I've had my FJR for all of 2 weeks. These past 2 weeks are the first I've ridden since year 2000 and I've been
attempting to be very cautious and safe. Ok, I've opened the throttle and have hit triple digits a few times but only in
a safe environment.
This evening (a real beauty here in Arkansas, sunny, mid 70s and low humidity) I went out for a ride, expecting to be out for 2 or 3 hours, no destination, no agenda.
I was riding unfamiliar back roads, 2-lanes, taking it easy, breaking in my new TCX Matrix 2 boots (very spendy boots for my budget, but I think they'll last me a long time).
The most prevalent hazard seemed to be the multitude of dead armadillos on the road. I encountered at least a dozen of these bizarro road kill obstacles.
I came upon two vultures feasting on some indistinguishable red meat road kill carrion. They appeared oblivious to my
approach. I sounded the horn and they reluctantly left their dinner, flying very low and almost grazing my wind screen
and helmet.
30 minutes later I rounded a curve to come upon a few fire trucks and emergency vehicles. A house was burning. I
stopped and watched for a few minutes. Most of the house was gone and the roof had already collapsed. I had been
smelling smoke for a bit prior to coming upon the scene but had attributed it to brush being burned.
By now I had meandered into Missouri. I was a little lost, meaning I did not know where the hell I was but it wasn't
nearly time to stop and seek directions. Finally I saw a sign for Thayer, Mo, and Mammoth Springs, AR, and headed in
that direction.
Once I arrived in Thayer, MO, I was in familiar territory; I live in a dry county and have go to Thayer to buy beer and
spirits.
Mammoth Springs is a quaint village. It's named for the spring that produces 9 million gallons of water per hour and
is the origin of the Spring River.
My ride has been approx 3 hrs now, mostly on unfamiliar roads and it has been interesting but pleasant and without incident. I have approx 20 miles to home and I'm on a familiar road, Rt 63.
Rt 63 South from Mammoth Springs to Hardy is a hilly 2-lane with a number of areas with an extra lane uphill for passing slow moving vehicles.
The first passing lane is just outside Mammoth Springs. There was a straight tank truck in front of me, it had no
tags and looked pretty decrepit. Ahead of the tank truck was an 18-wheeler. Obviously I intended to pass both trucks upon reaching the passing lane but I was not playing squid games.
I was concerned about the tank truck. It was giving me bad vibes and I approached it warily. I kept my distance behind it even after arriving at the passing lane. I moved left into the passing lane and waited, wanting to see if it would attempt to pass the 18-wheeler in front of it.
No, it looked like it was going to remain behind the 18-wheeler, so I rolled on the throttle to pass both of them.
I was half way past it, right along side it, when WTF?? the asshat tank truck driver practically swerved into my lane!
Adenaline flooded my bloodstream. I was able to avoid the tanker but I had no way out but to go into the oncoming
lane, and there was a pickup truck headed right at me in that lane. I swear I don't know how I'm here writing this.
The pickup driver must have swerved a bit to miss me. I don't remember him doing so but he must have because all I
remember seeing is that brown pickup coming straight at me with the tanker a few inches to my right. I honestly thought it was over.
When I was much younger and dumber we used to 'center-line', a term we used to describe passing on a 2-lane with opposing traffic. Risky and not something I wanted to do again, but this asshat tanker driver had me doing just that.
I was shaken and had an incredible adrenaline buzz. I pulled well behind the tank truck and tried to settle down. I even checked that both side bags were still with me. Do I need say I was pissed?
(This was almost worse than the encounter I had with a tour bus when on a BMW in the Italian Alps. One of the BMW break away mirrors broke away during that encounter)
I waited for the next uphill passing lane, checked for oncoming traffic, and went into the oncoming lane, 2 lanes distant from the tanker, to safely pass it.
Now comes my juvenile reaction. Of course I gave the driver the one fingered salute, several times. Then I very
gradually slowed to 25 mph in a 55 mph zone. I continued this parade pace for about 2 miles, not allowing the tanker
to get by me. This was probably uncalled for but I will tell you the other imaginative options for retaliation running through my mind were far more drastic.
