So who's into a S.E. Ohio day trip?

[wheatonFJR]

Ok I have a confession to make. Dave (Scrapeup ) and I went for a ride on 536 on Sunday. On a right hand blind downhill curve I went wide, looked at the edge of the road and pending doom, ( instead of looking where I wanted to go) and drove right off the road and 10 ft down hill in the grass on my side. It hurt my pride more than me and the bike. ...Joe

Joe, I'm glad you're okay and not hurt too badly. Very creative and practical thinking on your temporary fix. :clapping:

 

[scrapedup]

Glad to see everyone [well almost everyone] made it home safely. Sun. was just perfect sunny and warmer, 60ish and dry. Would never in a million years thought that Joe would have crashed his "FJR"on 536 but for those of us who've been down it, you really have to bring your "A" game if you hope to survive and not become a statistic. Steve, had Joe and I known that you were going to be out on Mon. we would have enjoyed riding with you again. Next time call me. We wound up doing the east end of the ride over. The leaves changing color was an added bonus to and already super weekend. Finally got the opportunity to put a face to some of the names that we all see on this forum. Really a great bunch of guy's [and gal's] if I do say so myself. The guy's who were there will appreciate this. Wifey always likes me to bring her something back when I go weekending with out her sooooooooooooooo............. I picked up a couple of hand grenades an "AK 47 and a couple thousand rounds of ammo from the "SWAP MEET" we all passed on Sat. [Of course there was a complete backround check and a 3 day waiting period "RIGHT" of course] Great weekend was had by one and all. Thanks for putting this together "EL TORO JOE" it was a ball. Ride Safely!!!!!!!!!! Dave

 

[Dave Kaye]

Yikes Joe! Very sorry to hear you had a mishap. Glad to hear your OK! By the look of the plastics I am guessing the sliders didn't work well in the grass. Looks like you'll have a small winter project ahead of you but at least managed to keep from getting injured. You should consider a patent on that multitask wrench/clutch! Inventions happen in mysterious ways?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Holy crap Joe...glad your OK

 

[El Toro Joe]

Thanks for putting this together "EL TORO JOE" it was a ball. Ride Safely!!!!!!!!!! Dave

Dave, this was all Mark's plan. I'm just glad I was able to make it.

 

[tstaff]

Sorry to hear about your crash Joe, glad your ok.

Rt. 536 could have a tree of shame just like the Dragon.

 

[scrapedup]

That's for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dave

 

[Bockelrider]

Joe

You wild man! Glad you are OK!!!!! :yahoo: Good luck with the winter project.

I will be out this coming week...Monday or Tuesday 10/26 or 27 for a day ride south.

This will be out and back the same day.

Anybody wanna ride?? I will be watching the weather.

Steve

 

[quickjs]

Joe
You wild man! Glad you are OK!!!!! :yahoo: Good luck with the winter project.

I will be out this coming week...Monday or Tuesday 10/26 or 27 for a day ride south.

This will be out and back the same day.

Anybody wanna ride?? I will be watching the weather.

Steve

Steve, if you go down 536 watch out for this curve.

https://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a92/quick...nt=536curve.jpg

Maybe I should take the ZRX down there and flog it.

Ride safe

 

[wheatonFJR]

Best thing to do on 536 is to ride the first time slowly as a recon pass, return recon the other way, then take it as you see fit the second time thru. It's not a long stretch of road, so there should be time.

Quite frankly, I would do that with 255 as well, as it is a beautiful area, and the road is nice too. Those are two great roads really close to each other.

 

[El Toro Joe]

536 & 255 just a couple of roads that make me smile :biggrinsmiley: :grin:

 

[Bockelrider]

Joe
You wild man! Glad you are OK!!!!! :yahoo: Good luck with the winter project.

I will be out this coming week...Monday or Tuesday 10/26 or 27 for a day ride south.

This will be out and back the same day.

Anybody wanna ride?? I will be watching the weather.

Steve

Steve, if you go down 536 watch out for this curve.

https://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a92/quick...nt=536curve.jpg

Maybe I should take the ZRX down there and flog it.

Ride safe

I probably won't get that far south on Monday but will have my eyes open in the spring!

That looks like a fun corner!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Okay Bockelriders,

I'm laying the hammer down...stop having so much fun riding and post up yer pictures on that other thread. :clapping:

 

[drc32-0]

Joe..I know that turn well,it always seems to come up quicker than I expect.

Good to hear you're o.k.

 

[drc32-0]

Home safe and sound...sorry for the late post but I was out all day yesterday on the KLR taking pictures in the Hocking Hills area.
I really had a good time Saturday...great meeting everyone and seeing some folks I haven't seen in a while.Personally I like riding in cooler temps and it stayed dry until about 3:00 so it was a good day.

Thanks for setting up a great route Mark...if anyone wants a good sampler of S.E.Ohio roads just ride this route.Personal highlights for the day...lower section of 555,144,78 Ringgold to Glouster and 255.

