Mid fall ride (twisty roads, and fall foliage pics) now with V7 Record Pics

[jas67]

What a fantastic day for Nov 1.   It was low 60's, and mostly sunny, a great day for some beautiful scenery along some nice twisty roads in Schuylkill County, PA. 
IMG_8027 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8018 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8013 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8011 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8007 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8004 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_7997 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8050 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8048 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8069 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr

OK, sorry, no Guzzi, but, it's still an Italian V-twin.

[rocker59]

 

[fotoguzzi]

NICE!

[ajwood]

   jas67, Do you think that those roads will be ride-able in about fifteen days?
     I'm getting itchy for travel.

[jas67]

   jas67, Do you think that those roads will be ride-able in about fifteen days?
     I'm getting itchy for travel.

They sure will.     We typically don't get snow until December, although, we did get that freak Halloween snow in 2011.     Where in the area are you going to be?
Get in touch with me when you're in the area.

[ajwood]

Somerset then up to the Erie area is the plan. The roads and traffic around Pittsburgh were very heavy-duty in September so I've got four tabs running right now with different route plans from Google Maps right now.
In one scenario, I'm getting a route total of 2,060 miles one-way at 30 hours travel time. Another adds 300 miles to that and time is 33 hours. That's three hours for 300 miles (yeah right).
So I'm going to have to take Google Maps with a grain of salt in some ways.

The V7 Stone is a great bike but after 5 days, muscles, wrists, neck, tail-bone and other unmentionables get sore. Now that I'm acclimated to desert temps and radiant sun, it's hard to launch into night, headwind/cross-wind, rain or even overcast without muscles complaining. I'm going out to get jeans, wear my bicycle leg warmers and winter mitten gloves this time.

Been watching so many Casey Neistat Youtube videos lately, I feel that mounting a GoPro as a "wave-cam" is good this time. Post editing may have to wait until I return to use Sony's Vegas Studio on the raw footage.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqlrru1V69E

This is the link to the weather map I used on my phone in Sept (lots of swiping)  http://radar.weather.gov/Conus/full_loop.php

I'll lose my MetroPCS/T-Mobile service in a few days because I'm so peeved at how their network manages speeds so I'll use wifi at gas stations and truck stops along with Skype instead of cell service.
It seems that in order for T-Mobile to circumvent net neutrality rules, they're throwing in higher latency and server connection times. That keeps the buffering ball spinning on my end and the cash register full on their end -
cheap in - cheap out - beam me up Verizon.

There won't be any laptop this time (weight/space/security), less extra engine oil (didn't use a drop for 5,000 miles in Sept), detergent pods instead of liquid (weight/size), adding water-pik (highway food rough on gums). Rain gear rides with me this time. Tire pressures are going to be 37 front / 39 rear (original tires still looking good) with digital gauge and CO2 filler stowed away.

I took my V7S out today for a test run down I-10 and it wanted to keep going so I had to steer it back to the garage (sniff).
Remembering all those years of riding out of town a few miles on a Sunday but having to return for a Monday predawn sign-in for 11-15 hours in a uniform has me unsure about how to behave nowadays. I'll start with happy.

[bpreynolds]

Gorgeous ride and bike 

[Kev m]

Nice pics and all but that bike must SUCK...


















































... I mean, you obviously had to stop like a dozen times in a single afternoon so that bee-och must be hella uncomfortable 

[nick949]

It has been said that the best riding roads in Ontario are in Pennsylvania.  Looks like it could be true.  Very Nice.

Nick

[leafman60]

Man, those are some great pictures!  Makes me wanna head to the mountains!

Nothing like the allure of a motorcycle on those kind of roads.

[menzies]

Beautiful country.

[Tobit]

 

Don't look now, but someone turned your engine sideways!

