Squeaky
08-16-2004, 01:37 AM
It started as an idea simple enough - a group of riders talking after a great ride about getting together and riding again. That's what happened after each and every one of Scott's rides. Thing is, nobody ever got a group ride together unless we waited for Scott to do it. So an idea was hatched ;-)
Despite riding them often, I don't know any of the great roads north of Houston. I do, however, know how to get up north to get to a ride. Simple enough - I get the Houstonians up there, and Paul will lead out to his 'old stomping grounds'.
Starbucks. 290 @ 1960. Well, I was later infomed that this wasn't actually 1960 - it was the 1960 exit but the intersection was Hwy 6. Oops :roll: We manage to scrounge up a nice-sized group of riders not willing to let this beautiful weather go to waste, regardless of how little or much riding they got in before having to head for home later. Most of us got a beverage, some hopped across the street for fuel, then we got it together and headed out.
Onto the freeeway, then off again at Telge. We went through Tomball, wove through what seemed like billions of cagers (with a generous sprinkling of bikes) and a half a dozen red lights. I was later informed that this entire annoying stretch of road could have been eliminated by taking a back road that cut past it. Oh well. Next time. We got up to 105 and had our first incident for the day - the group had a split personality. We pulled off to make sure we had everyone accounted for, and then continued on - some of us down 105 towards King's and the rest down a road Bryan thought we were taking. The road sounded like fun once it was explained after the fact, so I'll have to remember that route change too. You know, I'm just glad I can remember a route at all at this point :oops:
Once we got to the gas station in Montgomery and found out we had some time to kill, some decided to split for home, some to run the forest then head for home, and still others to run the forst for kicks and then meet, as scheduled, at King's at noon. We weren't going to eat, so why sit there and wait when there is riding to be done? 8-)
Scott is riding into the gas station as we're pulling out, and informs me that Paul (Scratch), our leader for the day's ride, has just taken a buzzard to the head and had turned around and headed back to the garage. :eek: A buzzard? The big, annoying bird? To the HEAD? We're told he ducked under most of it and would have quite a sore neck by morning, but that he'll be ok. Debbie is also still on her way, so Scott agrees to substitute as the ride leader. We head up and back through the forest and meet back at King's. Scott makes a call to make sure Paul got back Ok, only to be told that Paul had not only made it back to the house, but he was able to steal some parts off a spare helmet to fix his own and he and Debbie were on their way. The Return of the Leader...
We meet and greet for what may have been 45 min. Some of the natives are getting restless. One more rider decides to head for home and we pick up a straggler that was intending on going home. After all, there was nothing going on at home anyway... The weather was still beautiful but the minutes were ticking away, so we got on the road and started running some great northwest roads. Once over the tracks in Anderson, Jesse ends up in the sand. Scott pulls him and the bike out of the rut thanks to the trusty grab rail, and we head up the road to catch up with the group. A few things went wrong here - Scott didn't follow us up the road; instead, he took the path less paved and ran up the dirt road. He popped out in front of us and motioned that we should turn left. Ok, he must know the route, right? :shrug: We eventually find the group up the road and get back on the road to head for more fun and then lunch.
Bikes at Lunch (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1481.jpg)
Lunch was good service and good food for good prices. We recharge our bodies with yummys and get back out to the roads that await. We lost Scott somewhere along the way, but he reappears (eerily) as we get to the town of Burton. Time for a nice break under the shade of a dense tree. It appears to be an old train station building, but there are no tracks...
Burton (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1488.jpg)
Bikes in Burton (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1491.jpg)
We lose Philip and Tracy because we're closer to B/CS than Montgomery, and we pick up a new rider that stop to say hello. Onward we go again, and some ways down the road we realize that Scott and Will have swapped bikes. Weird seeing Scott crouched over on that little sportbike. His grin said it all.
We (or what's left of 'we') eventually end up back at King's, only to find they're closed. The new condensed hours due to construction have got us in a jam. Scott makes nice with the owner and we exhange a pile of money (quite literally) for a few bowls of ice cream. It's good to know people.
The breeze, clear sky, and creamy goodness of Blue Bell made it the perfect afternoon to sit out on that back deck. No other customers around, the humm and buzz of a few power tools, and talks of bikes and trips and roads and routes and rallys...
Here's where one of the best parts of my day occurs - for the 30~ish mile ride back to Huntsville, including the forest, I swap bikes with Scott. :mrgreen: I am nervous but excited, as I have never ridden any bike other than my own and the one in the MSF course. I learn the finer points of the controls, get it off the stand, and after about a minute, I'm enjoying myself so much I forget I'm afraid. My ride is smoother, my lines more deliberate, and I can see farther through turns from this height. This short ride renews my spirit about riding, which is good because I'd been losing confidence points left and right with near mishaps because of rider error. (I had intentionally spent the day at lower-than-usual speeds in the back of the group working on the basics and getting smoother, which really helped).
Back at the house, Debbie takes off, my bike is loaded in the truck, and we're off towards Houston with the setting sun. :bigokay:
18 riders
17 bikes
7 bowls of ice cream
3 fuel stops
1 dead buzzard
-----------------------
A gorgeous day riding twisted roads with motorcycle fanatics = priceless
:chug:
Thanks to Jesse for the great pics!
