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My first outing with the TWT crowd- Eureka Springs!

Joined
Apr 11, 2005
Messages
980
Reaction score
3
Location
Richmond, TX
First Name
Steve
Last Name
Floyd
OK, since we all know by now that we had to trailer my bike home the very first time I have been to a TWT rally, I guess everyone wants to know the details. Being that Elaine and I converted to sport touring from the cruiser crowd only recently, we had no idea what to expect. We found out real fast as soon as we met up with Cruizintexas on Friday morning. Man, once we hit the twisties of OK and Ark, my life changed forever! :shock: Steve and Will were patient with me for a long time but finally decided it was time to get to camp and switched it in to another gear on our last leg. It was everything we could do to keep up! I was crossing yellow lines, crossing white lines, scraping center stands and God knows what else! :mrgreen: But we made there alive and promptly went to our hotel to catch our breath.

The next morning, we got up, went to the Comfort Inn where everyone else was supposed to meet. Scott explained the day, we signed some papers, handed over our money and jumped on our bikes. To Elaine's shock and horror, Saturday ended up being just like Friday afternoon! Once again, we were crossing stuff that shouldn't be crossed, scraping stuff that ain't supposed to be scraped, and, Elaine swears that she was clinching her butt so hard to that seat that there still may be part of my seat up her [expletive removed]! Anyway, I had a blast but was frustrated because I felt my bike was weighted down too much with all the "extra mass" :twisted: on the bike.

The next morning, Elaine was sore from the previous day's "spirited" ride through some of the most fantastic roads I have ever been on, so she decided to sit out Sunday's festivities. It was probably a good thing.....

After shedding my wife and my saddlebags, the GT was lighter than ever and I was determined to conquer the twisties that day with no excuses of extra mass. When we took off, I promptly took my place behind Scott, Kent, and Will and proceded into the great wild yonder doing everything I could to keeep up with the three ovbiously more skilled riders than myself. I kept up for a while but as time went on, I fell further and further behind while pushing ever harder on my beautiful mount to do more than my skill level would prevent. I kept telling myself, the bike will do whatever you need it to do, just ask her nicely. And then it happened.....

As I was driving ever faster and more franticly, I came to this curve at a high rate of speed and knew immediatley that I could not make this turn and had to come up plan B! I looked up and to my suprise, there at the curve was a park with a driveway and everything! All I had to do was drive straight and bring my trusty steed to a controlled stop! :-D I immediately straightened my bike up, went straight, and "attempted" to skillfully maneuver the trusty GT around the concrete parking barriers and numerous trees. Well it didn't work. I hit the parking barrier and according to other riders behind me, my bike jumped up about four feet in the air and I went another foot beyond that that. I did manager to hold on to the handlebars and once I came in for a landing, managed to bring her to halt virtually unscathed having never dropped the machine on the ground. As the dust settled, I noticed that this was not a park at all, it was a cemetary! :shock: Well we looked over my bike and noticed the rim was bent and a little bit of oil was coming from somewhere. I decided the bike was ridable and rode down the road about 1 mile and realized oil was shooting out. Game over.

So now, after a pleasant afternoon riding aournd on the back of Scott's bike and rounding up the trailer to bring my injured bike and jilted pride to houston, I am taking it up to the dealer to see what the damages are. I will report later.

The moral of the story is, ride within your skill set.

See you all soon.
 
Glad you came away relatively unscathed, Steve.

Always ride your own ride! It is the golden rule that will keep you alive and healthy. If you ever find yourself crossing that yellow line, SLOW DOWN!
 
Yeah, sure am glad to hear that you walked away from what could have been an ugly scene.

I've always been slower than the group, but they WILL wait. No matter how long it seems they have to stand on the side of the road cursing the heat in full gear...
 
As I waited patiently for my loved one to come home (back to the hotel room) I kept looking at the clock, only now to realize it is 8:15 pm I hear a knock at the door and it is Steve and Scott only to realize they are on one bike. Steve could actually feel my pain of riding on the back and not being in control of your destiny. Going through all those winding roads and seeing nothing but yellow lines and wondering if you will make it in one piece. I am glad that Steve did make it back in one piece and I did not go. Because I could be the one in the cemetary. God truly does bless all of us that ride. :angel:
 
Yes things could have been worse. :-)

There's two things that can help, first is if you are going too fast to do something like raise your hand off the bar to wave in a relaxed manner you're probably going too fast.

Second is the rubber band effect when riders seperate a little at curves and close up after them. The farther behind the leader the faster you have to go to play that game and catch up. It's just a natural way things work, the leader is moving a lot slower most of the time than those behind him.

It's usually best just to drop back and ride within your comfort zone. That comfort zone will get faster over time, or not, but you'll always make it home safe and sound.
 
Eureka Springs adventure

Steve and Elaine, I'm glad you'll are ok. Hopefully bike won't be too bad off.

As they said earlier, always try to ride your own pace and not the guy in front of you. I know that is easier said than done. If you are coming off a cruiser and going to a sport tourer, riding is a bit different (actually in a better way) but still different. Crossing lines is a REAL good indicator that you are riding above your means. Slow down a bit and start thinking about where to look in the curve and what your speed is entering the turn and pick your line accordingly.
A lot of cruiser riders haven't been to a MSF class and I would recommend it or if you have been, the ERC on your own bike is a good refresher.

On the rides I've been on, we wait for the last rider at the next changing intersection and I imagine that a TWT rally is similar. Over time, the riders usually break into groups according to their skill level or pace.

From personal experience, I have tried to keep up before and it no workee too well. Glad you'll are ok and maybe bike will be good to go for the June pie run.

Ride Safe, Chris
 
Isn't "Sport Touring" fun? Glad you made it in one piece. I know it was one of the best "SAVES" I've ever seen. Otherwise it was a great trip (with one other minor slide). Scott puts on a great tour. I'll be back for Labor Day. Snoopster, you better be there. :chug:
 
Steve could actually feel my pain of riding on the back and not being in control of your destiny. Going through all those winding roads and seeing nothing but yellow lines and wondering if you will make it in one piece.

:tab The only physical pain he felt was the lame backseat pad on the GS. He was squirming around all the way back to the hotel :lol: I only scared him once :angel: But that was just because he wasn't expecting what I did, not because I goofed, hehe. Still, for a guy and a first time passenger, he did great. I never had to fight him for control of the bike in the corners :lol:

:tab Steve was lucky and learned a valuable lesson without getting hurt. I worry about this every time we go out riding and that is why I preach and preach about riding your own pace no matter what the person in front of you is doing. This is also why I like for everyone to know the route so ideally they won't be anxious about getting lost or separated from the group. There is no shame at all in hanging back and we would much rather wait a few moments at the next stop than spend the afternoon getting bikes loaded on the trailer ;-) Now if we could just get Steve on a GS for the offroad stuff, he would be set :dude: :lol:

Adios,
 
We have a nice pic of Steve F at the Bavarian wearing some 'alternative novelty headgear'. It's just gotta be posted here. :mrgreen:

I think it's on FJR-steve's camera.
 
:rofl I forgot about that! Yes please, post the pic!

Adios,
 
I'm glad to hear that everything worked out more of less. It's nice when you get to walk away. :lol: I have a feeling though that you're going to fine out that BMW also stands for, Bring My Wallet. :eek:
 
Re: Eureka Springs adventure

sharkey said:
Crossing lines is a REAL good indicator that you are riding above your means. Slow down a bit and start thinking ....

Sharkey's right.
Crossing the center stripe is something you should do only a couple of times before you realize you're riding above your ability. It's not something you should be doing for 2 days and until you go off the road.
:huh:
 
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