dirt dame 561 Posted October 21, 2013 So....I have not been on a motorcycle since August 30th. The ribs are still healing, and are by no means ready for any dirt fun....but I am going stir crazy from inactivity and have really missed being on two wheels. So when somebody invited me on a group street ride, I couldn't say "no", though I needed to find some way of getting a hold of an actual real live street bike for the ride. So glad that Warp9 offered up her choice street ride to me. I haven't been on a street bike for two or three years. That's how long my little ZR550 has been down with unknown running problems. I plan on fixing those problems some day, after I fix the Hodaka....and the KLX. I haven't run with any knee draggers for about twenty years, and sorry to say that I have 4 sets of leathers, one track, two sport, and one touring set that I can't squeeze my fat arse into anymore. So I had to wear dirt gear. I'll bet that I was the only one on the ride wearing trials boots. I picked up the machine, a BMW F800GT from Carla on the morning of the ride. I had never ridden it, or anything like it before. Let's just say that I haven't even ridden ANY modern street bike, for that matter. So I hopped on it and took off to meet the riding group, none of whom I had met in person yet. It was about a dozen people, riding everything from a big cruiser to a small enduro. But a large segment of them were knee draggers, complete with booger covered tires, and street weary full leather suits. I rolled up and stumbled off my touring machine, all decked out in nylon and a DS helmet. When everybody had arrived, we departed to ride up Highland Valley road, a place well known to most sport riders who love twisties. I pulled into the formation, near the front and noted that there were four knee draggers ahead of me. I had told myself up front that I needed to take it easy, I was riding somebody else's bike that I was completely unfamiliar with, I hadn't been riding on any street bike for a while, I was injured, and of course I was not as young as I used to be, and neither were my reflexes. But as soon as we started east on the route and those leaders quickened their pace, my heart rate started to accelerate and my palms started to sweat. After that, everything got thrown out the window and it was on like old times. Every time they looked back after a tight section, I was still right there. We also did the old Julian highway after picking up our final riders in Ramona. It was great and brought back lots of fun memories. The knee draggers split off from the rest of us at Santa Ysabel, but not before all of them shook my hand and complimented me on my mad riding skills. Now it was just four of us on a leisure ride down to Carlee's in Borrego Springs. We had planned to visit the sculptures after lunch, but when we walked out of the restaurant after lunch, Cody's Harley had a dead battery. We recruited a couple of nice big strapping guys to help bump start it, and then just continued our loop back to Ramona without any sight seeing stops. At Ramona, I needed to rest my bad shoulder. Strangely, my ribs weren't bothering me too much, but I got a big old knot in my left shoulder. We stopped at Penny's family compound and I spread my enduro jacket on the ground and lay down while Cody rustled up a charger and connected it to his bike battery. Penny's mom had made a KFC run when she saw us arrive, so she set out a spread under a tree in the yard for us. After our supper, Penny's brother showed me his collection of vintage motocross bikes. It was great. But the shadows were starting to get long, and as much as I was enjoying the bike, I was getting pretty saddle weary, being out of shape from inactivity for so long. So I bid everyone a farewell and wended my way down to Escondido, topped off the Beemer and returned it to Carla, with maybe a few bug splats and bit more tire tread missing. What a wonderful day. Thanks again, Warp9. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHunter 15 Posted October 21, 2013 Sounds great. Glad you were able to get out and W9 was so generous - and local - to loan a nice bike. And since you have 'em - it's skillz - with a z - like the kidz say. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirt dame 561 Posted October 22, 2013 And since you have 'em - it's skillz - with a z - like the kidz say. Oh well, I'm not a little whippersnapper anymore. What do I know! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted October 22, 2013 Looks like a good day, glad you got out and you're healing....ribs take a while.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirt dame 561 Posted October 25, 2013 As a side note to this ride, one of the knee draggers found me and friended me on Facebook, then added me to their "Secret group" of riders. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
