Another great trip........except.....

[DirtyDan]

Got back home Saturday from another great trip south. First MB Bike Week for several days, then 3 days in Gatlinburg. Of course, my rides in the Smokies HAD to include a pass or two on the Dragon. Love the ride, love the people we met........except for the flaming nimrods in the Z cars on the Tail thursday the 17th. We rode from the Parkway to the store and back, and while on our way there witnessed one of the Z drivers terrify a pack of cruisers that obviously didn't realize he owned the road. I personally ride a Trump Rocket III that goes about 1200 lb. with me and Momma and a tankful of gas included. That's a handful on the Tail and definitely not fun to pull on to a stone berm with so cars and trucks can get by. I respect and admire the skilled sport bike riders and always allow them safe passage when I see them approach, and when it's feasible to let them by me. They're a tad smaller than a four wheeler and I'm pretty comfortable with my riding skills on the Tail. Not everybody is relaxed or familiar with the whole experience, which can be pretty intense, especially your first time around..... so to the knucklehead in the Z that almost literally pushed the poor guy in front of him because he was too stupid to realize that his Z had more right to a pleasant, relaxing drive, please accept our apologies (those of us on big bikes) for not making way for you and your ilk. Probably a good thing it wasn't me in front of you that day. We would have had a 'chat' at the store and you'd still be crapping Jap car parts. To all my two-wheeled brothers: Thanks for a great vacation and RIDE FREE. See you all again next year.

[TitanicVol]

I made a local ride Sunday afternoon with my bro-in-law and his wife, around 75 miles round trip.

We were riding staggered with her in front, my bro in the middle and me in the back. There was a car driving safely behind me, but suddenly I caught a white glimpse in my mirror and a nimrod in a huge dually passed the car and ran RIGHT up on me. We were coming up onto a hill, but the idjit decided to pass us anyway - on double yellow. My biggest concerns were a) dually head on with another car coming over the hill, b) the dually swerving back into my sis-in-law before getting to the hill. Fortunately, we didn't meet anything and my sis didn't panic... she eased over to the right side of the lane and slowed down gradually (good girl - only around a year of riding experience). And I actually managed not to hold up an obscene hand gesture :)

That was all within the first 10 miles of the ride, and the rest went SPLENDIDLY. Beautiful day, nice folks on the roads, beautiful scenery, and lots of bikes. I guess we all have to remember not to let one monkey spoil the show.