Today I went out on a scenic ride, which lasted about 70 miles covered in two hours or so. I was on the hunt for some nice twisty roads, but was more or less disappointed, as the wide open tracts of land generally are painted in straight lines by left brained engineers. However, the sprawling landscapes did make up for that with some great scenery of rolling hills and nifty little towns. I ventured down to Michaux State Forest, about an hour south west of my apartment. Google maps showed some marginally snaky roads, so I said why not! It was a bit chilly, perhaps 38F give or take a few goosebumps, but I was geared up to stay warm enough. Thank you RS Taichi!
On the straights down to forest I went, zipping by houses and many cute fuzzy cows. I waved to them as they watched me curiously, and laughed when I saw one scratching its face on a pole. I guess we underestimate how lucky we are to have hands and fingers to scratch ourselves with! Down the straights I went, kicking up through gears, clutchless shifting up to sixth. I enjoyed the moderate hum of Fiery's engine as I puttered around a 5k RPM for most of the trip down the forest. I used these straights as my playground, practicing downshifting without the slipper clutch, upshifting smoothly, and experimenting with body positioning and tucking.
Before I knew it I into the forest. I quickly lost all sense of direction, but I let Fiery lead me to the right path. Though it was cloudy out to begin with, and the trees hunched over the roads, cooling the air even further. It was also very quiet, not a sound but the buzz of my bike. Opportune time to open her up? You know I did! With a loud wail, I was flying through the forest, a straight shot until I ended up in more countryside. I came out into some random little town where the speed dropped to 25, so I rev matched smoothly (success!) from 6th to 1st.
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| Fortunately did not meet any axe or chainsaw wielding people in this little town! |
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| Do Not Pass? Whoops, I must have passed everyone on the road! (Well, in my mind anyways.)
I pulled over once again when I saw a neat little store with a lake behind it. I snapped some more pictures, and found that this place was actually around part of the Appalachian Trail! How cool! I think it would be fun to one day go for a long hike, but for now, I'd rather make Fiery do the hiking while I enjoy the ride. I did manage to get a good shot of the lake, with gazebo, driving green??!, and plethora of duckies alike.
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| Hitting golf balls into the lake, the American way!? I'd aim for that house! (Just Kidding!)
I finally made my way back to roads more familiar. Interestingly enough, the last mile or two were actually the most rewarding (motorcycle wise). Challenging too, as the corners were sharp, with changing elevations and many blind spots. This is where Fiery proved that the hunched over riding position is valuable in handling. It was so easy to hang off, grip the bike, and throttle through the corners. I flicked the bike over from side to side, hitting pretty decent lean angles with not one sense of doubt. The bike was planted, and assured, and let me focus on picking my lines and rolling on smoothly. But just as I was starting to have a hell of a time, it was over, and my apartment was in sight. I pulled in, did a little u-turn, and rode into the little space between my car and the curb. Put a towel on the windscreen (to prevent scratches) and put the cover on.
Today was a great ride. I learned a lot, saw a lot, felt a lot. Cue the poor weather for this week!
Hugged my beloved bike, patted her on the head, and went inside. Can't wait for the warmth!
Have a good week!
- Pandabear
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