| Author | Message | ||
     Bullseye |
The weird weather in Md broke for just enough time to get 3 solid days of riding early in the week. I grabbed the chance and used the opportunity to commute back and forth to work. I happened to take the LONG way home, like man of us do. Anyway today I took a great back road very near home before a short jaunt down Rt 70 home. I have been getting more and more at ease with a long almost 360 degree off ramp onto Security Blvd that I love hitting at 65-70 in my car. On the bike its a bit slower because of some big bumps caused by the snow and plowing etc. Today I was leaned over a bit rolling slowly onto the throttle and scanning for traffic to merge into and I catch the eye of a young lady on a Yamaha 600. As soon as I could hit my blinker to start merging she drops a gear and gets into it. I swore I wasn't going to be "one of those" riders that takes off in traffic and splits cars but as I sprinted off of the exit ramp I was gaining. Keep in mind I have only ridden on road for a few months. She down shifts again and I just keep rolling on and before I know it I'm across the left lane and back across to the slow lane to keep up. I stayed right on her tail a bit to her inside making sure she could see and hear the Vance and Hines behind her. As I noticed the revs getting quite high I upshifted and went wide open around a very easy sweeping downhill left and as I grabbed a handfull of 4th gear I heard the voice of reason yapping that I shouldn't be going this fast in a 35 mph zone, and I sure shouldn't be doing it in such close quarters with someone I have never ridden with. I stood the bike up and took the next light to turn around and headed home on back roads. I had to flip my visor up, unzip my jacket a bit and force myself to calm down. I swear I usually ride with good sense but a 3 minute lapse in judgement was a good wake up call. I was reminded of when I used to play with people on larger bikes during practice days at Tomohawk. Playing cat-n-mouse with 450's and even 520's was such a good time when I had my 250F. It was like I did it out of habit not conscious thought. Just had to get it off my chest before I went to bed tonight. Have fun and stay safe, I'll have to wait a bit to get back on the horse cause in comes a cold front with rain, hail and possibly snow, sheesh will it ever end. |
