Italian tradition - post up your mountain passes - Page 8

A2rider · 06-24-2007

Nice pics and chicken strips, Diane!

W-P Bill · 06-24-2007

Sure looks like a fun road you got there, Diane!

E.Diane · 06-24-2007

Yeah, it's a great little stretch and only about 40 miles from home. It's really technical second and third gear stuff with a lot of left/right transitions. In a few spots, you can see a couple of corners ahead but in others, they're completely blind so it's slow in and fast out. Many uphill and downhill switchbacks and it is so fun.

I worked on picking up the pace a little this time out and ran a few bends in third that I had been taking in second. It is a good place to practice setting up for a corner and trying to be smooth. I scared myself pretty good a few times once with the back end stepping out and once when I had the back end off the ground on the brakes but I realized I was approaching the squidly zone and clicked it down some. My theory is pushing it a little by myself in the mountains helps me know what my bike will do in normal riding conditions.

I have confirmed that I much prefer turning left instead of right and that the combination of the big racing brakes up front and compression braking make the rear binder pretty useless. I'd like to try a modern sportbike someday instead of my 550 lb. dinosaur.

...Diane (NinjaGranny)

W-P Bill · 06-25-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.Diane

I have confirmed that I much prefer turning left instead of right
...Diane (NinjaGranny)

Me too! I wonder why that is.

Too bad the left side has all them dangly bits like kickstand and centerstand on it, though. I could probably lean it over further if only I was more comfortable turning right.

stefano · 06-25-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by W-P Bill

That castle in the background looks really awesome! I never realized there were so many castles in Italy. Looking out from the train traveling through Tuscany, it seemed like every other hilltop featured a castle surrounded by a town. Beautiful country you got there, Stefano.

One day, hopefully Fall of 2008, I need to go back to Bolzano, take a look at one of the two castles there. One of the reasons I picked the Bolzano/Schlern Plateau area is because one of my favorite novels is set in the area. A castle in Bolzano was supposed to be a WWII POW camp, but the one I visited didn't seem to fit the description. Only at the airport on the way out did I look across the tarmac to find out there is another castle.

Must have missed it in the guidebook.

To tell you the truth, I didn't even notice that castle was there till I made my way up a side road to get a shot of the valley... good coincidence

I haven't forgotten about our plans to get together... by what you write, looks like we're looking at next year then? Just let me know when you plan to come over and I'll do my best to help you organise... don't forget you promised to stop over in Pontedilegno

stefano · 06-25-2007

Diane, that road looks absolutely AWESOME man!!! Great shots, and nice chicken strips too!

Why don't you look into changing bikes? With today's financing plans, you can pick up a 600 with ridiculous monthly rates!

Good to have another contributor to the thread... now get some pass signs up

W-P Bill · 06-26-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by stefano

I haven't forgotten about our plans to get together... by what you write, looks like we're looking at next year then? Just let me know when you plan to come over and I'll do my best to help you organise... don't forget you promised to stop over in Pontedilegno

I'm still planning on going over there. I should be done with grad school in late August 2008.

Jake '53 · 07-11-2007

Some passes from our ride to Red Lodge.

From Highway 285 in Colorado
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07002.jpg

Highway 287, East of the Tetons in Wyoming

In Yellowstone, no turnout, had to leave Marilyn on one side of the road and do a short stop driveby to get this one.

.

More to come. It was a great ride.

Jake '53 · 07-11-2007

Beartooth Pass West Summit doesn't say Beartooth Pass on it anywhere.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07056.jpg

You can almost read the top two lines of the plaque on the rock at Dead Indian Pass Summit, (Chief Joseph Highway) 8,048' ASL.

This is the road on the north side of Dead Indian Pass.

Jake '53 · 07-11-2007

I need to appeal to the judges for this next summit. Highway 14 Alternate is known as Medicine Wheel Passage and has an obsevation point with elevation of 9,430' ASL posted.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07070.jpg
This sign is at the top of the west grade.

Then it flattens out some to the Observation Point.

View West from Observation Point.

And East.

The road atlas shows this as a un-named summit of 9,430' ASL.

stefano · 07-12-2007

Jake, that's awesome man!!!

Nice shots! You posted up more passes in your first post than I've hit in my life! Yet...

And yeah, we'll give you the Medicine Wheel Passage as well

Y'all better watch out as I'm getting my license back tomorrow and my pass count is going to skyrocket in the next few weeks

Thanks for reviving this thread and let's keep it going!

W-P Bill · 07-12-2007

Ooh...

That Dead Indian Pass road looks really nice.

Jake '53 · 07-12-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by W-P Bill

Ooh...

That Dead Indian Pass road looks really nice.

