Posting rides these days?

[NinjaDoc]

I don’t think I have posted any rides in last couple of years. I discovered that helps me sleep better prior night heheh just wake up in morning look at clock and decide if I had enough sleep and if i have enough time to make it or not. Plus peel off early as soon as fatigue hits and not to worry about finishing ride etc. Not taking the responsibility has been a huge blessing. 

Before this i  consistently posted rides for many years, even when I was in Michigan would ride down here and form a group ride. Never realized how much it consumes your inner energy. But the good thing I would comfortably claim I have met and rode with most of the active OR riding members in person  over the years. 

And I Really really appreciate anyone who would post a ride and hats of to people who take the initiative. I hope more folks would do that. Which bring me to the point I am kind of in a grey zone. 

But been talking to lot of old members, and I am confused. Don’t know the right answer. Without posting rides will never get to meet new folks, newer riders. One of the many that might show will turn out to be a real good guy and perfect fit with us. I would have never met jerry if not for the very first dream ride. For that alone I considered taking the risk of posting rides and having squids or amateur riders who show up and pose a danger worth it. But the last time I bought along a “new guy” all the way from Michigan and he had a bad crash after which I kinda of changed camps. Now I lean more towards just keeping to you own circle and ride etc. 

But a part of me still thinks inviting new members to the forum and including new members  to ride is the only way to keep the community going. I still remember 10 yrs ago the OR group ride I could join helped me a ton to improve myself. @Uncle Punk babysitting me on my first good group ride. Jerry did the same for @TimTheAzn. I am pretty sure we all have tales of someone showing us the ropes. Less and less rides posted up. We can literally see the dwindling number of active new and old members in here. Heck I still pull over random riders who seems like they know what they are  doing and ask them to join forum and meet up for a ride. @Skinny guy was such a find, we would have never met unless took that leap of faith. Now One of my favorite rider to ride with and go stop for a fajita or a burrito. 

These days folks seem to communicate through group texts or pm and arrange rides. Stick to kind of small niche or their own style which makes perfect sense. Less reports of negative outcomes and mostly all positive. To be quite honest it’s very nice and perfect in a way that no headaches, full confidence in riders, easy to work with schedule and times etc. But this way we will never get to meet another new rider, and the new guy never gets to ride with a good group and learn/ improve etc 

That was a huge wall of text, and that too typed on phone 😡 Whats the right answer here? To post or Not to post open rides? 

Edited August 11, 2019 by NinjaDoc

[Howabusa]

We should be posting rides.

[Pauly]

Do what you want. This isn't Russia. 

[Steve Butters]

TLDR

[SpecialEd]

17 minutes ago, Steve Butters said:

TLDR

I would imagine your brain is still a bit fried from reading case studies, etc for your MBA 🎓

[Tonik]

11 hours ago, NinjaDoc said:

Whats the right answer here? To post or Not to post open rides?

The correct answer is both.

There also needs to be more people setting up rides. It was enjoyable yesterday just following along from the back.

And people that complain we don't post enough rides that never post rides themselves can blow me.

[durk]

If rides were never posted I for sure would have missed out. It’s how I met every single one of you on here. Most guys outside this forum I talk to about riding for over an hour think I’m crazy. I would say we are a rare breed and all of the posted rides I have been on only bring out experienced mature riders. Obviously excluding the epic rides but that has multiple groups and if you go with med-fast to fast group I have never experienced any problems. If someone complains about the way a person organizes a ride,  the road that led them to that ride also can lead them home. Jacob organized a ride a couple years ago and the group was a bit large, but we had a blast as multiple guys swapped lead. 

Doc bottom line is do as you please. There are times when I don’t post anything because I just want to ride solo. My experience has been when I post I only see experienced, quality riders show up. And as far as all this butt hurt crap people talk about, this isn’t Girl Scouts. Save the drama for your mama. 

[SpecialEd]

7 hours ago, Tonik said:

It was enjoyable yesterday just following along from the back.

 

This post really hit home with me. If I were riding with you all, Tonik's attitude as expressed here would definitely be the same as mine. Just go out on a ride with friends, find a great place to eat, and have fun. Enjoy the experience for what it is.

How formal does a posted ride need to be other than, "Hey, I'm planning on riding today. Here's where we could meet at (time) and maybe stop for lunch at . . . ?

When Durk posts rides, this is usually how he couches them. Same as Doc. This is the way I'd love to join you guys (and gals.) Why does it have to get complicated?

If/when you've had enough, simply peel off the group and head home . . .

Or am I somehow oversimplifying this?

Edited August 11, 2019 by SpecialEd

[SpecialEd]

7 minutes ago, SpecialEd said:

This post really hit home with me. If I were riding with you all, Tonik's attitude as expressed here would definitely be the same as mine. Just go out on a ride with friends, find a great place to eat, and have fun. Enjoy the experience for what it is.

