Brief Ride Report

Well, took a short 175 mile ride on the Road Glide today, and let me say that it
was a relief and a pleasure to ride on a stable, solid surface, where I could
predict in advance which way the front wheel would be going. (After dirt bike
riding yesterday... and yes, I am as sore as an 80-year-old retired Human
Cannonball performer, today!)

George, Steve, Robert, and I left Ashburn, VA at 10:15 this morning, with the
temperature already in the mid-80's. I led the group north into Maryland via
the Point of Rocks Bridge on Route 15 (where, it turns out, shortly after we
passed through, a 17-year-old girl pulled out to pass in a designated passing
zone and ran head-on into a southbound 78-year-old woman, killing both
instantly. Shudder.) Once in Maryland, I headed northwest, seeking and finding
sparsely trafficed 3-digit 2-lane backroads.

We stayed in a pretty tight formation; George in the right third of the lane,
just aft of my rear wheel, then Steve and Robert with slightly more separation,
about 20 yards back.

All four bikes had quiet exhausts, so there were a number of occasions when the
occupants of cars we passed were startled to see us zipping by. Luckily, all
the roads we rode today had generous passing zones with good sightlines.

We averaged about 15mph over the limit, with brief forays flirting with triple
digits on particularly deserted straight sections, although I never actually saw
100 on the speedo. What we did do, was plenty of slow-in, fast-out corners
that had the front brakes of both Harleys begging for mercy, literally smoking
at several stops.

We wound our way northwest into Pennsylvania, and stopped for lunch at a little
Mom & Pop restaurant in Waynesboro, where my late father was born in 1932 and
lived until his 12th birthday. It was a little wierd, being there for the first
time since he died last year.

After lunch, the pace picked up as we wound our way down into Shepardstown, West
Virginia, and back onto roads that I've been riding for a quarter of a century.

After passing through or around Harper's Ferry, Charles Town, Hillsboro,
Purcellville, and Hamilton, we were back in Leesburg for sodas, gas, and jokes
about each others' [lack of] riding ability, and headed our separate ways home
by 4:00 PM.

A good, fast, clean ride on a hot, hot day.

I did, of course, wash and dry and polish the Harley before putting it into the
garage. It is, after all, a Harley, and thinks of itself as a garage queen.

Tim

On Sun, 23 May 2004 21:44:55 -0400, Tim Morrow <tomorrow.TakeThisOut@erols.com>
wrote:


 >We stayed in a pretty tight formation; George in the right third of the lane,
 >just aft of my rear wheel, then Steve and Robert with slightly more separation,
 >about 20 yards back.
 >

I find on my trailer I can usually maintain that interval also.

 >
 >We averaged about 15mph over the limit, with brief forays flirting with triple
 >digits on particularly deserted straight sections, although I never actually saw
 >100 on the speedo. What we did do, was plenty of slow-in, fast-out corners
 >that had the front brakes of both Harleys begging for mercy, literally smoking
 >at several stops.

Trailer tires will do that.

 >We wound our way northwest into Pennsylvania, and stopped for lunch at a little
 >Mom & Pop restaurant in Waynesboro, where my late father was born in 1932 and
 >lived until his 12th birthday. It was a little wierd, being there for the first
 >time since he died last year.
 >
 >After lunch, the pace picked up as we wound our way down into Shepardstown, West
 >Virginia, and back onto roads that I've been riding for a quarter of a century.

Ah yes. The ride eat, eat to ride thing.

 >After passing through or around Harper's Ferry, Charles Town, Hillsboro,
 >Purcellville, and Hamilton, we were back in Leesburg for sodas, gas, and jokes
 >about each others' [lack of] riding ability, and headed our separate ways home
 >by 4:00 PM.
 >

Every now and then I think of taking mine out of the climate
controlled environment I have it stored in but then come to my senses
realizing that motorcycles are dangerous and I'd lower (shedder) my
resell value if I actually rode it.

Nice write up.
--

Dave (Dukes Sheep)
'03 FLHRI NAH#2 DOF #5 SENS
"Oh bother" said Pooh, as he was connected at 14.4kps

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