Tobit

[sincolita]

Great pics, Jay. Yes, it was an amazing day for a ride in this unseasonably warm weather. My husband and I and few friends spent the day in Lancaster County PA enjoying similarly lovely roads and fall colors. Let's hope winter holds off for as long as possible!

Kim

[Guzzistajohn]

 

[slowmover]

This is the best time of year to ride.We have a week of 70's forecasted with no rain and turning the clocks back has put the sun back in my work commute.Ride while you can!!

[jas67]

Great pics, Jay. Yes, it was an amazing day for a ride in this unseasonably warm weather. My husband and I and few friends spent the day in Lancaster County PA enjoying similarly lovely roads and fall colors. Let's hope winter holds off for as long as possible!

Kim

Kim -- glad to hear that you got out to enjoy your V7 this weekend!   Anytime you and your husband want to head out this way for some riding, let me know, maybe we can meet up.     There are lots of twisty mountain roads to explore north of here.

 :1: on hoping winter holds off as long as possible.

Nice pics and all but that bike must SUCK...
... I mean, you obviously had to stop like a dozen times in a single afternoon so that bee-och must be hella uncomfortable 

More comfortable than the V7R, just saying.   

[Lannis]

What a fantastic day for Nov 1.   It was low 60's, and mostly sunny, a great day for some beautiful scenery along some nice twisty roads in Schuylkill County, PA. 
IMG_8027 by jay_snyder67

In Virginia, when a sign says "15 MPH", they generally MEAN it, and you'd better scrub off some speed quick before you get there.

Is Pennsylvania the same way, or can you safely take that "15 MPH" turn at 40 or so?    Doesn't look so sharp to me .....

Beautiful pictures, by the way, the kind that other motorcyclists like to see so they'll know what the roads are like.

Lannis

[sincolita]

Kim -- glad to hear that you got out to enjoy your V7 this weekend!   Anytime you and your husband want to head out this way for some riding, let me know, maybe we can meet up. There are lots of twisty mountain roads to explore north of here.

Thanks! Will do. We love twisty mountain roads! 

[sincolita]

In Virginia, when a sign says "15 MPH", they generally MEAN it, and you'd better scrub off some speed quick before you get there.

Is Pennsylvania the same way, or can you safely take that "15 MPH" turn at 40 or so?    Doesn't look so sharp to me .....

Beautiful pictures, by the way, the kind that other motorcyclists like to see so they'll know what the roads are like.

Lannis

In my experience, the 15mph signs are usually yellow curve warnings, which are posted for a variety of reasons ranging from, "Seriously, we mean it, you'd better slow down or you'll end up in a pond/river/ravine/front yard," to "If you're on a two-wheeled machine with good ground clearance, you've been warned, so don't blame us if you misjudge your talent." In other words, pretty inconsistent.

If I know the road, conditions are good, there's no traffic and I've got a good line of sight through the curve, I may slow-look-lean-roll with more 'enthusiasm'. If not I always err on the side of caution.

I've not ridden any roads in PA in which the posted speed limit is 15, but I'd venture to say that if that's the case then there's a good reason, e.g. wildlife, bicyclists, hikers.

[Lannis]

In my experience, the 15mph signs are usually yellow curve warnings, which are posted for a variety of reasons ranging from, "Seriously, we mean it, you'd better slow down or you'll end up in a pond/river/ravine/front yard," to "If you're on a two-wheeled machine with good ground clearance, you've been warned, so don't blame us if you misjudge your talent." In other words, pretty inconsistent.

If I know the road, conditions are good, there's no traffic and I've got a good line of sight through the curve, I may slow-look-lean-roll with more 'enthusiasm'. If not I always err on the side of caution.

I only mention it because I've noticed that in Virginia (where I live) and to some degree in West Virginia, if you see a yellow warning sign for a 10 MPH or 15 MPH curve, it's a curve where you will see your own taillight at the apex.   Even on a hot bike, you won't be taking the curve at much over the warning speed.

