SE Ohio Spring Ramble - 3-5 May 2013 - Marietta, Ohio Microtel Inn

[El Toro Joe]

I'm in. Do we have maps somewhere yet? Or routes posted somewhere yet?

Nothing yet...I thought everyone was just gonna follow you & Gray Ray...

I would imagine someone will be posting something by next Thursday

 

[extrememarine]

0Face and I are finishing them up - I will get a download page set up by this weekend so everyone can drop them into their GPS.

Last year, I brought some printed maps and directions. Do we need that again this year? I can get some overview maps printed, but if they are not needed I'd rather not waste the paper (or time).

Do we have maps somewhere yet? Or routes posted somewhere yet?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Last year, I brought some printed maps and directions. Do we need that again this year? I can get some overview maps printed, but if they are not needed I'd rather not waste the paper (or time).

Do we have maps somewhere yet? Or routes posted somewhere yet?

Wayne,

If you can just post a pic of the routes(like Mark has done in the past)...whoever wants one can print them for themselves.

Or not

 

[timk]

Hey guy's, Did the recon ride today. 75 and sunny, 255 from 800 down to the river was really dusty from winter sanding, 800 was really clean, 26 sweet and fast, lunch at the Boathouse on the river in Marietta, flew up the 555 to Zanesville, unfortunately by then my arms were toast, limped home from there. 460 miles on the clicker, it was literally a fabulous day in SE Ohio. My hope for all you guy's coming from all over the US for this weekend that the weather will be exactly like it was today!!!!!! So we can really show all of you a great time!!!!! Dastardly Dave. # 65 One more thing, if you know how to tighten up your front forks suspension, I highly recommend doing so!!!!!!You can thank me later!!!

Yeah,my friend and I rode 26 to 255 also 4-5 days ago,more gravel than normal. I think they redid some of the berms and trucks brought some up in the road. Supposed to rain for a couple days here,so things might be cleaned up a bit. I did have a WTF moment on 26, best decription where is the sharp turn where the guy has about 30/40 old riding mowers in his yard. Road wasn't graveled, but might have gotten into garbage truck liquid. All in all the roads survived the winter pretty well.

 

[extrememarine]

I think I'll be able to post a PDF file on the download page. What I found with the printed maps last year is that it was very hard to get enough detail to make them useful enough to navigate by. You have to zoom in so far that they end up needing 10 pages to print on.

Last year, I brought some printed maps and directions. Do we need that again this year? I can get some overview maps printed, but if they are not needed I'd rather not waste the paper (or time).

Do we have maps somewhere yet? Or routes posted somewhere yet?

Wayne,

If you can just post a pic of the routes(like Mark has done in the past)...whoever wants one can print them for themselves.

Or not

 

[El Toro Joe]

Thanks Wayne...see ya in 9 days

 

[gray ray]

Just a couple of safety reminders before we ride.

1. SLOW DOWN Ride at the speed you are comfortable with. If the group that you are in is riding faster then you are comfortable with drop back and ride with a slower group. This is not a race, there is no first place trophy.

2. CHECK TIRE PRESSURE The roads we will be traveling are very twisty. It is a good idea to check your tire pressure before we leave Sat. morning. Depending on; how, when, and where, you normally ride you might want to drop your tire pressures a pound or two. Lower tire pressure = larger contact patch,= more tire flex = more tire heat = more traction. Give your tires a chance to warm up. Don't take the first turns at full lean angle.

3. KEEP YOUR EYES FOCUSED AS FAR AHEAD AS POSSIBLE. The sooner you can spot a road hazard, the more time you have to react to it. Try to delay your entrance into a turn untill you are sure that there are no hazards. Again "SPEED KILLS" If you are not comfortable at a certain speed slow down.

4. TWO SECOND RULE FOR SPACING Try to maintain two seconds between you and the person in front of you. Try to ride in a staggered fassion, not single file. These suggestions will vary depending on speed and road conditions, however the point is to give yourself more time to react to road hazards.Try not to watch the person in front of you. Focus your vision as far in front of you as possible. Your peripheral vision will pick up the rider in fronts brake lights and other movements.

I am offering these suggestions in an effort to keep this gathering as safe as possible. If anyone has other suggestions please feel free to chime in.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Be safe everybody. Don't end up in the ditch like I have in the past...

Have fun...ride in such a fashion that no one will need to stop during a fun ride to :

1) apply tourniquet to your body

2) make a splint for your broken femur

3) figure out a way to "zip tie" your bike back together so you can get back to the hotel or home

4) call the ambulance

5) call your closest relative to give them the bad news.

