what Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Just now, Pauly said: Yeah, but that's all behind me. I only smoke legal substances, now. It may not be legal in Ohio, but it's legal somewhere. Sadly, probably not for long. :| Thanks Obama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinNck1 Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 The key factors for riding any type of long distance IMO is avoiding dehydration, and recognizing fatigue. Us folks on touring bikes are spoiled and can run 200 mile twisty road stints all day, but doing so on a supersport is different story. You ride enough before June and you'll be ready. I sure would like to try the gap on a different bike this year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 13 minutes ago, JustinNck1 said: The key factors for riding any type of long distance IMO is avoiding dehydration, and recognizing fatigue. Us folks on touring bikes are spoiled and can run 200 mile twisty road stints all day, but doing so on a supersport is different story. You ride enough before June and you'll be ready. I sure would like to try the gap on a different bike this year... https://gsmotorent.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBBaron Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 2 hours ago, TimTheAzn said: Ok, this is coming from someone that's made that trip and has made numerous numerous 2 hour "rides" just to get to the meet spot for a ride. Honestly the "I have never really ridding in one direction for more than 2 hours?"" concerns me, and probably anybody else that would be leading a group down to the GAP. But that's OK, I was there too. Get some more miles at one time under your belt (I was told this when I first started riding with the Core group of riders on here.) so you can judge things like; mileage at certain paces (not what you've read online or in a magazine in terms of mileage), what pace can you consistently and safely run all day? Safe being the key word. How long your ass can handle the saddle without needing a break? How long should you ride before taking a break before you actually need one? Doing that will also kind of give you an idea of what potential modifications you may need to do to your bike to make the trip more comfortable, whether it be a new seat, bar risers, etc. Roads down there are nothing like they are up here, in the best, more exhausting way. I'll tell you that while I completely and thoroughly enjoyed the ride down there, I was physically and mentally exhausted from all of those sweet sweet miles. Ask @Tpoppa as he had to baby- lead me into the Gap after back to back 500 mile days to get down there. (That man is a machine.) I had to slow my pace way down not because I was physically exhausted, but because I was making mental mistakes on easy shit. More miles more miles more miles of the good stuff aka twisties will better prepare you for a trip like this. There are plenty of guys that put down more miles than me a year on here and I'm sure they would be more than happy to share their feedback too. I'm just the opposite, but that may be more due to my bike than my mental state. All day riding twisties just makes me want more, a few hours of interstate and I start getting to the point I am making mental mistakes. But the DRZ doesnt really do fast and is very light, so riding twisties is easy. The same features makes slab a torture. I havn't made the spring trip yet but have ridden down and back. Riding back was a miserable 500+ miles of 4 lane However if you can take 2 days from NEO (1 day from SWO) the back roads can be fun. @Danimal if I end up going on this trip I may ask join your group, the DRZ should be right at home with your DRs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, what said: Sadly, probably not for long. :| Thanks Obama I was all for legalizing recreational pot...until recently. I just had an experience with edibles that is forcing me to change my opinion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 1 hour ago, Tpoppa said: I was all for legalizing recreational pot...until recently. I just had an experience with edibles that is forcing me to change my opinion. I've never had the stuff in any form but I know a lot of people enjoy it and I don't see it as harmful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschaf Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 2 hours ago, Tpoppa said: I was all for legalizing recreational pot...until recently. I just had an experience with edibles that is forcing me to change my opinion. Somebody dose you or what? Are legal edibles worse than illegal ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer_kaw Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 3 hours ago, JustinNck1 said: I sure would like to try the gap on a different bike this year... Made it down on 3 different bikes inside a years time. They were all just as fun as the next. Even the mean streak wasn’t bad once I got use to that damn scraping sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschaf Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 Back on topic now: Can't go because my niece is getting married that weekend (nearby) & Holly & I already have plane tickets. If @what would be kind enough to trailer down a bike for me to ride, loI, I could probably get out for 2/3 or 3/4 day of riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpoppa Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 (edited) 17 minutes ago, jschaf said: Somebody dose you or what? Are legal edibles worse than illegal ones? Maybe we need another thread. I just took a small amount of a chocolate available in CO. The feeling was nothing like smoking, it was more like taking way too many pain pills. It was unpleasant. No way I could have driven a car. The person I was with was puking and basically incoherent. Edibles are a huge part of the recreational pot industry. I still think smoking is pretty harmless. No fucking way the stuff I had should be legal... maybe the one I had was just a super strong one but hell no. And I'm no stranger to partying. Edited January 4, 2018 by Tpoppa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