Whereas in Maryland or Georgia, I have slapped on brakes for a 10 or 15 MPH sign, and found a wide smooth sweeper that I could have taken at 3 times the posted speed.

Different states have such different standards for roads .... Sometimes when I ride in SE Ohio, I will find a "drop-off" and a subsequent 90 degree turn with NO warning signs, and when I say drop-off, I mean a road where your bike will leave the road and be in the air at 40 MPH.    In 45 years I've never seen such a road in Virginia - they're common, however, in Ohio ....

Lannis

[Kev m]

Jay - you completely missed the joke.

Lannis - I don't think you can point to a state wide philosophy on those signs, at least in PA.

I know in Chester County it was rare you couldn't at least double the speed on one of those signs (even on a Harley), but once in a while there was one you needed to take more seriously.

[sincolita]

I only mention it because I've noticed that in Virginia (where I live) and to some degree in West Virginia, if you see a yellow warning sign for a 10 MPH or 15 MPH curve, it's a curve where you will see your own taillight at the apex.   Even on a hot bike, you won't be taking the curve at much over the warning speed.

  Duly noted (and well-put, lol).

Different states have such different standards for roads .... Sometimes when I ride in SE Ohio, I will find a "drop-off" and a subsequent 90 degree turn with NO warning signs, and when I say drop-off, I mean a road where your bike will leave the road and be in the air at 40 MPH.    In 45 years I've never seen such a road in Virginia - they're common, however, in Ohio ....

Lannis

I've seen similar differences here between PA and DE: Good signage in PA (if a bit inconsistent), then as soon as you cross the state border into DE, you'd better be paying attention because not only do they not do signage well, they also don't seem to believe in guard rails.

[Kev m]

also don't seem to believe in guard rails.

Keep in mind that guard rails are NASTY things that can cut a rider to shreds. Absent a giant drop off you probably don't want them there.

[jas67]

Jay - you completely missed the joke.

Nope -- just ignoring it.   

Some of the stops were just for picture taking, others were to let slow traffic get further down the road so that I could enjoy the curves.
On one section, I caught up with about 15 cruisers lumbering in formation at or below the speed limit.    On another, a group of 8 late model Corvettes, also going slow.   On that section, I turned off PA125, and discovered some roads that I hadn't been on before including the two shots overlooking the valley, and the section of road that looks more like a driveway.    I think that I'm going to make it a point to do more exploring of roads that I haven't been up there when I have the time, as I'm sure that there are plenty more nice ones to be found.    I should probably do that on my F650GS, as, more than once that practice has resulted going down a few unpaved roads.   Both the V7R and the Duc have handled it with caution, but, I'd have been more comfortable on the GS.

In Virginia, when a sign says "15 MPH", they generally MEAN it, and you'd better scrub off some speed quick before you get there.

Is Pennsylvania the same way, or can you safely take that "15 MPH" turn at 40 or so?    Doesn't look so sharp to me .....

Beautiful pictures, by the way, the kind that other motorcyclists like to see so they'll know what the roads are like.

Lannis

Lannis - speed limit in the pic you put in your quote is 35 MPH (that 15 MPH sign is "Truck Speed").     Most of the turns that are posted are 25 or 30 MPH, this one:
IMG_7997 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr

Is posted 15 MPH, as the next one.    These two turns are about 160 degrees and off camber.   I slow to no faster than 25 MPH after a recon run checking for gravel or other hazards.   

I run the rest of this section (25-30 MPH posted turns) without dropping below 45 MPH.

As Kim and Kev pointed out, generally, turns can be run at 1.5-2X the posted speed on a bike, though, when they're posted at 15 MPH, proceed with caution.    While the two turns I just mentioned, and another on this road require slowing to not a whole lot over 15 MPH, there is yet another marked 15 MPH that can be taken at 45 MPH, IF IT IS CLEAN AND DRY.   I tend to slow to 30 MPH for that one just to be safe.

