Adventure in Ohio?

[buildit]

Seems like anything else, until there are enough statistics to show they are dangerous to motorcycles nothing will be done about them. Personally I look at them as a deterrent from riding in the fast lane since they seem to always be used as dividers.

['Flagger]

Saw a pickup on the other side of the highway spin into one of those barriers a few years ago on my way through Oklahoma. I figure that barrier saved me a bunch of pain.

Saw another pickup spin across the median into my lane on the way to work a couple of winters ago .... a barrier at that point would have saved me a whole lot of worry and fancy driving.

I'm no crash expert, but from my experience working at Mid-Ohio, when a bike goes down, it slides in a straight line. Now a highway has a few more variables than the back stretch but I don't see those barriers coming into play on too many m/c accidents.

Count me as happy to have 'em.

[Gabby]

I've been thinking about the same thing. While they do appear to be a "cheese slicer" I believe I'll take my chances if it means not being hit head on by a drunken/texting/asleep/teenage/make-up applying bonehead....

I have a hard time imagining hitting one at a 90 degree angle on a bike...

Of course I could be wrong

[MeefZah]

There was a study done comparing motorcyclists rate of injury with those cable barriers to the concrete dividers; the cable barriers normally provided a better outcome for the biker.

Can't recall the name or any other info from the survey.

[swingset]

A very real and very documented type of freeway accident, one I've seen first hand twice in my lifetime is a bike being encroached upon, or struck, and sent sideways off of the road and into the median.

You don't always just fall down and go sliding down the middle of the highway. If you hit the cheese-graters at an angle, off the bike it's not even the cables themselves that's going to fuck you, it's the bars in between them....and the whole apparatus represents an impediment to your trajectory that (in most cases) would otherwise not be there. I get why they're built, I understand the purpose, but if you and your bike get out there in the median at speed for whatever reason you do not want to hit something that narrow with soft tissue...like that needs to be said.

Whatever, I hate the idea of them but I didn't need a reason to hate freeway travel by bike, it blows.

[buildit]

More storm photos


Opps that's a Strom Photo.



That's better.

[Sparkster]

That was quite the storm last night. I woke up expecting to hear an archangel blowing a trumpet.

[CBBaron]

Originally Posted by Sparkster

That was quite the storm last night. I woke up expecting to hear an archangel blowing a trumpet.

Saw some lightning at home last night but didn't seem to bad. However there were tree limbs and power outages all over the place on the way to work, and that is only 8 miles from home.

Craig

[invisible monster]

I head over to Perry once in a while after work for a quick ride since it is close. I try to stay close to the main trails since I am always riding alone. Figure that would make it easier for Karen to rescue me if I were to get into trouble somehow.

Earlier this week I came up over a little rise on one of the side trails, thinking I'd catch a little air. Once airborne I realized there was a big mud hole below me. This was the result.






I did a little tumble over the bars. My helmet and right arm up to the shoulder were dripping with mud. Sort of like cake frosting in consistency. The front wheel on the WR felt like it was cemented in.

After about 30 min of struggling I managed to get to this point.





Notice the mud on my front wheel. It did not want to let go!


Finally got it loose and upright.





Luckily this mud hole, unlike others I've encountered at Perry, did not reek like a sewer. It actually had a sort of gas/chemical smell. I unearthed a few broken cables while pulling my bike out, evidence that I am not the first to fall prey to this trap.

After scooping mud off of everything I rode back home and had Karen hose me off in the driveway.

Just thought you guys would enjoy my little Perry adventure.

[swingset]

I've done the superman into Perry slop a few times myself. Always fun wrestling a bike out of that poo.

[z@ch]

My bike after a VERY similar Perry mud hole incident. Excuse my buddy, he's looking especially "special" in this one.

[MeefZah]

Damn Ron, that looks like it was a lot of work to dig out!

[swingset]

Originally Posted by MeefZah

Damn Ron, that looks like it was a lot of work to dig out!

Yeah, brought back memories. The worst part is your feet get in there and instead lifting the bike up, it just pushes you down.

I did a similar thing at Perry riding alone in a somewhat mild looking rut, just buried the fuck out of my front end....got to put to use something I'd read about but never tried - making a lever out of a tow strap. Tie off to the bike, tie on a big branch or stick about 1' up the branch from the ground. Grab the top of the branch and push it tight then "lever" the top of the branch away from the stuck bike...taking little bites until the bike's free.

It worked great, just took a while. Hell of a lot easier than getting in there and wrestling with it, but I was lucky there was a suitable piece of wood laying there. In the equipment forum there's a link to a small come-along that's packable for doing the same thing, I might actually invest in that for solo adventures.

[dragoon]

Originally Posted by Whitey1

How's the healing coming along? Have you made a decision on repairing or replacing the bike?

I'm healed! For the most part. Actually rode the GS from Toby's to my garage a kickass 4 miles. I was sweating like a bitch thinking about it but it was good. It was my first ride since the accident. The other bike, the one I wrecked, I started to take some of the plastic off. Probably going to sell it.

Thinking about going to dox on Saturday evening if I don't pull a goonie Not an overnight but a beer or two. You?

[Just GO!]

Originally Posted by dragoon

I'm healed! For the most part. Actually rode the GS from Toby's to my garage a kickass 4 miles. I was sweating like a bitch thinking about it but it was good. It was my first ride since the accident. The other bike, the one I wrecked, I started to take some of the plastic off. Probably going to sell it.

Thinking about going to dox on Saturday evening if I don't pull a goonie Not an overnight but a beer or two. You?

Good news, Goonie.