Back in the Saddle After a Too-Long Break

 .

I went for a ride on my Ninja earlier this week.  

I had not been out for more than five weeks.   

What was I doing?, you might ask.  

Well, there was Christmas, putting up and taking down decorations, and having family in.  Also, having fun with the presents I gave and received (no coal in my stocking this year).  Then there was the cold and wet weather.  That usually doesn't bother me, but I must be getting old or something, 'cause I felt more like staying in than bundling up for the cold.  ...and I don't ride when it is wet, unless I am caught in it.  I also went for several hikes, with friends and without, into the mountains and foothills of the Blue Ridge Escarpment not far north of where I live.  Along this escarpment, the high Blue Ridge Mountains drop dramatically to the piedmont (foot of the mountains) areas. In some places, the drop is more than 3,000 feet and is quite a sight to see. The Escarpment is why there are so many twisty mountain roads near here. 

This past Monday, the weather was about 40 degrees in the morning, and the sky was almost devoid of clouds.  So, I ventured forth.  I dressed for the weather as I usually do.  I have this pretty much down pat these days, so I wasn't cold, for the most part. 

My bike fires right up after its hiatus, and it warms up and runs without flaw.  I like that.  It having covered almost 75,000 miles, it runs as it did when I bought it with a thousand miles on the clock.   There have only been a few mechanical issues, all able to be wrenched on by me in my garage.  Fortunately, I have been able to get home each time something went wring, though the fuel pump failing was a close one, requiring me to limp back to the paddock. 

Today, I go from home in Easley to nearby Pickens South Carolina via a neat little curvy passage called Rice Road.  It parallels SC-8, but is much more fun.  Then I go to the west end of town onto Shady Grove Road, and wind my way to SC-133.  A buddy says there is a place to hike just south of SC-11, and across the road from Keowee-Toxaway State Park, so I mark the spot in my memory as I pass by for a future time out.  

As I motor along, I find that I have lost a little of my skill in curves and in coordinating shifts.  This comes back pretty quickly, though, and feel as confident as I did before the five-week pause in the action.  I have read about and talked to some other riders who have the same problem of deteriorating skills after an interruption of a few weeks.  Those who live where winter prevents riding must surely have the most trouble with this.  Fortunately, the Upstate of South Carolina has a climate where it is possible to ride almost all winter long.  I do note that the cold makes my clutch cable a little stiffer than usual, but nothing else seems much different from the way it is in warmer weather.  

I turn left on South Carolina Route 11, which is the almost-straight road that makes it easy to go from east to west along here.  I stop for a break in the picnic area at Keowee-Toxaway State Park.  I forget to turn off my GoPro, so [almost] the whole thing is documented.  

Back out to SC-11.  You have to pay attention to the speed limit on this road, because they patrol quite frequently, sometimes on motorcycles.  I putter along toward the west to SC-130 and turn right.  This road is mostly sweepers and is one of my favorites -- not too challenging, but enough so that it is fun to ride.  There is little traffic today.  I climb a bit in elevation here, the temperature is slightly cooler, and I see that there is snow in the grass along the road in the shady places.  It was a little below freezing over night, so there could be ice on the road, but I don't see any, though I am careful just in case. 

I cross into North Carolina and almost immediately turn into the Whitewater Falls parking lot.  The falls is one of my favorite places to ride because of the nice curves, the generally good road surface, and the falls that is a nice place to look at he scenery (after a half-mile walk from the parking lot).  The falls parking lot has another place to take a break, and they have very nice motorcycle rider hand warmers in their restrooms. 

There are at least three ways to use these hand warmers: On your gloved hands, on your ungloved hands, and blowing into your gloves before you put them back on.  I use methods two and three. 

I can't resist taking a picture of my ride as I come out again.  

Note that I have installed my fleece-lined Hippo Hands for the winter, over my heated grips so my tender little hands don't get cold.  The combination of these two make it comfortable to ride down to about freezing temperatures. 

I start up and go just a short distance south and turn into the Bad Creek Pumped Storage Facility access road.  Near the end, just before the gate that keeps you from continuing down to the powerhouse (don't be riding too fast -- the gate is around a blind curve), the overlook onto Lake Jocassee provides a nice place to view Lower Whitewater Falls and a good part of the lake  

I linger for a few minutes, take a few pictures, then go.  I feel daring today, so I ride right off the curb from the sidewalk instead of going back to the ramp from the parking lot. 

Once I reach SC-130, I turn south again, then after a short distance, turn off to the right onto the Wigington Byway. This is a short road with a nice surprise -- a scenic overlook onto Lake Jocassee. 

After the requisite pictures of the bike and the view, I head back on the Byway to SC-130 again.  I turn right and again enjoy going through the sweet sweepers, again without much traffic to interfere with my ride. 

I turn left on SC-11, and go all the way to US-178.  I turn right and ride back to Pickens, then onto Rice Road again, and home.  There is one other two-wheeled soul out today -- the only one I have seen.  We pass one another on this stretch.  He gives a hearty wave to me as we pass.  

