ESTN 2009: Dacks Twisty Fix (Sat)

[garry]

I will be doing a 350-ish mile ride on Saturday. Using an average moving speed of 50 MPH, that means 7+ hours in the saddle plus 2+ hours for breaks/lunch.

It starts by zig-zagging back and forth on the suggested twisty county roads to the southeast, then heads west and north on larger state highways. Finishes up taking the back way to Whiteface (more county roads). Expect the full range of road conditions from well-maintained dirt (Trout Pond Rd) to (I hope) nice pavement. I would expect some beat-up and funky pavement on some of the county roads. I am not an expert on riding in the Dacks, so I'm kinda winging it based on the road info supplied by Chas, DmCole and others... No whining!

So expect a technical morning followed by a mellow afternoon. I tend to ride "The Pace". Most days the GPS reports a top speed  in the 80s. But I also try to do 60 through the 25 MPH corners too. I try to roll along at 60-70 everywhere except towns. I will pass on a double yellow if it's safe. I expect everyone I ride with to RIDE THEIR OWN RIDE. Be safe. Have fun. Maintain a safe following distance. I will wait at all road changes to regroup, but that could be quite a few miles apart.

The only thing my KTM doesn't pass is a gas station, so expect to stop every 2 hours (100-120 miles) for a pit stop. I generally don't stop (helmet off, etc) between gas stops, so if you need to smoke, pee, call your wife, etc every 30 minutes this isn't the ride for you. I *will* quickly pull to the side of the road and snap a picture with bike running and helmet/gloves still on for good photo ops.

My plan is to be kickstands up and rolling out of the EconoLodge at 8am (full stomach, full tank, empty bladder) and stop around 10am for a break/gas. Then ride until Noon-thirty and find some place to eat lunch (TBD). An hour break for lunch gets us back on the road circa 1:30pm. Two more hours and we stop for gas somewhere around 3:30. Another break and back on the road by 4pm. Should be less than two hours (100 miles) from LP at that point, so expect to return between 5pm and 6pm.

I don't want to lead a large group (say > 8), but I'm very willing have some peeps join me if this sounds like your kind of day.

[Rincewind]

Sounds like my kind of ride, I will be in touch Friday night.  

[vulcanbill]

Kindred spirit...  

[JustCallMeChris]

I'm already signed up for the "mellow" ride in the other thread, but this sounds like fun too. Damnit, with all the decisions and choices!!!

Do you have a GPS route for this? If so, is it downloadable somewhere? I'd like to have the routes on hand if possible.

[garry]

I'm already signed up for the "mellow" ride in the other thread, but this sounds like fun too. Damnit, with all the decisions and choices!!!

Do you have a GPS route for this? If so, is it downloadable somewhere? I'd like to have the routes on hand if possible.

I posted a screenshot in the Routes thread, but I can upload the GDB for it tonight (assuming I remember). I will be taking the long way home to Pittsburgh via Vermont, so the LAMB gaps, route 100, etc are on my dance card for Sunday. That's why I'm sticking to the Dacks for Saturday. I also managed to avoid duplicating roads that I will take on my to Lake Placid on Friday.

[garry]

Here is a link to the Garmin GDB file for the route I plan on riding on Saturday (359 miles):

http://www.MotoRoads.net/ESTN/ESTN-Garry-Saturday.gdb

[Skee]

Sounds like my kinda ride - but I don't want to ride in a group much larger than 5.

I'm indifferent to the route, as long as it includes Tracey Rd and doesn't include the ferry.
I fall asleep on boat rides and hate waiting in line while I'm all geared up.
I'm sure there will splinter groups forming up in the parking lot.

I find it difficult to maintain a 45+ mph "Moving Average" on 2-lane roads.
(On a recent ride in Carlisle with Rincewind, my GPS moving average was <48, and we were rollin'.)
[Now Rincewind himself was actually going at least 10 or 15 mph faster than the rest of us.] LOL
But it sure as heck sounds like something I'd like to do.

[JustCallMeChris]

I'm with you on the bigger groups.

I'm loading all available day rides... if I opt to ride on this run rather than the "moderate pace" ride in the other thread, I can lead or join in with a smaller group on this if Garry gets a lot of people.  

[garry]

It should be no problem to maintain a 50 MPH average since the afternoon is classic scenic sweepers. You could ride them at 100 MPH. If it wasn't for the scenery, they'd be a bit boring. I expect to just toodle along on route 30 at 65 or 70. Need to be careful near towns though. There are state troopers out there and I remember reading something about Tupper Lake having a resident revenue collection officer...

[Skee]

Not a problem with me.  I've just found through experience, that unless you include a lot of non-stop slab, keeping that average up is more challenging than it sounds.  Even occasional red lights & stop signs cut into your average considerably.  Now maybe that has something to do with how each GPS calculates "moving average". I still haven't figured out when the ZUmo switches between stopped and moving time.  
Am I on the wrong forum?    Sorry about that.  This thread is about riding....

[Bravo12]

I'm with you on the bigger groups.

I'm loading all available day rides... if I opt to ride on this run rather than the "moderate pace" ride in the other thread, I can lead or join in with a smaller group on this if Garry gets a lot of people.  

I'll load it up in the GPS too.  If you end up breaking off another group, I can run tail-gunner.  

[Rincewind]

Here is a link to the Garmin GDB file for the route I plan on riding on Saturday (359 miles):

http://www.MotoRoads.net/ESTN/ESTN-Garry-Saturday.gdb

Wow - nice job garry.  Loaded that one up too.  

LOL Frank