August 2014 .... 2nd Annual F6B Rally

[jkelley]

All,

As the time grows near I feel compelled to remind every one.. Once Again.

Please remember, RIDE YOUR RIDE. Some of these off camber mountain roads are somewhat tricky to those that are not used to them.
Switchbacks, off camber, wet and sometimes even downright slippery. A lot of these roads really seldom get dried out real well even in the heat of the summer due to constant shading etc.

Every day around here someone gets hurt or worse because no one wants to admit they might be lacking in the skills to ride here.
This is a different animal. Ride and enjoy. Be safe, and Have a great time.

[Big Dawg]

All,

As the time grows near I feel compelled to remind every one.. Once Again.

Please remember, RIDE YOUR RIDE. Some of these off camber mountain roads are somewhat tricky to those that are not used to them.
Switchbacks, off camber, wet and sometimes even downright slippery. A lot of these roads really seldom get dried out real well even in the heat of the summer due to constant shading etc.

Every day around here someone gets hurt or worse because no one wants to admit they might be lacking in the skills to ride here.
This is a different animal. Ride and enjoy. Be safe, and Have a great time.

I will be leading the group on Saturday and we will try to keep the group together as best I can. My son skip will be heading up the second wave of the group and he is extremely knowledgeable of the route and a talented rider. When we are traveling on major highways, we will run no more than 5 over. When we are on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I will run the speed limit and NO MORE. Speeding fines are expensive on the BRP. We have lunch planned at the Pisgah Inn and I need to be on time if at all possible.

Ride your ride is an Excellent point! Sadly most men "know" they can negotiate the twisties as well as the next guy. For those who do not have a lot of experience riding the twisties, and believe they "know how to ride" is exactly the thought process that will put you in the weeds. Riding up there is a totally different skill set and it takes years of riding in that type of terrain to be proficient. If you are not comfortable with the pace, then slow down. We will not lose you. If you find yourself dropping back from the guys in front of you and the riders are bunching up behind you, when it is safe, move over to the fog line and wave them by. I have planned stops to re-gather the group. I have learned over the years that a lot of riders are not comfortable running the speed limit up there even though it is easy for an experienced mountian rider to do. Please, do not pressure yourself to go faster than your comfort level! If the weather is stellar and the views are amazing, I will advise you to ignore the views and concentrate on the road. Looking away from the road can lead to bad things before you can blink. I am not trying to put the fear of God in you but, honestly yes I am! The last thing we want is someone getting hurt by riding over their head or not watching the road.

Our route is a 200 mile round trip and we are going to have to operate within a time frame. After lunch I plan to show you some amazing back roads in North Carolina that most travelers don't see. Wonderful twistie roads, very little traffic, through some amazing back country. Can't wait to see everyone! Pray for a safe trip, cool temps and no rain!

Cheers

[Injun Joe]

Man, this looks like fun! Maybe next year. I look forward to living vicariously through the posts and pictures.

[naga viper]

Man I so want to go it is a beautiful area I was there two years ago and would go back in a second but work work work. Besides I could not plan for anything to save my life I fly by the seat of my pants. if I get time off I may show up? ENJOY EVERYONE!

[Scotrod]

When we are traveling on major highways, we will run no more than 5 over



Will we be traveling on any 'not so major' highways?

(Insert another 'Steve's GPS' joke here!)





{Don't sweat it Steve, There have been times when my GPS musta thought I was in a helicopter!!! LOL!}

[Big Dawg]

When we are traveling on major highways, we will run no more than 5 over



Will we be traveling on any 'not so major' highways?

(Insert another 'Steve's GPS' joke here!)





{Don't sweat it Steve, There have been times when my GPS musta thought I was in a helicopter!!! LOL!}

My entire route consists only of paved roads with no U-turns. Even though I have GPS, these roads are my back yard and I know them very well.

Gentle Reminder!!

1st rule for group rides.
Show up with a full tank!!

Gas up the night before. We will not wait on you to fill up in the mornings!

[Hornblower]

Hey, Big Dawg, I'm really looking forward to doing some riding with you and Skip again . My only question concerns your intention of limiting speed to only 5 over . For sure, on the straights I see no big problem but when you hit the twisties, do you actually have that much discipline ? I've gotta see that to believe it . Ah, just messin' with you Jimmy. On a serious note, one thing is for sure, we don't want a repeat of last year with two serious injuries. Rallies are much more fun when everyone comes home in one piece.

[Big Dawg]

Hey, Big Dawg, I'm really looking forward to doing some riding with you and Skip again . My only question concerns your intention of limiting speed to only 5 over . For sure, on the straights I see no big problem but when you hit the twisties, do you actually have that much discipline ? I've gotta see that to believe it . Ah, just messin' with you Jimmy. On a serious note, one thing is for sure, we don't want a repeat of last year with two serious injuries. Rallies are much more fun when everyone comes home in one piece.

Ken, I agree with you and we don't want any serious injuries at all. On the BRP I am confident that I can run the speed limit on cruise at 45 miles an hour with Sweetie pie on the back. Honestly when I am riding with my buddies, we always run faster than the speed limit up there but We will not on this trip. I am sure that the majority of good riders can handle the gentle corners on the BRP with out any trouble. If the speed limit seems scary for someone, then please slow down to a comfortable pace! Remember RIDE YOUR RIDE! Not everyone is a equal rider and not everyone has the experience or the local knowledge of these roads. Ride a pace that is comfortable for yourself. We will not lose you.

Ken, was wondering how your brother has recovered? For those who don't know, he was one of the injured last year. He took his eyes off the road for a few seconds and as a result, he ran off the road and into a fence?

Once again, we were are riding in a group, our sight seeing will be the twisty pavement in front of us! We will admire the vistas when we stop!!

OH, and fill your tank the night before the ride!!

[Hornblower]

Ken, was wondering how your brother has recovered? For those who don't know, he was one of the injured last year. He took his eyes off the road for a few seconds and as a result, he ran off the road and into a fence?

Thanks for asking! Yep, he was worrying about low fuel and was looking at his gas gauge as he entered the sharp right hander. Didn't make the turn and ran into a steel fence post and suffered a deep leg wound. He eventually made a full recovery. It took numerous visits to a wound specialist and about 6 months to fully heal. After that, he sold his bike (not an F6B) and is out of the motorcycle business. In his case, that's probably a good thing.

BTW, this is another opportunity to remind everyone to always top off when we make fuel stops. Up in the area we'll be riding in, gas stations can be few and far between. We don't need anything distracting us from the task at hand .

[jkelley]

We are truly not trying to scare anyone off this ride!

My wife who rides her own generally is much more cautious than I am and I tend to slow and keep her in my mirrors.
These roads are really not unsafe. The point of the beautiful scenery, and focusing on the road is a major one. There are plenty of pull off's to enjoy the views.
Two weeks ago I saw a rider on 151 from the BRP to Candler simply run off the road and off a very sharp embankment. He was looking at the view for a second. Seemed surreal watching, just like he thought he could fly and off he went. Watching his bike leave the road and get air born seemed to be in slow motion and I could hardly believe what I was seeing. But he was ok, nothing hurt but his pride. Point is be safe, and enjoy. No one has anything to prove, and riding is not a competition. Also staying on the speed limit on the BRP is only smart, those tickets are federal, and they aint cheap. The area is constantly patrolled, and speed traps are abundant.