what Posted January 4, 2018 Report Share Posted January 4, 2018 11 minutes ago, jschaf said: Back on topic now: Can't go because my niece is getting married that weekend (nearby) & Holly & I already have plane tickets. If @what would be kind enough to trailer down a bike for me to ride, loI, I could probably get out for 2/3 or 3/4 day of riding. I plan on bringing yellow & the street triple down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jschaf Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 Kool. Will discuss details as the date gets nearer. Thanks man. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 13 hours ago, Tpoppa said: Maybe we need another thread. I just took a small amount of a chocolate available in CO. The feeling was nothing like smoking, it was more like taking way too many pain pills. It was unpleasant. No way I could have driven a car. The person I was with was puking and basically incoherent. Edibles are a huge part of the recreational pot industry. I still think smoking is pretty harmless. No fucking way the stuff I had should be legal... maybe the one I had was just a super strong one but hell no. And I'm no stranger to partying. Eating and smoking will give you different feelings. It's more of a body thing instead of a head thing. During my time in college I was exposed to a fair amount of different substances, handled them all with flying colors, enjoyed them and handled myself in a responsible manner. Alcohol has remained the single "drug" that's ever gotten me sick or I've had a bad time with. With that said, you got any more of that chocolate left? Sounds like a good time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTheAzn Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 19 hours ago, what said: I wouldn't discourage someone from going down to the gap with limited riding experience so long as that person understands their limits and that mental exhaustion is a REAL thing and it will mess you up fast. I went to the dragon with very few miles under my belt and survived the roads just fine, but mental exhaustion caught me and I ended up turning in front of a pickup and getting into an accident. To be fair, the road went from a 2-way to a 1-way street with 2 lanes with no warning signs, but still... if my brain had been functioning like it should have (story of my life?) the accident would not have happened. Learn how to recognize when you're riding above your pace and learn to recognize when your brain is telling you it has had enough. These are essential skills for anyone riding a motorcycle. Know when you need a break, "pushing through" is a bad, bad plan. I would almost suggest that a newer rider take the 2 day trip down on back roads. Things get progressively twistier as you go south so it would be a good exercise for acclimation. Trailering down and jumping in with both feet on the dragon seems more dangerous. Hey now why's it gotta be white? I stand by my statement. I don't want to discourage anyone with limited riding experience going down to the gap by any means, its beautiful, awesome riding. But the guys/ gal that are riding down are veterans to a trip like this. Battle tested and serious about what they do. Adding someone that doesn't ride more than two hours in one direction at a time obviously adds risk. I just wanted to emphasize what I found helpful when I first started riding longer distances at a time. That you have to build up to a trip like that, you cant just commute 25 min to work every nice day leading up to the Gap trip and then expect to perform 500+ mile days during the trip without consequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durk Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 35 minutes ago, TimTheAzn said: I stand by my statement. I don't want to discourage anyone with limited riding experience going down to the gap by any means, its beautiful, awesome riding. But the guys/ gal that are riding down are veterans to a trip like this. Battle tested and serious about what they do. Adding someone that doesn't ride more than two hours in one direction at a time obviously adds risk. I just wanted to emphasize what I found helpful when I first started riding longer distances at a time. That you have to build up to a trip like that, you cant just commute 25 min to work every nice day leading up to the Gap trip and then expect to perform 500+ mile days during the trip without consequence. I second what Tim is saying here. I personally started my longer trips by increasing mileage, time, and intensity bit by bit. I started with a 5 hr round trip and quickly discovered I needed to do something about the brick I had for a seat on the CBR(padded bicycle shorts were the cure and continue to be). Then I started taking multiple 8 hr round trips to SEO and into WV. Once I set my sights on a trip to the Gap and mapped out at least a 10hr ride to get there, I put together a 10hr round trip that included rt555(I didn’t know of better roads at the time). Around that time I started lurking on this website and found better roads from posts and just kept riding more and more. Then to truly prepare myself, I rode 2 near 500 mile days back to back. The following year I made my solo trip and loved every second of it. I will admit this is probably a reflection of my personality. I’m a planner and a bit of a loaner. I personally have never done the OR thing at Deals, but I have participated in some Epic rides and other group rides. Every time I have participated in an OR ride it has been good times and I have met great people. @flashesbuck my guess is there will be a spring Epic ride again this year. My suggestion would be show up for that and use that as a basis for your decision. