Dave wrote on 06/26/13 at 04:22:48:Oldfeller--FSO wrote on 06/25/13 at 20:14:10:I just enjoy the curves at a brisk pace......with some reserve left for braking and evasive moves if they become necessary. [/color]
I want future Dragon Riders to know that everyone can ride at their own pace, and that the occasional blast around the corners by some of us will be followed by the group waiting for all riders to catch up and join the group. It is not a 3 day street race.....but we do sneak in some spirited riding when the opportunity arises.
All you young little squiddlies, ya'll do plan to come to the mountains with us next year.
Secret is to start out at the rear of the pack and "ride your own ride" like you always have. Then you notice how the guy in front of you is doing it, and you start doing that way. Always copy from the folks in front of you who ride better than you do, that is how you learn.
You come back next year because it was fun, and before long you are in the middle of the pack and are slowly moving up. Then one day for no reason, it all clicks together and you start to RIDE your motorcycle and you don't even notice it.
Kel was our classic case of this learning progression, he was sitting at dinner one afternoon (on his third trip) arguing that there was no way in hell he was going any 70 mph on the Cherohala Skyway, that his bike wouldn't do 70 on those hills and he can't ride that near fast under those conditions .....
.... until the cell phone with the GPS speed/distance app lit was laid down beside his plate. 74.3 mph top speed, taken from the guy behind him.
He stopped and took a gulp of tea -- he wuz a Dragon Rider now fer shure.
"But we were all just cruising along in a spaced out row, no fuss no bother ...."
For example, Dave rides better than he thinks he does. He was trying to get home in the rain and was going 65+ along Cruso Rd trying to get back to the cabins so he could take him a hot shower.
He was wet and he was miserable and he just wanted to get there. He couldn't read his speedo for all the mist and rain and he wasn't worried about it for much at that point anyway. I wuz stopped suggesting a stop at a place with an awning to get out of the driving rain but Dave blew on past me, headed for home. He warn't stopping fer nuthin'.
He made me work to catch him, he did.
and then on Sunday after packing up to go home, he went back for yet another dose of Dragon .....
..... straighten that road back to horizontal and tilt 'ol Dave over to where he was really riding -- that's a Dragon Rider right there by golly.
He still ain't admitting it to himself, but some day soon he'll pass something out in the real world because "it's just going so durn SLOW I jest can't take it any more" and then he'll remember this and do a golly gee to his forehead over the slow corruption that has crept up upon him.