[bbach]

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Told my missus Bob this morning that I was going to gas up the bike. I took off down the freeway for a fueling station about 25 miles east of here . Ran into two couples on Harleys fueling up there as well. They were on their way to buggies and blues. Had to chat with them for awhile. Then, I decide to take the long way home. I head about 12 miles south and connected to a nice curvy two laner to take me home. About 40 minutes later, just 5 miles outside of town I spot the sign, road construction, "pavement ends". Crap. I don't know what to expect. I ride that road often. I did not know it was being worked on.
Well, let's just say the last five miles were bad. Potholes, loose gravel, no shoulder, cages not slowing down from the other direction and throwing rocks up at me. Wow. Maybe I should have turned around when I saw the sign and road the 40 miles back to the fueling station and then the 25 miles back home on the freeway. But, I got home without any bad incedent and my two girls didn't seem to notice how long I'd been gone.

 

[clarkjh]

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It's always good to have some practice on dirt once in a while. I hate grooved pavement and gusting side winds, now that is scary. Glad to hear you made it through the rocks.

James

 

[redbaron]

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Grooved Pavement?????? I will pull over and ride on the paved shoulder before I'll go through the white knuckles ride on almost any grooved pavement....I'll ride on it only if there is no other way to get around it.....This brings up another big gripe of mine....

OK I know enough from pouring many many slabs for additions and new homes that you ALWAYS keep your slab as straight as possible....Nothing worse than an un level slab to create you more problems.......Now we have the high way builders that do nothing but build freeways, highways etc.....The machines they have cost in the millions of dollars....These guys do some great leveling dirt work, then they put a black top that they will be pouring concrete on.....On top of this go the side rails that they use as a "track" to run these multi million dollar machines on.....Now I have seen so much "leveling" with grooving machines to get high spots cut down to be level, after the concrete dries, and these areas have NO warning signs either.....My question is this......How come with all these high dollar concrete leveling machines can't they pour concrete without having to go back and cut it down with a grooving machine.....??????

I have driven on some old highways built in the 40's and 50's that are now secondary roads and they are still smooth and very rideable.....

 

[Lyrkin]

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makes ya wonder doesn't it...same over here..I prefer the secondary highways for surface than the new ones too !
Even parts of highway that have been out of service for 20 yrs still have nicer surface.

 

[UbarW]

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I think its not necessarily a bad thing to do a lil time on the gravel.

With both of my boys, when its been time to teach them to drive, I've taken them to a huge open space-the parking lot at the industrial park. In a SNOW STORM. Told them to get the car up to 35, turn the wheel, and stomp on the brakes.

After their backsides loosen up, I tell them 'now you know what it feels like to lose control'. Then we practice how to control it. I am a firm believer in "no surprises".

And that goes double for diapers.

 

[knute]

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I grew up riding dirt bikes on gravel roads, and racing some motocross too, which helps me for those occasions when I have to do some riding on gravel with the wing, knowing the "logistics" of gravel roads, finding the correct lines to follow, basically staying on one of the 2 or 3tire tracks where the road is the hardest, although those hard spot aren't always there,of course it was much easier on my suzuki ds 185. The worst part for me is knowing we are going to be a little dusty when we get home, I find some of the best scenic riding is on gravel roads, maybe I should have a klr 650 or some other enduro, won't get rid of the wing though.

 

[exavid]

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I've ridden quite a few miles on gravel with my 'Wing. It's paint shows it. What I hate most are the fools driving toward you that won't slow down to pass by. Years ago when there were a lot more unpaved roads most people knew enough to slow enough not to throw gravel at oncoming cars. No more, they must have their heads up somewhere to keep their ears warm.

 

[93Wing]

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I grew up on shell back roads in south Texas. If you have ever driven one of these roads, it's an adventure........... It's really fun at stop signs in the middle of nowhere.