Despite riding them often, I don't know any of the great roads north of Houston. I do, however, know how to get up north to get to a ride. Simple enough - I get the Houstonians up there, and Paul will lead out to his 'old stomping grounds'.
Starbucks. 290 @ 1960. Well, I was later infomed that this wasn't actually 1960 - it was the 1960 exit but the intersection was Hwy 6. Oops :roll: We manage to scrounge up a nice-sized group of riders not willing to let this beautiful weather go to waste, regardless of how little or much riding they got in before having to head for home later. Most of us got a beverage, some hopped across the street for fuel, then we got it together and headed out.
Onto the freeeway, then off again at Telge. We went through Tomball, wove through what seemed like billions of cagers (with a generous sprinkling of bikes) and a half a dozen red lights. I was later informed that this entire annoying stretch of road could have been eliminated by taking a back road that cut past it. Oh well. Next time. We got up to 105 and had our first incident for the day - the group had a split personality. We pulled off to make sure we had everyone accounted for, and then continued on - some of us down 105 towards King's and the rest down a road Bryan thought we were taking. The road sounded like fun once it was explained after the fact, so I'll have to remember that route change too. You know, I'm just glad I can remember a route at all at this point :oops:
Once we got to the gas station in Montgomery and found out we had some time to kill, some decided to split for home, some to run the forest then head for home, and still others to run the forst for kicks and then meet, as scheduled, at King's at noon. We weren't going to eat, so why sit there and wait when there is riding to be done? 8-)
Scott is riding into the gas station as we're pulling out, and informs me that Paul (Scratch), our leader for the day's ride, has just taken a buzzard to the head and had turned around and headed back to the garage. :eek: A buzzard? The big, annoying bird? To the HEAD? We're told he ducked under most of it and would have quite a sore neck by morning, but that he'll be ok. Debbie is also still on her way, so Scott agrees to substitute as the ride leader. We head up and back through the forest and meet back at King's. Scott makes a call to make sure Paul got back Ok, only to be told that Paul had not only made it back to the house, but he was able to steal some parts off a spare helmet to fix his own and he and Debbie were on their way. The Return of the Leader...
We meet and greet for what may have been 45 min. Some of the natives are getting restless. One more rider decides to head for home and we pick up a straggler that was intending on going home. After all, there was nothing going on at home anyway... The weather was still beautiful but the minutes were ticking away, so we got on the road and started running some great northwest roads. Once over the tracks in Anderson, Jesse ends up in the sand. Scott pulls him and the bike out of the rut thanks to the trusty grab rail, and we head up the road to catch up with the group. A few things went wrong here - Scott didn't follow us up the road; instead, he took the path less paved and ran up the dirt road. He popped out in front of us and motioned that we should turn left. Ok, he must know the route, right? :shrug: We eventually find the group up the road and get back on the road to head for more fun and then lunch.
Bikes at Lunch (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1481.jpg)
Lunch was good service and good food for good prices. We recharge our bodies with yummys and get back out to the roads that await. We lost Scott somewhere along the way, but he reappears (eerily) as we get to the town of Burton. Time for a nice break under the shade of a dense tree. It appears to be an old train station building, but there are no tracks...
Burton (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1488.jpg)
Bikes in Burton (http://www.twinturboz.net/users/juicyhung/SV650S/rides/081504/IMG_1491.jpg)
We lose Philip and Tracy because we're closer to B/CS than Montgomery, and we pick up a new rider that stop to say hello. Onward we go again, and some ways down the road we realize that Scott and Will have swapped bikes. Weird seeing Scott crouched over on that little sportbike. His grin said it all.
We (or what's left of 'we') eventually end up back at King's, only to find they're closed. The new condensed hours due to construction have got us in a jam. Scott makes nice with the owner and we exhange a pile of money (quite literally) for a few bowls of ice cream. It's good to know people.
The breeze, clear sky, and creamy goodness of Blue Bell made it the perfect afternoon to sit out on that back deck. No other customers around, the humm and buzz of a few power tools, and talks of bikes and trips and roads and routes and rallys...
Here's where one of the best parts of my day occurs - for the 30~ish mile ride back to Huntsville, including the forest, I swap bikes with Scott. :mrgreen: I am nervous but excited, as I have never ridden any bike other than my own and the one in the MSF course. I learn the finer points of the controls, get it off the stand, and after about a minute, I'm enjoying myself so much I forget I'm afraid. My ride is smoother, my lines more deliberate, and I can see farther through turns from this height. This short ride renews my spirit about riding, which is good because I'd been losing confidence points left and right with near mishaps because of rider error. (I had intentionally spent the day at lower-than-usual speeds in the back of the group working on the basics and getting smoother, which really helped).
Back at the house, Debbie takes off, my bike is loaded in the truck, and we're off towards Houston with the setting sun. :bigokay:
18 riders
17 bikes
7 bowls of ice cream
3 fuel stops
1 dead buzzard
-----------------------
A gorgeous day riding twisted roads with motorcycle fanatics = priceless
:chug:
Thanks to Jesse for the great pics!