Louisiana to NC and back

[Redfish Hunter]

bit of a hijack:

hppants and redfish hunter (and mvette out the picture on the can) here on today's epic trip from Ponchatoula to Denham Springs to Gonzales...Looziana

(300mi for moi)

I don't see a pic there Mike. Here is one I took.

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Left to right we have hppants, mvette, his grandson Sebastien, and Patriot.

Patriot was good enough to organize our little ride and I was able to learn a few things about riding with a group. They made me park the ST in front so if someone lost control in the parking lot it would protect the other bikes from the crash.

 

[Patriot]

duh...it's flickr's fault...yeah, that's it...

 

[Redfish Hunter]

duh...it's flickr's fault...yeah, that's it...

If you had told me you wanted to take a pic, I would have put something over my head to reduce the glare. The sunlight reflecting off my head has been known to ruin a camera. Or maybe I am just that ugly.

At any rate, I appreciated the ride, and I appreciated the opportunity to ride with guys who know more than I do. I try to learn what I can, when I can. This was a good chance to see some other good riders in action. I drug both my footpegs, and I blew one turn completely by crossing the center line. Very humiliating that. I can say that hppants is much smoother than me, he was a joy to watch. I was pleased to see mvette involving his grandson in our ride.

The breakfast was good, Paul's Cafe was a delightful place. And who could imagine that Paul had 8, yes 8 daughters. One of them was our waittress and she was a former Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Beauty Pageant Queen. I feel sorry for that man.

 

[hppants]

Gentlemen:

I enjoyed the day and thank you for the invite. Strange though it may sound, we do have some decent riding roads on the West side of Old Man River. If you don't believe me, let's meet in the middle and you can find out for yourselves. Southern Cruzzer and I will gladly lead you to the adventure, and of course, the food.

Until then, shiny side up and best wishes!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Gentlemen:

I enjoyed the day and thank you for the invite. Strange though it may sound, we do have some decent riding roads on the West side of Old Man River. If you don't believe me, let's meet in the middle and you can find out for yourselves. Southern Cruzzer and I will gladly lead you to the adventure, and of course, the food.

Until then, shiny side up and best wishes!

Food? Did someone say food?

I have been on some very good roads on your side of the Big Muddy. I'd love to get over there again. A good friend of mine lives just outside New Roads and has BMW R1200RT. He led Dad and I around for a few hours, it was very nice.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I wanted to post a little update on my cousin Byron. I visited him today and he is much better. He has 3 incisions about 7 or 8 inches long, one on his belly, one along his collarbone, and one over his shoulderblade. These along with his broken ribs are quite uncomfortable. He is moving around well enough that he opened the door for me when I got there.

As we sat in his living room I noticed that on each of the 4 walls there were multiple pictures of our past motorcycle vacations. It hit me then just how much he looked forward to this annual trip and how cruel it was that he had to lay in the hospital while we continued. He told me repeatedly how sorry he was that he had ruined our trip and how glad he was that we continued without him.

I felt like a complete piece of shit.

We discussed next year's trip. He said he was looking forward to it. He said he is not going to be pulling a trailer next year. Thank God.

 

[user 28803]

I'm just glad he's around. Take it easy on yourself.

 

[Chuck35]

Glad to hear he is on the mend. I'll be looking forward to your RR next year!

 

[beemerdons]

I'm just glad he's around. Take it easy on yourself.

+1, Gunny; earthrooster is right on RH, we all know the risks we take when we swing a leg over our bikes!

 

[hppants]

I felt like a complete piece of shit.
We discussed next year's trip. He said he was looking forward to it. He said he is not going to be pulling a trailer next year. Thank God

Easy on yourself, my friend. Although I don't know your cousin personally, I'm quite certain he is of sound mind and (mostly) body. Quite frankly, and without sounding unsympathetic, IMO, Byron should be thanking his lucky stars that his failure to control his motorcycle didn't take out other members of your party along with himself.

The fact that he's already talking about the next ride is a very good sign. Even if it doesn't materialize (he still may give up riding all together), IMO this should tell you that he understands the root cause of the accident correctly.

Regardless of what I think, it's good to hear that your cousin is on the mend.

Stay thirsty, my brother ....

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I'm just glad he's around. Take it easy on yourself.

+1, Gunny; earthrooster is right on RH, we all know the risks we take when we swing a leg over our bikes!

With all the back and forth B.S. we do on this forum it is so easy to forget that many of you have logged in an enormous number of miles on multiple bikes all over this and other countries. What seemed like a trip of a lifetime to me is just another day to many of you. I have gone on and on about my troubles but there are others here going through just as much or worse. It is of great comfort to me that here I am surrounded by riders who know and understand. Not just a bunch of posers riding trailer queens from one bar to the next, but real riders.

Beemerdons, I only recently read of your deer strike with your son Seth and that beautiful BMW, Giselle? I think you call her. That must have been a few moments of concern with your son, yet I never heard of it. My respect for you grows sir.

I do want to share with you that my dear cousin has made it clear that he had chosen the ditch rather than taking out any of us. I had already managed to get out of his way but he certainly would have taken out the GoldWing and the FJR had he not went to the right to miss them. He knows that his inattentiveness was the root cause, but he also knows that without the trailer he could have stopped his bike gently on the grass with only some mud stains and his pride injured. He said that he knew we were going to be laughing at him while we helped him get his Harley back to the blacktop, then the trailer started fishtailing and that was it. That trailer kicked his ass. I am thankful that he is smart enough and man enough to know and admit. This is why I am so looking forward to making next year's trip.

 

[Chuck35]

How much damage to his bike?

 

[Redfish Hunter]

I know it is kind of bad form to resurrect an old thread, but I had a pretty good reason. I like stories with happy endings. This RR did not have the ending, or really even the story line I had wanted. It just kind of fizzled out.

Cousin Byron's Harley was actually totaled. I did not agree with the insurance company, but it was not my money. A wrecker came, they pushed it over in the gravel, wrapped a cable around it and drug it up onto a flatbed. A complete and total waste of a pretty nice motorcycle.

About the time he was physically capable of riding again, a friend of his dropped of a very nice Harley Road King for him to use. He got his confidence back on that bike and started shopping for a new one. I am happy to report that my cousin who almost died in the crash that ruined last year's MC trip, is back on a bike. He just picked up a CVO Street Glide, and it is a really nice motorcycle. He is NOT installing a trailer hitch on the back of this one.



While it was not the ending I had hoped for, it did not turn out too bad after all.

 

[Patriot]

he should get right back on a bike on the open road asap...so under my safety directions, we all need to head to the Smokies for 4-5 days at the earliest opportunity...let's see, how about next Monday ???

 

[ericboutin]

Well I for one am glad you ressurected your thread or I may not have gotten the pleasure to read it! Outstanding highs and lows! I'm glad it turned out to be a happy ending for ya'll and your cousin! I will definately be referring back to this as you have ridden a bunch of roads we would like to explore also. Thanks for the incredible write-up and dang it I really got to get some work done today!!

 

[David Foley]

Andrew - really enjoyed the RR, although coming to this thread late. You handled yourself admirably in a tough situation - agreed that turning back would have crushed your dads desire to ride a motorcycle again. Well Done - your a great son!!