the OTHER Sunday ride...

[bemused]

made it back unscathed... tho a bit wet.

sorry we had to turn back early... how'd the rest of you make out?

great to finally be able to put some faces to some screen names... and that P & I were able to hang with you for were some of the sweetest roads I've been on lately...

[Honclfibr]

Well Ken (zx-stewie) turned back not too long after you did, he must have been prophetic because it started raining not long after and continued for the rest of the trip. Dave (stoinkythepig), the other Ken (not on the site, rode a Concours) and I made it up to Moultonboro for 1 to the Bad Moose Cafe. By this time I was thoroughly soaked, not only is my suit not waterproof, but it holds water like a sponge.

Fortunately the Bad Moose had a nice fire going, also the waitress there was kind enough to serve me coffee until my core temperature returned to normal. Had a very tasy lunch and met some of Dave's friends from the Concours Owners Group. I tell ya, after riding in soaked and seeing them all dry with heated gear and nice tall windshields I can see why touring bikes are popular .

After lunch stoinky suggested we could head to walmart so I could pick up some dry clothes and a rain suit. This turned out to be an excellent idea I now own a full wardrobe of (dry, warm) wally-world clothing and a rain suit which fits over my cordura one and kept me nice and dry for the remainder of the trip home. From there we set off down rt 3 south, dave was going to lead me down 107 home. But as we were riding there I realized that I'd been down 107 before and I didn't feel confident taking it in the rain, I'm not a rain rider and I feel a bit shaky in the turns. So I split off and took 93S home, it was long and straight but it got me home in one piece before dark so I think it was the right decision. Got in around 4:30 just as the water was starting to seep into my boots, good timing.

All in all, had an excellent time today. I can recommend Dave as the most knowledgeable source of new hampshire backroads I have ever seen. Like Jeff said he took us on some excellent roads and fortunately the rain held off long enough for us to really enjoy them. As for the rain, I was glad to have an excellent rider to follow through it, it'll be a while before I feel confident in the wet but I'm glad to have gotten a little more experience under my belt. It was a pleasure riding with all of you and I hope we can do it again sometime. Only this time, I'll have the rainsuit packed beforhand

[bemused]

funny that Wally World came to your rescue, as well... stopped in one and picked up a pair of windproof-type jogging pants for Pratiti to pull over her jeans. they helped draw the line @ "chilled" for her, kept her from sliding over into "hypothermic"

yeah, Stoinky was awesome... great roads, great pace: gotta love a guy who slows down in the straights & speeds up in the turns...

[Honclfibr]

BTW haven't heard from stoinky yet, I sent him a PM around 4:30 when I got back home. A bit disconcerting, but I remember him saying his internet was on the fritz this morning, I'm sure that's all it is. Also zx-stewie you back home safe? I just saw your wife posted so I'm guessing you're home.

Now that I've had a chance to think about it I'm starting to regret my decision to split off and take the interstate without discussing it first. I flashed my lights, signalled and waved and made sure he saw me moving off, but now I'm thinking it would have been a better move to have followed until I could get Dave to pull over and let him know exactly what my decision was then backtracked a bit. It's got to be a big responsibility leading a ride, making sure everyone gets where they need to go and noone is left behind, I feel like I should have been more considerate of that and not broken off from the group without making sure everyone (in this case just stoinky) knew exactly what I was doing.

Dave, you're an excellent rider and a great ride leader, I want to thank you for leading the ride today and apologize if my leaving caused any confusion, even if it didn't I think it was a mistake on my part and I won't be doing it again.

[zx-stewie]

Originally posted by Honclfibr
BTW haven't heard from stoinky yet, I sent him a PM around 4:30 when I got back home. A bit disconcerting, but I remember him saying his internet was on the fritz this morning, I'm sure that's all it is. Also zx-stewie you back home safe? I just saw your wife posted so I'm guessing you're home.

Yep, made it home safe it sound. It's a bummer the rain didn't hold off for a while longer but I wasn't prepared (jeans) to be riding in the rain. I must agree that the stoinkmeister was leading us through some great little backroads that I had never ridden before. Nice pace and very little traffic!

Also it was good to meet everybody there on the ride yesterday. Like bemused said it's nice to be able to put a face with people here on the site.

Overall, I gave yesterdays ride

[stoinkythepig]

Made it home with no issues. 107 was eerily dead and I made excellent time, perhaps record time, even though it was wet.

Honclfiberererer, no worries on your decision to take 93. The one thing I don't like about my 9R is that the mirrors give me an excellent view of my elbows so I missed all your signs but common sense told me 93 had to look attractive to you at that point.

Glad you folks enjoyed the roads. I think of roads like 107 as something to get me between the "good" back roads. You now know what my definition of a "good" back road is.

I doubt most of you could duplicate the route from memory so PM me if want any specifics about how to get to any of the roads we did. There are literally dozens of other routes (like that one) in my head too. I am blessed living in an area with such great roads.

[Stoneman]

stoinky one - you, Randy & me should put our heads together and map out a kick ass route for an early spring ride. I bet the three of us could come up with some really sweet loops...

[stoinkythepig]

Absolutely. I got most of Rockingham County covered pretty well.

Ever ride around Bow lake? It's a nice ride.

[zx-stewie]

Originally posted by Stoneman
I bet the three of us could come up with some really sweet loops...

mmmm...sweet fruity loops

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Absolutely. I got most of Rockingham County covered pretty well.

Ever ride around Bow lake? It's a nice ride.

You mean out Strafford way?

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by Stoneman
You mean out Strafford way?

That's the one. Nice pavement, no traffic this time of year. Wish there were a way to get to it from the north end of 126. My map shows an Evans Mountain Road but I've been unable to find it.

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
That's the one. Nice pavement, no traffic this time of year. Wish there were a way to get to it from the north end of 126. My map shows an Evans Mountain Road but I've been unable to find it.

202A, my friend. 202A...that's about all I'll say about that. In fact, let's take this off-thread. I don't want too many of these flatlanders spending too much time up here riding...

[RandyO]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
That's the one. Nice pavement, no traffic this time of year. Wish there were a way to get to it from the north end of 126. My map shows an Evans Mountain Road but I've been unable to find it.

I can show you evans mountain Road, just did a job on it a few weeks ago, but you won't want to include it in any sport ride loops, the good part is gravel, most of it is washed out logging trail

[RandyO]

I have northern Rockingham, Strafford, Belknap & Carroll county all in my head. also a lot of sweet routes in Maine between Lebanon & Fryeburg

problem witrh me mapping out routes is, I tend to link sweet twisties togeather with gravel roads

[stoinkythepig]

We did a little gravel on Sunday. No one even mentioned it.

[zx-stewie]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
We did a little gravel on Sunday. No one even mentioned it.

Oh yeah, that reminds me.

What was up with taking us down a gravel road!?!


























j/k - I used to live off a dirt road in Epsom. No big deal.