 

[luvtoride]

Ooh, you have twisty roads there? I was under the assumption that I was going to be very bored.

& thanks for all of the reminders, Ray.

Cannot wait! This should be a good trip. Definitely hoping for better night sleeps than last weekends trip, that's for sure!

 

[Bungie]

Ooh, you have twisty roads there? I was under the assumption that I was going to be very bored.

It bears repeating that one of the interesting things about the area is the elevation changes. Elsewhere in the Appalachains you get relatively big elevation changes, say a couple of hundred feet. In SE Ohio you get 'micro' elevation changes, kind of like a big *** bump in the road that you cant see around or over. Great fun, feels like your riding a roller coaster at times, be on gaurd though, often you'll find a hairpin or farm equipment just beyond the rise in the road that you didn't see and wasn't well marked.

This is one of the reasons their never has been an EOM in the area. It can be very dangerous if your not aware or expecting it.

Communicators are invaluable in this area especially if the lead guy is calling out hazards as he surfs off the road through a corn field. <cough Wheatness /cough><cough 0Face /cough>

Don't believe me? Pay attention to the terrain in this vid. Watch what happens just after the 2 minute mark. Curves on the top of a rise and then....



... granted, this guy doesn't ride very well, but you get the idea.

 

[extrememarine]

Much easier to pass out and wait for the medi-flight.

Seriously - it is time to start talking about this stuff. Skills are rusty for some, new area for some, etc. Please, don't ruin my day by forcing me to splint your femur or follow you back to the hotel...

Be safe everybody. Don't end up in the ditch like I have in the past...

Have fun...ride in such a fashion that no one will need to stop during a fun ride to :
1) apply tourniquet to your body
2) make a splint for your broken femur
3) figure out a way to "zip tie" your bike back together so you can get back to the hotel or home
4) call the ambulance
r) call your closest relative to give them the bad news.

 

[luvtoride]

Ooh, you have twisty roads there? I was under the assumption that I was going to be very bored.

It bears repeating that one of the interesting things about the area is the elevation changes. Elsewhere in the Appalachains you get relatively big elevation changes, say a couple of hundred feet. In SE Ohio you get 'micro' elevation changes, kind of like a big *** bump in the road that you cant see around or over. Great fun, feels like your riding a roller coaster at times, be on gaurd though, often you'll find a hairpin or farm equipment just beyond the rise in the road that you didn't see and wasn't well marked.

This is one of the reasons their never has been an EOM in the area. It can be very dangerous if your not aware or expecting it.

Communicators are invaluable in this area especially if the lead guy is calling out hazards as he surfs off the road through a corn field. <cough Wheatness /cough><cough 0Face /cough>

Don't believe me? Pay attention to the terrain in this vid. Watch what happens just after the 2 minute mark. Curves on the top of a rise and then....

Now, that looks like fun!

No EOM in this area for what reason? I find it very very hard to believe this is any more technical than some of the areas that EOM has been held... but admittedly, I haven't ridden this area, yet.

I expected to be bored! I'm so disappointed.

PS... running a Chatterbox... so, BTB equipped.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Sena here...

 

[chivvalry]

Sena here...

and here... haven't done bike to bike on it yet though.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Sena here...

and here... haven't done bike to bike on it yet though.

...only reason I have it.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Ooh, you have twisty roads there? I was under the assumption that I was going to be very bored.
& thanks for all of the reminders, Ray.

Cannot wait! This should be a good trip. Definitely hoping for better night sleeps than last weekends trip, that's for sure!

No, we don't have twisty roads here. The warnings are for all the riders not to fall asleep and end up in a ditch...

Damn Straight, Flat, and Boring.

 

[luvtoride]

I thought that reasoning for not having an EOM here is because it isn't in the east. Look @ the area that you're reading from Steve... Midwest.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I thought that reasoning for not having an EOM here is because it isn't in the east. Look @ the area that you're reading from Steve... Midwest.

Hey, it's east of the Sierra foothills. It must be east.

 

[luvtoride]

Uh huh, I do agree... but why is this thread in the midwest if that is the case. I mean, I don't really care or anything. I happen to like the majority of EOM host sites.... another goodie would be good for me!

 

[extrememarine]

Cumberland Falls, KY is 200 miles WEST of Marietta, give or take. So "East" is relative...

I thought that reasoning for not having an EOM here is because it isn't in the east. Look @ the area that you're reading from Steve... Midwest.

Hey, it's east of the Sierra foothills. It must be east.