How formal does a posted ride need to be other than, "Hey, I'm planning on riding today. Here's where we could meet at (time) and maybe stop for lunch at . . . ?

When Durk posts rides, this is usually how he couches them. Same as Doc. This is the way I'd love to join you guys (and gals.) Why does it have to get complicated?

If/when you've had enough, simply peel off the group and head home . . .

Or am I somehow oversimplifying this?

(To continue from above post. . .) I would LOVE to join anyone from OR for a leisurely 40-60 mph ride through scenic areas around Ohio. That's exactly what I'm looking for, especially in the fall months. Heavenly. No slabs or overly challenging riding. Just an experience where one can enjoy the journey and the scenery. Does this resonate with anyone here?

[Tonik]

Any time Ed, and I'll put my cooler rack on the back so we can haul our own gas.

And your description of how it is posted is how it is usually done, meet here at a certain time, here is the route I intend to take and here is how fast I intend to go.

[Pauly]

The Wing doubles as a mobile refueling station. Is there a switch for that, or is it touchscreen? 

[SpecialEd]

3 minutes ago, Tonik said:

Any time Ed, and I'll put my cooler rack on the back so we can haul our own gas.

And your description of how it is posted is how it is usually done, meet here at a certain time, here is the route I intend to take and here is how fast I intend to go.

Perfect. And I'd be pleased to pay for your (outsized) lunch the first time we ride together 😆

It's hard to know which OR members live near you and me. My house is less than half an hour away from your house.

[Pauly]

I don't post rides because nobody shows up, anyway. The ones that have consistently ridden with me get a group text message. @Howabusa, I will add you to them if you are inclined to ride. I never meant to be exclusionary, but I am very discriminate about who I ride with these days. I don't like new people near me on a motorcycle. I had enough of that shit when all those squids showed up to the EpicRide a couple years back. If OhioRiders wants to be a social club, then let it be that. If it wants to be the sounding board for ride gathering, then that is also cool.

I control who I ride with at all times. That means no online ride posting from me. Honestly, I have the best rides when nobody is looking. 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Pauly

[SpecialEd]

8 minutes ago, Pauly said:

The Wing doubles as a mobile refueling station. Is there a switch for that, or is it touchscreen? 

His Wing has the KC-135 Stratotanker option. The fuckin MotherShip of bikes. Beam me up . . . NOW.

[Pauly]

I saw a Goldwing in Hannibal today. It was on the Ohio River tugging three barges. 

[SpecialEd]

12 minutes ago, Pauly said:

I don't post rides because nobody shows up, anyway. The ones that have consistently ridden with me get a group text message. @Howabusa, I will add you to them if you are inclined to ride. I never meant to be exclusionary, but I am very discriminate about who I ride with these days. I don't like new people near me on a motorcycle. I had enough of that shit when all those squids showed up to the EpicRide a couple years back. If OhioRiders wants to be a social club, then let it be that. If it wants to be the sounding board for ride gathering, then that is also cool.

I control who I ride with at all times. That means no online ride posting from me. Honestly, I have the best rides when nobody is looking. 

A lot of this post is just good, common sense, and I completely understand your stance regarding new riders. In my case, I would love to establish a list of like-minded riders whose attitudes regarding safety and generalized preferences reflect mine, just as you have expressed here. But how is this list possible to cobble together without experience, vis-a-vis meeting/riding with new people? Some OR folks have expressed similar sentiments, i.e., "Who can I ride with? Who shares my values for what is considered a great day out?" If I remember correctly, Uncle Punk (Elyria?) recently shared his personal dilemma about this very subject.

[Howabusa]

26 minutes ago, Pauly said:

I don't post rides because nobody shows up, anyway. The ones that have consistently ridden with me get a group text message. @Howabusa, I will add you to them if you are inclined to ride. I never meant to be exclusionary, but I am very discriminate about who I ride with these days. I don't like new people near me on a motorcycle. I had enough of that shit when all those squids showed up to the EpicRide a couple years back. If OhioRiders wants to be a social club, then let it be that. If it wants to be the sounding board for ride gathering, then that is also cool.

I control who I ride with at all times. That means no online ride posting from me. Honestly, I have the best rides when nobody is looking. 

Yes please add me.

[Pauly]

17 minutes ago, SpecialEd said:

A lot of this post is just good, common sense, and I completely understand your stance regarding new riders. In my case, I would love to establish a list of like-minded riders whose attitudes regarding safety and generalized preferences reflect mine, just as you have expressed here. But how is this list possible to cobble together without experience, vis-a-vis meeting/riding with new people? Some OR folks have expressed similar sentiments, i.e., "Who can I ride with? Who shares my values for what is considered a great day out?" If I remember correctly, Uncle Punk (Elyria?) recently shared his personal dilemma about this very subject.

