Fun Afternoon (Mostly)

[dm_gsxr]

So I changed my oil and filter, changed the brake and clutch fluid, and changed out my worn grips. After I decided to take the bike on a spin up into the mountains. Rt 7 to Peak to Peak is generally a nice ride with little traffic as most folks take 34 to Estes Park.

So I'm about half way up and I come upon a couple of riders with ladies on the back. Shortly the guy in front pulls over to the right side and gestures. The rear guy pulls up next to him and from the gestures, indicates they should pull over and let me by as I pass and I wave.

About two thirds of the way up, I come upon a cruiser rider who is hauling butt, not as fast as me or I wouldn't have caught him . Anyway, I follow looking for a passing lane as he either doesn't see me or doesn't want me to pass. In watching him, he's clearly not thinking as he's riding the white line on right hand curves and the double yellow on left hand curves. With the number of bicyclists on the road, it's only a matter of time before he encounters one. Sure enough, coming around a corner he almost face plants some stretch pants. He swerves left, looking to be in trouble and he overshoots on the recovery riding on the shoulder, almost in the dirt before he recovers and is back on the asphalt. I back off even further hoping I'm not pushing him to ride beyond his skills.

Finally in a passing area I pass but right behind a Goldwing, two cars, and a pack of cruisers toddling along at 5 to 10 under. In a passing zone, I pass the wing and both cars getting behind the tail end charlie. He slows and speeds up making noise a couple of times. In another passing area, I zip past the rear pack of three. There's another bike coming followed by a pickup so I slip into the pack passing the next guy in his lane. Not wanting to stick around, I passed the next guy, second in the pack at the next open spot, then the next guy a turn or so later.

Whew, out of the pack. I take the next four or five curves a bit better then reach Peak to Peak. There is a pack of sport bikes and one GS. I pull around, shut off the bike, remove helmet, get off, and we start chatting. A couple of minutes later the pack arrives. I wave at them as they make the turn on Peak to Peak. Most are friendly enough with a couple of frowns.

We chat a couple of more minutes. Looks like the GS is missing the right front wheel spacer. There's one on the left but not on the right.

Anyway, I got geared up, waved and headed back down the mountain. After a few curves, I came upon a group of three; Ducati and two similar bikes. One is riding race fuel There's a car in front of them. But when they have a chance to pass, they decline. After several minutes, the car finally turns in to let us by and we continue on. There's no apparent effort to go faster or move over, so at the next passing zone I quickly pass the Ducati as he's been trailing the other two and at the next pass, I go by with a wave and head on down through the next couple of curves. I check my mirror because I always do that and the guy with the race fuel is big in my mirrors. I pull over and wave him by. He seemed reluctant so I slowed and gestured harder and he went by. He really was pushing it until we got to a row of cars. With a wave, he pulled over to wait for his friends. I waved of course.

At the next passing zone, I passed the cars but 10 seconds later we were in town, so I slowed to 40, then 25 and headed home.

Dealing with other riders was mostly ok. The first guys had it right. I of course should have been a tad more patient but I didn't let the last rider push me beyond how I wanted to ride, unlike the cruiser rider from earlier. I was riding well within my limits, partly because I'd replaced oil, fluids, and grips so I was feeling out the bike handling. The new right grip felt larger, likely due to the newness

Ride Safe.

Carl

[rgbeard]

I though you were getting out of bikes to spend more "US" time with the wife?

 

[dm_gsxr]

I though you were getting out of bikes to spend more "US" time with the wife?

 

You have to go read the entire thread  About the only thing being dropped right now is gaming which is temporary while we get right. And if you recall the thread, short rides weren't out just trips.

Carl

[miles]

Yesterday DagoR6 and I went out for a ride on the local fun roads.  We were at the gas station in Borrego Springs, drinking some water (it was 104 degrees there) and chatting, when a parade of 25-30 Yamah Star riders went past, heading up Montezuma grade.

Now, Montezuma Grade is one of the very best roads anywhere, but it sure wouldn't be any fun at all stuck behind such a massive rolling roadblock.  Realizing we'd better take immediate action, we threw our helmets on and hauled ass, catching up to the tail of the group by the second curve.  Most of the group was aware of us and happy to let us past, but there were a few clueless riders.  Anyhow, we passed the group with a half dozen turns later and had an open road ahead of us.

I was grateful for their courtesy, and waved at every one I passed.

[bikerfish1100]

Carl- it sounds like you encountered more traffic on South St. Vrain than one typically sees in any 5 days combined on that lovely stretch of asphalt. you musta pissed off some road gods somewhow somewhere.

[Justin]

Carl- it sounds like you encountered more traffic on South St. Vrain than one typically sees in any 5 days combined on that lovely stretch of asphalt. you musta pissed off some road gods somewhow somewhere.

Yeah really - that road is always empty for me. Guess I have been doing good in the road gods' eyes.

[dm_gsxr]

Yeah really - that road is always empty for me. Guess I have been doing good in the road gods' eyes.

Nah, I'm just going fast enough to catch all the slow ones

Carl

[Justin]

Nah, I'm just going fast enough to catch all the slow ones

Carl

OH SNAP!  Touche'  


Nah, I love railing that road myself and I catch up to anyone in front of me. Usually it's just empty. I guess with this being the first REALLY nice weekend, people were out in droves.

[dm_gsxr]

I've been up several times over the past few months and there are a bit more riders now than when it's colder. But it's the bicyclists that are the most annoying with riding three abreast or riding downhill in the center of the road (and being annoyed when I pass them on the bike).

In general I do try to be patient and only pass in passing zones. But when I'm in the middle of a pack of slower riders _because_ they're taking a quarter mile of road, then I do make an effort to pass when safe vs waiting on a passing zone. As a courtesy to them.

Carl