The road turns into a what I'll call pothole central.... It feels like you are floating across the tops of the bumps all the while it sounds like the frame is coming apart under you...:shock:

All this is taking place while the rear end is trying to swap ends with you and you have to stop or go into a ditch that looks live a river. Fun stuff, makes you think far in advance and teaches you to relax and react, cause your along for the ride.:action:



I try to stay away from loose gravel and sand, but I will travel it if I have to..

 

[hank85713]

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OT but red baron what year hylander is that? I used to have a '48 when I was 14 and they had restricted licenses for 5 hp machines. Not fast but got me where I needed to be. SOme one had taken the skirt off the back so mine was wide open with a homemade buddy seat I carried my brother on. Oh well.

 

[rgbeard]

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Another reason for the full face helmet. A thrown rock to the noggin is very un-good.

Glad you made it okay.

Once in Mexico I was on the Triumph Trophy and an accident caused a diversion onto a sand road. That was very not-so-fun as well.

 

[bbach]

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exavid wrote:

I've ridden quite a few miles on gravel with my 'Wing. It's paint shows it. What I hate most are the fools driving toward you that won't slow down to pass by. Years ago when there were a lot more unpaved roads most people knew enough to slow enough not to throw gravel at oncoming cars. No more, they must have their heads up somewhere to keep their ears warm.

Exactly. The posted speed limit in the construction zone was 35 but it seemed like the cages coming from the other way were flying. Rocks were in the air every time I met one. The road was negotiable. Flying rocks are difficult to dodge.

 

[Hawker22]

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OK Bob. When someone talks about a ride, and gives a location, I quite often take a look on GE. And for the life of me, I could not find a curvy road in ND. Did you go 25 miles east on 94 and perhaps go south on 83 to 154SE and come back west??

Just curious.

 

[exavid]

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It you look carefully Hawker you'll see there are three curves in the road in ND.:cooldevil:

 

[Hawker22]

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Three????????? Musta missed two of them.

 

[peterbilt]

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yeah i hear ya my dad and i were crusin the back roads "rual roads" just 2 lane black top havin fun doin 45 to 55mph no hurry all of a sudden i mean like right NOW it went from black top to 1/2 gravel road and we were doin 50mph i wasnt that scared in my entire life just let off the throttle and DONT hit the brakes just coast slow and pray you dont have to lean to turn..... almost dumped them both we finally got turned around and just putted the mile back to the black top and kissed the ground.... i dont want to experience that ever again

 

[ccsial]

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I have a fair amount of dirt bike experience but I still stay off gravel with a street bike. There is always some hot shot in a pickup doing 80. Worse is when they comeup behind and want to pass at high speed. Rocks chip paint too.



Now that I have a new GL1800 and saw the air filter replacement procedure I will be avoiding dust even more. I'd have turned around.

 

[lostinflorida]

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exavid wrote:

It you look carefully Hawker you'll see there are three curves in the road in ND.:cooldevil:

Man you guys are rough on ND!I guess the next thing you will say is we have no hills in Florida.

About seventy miles east of here we have our Bears Den pass. For about thirty miles on each side a marble wouldn't roll on its on. The you hit the pass and see it start to climb!

Every bit of 100' to the peak! :cheeky1:

 

[squirts]

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Pavement schmavement...We don't need no stinking pavement! =) A buddy and me were doin'a day trip from Sturgis, SD to the Custer Battlefield.... Rollin' about 65 when a little orange "construction ahead" sign pops up... We figure, "no biggie"... Fly around a turn and three trucks are at a standstill with NO ROAD (NADA!) in front of them... We stop behind the trucks and before long a little tan pick up truck comes rollin' up... A big sign in the bed reads "FOLLOW ME"... We ain't the brightest so we follow the "FOLLOW ME" truck. MAN! What a ride! We slipped and slid through almost two miles of mud and gunk where the road USE TO BE... We finally made it to the other side, but it was a wild ride with sheer drop offs most of the way. You guys out in the Western States don't play when it comes to road construction, do ya'? =) Respects