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200 more miles, and still in love...
Sep. 21st, 2008 04:47 pmIts been too long, so I decided to avoid Brunch with the Array and give up scones and chicken fried bacon to head south to Alice's resturant. I was hoping to catch up with the Dykes on Bikes, but apparently missed them, Did run into some women I know, but no one who wanted to go riding with me.
Fortunately, I didnt mind this. I was playing with the GPS on my new AT&T slide, so wanted to get lost.
I had a breakfast of bacon, blueberry pancakes, eggs to get started on this ride. More coffee, but after the morning's fantastic cup of Trouble Coffee, it was depressing.
Lots of police out, two cop cars pull into Alice's while I leave, and literally just as I'm out of sight of Alice's, my low fuel light goes on. Given that I ran out of gas once before, and having no one in the area to call for help (the gang was bizy, and sfracerx is out of the state), I wisely turned around, and got gas. Expensive!
Headed back out on Skyline and passed a few cops, so kept the pace restrained. I found Alpine Road, and turned on it, and what a great choice that was - twisty, tight, crazy... lane and a half wide in places. I was taking it easy as it was narrow, and had bicyclists and the lighting was a little iffy. Then, going around one tight, blind turn, I come upon an Porsche IN MY LANE. I get over as far to the right as I can without falling into a ditch and almost come to a complete stop.
This road is _difficult_ there are sections where its lless than 1.5 lanes wide, and parts where the side I'm on slides down a cliff side. It felt so good to be so focussed on the road ahead, to remind myself to keep my head up, and to move around on the motorcycle. I was working hard on keeping my weight off the handlebars, and to keep the lines going into the turns 'deep' and flick the bike hard. There were a number of tight 15mph Uturns. I was amazed at how well this great motorcycle managed the crap surface, the tightness, and how it just flicked in.
I ended up getting back onto a road I knew, taking it to route 1 and turning back. I got back to Alice's Resturant, adn realized I liked that road so much, I went and did the loop AGAIN. The second time was even better, tho my lower back and wrists were hurting from the workout I was giving them.
the road to route 1 has some long long sweepers, and I realized that I could just roll on, I did a few times to find that I was going into the long sweeper at twice the posted speed limit. Bike was totally stable, and it didnt feel like it was that fast.
(*sigh*)
Back around the tight loop, back to Alice's, and down skyline and home was the plan. I'm on 84 heading back to Alice's, and come up around a corner to a bike slowing down, and see to the left of me, a crash. There are plenty of bikers here, and the rider was sitting up... I keep going thinking if I dont hear sirens, I'd stop at Alices and call. 2 minutes later, an EMT truck comes by.
I'm stressed by seeing this, and hoping the rider is ok. As I'm riding down Skyline, 3 police cars with lights flashing go by and 2 ambulances come by me. I decide its time for a leisurely ride home, but keep seeing that bike crashed on the side of the road. I shake it off, thinking of the tight roads and again, thankful for the speedy response of the EMT's.
Ride home was uneventful, and the realization that losing weight means I can fold up on the tank and not get buffetted by the wind.
A long hot shower is my favoritest thing after such a ride.
Fortunately, I didnt mind this. I was playing with the GPS on my new AT&T slide, so wanted to get lost.
I had a breakfast of bacon, blueberry pancakes, eggs to get started on this ride. More coffee, but after the morning's fantastic cup of Trouble Coffee, it was depressing.
Lots of police out, two cop cars pull into Alice's while I leave, and literally just as I'm out of sight of Alice's, my low fuel light goes on. Given that I ran out of gas once before, and having no one in the area to call for help (the gang was bizy, and sfracerx is out of the state), I wisely turned around, and got gas. Expensive!
Headed back out on Skyline and passed a few cops, so kept the pace restrained. I found Alpine Road, and turned on it, and what a great choice that was - twisty, tight, crazy... lane and a half wide in places. I was taking it easy as it was narrow, and had bicyclists and the lighting was a little iffy. Then, going around one tight, blind turn, I come upon an Porsche IN MY LANE. I get over as far to the right as I can without falling into a ditch and almost come to a complete stop.
This road is _difficult_ there are sections where its lless than 1.5 lanes wide, and parts where the side I'm on slides down a cliff side. It felt so good to be so focussed on the road ahead, to remind myself to keep my head up, and to move around on the motorcycle. I was working hard on keeping my weight off the handlebars, and to keep the lines going into the turns 'deep' and flick the bike hard. There were a number of tight 15mph Uturns. I was amazed at how well this great motorcycle managed the crap surface, the tightness, and how it just flicked in.
I ended up getting back onto a road I knew, taking it to route 1 and turning back. I got back to Alice's Resturant, adn realized I liked that road so much, I went and did the loop AGAIN. The second time was even better, tho my lower back and wrists were hurting from the workout I was giving them.
the road to route 1 has some long long sweepers, and I realized that I could just roll on, I did a few times to find that I was going into the long sweeper at twice the posted speed limit. Bike was totally stable, and it didnt feel like it was that fast.
(*sigh*)
Back around the tight loop, back to Alice's, and down skyline and home was the plan. I'm on 84 heading back to Alice's, and come up around a corner to a bike slowing down, and see to the left of me, a crash. There are plenty of bikers here, and the rider was sitting up... I keep going thinking if I dont hear sirens, I'd stop at Alices and call. 2 minutes later, an EMT truck comes by.
I'm stressed by seeing this, and hoping the rider is ok. As I'm riding down Skyline, 3 police cars with lights flashing go by and 2 ambulances come by me. I decide its time for a leisurely ride home, but keep seeing that bike crashed on the side of the road. I shake it off, thinking of the tight roads and again, thankful for the speedy response of the EMT's.
Ride home was uneventful, and the realization that losing weight means I can fold up on the tank and not get buffetted by the wind.
A long hot shower is my favoritest thing after such a ride.