Any comments appreciated. Thanks.
attempting to be very cautious and safe. Ok, I've opened the throttle and have hit triple digits a few times but only in
a safe environment.
This evening (a real beauty here in Arkansas, sunny, mid 70s and low humidity) I went out for a ride, expecting to be out for 2 or 3 hours, no destination, no agenda.
I was riding unfamiliar back roads, 2-lanes, taking it easy, breaking in my new TCX Matrix 2 boots (very spendy boots for my budget, but I think they'll last me a long time).
The most prevalent hazard seemed to be the multitude of dead armadillos on the road. I encountered at least a dozen of these bizarro road kill obstacles.
I came upon two vultures feasting on some indistinguishable red meat road kill carrion. They appeared oblivious to my
approach. I sounded the horn and they reluctantly left their dinner, flying very low and almost grazing my wind screen
and helmet.
30 minutes later I rounded a curve to come upon a few fire trucks and emergency vehicles. A house was burning. I
stopped and watched for a few minutes. Most of the house was gone and the roof had already collapsed. I had been
smelling smoke for a bit prior to coming upon the scene but had attributed it to brush being burned.
By now I had meandered into Missouri. I was a little lost, meaning I did not know where the hell I was but it wasn't
nearly time to stop and seek directions. Finally I saw a sign for Thayer, Mo, and Mammoth Springs, AR, and headed in
that direction.
Once I arrived in Thayer, MO, I was in familiar territory; I live in a dry county and have go to Thayer to buy beer and
spirits.
Mammoth Springs is a quaint village. It's named for the spring that produces 9 million gallons of water per hour and
is the origin of the Spring River.
My ride has been approx 3 hrs now, mostly on unfamiliar roads and it has been interesting but pleasant and without incident. I have approx 20 miles to home and I'm on a familiar road, Rt 63.
Rt 63 South from Mammoth Springs to Hardy is a hilly 2-lane with a number of areas with an extra lane uphill for passing slow moving vehicles.
The first passing lane is just outside Mammoth Springs. There was a straight tank truck in front of me, it had no
tags and looked pretty decrepit. Ahead of the tank truck was an 18-wheeler. Obviously I intended to pass both trucks upon reaching the passing lane but I was not playing squid games.
I was concerned about the tank truck. It was giving me bad vibes and I approached it warily. I kept my distance behind it even after arriving at the passing lane. I moved left into the passing lane and waited, wanting to see if it would attempt to pass the 18-wheeler in front of it.
No, it looked like it was going to remain behind the 18-wheeler, so I rolled on the throttle to pass both of them.
I was half way past it, right along side it, when WTF?? the asshat tank truck driver practically swerved into my lane!
Adenaline flooded my bloodstream. I was able to avoid the tanker but I had no way out but to go into the oncoming
lane, and there was a pickup truck headed right at me in that lane. I swear I don't know how I'm here writing this.
The pickup driver must have swerved a bit to miss me. I don't remember him doing so but he must have because all I
remember seeing is that brown pickup coming straight at me with the tanker a few inches to my right. I honestly thought it was over.
When I was much younger and dumber we used to 'center-line', a term we used to describe passing on a 2-lane with opposing traffic. Risky and not something I wanted to do again, but this asshat tanker driver had me doing just that.
I was shaken and had an incredible adrenaline buzz. I pulled well behind the tank truck and tried to settle down. I even checked that both side bags were still with me. Do I need say I was pissed?
(This was almost worse than the encounter I had with a tour bus when on a BMW in the Italian Alps. One of the BMW break away mirrors broke away during that encounter)
I waited for the next uphill passing lane, checked for oncoming traffic, and went into the oncoming lane, 2 lanes distant from the tanker, to safely pass it.
Now comes my juvenile reaction. Of course I gave the driver the one fingered salute, several times. Then I very
gradually slowed to 25 mph in a 55 mph zone. I continued this parade pace for about 2 miles, not allowing the tanker
to get by me. This was probably uncalled for but I will tell you the other imaginative options for retaliation running through my mind were far more drastic.
Any comments appreciated. Thanks.