It's the summit on the Chief Joseph Highway. If you get a chance to do Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Highway I recommend it. It's one of the highlites of the Forum Rally at Red Lodge.

stefano · 07-16-2007

I admit to violating my own rules, and am not posting pictures of passes - unfortunately my planned route for the weekend didn't happen (as the guy who was meant to take me was sick and dropped out) and so I went on one of my usual routes, and as such have already hit those passes.

But on the way back I took a few shots which I think are worth posting here. This is what we Italians mean when we refer to "canyon" carving

I took this shot from under the bike - you can see the cliff face hanging directly over the road

5ohmike · 07-18-2007

Some great shots in here, I wish we had some mountains like that! I'll try to get some from the Monadnock region in a couple weeks when I have some time off.

btw Stefano, any way you can find me a legal job in Italia? I would really love to work there some day!

stefano · 07-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5ohmike

I wish we had some mountains like that! I'll try to get some from the Monadnock region in a couple weeks when I have some time off.

btw Stefano, any way you can find me a legal job in Italia? I would really love to work there some day!

I feel you bro... I lived in Boston for a year and a half... ain't many elevation changes in the area are there?

Legal? That's going to be difficult

Jokes aside, wish I could help you man... unfortunately I work for a humungous multinational company where I don't count for s.hit! I'd be happy to take you for a guided tour if you ever wanted to come here on vacation and rent a bike...

5ohmike · 07-18-2007

Yeh man, and riding in town is no fun at all. I actually keep my bike down in lil Rhody, just don't need to use it at all up here (plus I don't have MA plates and I get towed during red sox games... grrrr)

Hmm, multinational company huh? That means they must have an in-house law department! haha I'll have to start looking around and see what I can find. I need to get in touch with some of my Italian friends but when I make it out there again I'd love to rent a bike and check out some of those awesome roads. When I was in Calabria a couple years ago we went (by car) over all these really nice twisty roads down there. Can only imagine what it'd be like on a sportbike!

stefano · 07-19-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5ohmike

Yeh man, and riding in town is no fun at all. I actually keep my bike down in lil Rhody, just don't need to use it at all up here (plus I don't have MA plates and I get towed during red sox games... grrrr)

Hmm, multinational company huh? That means they must have an in-house law department! haha I'll have to start looking around and see what I can find. I need to get in touch with some of my Italian friends but when I make it out there again I'd love to rent a bike and check out some of those awesome roads. When I was in Calabria a couple years ago we went (by car) over all these really nice twisty roads down there. Can only imagine what it'd be like on a sportbike!

Good old Fenway... good memories

Hey if you're serious about finding a job here I can definitely send in your CV - pm me if you're interested. As for the roads, you're spot on, they rock for biking! From Milano, there is an hour radius where it is flat as a pancake, and then you got mountains and twisties all over the place

Jake '53 · 08-06-2007

It was a pretty good weekend. More pic's on the Southern Colorado thread in the ride, rallys section.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...o080307013.jpg

No elevation shown on the Wolf Creek Pass marker but the Rand-McNally says 10,850' ASL

Total of 16 and I think I'm done for the summer.

*likearock4x4* · 08-06-2007

Nice shots people, thanks for posting them. I don't have anything like these around here!!!!

06-25-2007	#146 (permalink)
stefano Needs A Real Job BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Milano, Italy Posts: 2,085	Diane, that road looks absolutely AWESOME man!!! Great shots, and nice chicken strips too! Why don't you look into changing bikes? With today's financing plans, you can pick up a 600 with ridiculous monthly rates! Good to have another contributor to the thread... now get some pass signs up __________________ 06 636 - the last of it's kind

07-11-2007	#148 (permalink)
Jake '53 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,426	Some passes from our ride to Red Lodge. From Highway 285 in Colorado http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07002.jpg Highway 287, East of the Tetons in Wyoming In Yellowstone, no turnout, had to leave Marilyn on one side of the road and do a short stop driveby to get this one. . More to come. It was a great ride. __________________ "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" - Gimli Last edited by Jake '53 : 07-12-2007 at 10:45 AM.

07-11-2007	#149 (permalink)
Jake '53 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,426	Beartooth Pass West Summit doesn't say Beartooth Pass on it anywhere. http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07056.jpg You can almost read the top two lines of the plaque on the rock at Dead Indian Pass Summit, (Chief Joseph Highway) 8,048' ASL. This is the road on the north side of Dead Indian Pass. __________________ "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" - Gimli Last edited by Jake '53 : 07-11-2007 at 10:52 PM.

