First twisty of the season.... go sslloooooowwww

[headshrink]

As my rear tire will tell you, I haven't done as much recreational riding this past year, compared to the year before. It's been nearly all commuting (would help to have a bike buddy). Anyways.... I've got all this meat on the sides of my Sport Demon, and the center is down to ~2mm (service limit).

So Friday I took the day off for my birthday... I mean I coincidently didn't have any business on my birthday, so I decided to meet a friend, but take the twisty way.

Salmon Falls Rd., for anyone familiar with the area. The first half of the road, by comparison to the second half, is relatively wider, faster, and all though it has some really nice turns, can be taken at relative speed (not for brand new riders). The second half, after crossing the river, gets narrow, way slower, and WAY tighter blind turns... not to mention all this on a grade.... personally, I didn't even feel ready to ride the second half until the beginning of my second year, and I QUICKLY found my limit.

So there is the geography, now back to Friday. I discovered very early on my ride, actually toward the very beginning of the "safe" section ("safe" is a misnomer BTW), that my head was not in it. I ride every day, so my basic skills remain, although the more aggressive cornering of the twisties hadn't been exercised in a while. But it was really more than that.... I noticed basic lines and turns were flat out sloppy. I had a lot on my mind, so that may have contributed.... even after forcing myself to focus, things didn't improve much. So.... I did what anyone SHOULD do in that situation, short of going home, I took it really EASY. Then, I crossed the river and got to the hard part. Wow..... this section is NOT to be messed with, especially when you are not on top of your game. I noticed myself flinch a couple times when cars or bikes came around a blind turn (not good). Then I miss-judged a corner..... I made it, but I knew I was on the edge (bad line, late braking, poor weight shift and posture... thank God I wasn't ripping through there). I felt like the whole ride I was in "slowwww motion." You know those times you are riding in your car on the freeway, maybe you are used to going as fast as legally and safely responsible, but that day you feel mellow? That is how I was feeling. The funny thing is, I thought if I had actually been riding more aggressively that day (and made it to that turn in the first place), I may have cornered better, braked better, etc.... maybe not. I think my mellow riding translated to mellow braking, when this curve just came up on me unexpectedly.

In the end, I was thankful to make it out with both tires down.... This doesn't happen to me very often, but does anyone else ever have a day where they consciously know they are wayyy off and just can't do the most basic, everyday thing.

[CC Cowboy]

It all depends on boxers or briefs. I'm always afraid to hangoff with boxers but with briefs I feel all bunched up.

You did the right thing though. Nothing wrong with slowing down. Just remember if you are so slow you are holding up others, pull over and let them go by you.

[JeffM]

Bob, yep I've had those days too where I'm not on my game for whatever reason. Best to not push it.

CC, is this thread stuck in your mind? Just checking.

[Daeldren]

As pilots always say, any flight you make it home in one piece is a good flight.

[sktrs_kpr]

taking it slow, specially the first ride or two of the season, is a good idea... I went up one of my fav roads yesterday, and I wasn't getting on it a whole lot but I came up to turn #3 in a series of 4, doing about 45mph, and found some unexpected gravel all across my lane... made for a pretty good (or bad?) slide... Thank God for good gear, and minimal bike damage!

Next time I'll be a little more careful on corners where cagers could have knocked gravel all over the road.

[tjkamper]

I think we all have days like that, and it doesn't necessarily depend on the begining of the riding season. There are milions of factors that play an important role in my life and can cause me to be in a good, bad, peppy, or sluggish mood. The important thing is to realize it.

Once I realize I'm having a bad day, I can usually turn it arround. But if I can't I don't push it, (especially on two wheels). If I'm not emotionally and physically stable, I take it really easy on the bike, even if I feel I'm getting my confidence back.

I've learned from past experience that bad days tend to get worste, until there is some distinctive act that turns everything around. If nothing seems to turn the day around, go home and go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a brighter day.

Also, for me Birthdays tend to be an unusual phenomenon. Maybe a loved one forgot to wish you a happy birthday, or your one year further away from you glory days, or you get some awsome gift that you never expected, or you can't afford a fancy dinner but your spouse insists anyways, or you get waited on hand an foot and get restless... or you think about past friends and family... or... or... or... or... or...

[headshrink]

Yup... is true.