[themeatmanlandry]

I got a couple of wake-up calls this past weekend. Details . . .

The first incident . . .
I have this ‘path’ that I usually ride (almost every Saturday and Sunday morning). I leave my house, cross the highway, and immediately hit the curvy roads that run up and down the bluffs north of Memphis. Saturday morning, I changed it up a bit, by going south first, then north . . . anyway. As I rounded a corner on one of the rural, curvy roads that I ride on, there’s a white car parked in the other lane. As soon I round the corner, it lights up like a Christmas Tree . . . a freaking blue one.

I pull alongside the car (which is facing the opposite direction) and look in to see a fat, shirtless, hillbilly cop. I’m a fireman, and I’m in my own district, so I know exactly who this guy is. He’s a badass to put it lightly. He’s an undercover narc, whose brother was shot and killed two years ago during a drug sting gone bad. He ahs a very bad attitude about life in general, let alone his job. Anyway . . .

I have my helmet on, so he doesn’t recognize me as one of the local firemen. He looks at me and says, “Slow it DOWN!!” He YELLS (screams?) the word “down.” Okay, that scared the crap out of me. For those of you that don’t know (all of you) Tipton County is one of those backwards, Deliverance-type counties, where the cops do what they want to whoever they want. I slowly shook my head “yes,” and rode off as slow as the bike was capable of. I could see where his tires had run over the dewy grass from the house he was parked in front of. It is apparently his house, as the tire marks lead up to the garage, which is usually closed (to hide his undercover wheels, I’m guessing).

Evidently, I have been shooting past his house (it’s in a straight) almost every Saturday for the last couple of years . . . and he’s tired of it. I don’t blame him. When I passed his house on Sunday, I went 35 mph, and I think that’s a pretty good speed for that area . . . now.

The other incident . . .
On Monday (Labor Day), I was on the other side of the highway, hitting the marginally-acceptable roads that lie to the northeast of Memphis . . . no bluffs, just gentle hills with some decent curvage, but nothing like the good side of the highway. I was feeling really good, and the bike was handling really well, so I was in that dangerous comfort zone, where you think you know what the he!! you’re doing.

I came into a right-hander that had a diminishing radius, went down into a dip, and then up a hill, all the while losing radius. I went in too hot. WAAAY too hot, and as I came around the bend, I detected something in the road. Sand, grit, leaves, sticks, I don’t really remember, but I knew traction was compromised, and I was going WAY too fast, especially if there was gonna’ be some crap in the road. I had to hit the brakes and stand the bike up, or I felt that the back tire was gonna’ wash out on me. An experienced rider probably would have taken that curve, crap and all, without a hitch. I’m not an experienced rider . . . 17,000 miles and counting.

It was all I could do to keep the bike from hitting the ditch . . . on the OTHER side of the road. As I’m forcing myself to look where I want to go (which, at this point, is anywhere with pavement) I realize what a fool I’ve been. I’m riding in ‘new’ territory going so fast, I can’t stay in my own lane when some crap pops up. How stupid is that? Don’t tell me . . . I know . . . about as stupid as you can get.

So, here I am, on the wrong side of the GD road, going about 40 miles per hour (indicated) into an oncoming lane of traffic, uphill (where I can’t see over the hill), with God-only-knows-what heading my way to kill me. Kill me. Dead GDit.

I rode home rather sedately, wondering exactly why God would let a person who so obviously lacks gray matter live through such an act of stupidity. I still haven’t figured it out.

I was riding in the 80-90% zone. I usually ride about 60-70%. I intend to ride 60-70% from now on. It’s not a good idea to ride 90% on roads that you KNOW . . . what the he!! was I thinking, riding like that in somewhat unfamiliar territory? I have no excuse. When that crap showed up, I was quite simply at the mercy of fate.

I only THOUGHT the cop scared me. I have never felt so stupid in my entire life, as I did topping that hill . . . in the wrong lane . . . with a wife and kid at home, and I'm the only bread earner right now.

I’m still going to cruise the curves, and I’m still going to hit ’em hard, but I’m going to set the wick a little lower in the lamp, especially in the new areas, and in the blind curves, lest another pile of crap in the road send me off course and into an untimely oblivion on the hood of some oncoming vehicle.

Ride safe.

 

[87gsxrnut]

Good thing you are OK. Happens to all of us.

One thing, DON'T stand it up, unless it is to get out of the way of a hard object (car, tree in the road etc.) Sounds like you need some pratice now at higher speeds to learn more about your bike's capabilities. It might have been possible and safter to lean it further over to avoid the objects. I wasn't there though (duh). That is something you learn on the track.

Track time.

- Nut

 

[FIVEINCH]

Don't beat yourself up too much, Meat. As long you're learning, you can never be considered a cockroach.

 

[Trapper]

I rode home rather sedately, wondering exactly why God would let a person who so obviously lacks gray matter live through such an act of stupidity. I still haven’t figured it out.

ANSWER>>>>>>>
. . . with a wife and kid at home, and I'm the only bread earner right now.

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

I'm glad that it all worked out and that you're okay! I guess we all have those "Back to reality" moments sometimes!! :?

 

[Clint]

That's some good learnin', meatman. You came out better than you went in.

 

[Bluejeans]

Hey Meatman, you ever try riding down into Mississippi? I used to cruise around Nesbit when I wanted to "get away". Of course, that was in my Toyota Tercel and not some hot sport bike, but the roads were fun, none the less.

And I know T-county.