07-11-2007	#150 (permalink)
Jake '53 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,426	I need to appeal to the judges for this next summit. Highway 14 Alternate is known as Medicine Wheel Passage and has an obsevation point with elevation of 9,430' ASL posted. http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...Lodge07070.jpg This sign is at the top of the west grade. Then it flattens out some to the Observation Point. View West from Observation Point. And East. The road atlas shows this as a un-named summit of 9,430' ASL. __________________ "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" - Gimli Last edited by Jake '53 : 07-11-2007 at 10:46 PM.

07-12-2007	#151 (permalink)
stefano Needs A Real Job BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Milano, Italy Posts: 2,085	Jake, that's awesome man!!! Nice shots! You posted up more passes in your first post than I've hit in my life! Yet... And yeah, we'll give you the Medicine Wheel Passage as well Y'all better watch out as I'm getting my license back tomorrow and my pass count is going to skyrocket in the next few weeks Thanks for reviving this thread and let's keep it going! __________________ 06 636 - the last of it's kind

06-24-2007	#141 (permalink)
A2rider Banned BTK Expert Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: KCK Posts: 19,729	Nice pics and chicken strips, Diane!

06-24-2007	#142 (permalink)
W-P Bill Way Too Much Free Time BTK Expert Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Posts: 1,071	Sure looks like a fun road you got there, Diane!

06-24-2007	#143 (permalink)
E.Diane Sit speling cheker BTK Expert Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 415	Yeah, it's a great little stretch and only about 40 miles from home. It's really technical second and third gear stuff with a lot of left/right transitions. In a few spots, you can see a couple of corners ahead but in others, they're completely blind so it's slow in and fast out. Many uphill and downhill switchbacks and it is so fun. I worked on picking up the pace a little this time out and ran a few bends in third that I had been taking in second. It is a good place to practice setting up for a corner and trying to be smooth. I scared myself pretty good a few times once with the back end stepping out and once when I had the back end off the ground on the brakes but I realized I was approaching the squidly zone and clicked it down some. My theory is pushing it a little by myself in the mountains helps me know what my bike will do in normal riding conditions. I have confirmed that I much prefer turning left instead of right and that the combination of the big racing brakes up front and compression braking make the rear binder pretty useless. I'd like to try a modern sportbike someday instead of my 550 lb. dinosaur. ...Diane (NinjaGranny)

07-12-2007	#152 (permalink)
W-P Bill Way Too Much Free Time BTK Expert Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle-ish Posts: 1,071	Ooh... That Dead Indian Pass road looks really nice.

07-16-2007	#154 (permalink)
stefano Needs A Real Job BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Milano, Italy Posts: 2,085	I admit to violating my own rules, and am not posting pictures of passes - unfortunately my planned route for the weekend didn't happen (as the guy who was meant to take me was sick and dropped out) and so I went on one of my usual routes, and as such have already hit those passes. But on the way back I took a few shots which I think are worth posting here. This is what we Italians mean when we refer to "canyon" carving I took this shot from under the bike - you can see the cliff face hanging directly over the road __________________ 06 636 - the last of it's kind

07-18-2007	#155 (permalink)
5ohmike Foil Inspector BTK Intermediate Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 122	Some great shots in here, I wish we had some mountains like that! I'll try to get some from the Monadnock region in a couple weeks when I have some time off. btw Stefano, any way you can find me a legal job in Italia? I would really love to work there some day!

07-18-2007	#157 (permalink)
5ohmike Foil Inspector BTK Intermediate Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 122	Yeh man, and riding in town is no fun at all. I actually keep my bike down in lil Rhody, just don't need to use it at all up here (plus I don't have MA plates and I get towed during red sox games... grrrr) Hmm, multinational company huh? That means they must have an in-house law department! haha I'll have to start looking around and see what I can find. I need to get in touch with some of my Italian friends but when I make it out there again I'd love to rent a bike and check out some of those awesome roads. When I was in Calabria a couple years ago we went (by car) over all these really nice twisty roads down there. Can only imagine what it'd be like on a sportbike!

08-06-2007	#159 (permalink)
Jake '53 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,426	It was a pretty good weekend. More pic's on the Southern Colorado thread in the ride, rallys section. http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...o080307013.jpg No elevation shown on the Wolf Creek Pass marker but the Rand-McNally says 10,850' ASL Total of 16 and I think I'm done for the summer. __________________ "Certainty of death. Small chance of success. What are we waiting for?" - Gimli

08-06-2007	#160 (permalink)
likearock4x4 Thanks to all Veterans!!! Extreme Forum Supporter Join Date: May 2006 Location: PGR Member #7955 O'Fallon, Illinois (Near St. Louis) Posts: 16,026	Nice shots people, thanks for posting them. I don't have anything like these around here!!!! __________________ RIP Deron Harden. :-( You are truely missed.