I like that.  I don't know him, and will likely never meet him, but I fancy the idea of being a part of a group who doesn't necessarily wait for perfect riding conditions to enjoy the roads.  By the way, his bike looks strange to me in the photo.  It almost looks like a naked sportbike with a chopper front fork arrangement.  Maybe it is the distortion caused by the GoPro lens.  ...or, maybe he is a motorcycle innovator! 

Before I get home, I take a few minutes to do some low speed turns in a cul-de-sac nearby, and some lane swerves on the road back home.   

I often do this to help keep my balance and maneuvering skills sharper.  The slow speed turns also help with clutch feathering and rear brake control. 

I reach home, look at my trip odometer, and find that I have ridden 111 miles today, and it feels good to have been out after so long a break.  

Here is a map of the ride from home to the furthest points of interest.   

Click on this link for the online map.

Mental note to Bucky: Don't wait so long to ride again.  It has been too long.  

.

.

 

Pretty, Even in Winter

.
Here is South Carolina, you can ride almost all year long.  The temperature and rain/snowfall are generally compatible with riding on most winter days.

We have had a lot of rain this year, but it seems to have tapered off, so I went out for a ride this week. 

Recall that I live near the Blue Ridge Escarpment, so there are many roads that climb into the mountains to the north.  I didn't go into the mountains on this ride though.  I only went a hundred miles or so on some of our flatter back roads, but I noticed that the sky and scenery were quite pretty.

The temperature was in the low forties so I bundled up and was glad to have the heated grips and handlebar muffs already installed.  Those, along with good insulation elsewhere, allowed me to brave the cold and gusty wind.

Here are a few snapshots of the scenery today.

A little overcast yonder, but no rain is forecast.

I forgot to turn off the GoPro at a bathroom break -- again.

I didn't see any other bikers, but it was a great day to be out.

Hope to see you on the road this winter.
.
.

.

25° then 75° in the Same Week -- So Ride When You Can!

.
The weather this winter in South Carolina has been fickle.  We had snow and below freezing temperatures, then, by the end of the same week, we had mid-70s temperatures and sunny skies.

A man doesn't know how to dress for the weather these days! 

The cold and snow certainly did cut into our riding time, but I guess I should be glad that for most of the winter here it is possible to ride, with the right gear.

Here are some pictures taken in our yard on an obviously non-riding day:

Brrrr.

My wife's little garden pond.

I stayed in the house most of the time when the snow was around, since most South Carolina drivers have no earthly idea how to drive in it, and they don't have much snow removal equipment because we don't get snow very often.  They do scatter some sand and road salt around, though, to their credit.  The only bad part of that is that the sand stays on the roads for weeks afterwards creating quite a hazard for two wheels. 

Once the snow melted, the weather got summer-like, so I had to go out and make sure I ran the bike enough to charge up the battery.

Naturally that meant go for a ride.  Of maybe 70 miles or so, at least.  That should do it, wouldn't you say?  Don't want to kill that expensive battery, now do we. 


I start out from home and go northward on SC-135.  This is a easy road with only a few curves.  The riding is easy, and I make good time.  There isn't much sand on the road, so that is good.

I reach SC-8 near the thriving crossroads called Pumpkintown.  Just before I reach there (at point B on the map below), I can see Table Rock to my left in the distance.  It stands in stark contrast to the tree-lined hills that surround it.

Just look at the blue sky.  It almost looks like a painting.  In a way, it is -- God's painting, though. 

I continue on until I reach SC-11 (at point C on the map), the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway.  This is a nearly straight road that runs along the southern side of the Blue Ridge Escarpment about 18 miles from Easley, SC where I live.  Lots of cruisers use this road, and the sporty bike riders use it to get to the many twisty roads to the north.

Here is a view taken from SC-11 of Table Rock: 

And a closer look from the road that runs thorough Table Rock State Park (at points D, E and F on the map): 

I go a bit further south on SC-11 to US-178 and stop at the Holly Springs Country Store (at point G on the map) to stretch and see of there are any other bikers there.  As I am surveying the parking lot, I spot a fellow I know, Tommy.  He is a few years younger than I am and rides a sport-touring bike.  Today, though he is in his cage and stopped to chew the fat with the locals on the porch at the store.

When I am through chatting with Tommy, I head back toward Easley on US-178.  They have recently patched this stretch of road, and they made it worse than it was as far as lumps and bumps.  They also created some edge traps where they replaced only part of a lane width.

That's our federal government at work.  In all fairness, they are not done yet, so I will reserve final judgment until then.  (...but I am not holding my breath.) 

Anyway, I reach the town of Pickens and head toward home on SC-8.  The DMV is along here (at point H on the map) and they have a motorcycle certification test layout in the back part of their parking lot.  I stop for a few minutes and practice my low speed maneuvers and lane changes.  I find that if I don't do this periodically, I get rusty and less sure of myself on the road when I have to use one of these techniques.

Here is an aerial view of the DMV.  See the test layout at the bottom, center of the photograph:

Here is a collage at the DMV of some GoPro screen grabs:

Makes you a little dizzy, doesn't it?

After that, I went home.  I only had time for this short jaunt of 69 miles, but it was a great day to be out on the bike. ...and the battery is now fully charged, I might say. 