 

[bhamon]

any lesson without a wreck is a good lesson

 

[GIXXER-Mike]

Good reflections, MeatMan! Glad you were able to manuever wisely.

Your incident w/the officer reminds me of my current situation. I was stopped by 2 police cars when I first got my bike for looking suspicious while riding through my neighborhood for 90 minutes. Little did they know that I was practicing my stops, turns, take-offs, etc. They rolled up on me & started yelling at me to turn my bike off.

Anyway, after they found out that I actually live in the neighborhood that they stopped me in their faces immediately reflected embarrassment. Now, everytime I ride & meet one on the road they always hit their lights briefly & make that sound w/the siren which always SCARES THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS outta me. I always pull over thinking that they're stopping me for something but they never turn around. I really wish they would stop messing w/me like that.

I'm the only Gixxer in my part of town & the cops now know me so I guess I'm just a MARKED MAN from now on!

 

[wafflehouse]

whilt pull over just put the beer in the holder belt and gun it

(insert your avatar here)

-wafflehouse

 

[saleemas]

That's some good learnin', meatman. You came out better than you went in.

Very true. And at 17,000 miles youv'e got more experience than you give yourself credit for. Live and learn. empahsis on live.

G-

 

[themeatmanlandry]

Thanks for all the positive comments. It really scared the crap out of me. The cop scared me a little, but the stupid cornering scared me a lot.


With regards to traction . . .

Many times in a corner I'll ocme up on a pile of crap in the road. Sometimes, it's some light colored sand on an older paved road (the ones that have faded to a gray color) that you never see, but you feel it when the wheels skid out a tad.

When I can SEE the crap in the road, that really puts me on edge. As mentioned above, I guess the only thing to do is maneuver around the crap. What happens (to experienced riders) when the rider can't maneuver around the crap? A skid?

 

[inspiron]

That's why you should never ride beyond your sight limits - you should see and recognise the surface dangers with enough time to react to them. If you don't have time to react to them, you've entered the situation too fast.

You are one lucky (meat)man - you got your (phase 3) wake-up call without any physical or material damage.

I also had a similar wake-up call yesterday in my car. I've had a stiff neck the past few days, and was driving on a one-lane country road at about 60mph. I was trying to roll my head around a bit to loosen my neck muscles, and found myself suddenly about 1 foot to the left of the road - luckily, it was pretty level and I was able to get the car back onto the road without losing control. Damn, if that doesn't get your attention quick!

 

[wavyredlaurie]

I really appreciate and admire you being honest, and sharing your experience. You've got to know it'll make a few of us be a little more careful, because we have all been there, done that. Still, after you go a while without an "incident" you get a little complacent, a little less careful, or maybe even a little cocky, and I appreciate a reminder like this. It's very easy to overestimate your ability, and a lot of bikers seem to love to brag and strut, and push the envelope. I like it that so many here are straight up about things, and seem to know their limits - or at least are learning them!

For me, every time I've gotten in trouble, and almost had a disaster, it was always a combination of things all coming together in some kind of non-harmonic covergence. Any one factor would not have been enough to cause the near-disaster. But all the stuff at once, and I was lucky to still be rolling after it was over. Usually (but not always) I was doing something at the edge of my ability, or just doing something incorrectly. Then, the unexpected happened - the gravel, the grooved pavement, the jerk rounding the curve partway in my lane. I almost got rear-ended yesterday bu a stooopid tailgater, but partly because I was shifting and accelerating too slowly. It wouldn't have technically been my fault at all, but that would've been small consolation. Besides, I need to do that more smoothly and efficiently, I know I need to work on it. I've almost dumped the new bike twice already, once yielding to an ambulance, and once because my darn foot landed on an oily spot stopping at a red light! That would have been really embarassing. My very closest scrape, I was fortunate (for once!) to not be doing anything at all wrong, and so when the crisis hit, I was able to respond really well. Any distraction, or any sloppiness, would have given a much different outcome. When I think of how often I AM sloppy and distracted, it is very humbling. And yet, I also surprised myself, when I had to get it done, I did. You did, too, so don't beat yourself up too much.

You do learn from such things. You get wiser, and humbler, and the paradox is, that you're also more competent, and riding more safely. I think the mistakes have taught me a lot more than the smooth, uneventful rides. And I like my gear more all the time!

 

[themeatmanlandry]

That's why you should never ride beyond your sight limits - you should see and recognise the surface dangers with enough time to react to them. If you don't have time to react to them, you've entered the situation too fast.

That, my friend, is the essence of my problem. The curves in this part fo the country are almost all (>90% I would guess) blind curves. Trees, terrain . . . everyting blocks the view of the corner exits. Is it like that everywhere else? I've made a day trip to the Ozarks, and I seem to remember that I couldn't really see all of the way through the corners there, either.

On a slightly related note, my right wrist has been screwed up (tendonitis?) for over a month now. I haven't been able to lift weights at all. After riding last weekend (3 straight mornings of twisty roads), and using post-hole diggers on Monday afternoon, my wrist really hurts now. I'm going to lay off (not ride in the twisties) for a couple of weekends to see if it helps the wrist. I have a Bandit, so I know I can't be leaning on them as much as a GSXR rider would be. I must be gripping the handlebars too hard . . . or maybe the dreaded Bandit vibration has set in so slowly that I didn't notice until it injured me.

Either way, working out is as much a part of my lifestyle as mc'ing, so I'm torn between the two. For now, I'll stay out of the twisties (and off the bike for the most part) until my wrist heals. Bummer.