Forest Ride

[Hail]

I am heading out in a few minutes for the first big group ride this season through Sam Houston National forest. It is a "newb" ride. A great way to shake off the cob webs. It is also a good way to get some people that are new to the sport sucked in even further by going on a safe slow paced ride with a burger as a reward at the half way point.

We do nothing but MSF staggered group formation moving to single file and spreading out when we get to the twisty roads. Small groups of 5 -6 with designated leaders and sweepers. All the newbs get a lesson at the beginning on hand signals, body position and threats of bodily harm if they do not stay safe in the group.

Anyway, there will be about 60 bikes out total among all the groups. I will post back later with some photos. Unfortunately, I do not have a video cam for this trip but I will repost video anyone else may get of the ride. I would love to get some video through the forest.

 

[FZ1riderNY]

I am heading out in a few minutes for the first big group ride this season through Sam Houston National forest. It is a "newb" ride. A great way to shake off the cob webs. It is also a good way to get some people that are new to the sport sucked in even further by going on a safe slow paced ride with a burger as a reward at the half way point.

We do nothing but MSF staggered group formation moving to single file and spreading out when we get to the twisty roads. Small groups of 5 -6 with designated leaders and sweepers. All the newbs get a lesson at the beginning on hand signals, body position and threats of bodily harm if they do not stay safe in the group.

Anyway, there will be about 60 bikes out total among all the groups. I will post back later with some photos. Unfortunately, I do not have a video cam for this trip but I will repost video anyone else may get of the ride. I would love to get some video through the forest.

Take care Brad and have a great time! I wish I was out today but we just had one hell of a storm roll through and totally trashed any chance this weekend. I'll have to wait for Wednesday. Ride safe!!!

 

[Oldschool]

Along for the ride

I'll be thinking about riding throught the trees......AS I CHOP ICE in the laneway out back. Glad to hear some of us can ride, although the thought of 60 newish riders together isn't all that appealing.

 

[FZ1inTX]

That is a TON of bikes but glad to hear it is broken into smaller groups!

I like those types of rides once in a while.... even pace and some nice twisties in the run. You get to enjoy the scenery and still have some fun. Sweeper is my favorite position. You can hang back and hit the twisties a bit harder than the group ahead.

Have a safe trip! We're in for a couple more days of wind and rain here....

 

[cos_fz1]

Take care Brad and have a great time! I wish I was out today but we just had one hell of a storm roll through and totally trashed any chance this weekend. I'll have to wait for Wednesday. Ride safe!!!

Its snowing sideways right now in Colorado Springs and it is very foggy. I will be thinking of you this summer (I hear the weather in Houstonr is really pleasant in the summer) when its three million percent humidity and 95F Enjoy the ride.

 

[Hail]

Well we had a really nice ride today. It seems that every time we have a ride this big with a lot of newbs someone inevitably goes down. Today was a good day. I think one guy went ahead with a fast group that had no business being with the fast group. He ran off the road a bot bit did not loose it.

So tire pressure has been checked and my bike is ready to go!

So here is the route. We start at what is affectionately known as PP69 or for the uninitiated "Poser Point 69". Just a goof on people who park their bikes rather than ride them. It is about 22 miles from my home to PP69. From home and back the ride is just about 182 miles.

Here is a shot at the start location with my baby up front...

One more shot with a few more bikes at our start location...

 

[FZ1inTX]

Nice! Glad they all made it out safe. Can be very hard with large groups. And yes, there's always that one over-confident rider that thinks he's all that and a bag o' tater chips, isn't there?

Last big ride we went on, the organizer of the ride sent three bikes to the tail of the pack for the day. Told the sweeper that is they got out of line again, they were out of the group ride. They behaved though... worst part was, it was two guys and a girl that was our age!

 

[Hail]

This is our real first stop for gas in Anderson Texas. This is after we have gone through the forest and before we hit 3090 which is is the really fun road. Can see the number of bikes a little better here.

Our final destination for some great burgers. We share this dive with all of our cruiser brothers.

 

[cos_fz1]

That is a lot of bikes, thanks for the pictures, looks like a great day. How did you like riding with that many?

 

[Hail]

That is a lot of bikes, thanks for the pictures, looks like a great day. How did you like riding with that many?

I have been on quite a few of these. I do like it allot. I prefer groups of 6-8 with folks that I know well. Unfortunately I do not have many friends I know well ATM that are riding.

While I love big rides it always seems more likely that someone will go down in a big group. Folks do not know each other and people mistakenly feel pressure to keep up rather than drop back to a slower group if they feel uncomfortable. This was a newb ride so the pace was pretty tame and today no accidents!

 

[FZ1inTX]

Folks do not know each other and people mistakenly feel pressure to keep up rather than drop back to a slower group if they feel uncomfortable.

Brad, this is actually the responsibility of the sweeper first and the riders in and around that one bike. They need to be honest and in the best interest of the safety of the rider who is struggling, as well as the riders near them, tell the rider to fall back a group or two. The sweeper has to look out for the danger within the group and take corrective action when necessary. When the group is larger and the sweeper cannot see all the bikes, it's each person's responsibility to bring it to the attention of either the sweeper or the group organizer.

If I see someone out of line, they are asked some questions and told to fall back in front of me as the sweeper. I do my best to keep it positive and let them know it is for everyone's safety. I also encourage them to ask questions or advice on how to correct themselves.

Glad this was a safe trip! I am totally envious as I watch sideways rain and neighbor's lawn ornaments flying around outside.

 

[Hail]

Brad, this is actually the responsibility of the sweeper first and the riders in and around that one bike. They need to be honest and in the best interest of the safety of the rider who is struggling, as well as the riders near them, tell the rider to fall back a group or two. The sweeper has to look out for the danger within the group and take corrective action when necessary. When the group is larger and the sweeper cannot see all the bikes, it's each person's responsibility to bring it to the attention of either the sweeper or the group organizer.

I totally agree. The leaders and sweepers are very good about this. As you alluded to you cannot always see the entire group and sometimes you do not realize there is a problem until it is too late. People are regularly pulled aside and asked to ride in a different group.

That being said most the accidents I have seen on these big rides were just silly newb mistakes and not necisarily pushing to hard. The guy today definitely got called out and he is lucky he did not get hurt.

Ultimately, the people in control of their own bikes need to be able to put their egos aside and be honest about their skill.

 

[scout]

That is a lotta bikes. We have mostly cruiser riders here. See more of them on my rural loops than sport bikes. Usually don't see anyone. Thanks for the photos and glad it went well.

Your bike looks great. Anyone else with our bike there?

 

[Hail]

That is a lotta bikes. We have mostly cruiser riders here. See more of them on my rural loops than sport bikes. Usually don't see anyone. Thanks for the photos and glad it went well.

Your bike looks great. Anyone else with our bike there?

I did not see any other FZ1s. A few other nakeds. Sv650, 919 and a few others.

There were a ton of cruisers out today. One or two in our group as well.

 

[scout]

Ultimately, the people in control of their own bikes need to be able to put their egos aside and be honest about their skill.

You know this, and we've all been there, but the problem is that the new rider knows so little about riding, that he already thinks he knows how to ride, or at least a major part of him thinks so. Lack of understanding problem, and the ego can be pushing, too, as it's hard for normal males to do something less than competitive.

Your group ride really does fill a major hole in the MSF course, for sure.