11-21-07 - Welcome to MD Ride

It was a last minute decision on my part. Colleen had suggested a ride for today but I figured my budget would not allow me to go out and play. That day though I decided that this would be the last time I would be able to get Tyke out and about. So I called up Colleen and told her I was in!

Now I am new to the area and I don’t know where anything is but what is in my immediate area. So for the first time in my riding career I have not met at a coffee or friends house. No instead a Target! It was a first for the firsts.

I don’t know the plan for the route as I don’t know most of what is named around here anyway. So my goal for this was to learn some routes. Helpful of course is the Garmin. Yes folks Phil finally mounted the Garmin and I happily tested it out.

Tyke’s New Hardware-

Sadly Tyke did not make the move fully unscathed. She did fair better than she could have but still some parts will need to be replaced. That does not mean she wasn’t up for a ride as it was just aesthetic issues.

A cold jack brushed a fairing causing this damage as we passed over the Sierra’s

Journeying from NV to MD in the back of the Uhal one of the straps did this:

Tyke and I were very depressed about this marking. Currently there is no funding to get a new fairing or a fender. Phil’s bike got damaged as well but not nearly as big of a spot.

So all set up now I was ready to roll! Rolling I did.

Starting odometer (just for kicks, new place and all)

This is a journey that is full of ups, downs, curves, leaves, and a good time! When I say downs I do mean downs. It is a common problem that I have heard happen to almost everyone. Re-affirming the saying “It is not If but When”. Well my When happened again!

Before getting ahead of myself…

Beautiful day!

Meeting up with my guides! Thank you very much Colleen and Carl for your assistance. I couldn’t have done it with out you!

Our Lady Colleen along with our steeds! Carl on his 2000 BMW (I want to say Arrow but I could be wrong), Colleen on her Harley Davidson Special, I of course on Tyke.

Carl was not expecting me to be taking pictures on the journey but soon learned it is part of my charm!

Canopy of trees is something very common in MD I notice

Ah such a clear sky!

Red trees!!

Consulting guides (Carl on the left, Colleen on the right!)

One of the gazillion highways/freeways that make up the state of Maryland

The last picture my camera ever took…

Now the down side of the ride. On our first pass through Mt Vista and Allernden (I think this is the intersection, there is this quiet little church right.) We came to a stop, proceeding to make a right hand turn. I saw Carl rolling forward thinking he was going I looked to the left, started rolling myself, then looked back to Carl to see that he had stopped!! Oooh No! I squeezed the breaks and stopped myself but didn’t get my foot down in time to have leaned Tyke to far over and down we tumbled! Now before you worry both myself and Tyke are perfectly okay. Though Tyke did land on my right leg my boot and the concrete kept her weight from fully pressing on my leg. I was rather dumbfounded that I had done this but live and learn. Thanks to Carl and Colleen for coming to my rescue! They both kept a cool head and lifted Tyke up a little so I could slide my foot out then helped to right her. Luckily she sustained no damage as well!! Score! We did loose a bit of gas but that’s about it. Now when I got home and actually sat down I started to ache and I did sustain a bruise on my lower back/upper bum but it is beneath the skin. The muscle is just mad at me. I am feeling a lot better today (Thursday November 22^nd). So that having happened we stopped for a break while Tyke re-shifted her gas and I gathered my wits. Well at least now I have gotten that If out of the way.

The one thing that did sustain damage though was… my camera. Photo ninja that I am the poor HP was on a lanyard around my neck when we fell over. The camera was then caught but Tyke and the ground, I figured it was the ground because I have no camera bruises on my person. The lens bent to the side making it in operable. This was depressing as I still had so much more to see! The covered bridge, Loch Raven Reservoir, and sooo many beautiful roads! Also! They have a Road named Sunshine Road! How cool is that! I wanted to get a picture but the camera broke! Depressing! Guess that means I will just have to take this ride again!

The roads we took were beautiful! Nothing to goaty and the wind had swept most of the leaves from the roads. Nothing I cannot handle! Some roads I really enjoyed-

Dulany Valley through Loch Raven

Sunshine/Fork Road, I am really tempted to stop at Sunshine Café just for names sake!

There was another Road, I think it is Ralphs but it was real nice, smooth and certainly ride worthy!

End route of chaos and fun! You might have trouble reading it but you can find it on my Photobucket site to enlarge it. 78.8 miles total! Yay!

And with that I leave you with…

As long as you can smile after an incident life will go on so smile on.