Warm weather coming - tar snake time

[ctfjr]

I share my experience with these wonderful gifts from DOT's in many states. A few years ago my son & I were riding through the badlands (South Dakota). I was stupidly taking in the scenery as we rode a wonderfully curvey section. Without realizing what was happening my front wheel started sliding out and it looked like a lowside was on the way. Without thinking my foot came off the peg & tried to right the bike on the ground. I can only assume I had slid across the snake as my foot hit the pavement the bike righted itself (almost too) quickly. My son, riding behind me, couldn't believe I didn't break my leg / go down. Its something I'll never forget and has made me very vigilant even in city driving with painted lane markers / cross walks.

 

[BugzyMacCode]

I share my experience with these wonderful gifts from DOT's in many states. A few years ago my son & I were riding through the badlands (South Dakota). I was stupidly taking in the scenery as we rode a wonderfully curvey section. Without realizing what was happening my front wheel started sliding out and it looked like a lowside was on the way. Without thinking my foot came off the peg & tried to right the bike on the ground. I can only assume I had slid across the snake as my foot hit the pavement the bike righted itself (almost too) quickly. My son, riding behind me, couldn't believe I didn't break my leg / go down. Its something I'll never forget and has made me very vigilant even in city driving with painted lane markers / cross walks.

That is one of my earliest riding memories. I was new and learning twisties and stuck my foot out when I hit my first tar snake. I was going about 50mph and it occurred to me what might happen before I let it touch the ground. I promised myself that if I never took my feet off of my pegs ever again in a lean, then I could keep riding.

So far so good.

 

[gearman]

As I recall, there was some discussion a few years back between motorcycle safety advocates and ODOT on the issue of tar snakes. The state said they would "look into it". As far as I know they swept it under their giant rug with all the other bike related safety concerns they choose to ignore. Not exactly the response one expects from the state ranking 5th in the nation for motorcycle registrations. :angry2:

 

[dcarver]

Yep - and as Kalifonia goes broke, they are snaking more and more roads with a goo that doesn't even pass for tar. Very slippery and dangerous.

 

[playgtar]

I share my experience with these wonderful gifts from DOT's in many states. A few years ago my son & I were riding through the badlands (South Dakota). I was stupidly taking in the scenery as we rode a wonderfully curvey section. Without realizing what was happening my front wheel started sliding out and it looked like a lowside was on the way. Without thinking my foot came off the peg & tried to right the bike on the ground. I can only assume I had slid across the snake as my foot hit the pavement the bike righted itself (almost too) quickly. My son, riding behind me, couldn't believe I didn't break my leg / go down. Its something I'll never forget and has made me very vigilant even in city driving with painted lane markers / cross walks.

You and Jamie Hacking! Good save!

Did you see his save in the race last weekend. He had holes in his leathers at the elbow and the knee, and didn't fall off the bike. It was an amazing thing to see.

 

[playgtar]

I'll tell ya what really ticks me off though.......I don't know if you have this problem in other states, but I live in KY and ride in KY, OH and IN. People moving the grass and blowing it on to the highway. If it happens to rain and the fresh cut grass is on the highway and you're going 35-40 mph........slick as ice! Especially if you're in a corner. There needs to be a law passed or fines issued for this. Some rider somewhere is going down because of this, and it's just because some dude on a tractor doesn't want to rake his grass!

 

[RenoJohn]

Man, I hope this 1st grade tar-snake talk is ready for the big leagues --'cause here it comes.

Here on Silver Fork Rd up in the Sierra Nevada's (yes the CA side) is the world's largest Tar-snake

Quote from my buddy Bareman:

"One of the great features of silver fork is of course the scenery and it has the distinction of having the biggest single continuous tar snake in the world, on a hot day it can swallow you and the bike like the La brea tar pits ( this thing is about 20 ft long and 12 ft. wide continuous black no cement showing and is a few inches deep, on a hot day your poop is had it if you hit it wrong."

Here it is shown from google earth ..(sattelite view -yes shows up from a sattelite)

This is the granddaddy of all tar-snakes, come to the sierras and ride it for yourself.