Post up a ride and find out. 

[Tpoppa]

CORE went through this years ago.

[SpecialEd]

5 minutes ago, Tpoppa said:

CORE went through this years ago.

Please elaborate on this for the benefit of all of us.

[SpecialEd]

1 hour ago, Pauly said:

I don't post rides because nobody shows up, anyway. The ones that have consistently ridden with me get a group text message. @Howabusa, I will add you to them if you are inclined to ride. I never meant to be exclusionary, but I am very discriminate about who I ride with these days. I don't like new people near me on a motorcycle. I had enough of that shit when all those squids showed up to the EpicRide a couple years back. If OhioRiders wants to be a social club, then let it be that. If it wants to be the sounding board for ride gathering, then that is also cool.

I control who I ride with at all times. That means no online ride posting from me. Honestly, I have the best rides when nobody is looking. 

I think it would be relatively easy to exclude riders who don't share your values. Either you ride with known friends, or be quite specific about newbies regarding your preferences if you are planning a group ride. Just be honest and straightforward; even blunt. Not rocket science IMHO. If you advertise a group ride, you should expect a group response.

[Tpoppa]

43 minutes ago, SpecialEd said:

Please elaborate on this for the benefit of all of us.

CORE was a forum of sport bike riders that started sometime in the late 90's.  I joined around 2000.  We honestly never cared how fast anyone could ride.  We asked everyone to stay within there own limits and waited at every turn for the group to reform.  There were some VERY skilled riders and the rides were well organized.  The ride rules were discussed online and at the meet spot.  There was a "core" group of about 20 riders that rode most weekends the weather cooperated.  At first the rides pretty much followed  "The Pace"  but as people's skills grew the rides got progressively hotter (while still following established pre-ride rules) especially considering the bikes, equipment, and tires we had in those days.  The rides were typically 400-500 miles days at a hot pace with just a few short gas stops.  Everyone knew everyone and the rides were great fun, until...

CORE got a reputation as bunch of "fast guys" on the street.  We suddenly had lots and lots of new people showing up to rides, which was good and bad.  We met some new skilled riders, but more often we met people with lots of ego and less skill.  We would give new guys the "CORE speech," ask them to take it easy and have them ride in the back with a skilled sweep watching to see how they were doing.  We tried to "coach" new guys.  Some of the new guys fit right in, some were asked to tone it down,  some were asked to leave rides and not come back...unfortunately we had a flurry new guys crash that were trying to prove themselves to the group.  We tried a few things...

• Group rides were broken into A & B groups.  New people had to ride in B until an A vouched for them.  That didn't always work.
• We only let new people join certain "learning" rides, that were held once every month or 2.   Most of the "real" rides were private or just not posted.

...Inevitably all the rides became private.  The "core" members still rode frequently and the rides were still great fun.  The pace we rode just wasn't good for adding new people unless they were level headed with lots of skill (that disqualified about 98%).  And that's how CORE operated for years.  Over time people moved, had family responsibilities, stopped attending group rides, etc until CORE ceased to exist out of attrition.  Some of us are still around...

 @Pauly  

@jbot

@Howabusa

@theroamr

@bambam

[Pauly]

I am quite satisfied with the small group of riders I regularly get down with. I have been riding well above my skillset for fifteen years. I have no intention of stopping now. I don't have time to herd kittens during my ride. I have carbon credits to burn. 

[Killer_kaw]

Maybe I’m just another asshole here but I absolutely get it. It ain’t easy to find a group of riders you are comfortable riding with. There are all of two local guys I’m comfortable riding with so most of the time I run solo. I’ve ridden with quite a few of the active riders here and I gotta say for me it was comfortable and I got to learn a few things that I think made me a better rider. Jumped in the pack and was about my normal pace. Nobody was measuring there dick, trying to ride a wheelie next to me down a two lane, riding right up my ass, dick passing slow traffic putting the whole group at risk, wanting to race to the next turn off or stopping every 50 miles. I consider myself a decent rider and can’t imagine how much it sucks for some of you more skilled guys when Johnny jack ass shows up at the meet up. In the past I’ve posted a few rides here and all was well but a few outside this forum were a total cluster. “That’s awfully early, why don’t we go this way, we should stop at these places, I gotta be home by 11:15, where are we? Seriously that shit gets painful. 

[max power]

In the early days there were all kinds of rides posted every decent weekend.  This place was a social club and a place to meet like minded riders of every skill set and style   

Then FB happened. 

OR was a bustling place 10 years ago. Now besides about 15 people, this place is a ghost town complete with tumbleweeds. That’s the real reason no one posts rides.  All the remaining regulars here know each other pretty well and communicates through text or messenger.  Posting rides on here at this point would be a waste of breath.