One last word of caution on this road (applies to ANY road, really), is that there are many turns that are prone to wash outs of gravel and dirt.  There are lots of curves on this road that you don't have a clear view of the entire road soon enough to come in hot w/o risk of dirt or gravel ruining your day (or at least your underwear).

[sincolita]

Keep in mind that guard rails are NASTY things that can cut a rider to shreds. Absent a giant drop off you probably don't want them there.

Ouch. Okay. Good to know. I'm thinking of Rt 82 going from southern Chesco to northern DE (I bet you know it well...) so I guess then I'd opt for an unplanned swim in Red Clay Creek instead of surgery-by-guardrail.

[jas67]

Ouch. Okay. Good to know. I'm thinking of Rt 82 going from southern Chesco to northern DE (I bet you know it well...) so I guess then I'd opt for an unplanned swim in Red Clay Creek instead of surgery-by-guardrail.

All the more reason to reserve riding-like-you're-on the track for the track.   

Some of the roads I ride often have sections with pretty good drop offs without guard rails, and plenty of curves with no guard rails where the "run off zone" is dense trees.   I'd venture to say high speed exit from a curve into those trees isn't going to yield any better results than a guard rail.

Of course, then there is the wild life factor.     I've had several close calls with deer this year, and one exciting encounter with a bear 

[Kev m]

Some of the stops were bla bla bla...bla...bla picture taking, others were bla bla slow traffic bla bla.
On one section, I caught up with about 15 cruisers bla bla bla.    On another, a bla bla bla Corvettes, bla bla bla.   Bla bla bla...bla bla bla.... blablalba... really you know why I chose to ride your V7 Stone and not Jenn's Duc the other week, you know the truth is that most of my bikes, like both the V7R and the Duc are just plain NOT comfortable.

  Fixored

[Kev m]

Ouch. Okay. Good to know. I'm thinking of Rt 82 going from southern Chesco to northern DE (I bet you know it well...) so I guess then I'd opt for an unplanned swim in Red Clay Creek instead of surgery-by-guardrail.

Used to run it weekly as I lived about a mile or two from it in Kennett Square (by Longwood Gardens) for 6 years.

Would run it all the way from where it hits Rte 52 in Greenville, up to near where it ends on Route 23 (just above the PA Turnkpike). But before that point I'd turn off onto 345 and run that up through French Creek State Park.

VERY NICE ride, though typically better midweek when I'd usually run it than on more busy weekends.

[sincolita]

All the more reason to reserve riding-like-you're-on the track for the track.

Indeed!

Some of the roads I ride often have sections with pretty good drop offs without guard rails, and plenty of curves with no guard rails where the "run off zone" is dense trees.  I'd venture to say high speed exit from a curve into those trees isn't going to yield any better results than a guard rail.

There's at least one track day in my future next season for this very reason. I love twisties but they also intimidate me a little more than I'd like; I see track days as grad school for motorcyclists... except a lot faster, slightly less expensive, and way more fun. 

Of course, then there is the wild life factor.     I've had several close calls with deer this year and one exciting encounter with a bear

I am way more terrified of wildlife encounters than just about anything else that can go wrong while riding!

...But before that point I'd turn off onto 345 and run that up through French Creek State Park.

I LOVE 345! Gorgeous and so much fun!

[jas67]

76 degrees on Nov 4th -- couldn't waste this afternoon on work, so, I left.   I just so happened to have ridden the V7 Record today 
IMG_8088 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8092 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8093 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
I did mostly the same loop as Sunday, but, in reverse.   It is amazing how quickly things change, a lot of the trees along the mountain roads have dropped most of their leaves.  What was colorful a few days ago was brown today.

I did still see plenty of color though:
IMG_8099 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr
IMG_8100 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr

Meanwhile, in the hills of Pennsyltucky (Tower City along US-209 to be exact):
IMG_8095 by jay_snyder67, on Flickr