Denny, glad you got back okay. I hate to pick favorite roads in this area because some of them are good for different reasons. Kind of like children, you hate to diss one over the other. I am gonna call the upper section of 555 the evil stepchild though...the road is rougher, has much more gravel, and there is one dangerous blind righthander that is much tighter and catches new riders unawares. It caught me the first time Irode that section, and other first timers every time I've taken one down there.

Denny, what would you think about skipping that upper section of 555 next time and just running 78 straight through. I hate to miss 377, cuz I really like that road...any suggestions? Keep it in, take it out?

Also, I think you were mentioning taking out 13 on the west end because it is so congested in that area. I have no problem with that...the only reason I had that road in there was to get back to Athens...which was the first base for this loop. I didn't have a map handy when you were talking so I don't remember which roads you were talking about, but I presume it was to cut south from 78 sooner and get away from the west end of the loop.

I like Caldwell for a base much better than Athens... the motel is much nicer and cheaper as well, with a good restaurant, beer and gas real close by. It's also on the northern side of the loop so Ohioans will be able to get to and from with less travel. Did everybody else have a good experience with the motel...except for them not wanting us to have a beer in the lobby? Athens is expensive and so is Marietta. I don't want to go farther east cuz it is already 500 miles for me to get there.

I am preparing a Ride Report thread for trip pictures and will put a link to this post when it is done. Others can post their pictures and quips in that as well.

Mark,the road I was suggesting was 329...it comes off of 13 at Trimble and goes to 550 at Amesville,about 2 to 3 miles east of 690.329 isn't a good curvy road, but it's quicker and less congested than that section of 13 and 550.It also has some long straight sections if we want to pass any slow moving traffic.

Cutting out the upper section of 555?That's up to you...I just wish they would pave it!I don't know if you noticed but two miles south of Ringgold to Ringgold is new pavement.I like that section and always imagine how fun the rest of that area would be with good pavement.

If you do want to cut it out...one option would be to go south at McConnelsville on 376 to266W to 792S to 676W to 555N to Chesterhill and run 377 north back to 78.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Mark,the road I was suggesting was 329...it comes off of 13 at Trimble and goes to 550 at Amesville,about 2 to 3 miles east of 690.329 isn't a good curvy road, but it's quicker and less congested than that section of 13 and 550.It also has some long straight sections if we want to pass any slow moving traffic.
Cutting out the upper section of 555?That's up to you...I just wish they would pave it!I don't know if you noticed but two miles south of Ringgold to Ringgold is new pavement.I like that section and always imagine how fun the rest of that area would be with good pavement.

If you do want to cut it out...one option would be to go south at McConnelsville on 376 to266W to 792S to 676W to 555N to Chesterhill and run 377 north back to 78.

I gotcha, so we do that loop south of McConnelsville and back to 78 via 377, so we'd still get 377 in. Then head west on 78, take 13 south to 329. Once on 329, we would take that all the way down to 144, skipping that boring section of US50.

I think that works pretty good. 13 and 50, were just roads to get you back and forth from Athens, which we don't need to do if we aren't basing the ride out of there. Plus we avoid that section of gravelly/dirty 555 which can be difficult for a rider who has never run that section before. We can reroute that section in after they repave it.

Have you run 329 south to 144 before? And the roads in that loop southwest of McConnelsville? If not, I may want to run them in the spring scouting trip before leading a group down them...just in case there are any bad curves or unknown bad things lurking.

Thanks Denny, if I understood you correctly, I think that works pretty good.

Edit: Shoot, I could really spend 3 long riding days here...

One day going from Amish country in Coshocton and Millersburg down to the Hocking Hills area-like in the 2005 Ramble, the next day ride this 300 mile loop, and the last day ride this loop the other direction...and maybe have you tell me about a few of your other nuggets to expand my "good roads list:.

I think I'm gonna do that next year...maybe as part of a "scouting trip"

 

[Bockelrider]

Okay Bockelriders,I'm laying the hammer down...stop having so much fun riding and post up yer pictures on that other thread. :clapping:

Well being the old guy.....

I found a guide on how to post them. I will work on it!!!

I am not very hot with the computer but willing to learn.

Confused in Amherst

Steve

And yes riding does always come first!

 

[Bockelrider]

Okay Bockelriders,I'm laying the hammer down...stop having so much fun riding and post up yer pictures on that other thread. :clapping:

Well being the old guy.....

I found a guide on how to post them. I will work on it!!!

I am not very hot with the computer but willing to learn.

Confused in Amherst

Steve

And yes riding does always come first!

https://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv80/bo...er/img_3036.jpg

Just an attempt here....

 

[Bockelrider]

Three shots of a view we never would have found without our super guide!

One shot of the group continuing to put on more layers of clothes before the ride.

A little feedback on how I could have done this better would be good guys....

 

[wheatonFJR]

Thanks for the photos...you guys are good riders...and that was a good spot for a view. Just west of Marietta I presume>