Bike Report Day 2, Part 3: School is Session

Let The Fun Begin!

The above picture is the start to day of riding. I am standing at the intersection in front of Story Inn looking south…. I think. As you can see from the picture, the bushes and trees come right up to the road side. Off in the distance, it opens up to great wide pastures. It was very scenic but at times, I really needed to focus on the road ahead of me.

The last time I did a group ride, and really it was my first time, I did not feel in control. For those of you reading the blog for the first time, this is really my first full year of riding. I am still learning what my bike can do and finding quickly where my skill level is at.

When I rode with the previous group, they were very aggressive. At times, I felt out of control. Going way to fast for corners. I felt that I needed to keep up with the group and not let the riders behind me get to slow. That's when the saying kicked in, "ride your own ride." At the next stop, I went to the back of the pack and rode at my pace.

With this group, knowing we would be riding in the slowest group of the rally, I was still uncertain if I could handle the pace. You just should never assume. With the recent crash of my bike, and running the costs of repair in my head, I had to quickly clear everything and refocus on the roads yet once again.

Erin, our fearless leader of the group, surprisingly drove faster than I had imagined. She was on a 1982 Honda 400. Before the ride started, I thought we would be pushing that thing up hills. Boy was I wrong. She rode that bike like a champ. At times, I was playing catch up to her. I quickly apologized in my head for the fact the she was going to lead us to a slow day. In fact, at times, we were doing 80 mph in the open straight a ways. I told Erin at one stop that if this is the slow group, I couldn't think of what the faster group was up to. I think she was amused.

I did not take the above picture but it is from the Rally. It does not do the ride justice but just look how this road curves to the left with a blind corner. On the flip side, just look at how the trees are full. It really made the ride that much more adventurous.

This is just a playground for motorcycle enthusiasts. See the twistys?