Ride Summary 4/28/07

Made it to the SCS ride on saturday morning with Vin, after a wonderous morning in the company of a special someone. I didn't get much sleep the night before, and was pretty hungover, something that set the tone for the whole weekend.

This saturday's group was a little smaller than usual, but a good group of guys that ended up being fully assembled at nukes to discuss our upcoming 5/18 trip to the central sierras. The ride up to nukes up the front side was really trafficky for 9am on a saturday. Worse than that, a few cars refused to make room for the group of bikes, and did an appalling 35 mph up the crest. Usually with a small group of riders, there are places where riders can pass (illegally, albeit safely, though still nervewrackingly), but when you've got 10-20 bikes, passing a car is a bit of a pain. Driver courtesy on the crest is generally pretty good, as most of the people that usually drive that road (the bicycle guys, hikers, and residents) know that motorcycles rule the asphalt, whether they like it or not. In return, we generally express our gratitude and all is well. But when slower traffic refuses to use turn-outs like they should, it's incredibly frustrating. So as a note to the non-riders out there, please use a fucking turnout if you've got 12 bikes riding your ass.

The ride out to the tree was a controlled down 9 mile. Stout was said to be waiting there (9 mile ends up being a fav. speed trap because it requires you HAUL ASS to have fun on it) so when we passed him at the 6 mile mark, we knew we were in the clear. The guys in the front TOOK off, and i was hardpressed to keep up without feeling a little uncomfortable. I figured i'd start hauling up forest with the fast guys.

Immediately i realized that i didn't have what it took to stay with the lead group up forest. I had a scary moment going into a blind left hander, where i couldn't get the bike leaned over enough, started to drift out/target fixate, and had to grab some front brake to keep me on the asphalt. It was a dumb mistake, and one i was probably going to make given my tired/hungover condition, and at that point i tuned it down and took a more relaxed pace up Forest. I got a mild dressing down from L at the tree who told me i was riding over my head and to get it together, and i agreed.

I couldn't stay at the tree for too long as i had to be back home in time to get ready for a wedding later that day. V and I rode back with a new guy, and made it off the crest in one piece. The freeway ride back was excruciating in leathers and the 85 degree heat and weekend 210 traffic. We got back to the E. 626 tired and anxious to get off the road. Making an innocuous left turn V went down. Apparently he hit a patch of gravel in the drainage path of the intersection, somehow got into the lowest speed tank slapper of all time, grabbed some front brake and highsided into the curb. I was in front of him so i saw it in my rear view, and went back to see if he was ok.

Thankfully he was wearing full gear, so he was totally fine, though his ego bruised. His bike was ok with the exception of his stator cover, shift lever, and frame slider, but was rideable. His helmet looked pretty beat up, as he went head and shoulder first into the pavement, and his leathers were a little scratched, but not seriously. Had he not been wearing his suit, or gear at all, he could've been pretty bloody, so log this as another occasion where GEAR SAVES YOUR LIFE.

I'm taking a self-imposed vacation from the canyons until after my track day on the 11th of this month. I'm eager to do a track day write up and talk technical about riding form and all that and i hope someone out there is taking good pictures...