Here is the map of the trip, less some of the meandering I did in between points:  

Click for larger interactive map.

.

.

Riding Again After the Snow, but There Was a Suprise Waiting

.
We had some snow in these parts, and that kept us all in for a while.  We here in the south basically hibernate when it is snowy or icy, but the temperatures have risen enough that the nasty frozen stuff on the roads around home has disappeared.

I check tire pressure, and the oil and coolant levels as I always do before a ride, and adjust the mirrors that had gotten bumped while the bike was in the garage patiently waiting to go out into the world again.

The temperature outside is in the mid-40s -- truly balmy by recent standards -- but I bundle up with fleece underwear under my leather suit, balaclava and neck warmer for my noggin, heated grips on high, and my Hippo Hands securely affixed to the handlebars so my pinkies won't freeze.

I get the feel of the bars again after a mile or two.  It is surprising how a few weeks of not riding erodes your skills.  Not a lot, but enough to notice in the first few miles.  I would hate to live where I couldn't go out on the bike for several months in winter.

I ride through Pickens, SC and on to US-178, along a stretch that has some nice sweepers to the north until you reach SC-11.  I take it easy, because there might still be sand or salt on the road.  Fortunately, I don't see any to speak of.  I could have gone faster, but how would I know it was clear before I went there?   Maybe I should just turn around and make a couple more passes.

I decide against it, as I want to see some other places I have not recently been due to the weather.

I notice little patches of white in a few places as I near SC-11.  Snow.  Not much, but it has stuck around here in the slightly higher elevations. 

I turn right onto SC-11, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway.  Very soon, I see a surprise.  There is lots of snow along the road.  It is still five or six inches deep in places, but there is none on the road itself.  Wow!  That ice and snow started almost a week ago, and it has hung around. 

Soon, I turn onto Back Park Road in Table Rock State Park...

 ...and find lots of snow still on the road, too.  See for yourself. 

Table Rock visible above road

And there are lots of broken and fallen trees.  The ice that came before the snow caused this. 

I pass the barn with the old truck in it, visible from nearby SC-11. 

The red barn, center right, viewed from SC-11. 
January 6, 2015

The truck in the barn.
April 11, 2009

After I leave Back Park Road, I venture up into the park a bit further.  The road has a few tight twists and turns, but today, there is a huge amount of sand on the road, put there by the park maintenance people to keep people from sliding off it. 

I don't try to find out how much traction there is on the sand. 

The lodge is picturesque in almost any weather. 

The overlook gives an enlarged view. 

Pretty sky today, wouldn't you say? 

I meander around the area for a while, enjoying the skies, then head south toward home on SC-8 and SC-135.  These roads are not very curvy, but they provide a quick way home. 

Just 88 miles today, but it was good to get out once again, charge the batteries (the bike's and mine), enjoy the scenery, and feel the wind pressing against me. 


Maps to orient you:

■   US-178 from Pickens to SC-11

View interactive map.

■   Back Park Road

View interactive map.

■    Table Rock State Park east entrance road.

View interactive map.

.

.

ICE...and Now SNOW!

.
Nuts.

Not long ago I was crowing about how good a place South Carolina and its surrounding states are to ride in -- temperate all year, good roads, interesting places to see, etc., etc.

Well, the weather has taken a turn for the worse.  Much worse. 

Take a look:

And look here:

Those are my front steps.  That's not just snow.  There is ice first, then show mixed with sleet on top of it.  Not much accumulation, but no good for walking or driving or riding on either.

Here is a view of my street:

Slick, frozen-over road.  Nobody is moving.  The milk and bread are sold out in all the super markets.  Businesses are closed.  It is supposed to get down to 26 degrees tonight, so it won't melt until late tomorrow or the next day.  Then the roads will be a mess of sand and salt and such. 

I have not been out riding since New Years Day, and then for only a relatively few miles.  I'm having withdrawal symptoms.

I am yearning for some of this:

Skyuka Mountain Road

NC-80 during the Rally to Ridgecrest, 2013

Top of Mount Mitchell off the Best Road I Know Of, the Blue Ridge Parkway

Dark and cold, but rideable, on the way to Rally to Ridgecrest, 2013

Highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Mmmm, mmm.  Bring on the warm weather.  I can feel it now.  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update.  The next morning.  

Well, it snowed all night.   We have an accumulation of four or five inches.  The temperature is just under freezing. 

Only the kids are out playing in it.   So, I take a walk.

The little pond in the back yard is frozen over.   I wonder where our resident frog has gone. 

The greenhouse is cozy despite the snow and cold. 

The road is covered with packed snow, so a few people have been out. 

The sky is a pretty color of blue, with some wispy clouds, and the sun is shining.  It feels good. 

A trail nearby is so far untouched, so I take a short detour.

 In an hour, some of the roads have begun to thaw a bit.

The temperature is up to a balmy 36 degrees.

The low is supposed to be 19 tonight, so it will get icy and treacherous.  But the high will be 48 tomorrow, and most of it will be gone.

Hallelujah.   Maybe a ride is in order later in the week.  I can't wait!   
.

.