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Originally Posted by jpbear
Soo.. can we have a trip report???
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Ask and you shall receive... I apologize in advance for being a bit long winded.
As I was headed to the dealership Sunday morning I saw another biker up ahead and wondered if he would be going on the day’s group ride. And sure enough his blinker came on and he made the turn into the dealership parking lot. I followed him and pulled up alongside his Harley on my little Ninjette and lifted my visor. I recognized him as the Yamaha XT225 rider from last month's group ride to The Boondocks.
Already there was a husband and wife riding two-up on a Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad. (Kawasaki in the house!)
I dismounted and took my helmet off to shake hands with everyone and was shocked to realize I knew the woman. We had both worked together at the place I'm currently employed, but she was now enjoying an early retirement. She and her husband were there with their latest retirement splurge: a "new-to-them" motorcycle.
After a few minutes, Joel, the shop owner, showed up on one of his vintage European motorcycles, and just behind him another rider who I also met on the last group ride, on his Victory Star cruiser.
The gang was all there; six of us in total, riding five bikes. Joel distributed our route sheets and gave a quick explanation of how our group ride would flow… riders keeping an eye on the rider behind them; waiting at turns to be sure no one got lost, etc..
We set out on the highway and headed north. It was a beautiful day for riding. The sun was out, the sky was clear and the open road lay ahead. We didn’t spend too much time on the highway, as Joel promised to take us on back roads on the way up. We hit a number of twisties, which given a rider’s skill and comfort level, could either be taken at a leisurely pace or have you tearing it up in the corners.
I heard a big rumble and the Star cruiser thundered past me to take up the fourth spot for awhile and I realized how much I shift based on sound. With my stock can, I couldn't hear my little Ninjette while the Star cruiser rumbled in front of me. It made it difficult for me to know what gear I was in and when to shift.
At one of our stops, the Vulcan Nomad wife talked about how everyone's bike sounded so different. She said the Star cruiser had a deep rumble, the Harley-Davidson had a puttering, pop, pop sound, and mine had a “whirring noise”... made me feel like I was riding a blender.
We all mounted up again and continued our trek north. Riders were out in full force that day. We passed hordes of cruisers with the occasional scooter and sports bikes. It was getting difficult giving each of them the “biker’s wave/nod”. I tried to mix it up a bit. Some got the standard wave, others a peace sign, yet others the “number one” sign or even a “thumbs up”.
At another stopping point, Joel commented on how fun my Ninjette looked to ride and asked if I’d like to trade rides for a bit. But, I was too chicken to ride his restored racer, with its shifter on the right-hand side and antiquated front wheel drum brake. So, I respectfully passed on the swap. Maybe next time, I’ll be braver.
Three and a half hours since we left the dealership, we arrived at our destination, the Lost River Caverns. We parked and took our bag lunches over to the nearby picnic area. We enjoyed the perfect weather and got to know each other better.
After lunch we rallied together to head in to the main building to go on our guided tour of the caverns. The caverns themselves were alright; though nothing to plan a family vacation around. I think the tour guide, a young kid named, Jacamo (really?), dreaded having us for a group because we were a little punchy after our long ride. What can I say? We had fun making our little jokes and acting silly.
After the cave tour, which ended in the gift shop (these things always end in a gift shop), we re-grouped in the parking lot and decided to take a quick and direct route home. And after putting in about a hundred miles, some of the group was a little anxious about finding a gas station. I still had about a half tank (if I believed that notorious fuel gauge) and figured from experience that I could go another 80 miles before needing to re-fuel. So, we decided to ride home for about 45 miles and then get gas.
While we were on 476, I felt a little restricted hanging in the back of the pack, so I decided to "stretch my legs" so to speak. I opened up the throttle and zoomed around the group to catch up to the leader, Joel. He looked over at me in full tuck and knew it was on. He gave me a nod and tucked in on his vintage racer and we took off. We sped down the freeway for about a mile before I settled in behind him and we straightened up and returned to “cruising speed” as we approached the turnpike.
We eventually pulled off the turnpike and fueled up. I just needed a little over two gallons to top me off. We agreed that we’d reached a point where we each could all make it home on our own. So, we said our farewells and went our separate ways.
It was a great experience to meet others who enjoyed riding and understood that the day wasn’t about the destination… it was about the journey.
I’m looking forward to the next group ride. Everyone was really cool and fun to hang with. Who knows, maybe I’ll also get to meet up with some local forum members.