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 5, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 My first long ride was to the Gap on a 600RR. Slabbed down. Had fun. Slabbed home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 8 minutes ago, Casper said: My first long ride was to the Gap on a 600RR. Slabbed down. Had fun. Slabbed home. Same here, did it on my TL twice before it ever went on a triler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 There's something to be said about riding the roads around the Gap area. I don't ride nearly as many miles/days in succession throughout the year as I do down there. Now, mind you I don't ride down there and back....I trailer to and from....but once there, the adrenaline and excitement keeps me in the saddle far longer than I'd typically ride around here. Similar to SEO roads, the ride to and from the annual Epic rides usually suck since it's primarily interstate.....but once there, love every mile of it with little sense of being overwhelmed or exhausted. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustinNck1 Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 I've slabbed it down, I've taken twisty roads. I've done it in 6 hours, I've done it in 7 days. Regardless, it's a fun time and everyone should do it, regardless of how they get there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebbors Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 4 minutes ago, JustinNck1 said: I've slabbed it down, I've taken twisty roads. I've done it in 6 hours, I've done it in 7 days. Regardless, it's a fun time and everyone should do it, regardless of how they get there. That is a great way to put it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durk Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 21 minutes ago, Casper said: My first long ride was to the Gap on a 600RR. Slabbed down. Had fun. Slabbed home. My first Gap trip was on 600rr as well. I took 2 days to get down there on back roads and slabbed it home. That year I rode the Dragon twice and the Skyway only. I had a blast as well. 17 minutes ago, Helmutt said: once there, the adrenaline and excitement keeps me in the saddle far longer than I'd typically ride This is true for me as well. I even struggle to sleep at night, but wake up ready to go. Had the same feeling last year when I took my daughter. Maybe even more excited because I got to share the experience with her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 @flashesbuck come on down not all of us are stoners that think you are not a good rider (is that enough smileys to know I'm half kidding around?) Here is the story, first and foremost make sure your equipment is in tip top order especially tires and brakes and ppe but really all your ducks need to be in row. Second and equally important "ALWAYS, RIDE YOUR RIDE". That includes all miles for this trip including the ones getting there. Plan your trip with what ever you want to do ..BUT. Always have a way to opt out or and alt. plan. If your tired, STOP. If your over your head on a technical road, slow down. Shit happens and time tables get fucked and the last thing you need is to feel your on a set deadline to get some where. Same goes for the roads down around the gap they are a different beast than stuff up here but ANYONE can ride them just not at the paces some of us do. If you have to do half the speed limit to be safe, do it. Just keep they guy that just rode up behind you in mind at the next turn out or strait. If you give yourself plenty of time and don't have the mind set that you are going to "slay the dragon" you will be fine. And if someone invites you along on their journey, rules need to be laid out and they should be informed of what you are comfortable with. My wife may be taking her bike and she has ridden less than 800 miles in the last 2 years and 600 of that was one trip. I have no fears of her going down there and getting in over her head because I know she's a smart rider that could care less what pace she's riding at or what time the clock says. I'll take a smart rider over experience any day. Obviously a smart experienced rider is the perfect scenario. but even a stupid experienced rider is dangerous. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 One more thing, Ive seen this burn more people on bike trips than any other thing. Don't go at all if every dime you have to spend is allocated. YOU NEED EMERGENCY FUNDS. Have cash, credit card or any other funds in reserve to get you home if your bike can't. If you need need emergency repairs, need to rent a uhaul or even need to buy a bus or plane ticket home. Always come financially prepared for anything. Can't believe how many people have gone on this trip or other trips and end up needing to bum money for gas or food money or have no plan on if shit hits the fan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 7, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 10 hours ago, 2talltim said: One more thing, Ive seen this burn more people on bike trips than any other thing. Don't go at all if every dime you have to spend is allocated. YOU NEED EMERGENCY FUNDS. Have cash, credit card or any other funds in reserve to get you home if your bike can't. If you need need emergency repairs, need to rent a uhaul or even need to buy a bus or plane ticket home. Always come financially prepared for anything. Can't believe how many people have gone on this trip or other trips and end up needing to bum money for gas or food money or have no plan on if shit hits the fan. This is a good one I never think to mention. Always have an “oh shit” plan. Also, if you have any medical conditions (like I’m diabetic) make sure the folks you’re riding with know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlboro man Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 I’m ready to ride I don’t care if you trailer down ride down or what But the slab sucks .Every time I’ve gotten on the slab it seems to suck and take longer There’s many roads that are just as good As the gap in between here and there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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