected by the sharp thorns. there are company's out there that rent goats for this type of work.

[@l.s.8416]

Fell off my quad in to a thick patch of goatheads. My wife was pulling barbs out of my skull for a week or so. Fricking hate those things.

[@PorterMTB]

Oh wow, that sounds horrible

[@tshtwins9080]

Luv your vids

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks!!

[@nabionic]

We have something similar to your goat heads in South Australia. We call them.3 corner jacks. They are a pain in the ass

[@PorterMTB]

I hope to ride Australia sometime, sounds like lots of things there to hurt you though haha.

[@jackz8334]

Yewww sick video

[@PorterMTB]

Thanks!!! 👊

[@z33thr33]

I feel like those are the only reason Slime is still a tire product xD

[@PorterMTB]

Haha probably gives them a lot of business!

[@lolwuttav]

I kept getting flats so I threw those thorn busters in the tire, they still get stuck in the tire but no more flats from one unlucky goathead

[@aztecklover69]

the cycling enemy numero uno!! so bad everyone i have met calls them devil weed.

[@PorterMTB]

Great name, they are terrible!

[@aztecklover69]

@@PorterMTB indeed!! if your lucky u only get one flat. if not; you got to replace the tires; the name fits it perfectly.

[@backfortyboys8335]

The whole time I was thinking about using the leaf blower to blow them all away but that would just make them end up on the other trails

[@PorterMTB]

I had the same thoughts!!

[@gropaygrapay]

I wonder if you could something like a giant paint roller wrapped in a thin layer of rubber you can roll around to pick up all the goatheads

[@PorterMTB]

I think something like that could work maybe!

[@atomicforcegaming2867]

Those gave me so many flat tires back in San Jose in the early ninteys just trying to be a kid !

[@PorterMTB]

It's the worst!

[@Python_John]

At the start of the year you can round up all of the goat head plants before they have a chance to dry out and become sharp been on a tirade exterminating them things seems to be the only thing that works

[@PorterMTB]

I'm gonna have to be on it in the spring, that's for sure!

[@Valle.ashole]

Wow you guys stil have t-sirths, in Sweden we are already skiing 😂

[@palangimiko]

The worst part of that thistle is that when you pull one plant, it breaks the root into two and two plants grow back.

[@PorterMTB]

Yeah they are evil!

[@raymiller1753]

Those things are btutal. When I was a kid, I was playing in a tree with my cousin and I decided to hang from a branch and drop to the grass below. I had no shoes on and landed in a patch of those bastards. That was almost 40 years ago and I can still remember exactly how it felt.

[@PorterMTB]

Wow, that sounds insanely painful, I can imagine how bad it was!

[@hbiking]

I have had way too much experience with flats because of these things. 😂

[@PorterMTB]

You know what I'm dealing with then!!!

[@monokheros5373]

Goat Geads ! Pull and put in buckets of water n keep em wet OR Hit em with ammonia Ammonia is by far the best option with goatheads you see any lil yellow flowers WATER EM w/ ammonia

[@gigagamerfloppa3398]

You don’t wanna know how many bike wheels I’ve destroyed from this. ..

[@PorterMTB]

The tubes in my dirt jump bike currently have 6 patches on each one, it's to the point now that it's kinda funny, but still annoying!!

[@IEaTpoopy]

had to resort to solid tubes on my ebike in wyoming.. they start slinging off after a while... use eye pro

[@PorterMTB]

Haha I can't even imagine getting a goathead flung into my eye!

[@denny244]

Drag a moving blanket across the ground. It will pick them up.

[@PorterMTB]

I'll try that!

[@damarapoledna3636]

Agree with Phil, proper dirt jumps are fun and satisfying

[@PorterMTB]

It really is the best feeling!

[@annaharpley1673]

next time you guys go away lay tarps on all riding surfaces also why didn't you guys rake the goatheads

[@PorterMTB]

We might have to try that this winter!

[@Ben_Kasper]

Just from the first clip just sell the house it’s not worth it

[@PorterMTB]

Hahaha seriously, it was a nightmare scenario

[@SamPoffley]

Or get of your ass and remove them

[@mushieslushie]

I'm sure this was a while ago but seems like a lot of effort to basically just put those tarps right back on.

[@PorterMTB]

Oh we got a lot more riding this fall, new video out today!

[@RideTannus]

🤔 What’re your guy’s thoughts on tire inserts? Extra piece of mind

[@PorterMTB]

I think they can be really good for trail riding, and might help with the punctures but otherwise aren't too beneficial for a DJ bike since we run 40-50 psi

[@RideTannus]

@@PorterMTB right on! ⭕

[@stevencole7331]

It took me a decade to finally make goatheads go extinct in my backyard . The problem is mostly the goathead seeds . You can't retrieve them all and one seed can make 100s of goatheads . So every year when the plants germinated I removed them before the goatheads manifested . Year after year I pulled them out until there were no seeds left to germinate . A happy day for me .

[@PorterMTB]

That's awesome, can't wait for that day to come! I think I'll have to keep a close eye for years and manage it well, this was insane!

[@Dushitera]

You can use a broom and broom the goat heads to the side

[@PorterMTB]

That would probably work for a lot of them!