Self induced ride from hell...lesson learned.

[09Vulcan500]

Well, I did learn something today. Just read Cycledudes sticky “50 steps to stay alive“. #37 caught my eye and is directly related to me tonight. I learned that if your not in the mood to ride, and don’t have to...then don’t! I’ll share a quick story about my ride tonight. Sitting at home about 9pm and thought, “I’ll go for a ride”. Being a new rider I thought practice makes perfect, right? Well, that may be true, but the practice is pointless and possibly deadly if your not in the mood. I really wasn’t in the mood to ride, but I was bored and wanted something to do. So off I go. For starters I only wore a half helmet (with eye protection) at night. I live near many corn fields and wooded areas. Corn fields and wooded areas + night + summer = lots of bugs!! Lots of bugs + 55mph = Lots of pain!! Ok so the first problem was my own fault. I have a full face helmet which I usually wear at night, but I thought what the h***. So this was ****ing me off. Did I turn around? Nope, kept on going. 3 or 4 miles down the road I get sand blasted by an 18 wheeler (really, I think he was hauling sand). This REALLY ****ed me off. Time to go home? Not yet. So I’m cruising along and here comes Mr. stop sign. Wants this? How the h*** can my left foot be caught between the foot peg and the gear shift lever?! But it was. I swear someone ran along side me and glued my foot into place when I wasn’t looking. Now I’m beyond ****ed off. I’m pulling at my foot so hard that I’m shaking the bike! My foot comes free, but the stop sign is now 50 yards behind me. Thank God the intersection was like a ghost town and no one was around. I was so ****ed off at the whole foot thing that I forgot about the stop sign and went right through it! Thinking of home yet? Not on your life. Oh, have I mentioned that by this time a moderate fog has rolled in? I ride for a bit longer when I come to a right hand curve in the road. There is an oncoming car. In my lane and silhouetted in the cars head lights…well it’s something. Oh yeah, and nice chunk of concrete about the size of a tennis ball! I’m in the turn, in the lean, in the fog with an oncoming car. My front tire rolls up on the chunk and then slides off to the left. Something on my body puckered…bet you can guess what that was! Front end go’s funny and wobbles around. Fortunately, and I don’t know how, I was able to regain control. Time to go home? On my way. The ride home was fine, but I was pretty nerves about what else was going to go wrong, and really did not want to be on the bike any longer. I’m home safe, bikes in the garage. So to quote Cycledudes sticky….

“37. Emotions in check?
To paraphrase Mr. Ice Cube, chickity-check yoself before you wreck yoself.
Emotions are as powerful as any drug, so take inventory every time you saddle up. If you’re mad, sad, exhausted or anxious, stay put.”

This is so true. I really wasn’t in the mood to ride, but did. I learned the hard way tonight…

[airforce1]

Dude!
Hopefully you really did learn something!
(Tell me you didn't have a couple of beers before Impulse Power kicked in, ok?!"
That machine deserves better treatment.
Bugs? Gravel? Oncoming traffic? Rock in the road?
Wow.
Glad you didn't get hurt!
Most bad accidents happen within the first six months for new riders...
Ride like your life depends on it! (It does, ya know.)
t.

[09Vulcan500]

No beer involved. I guess I didn't really realize that I wasn't in the mood to ride until I was out there. But I didn't turn around like I should have and things started happening, so the bad mood sets in, more things happen now because of lack of concentration...etc. And yes you are right..my bike...she should be treated like a queen. And I really did learn something tonight.

[48Rob]

You learned a valuable lesson...one that if remenbered will someday save your life.

If you can't devote ALL your attention, emotion free, to the task of being in control of yourself and your bike, your time here is limited...

[soc_monki]

yup...there have been times where i wanted to ride, but didnt feel like riding. so i took the car. sounds weird, but i get this gut feeling that "hey, maybe i shouldnt ride today..." or maybe im too tired, or just not in the right frame of mind.

i love riding...i wish i could do it a lot more! but sometimes its just not "right". just remember that. if you cant make you mind 100% for riding, then dont go.

oh, and as a tip, dont have your foot under the gearshift when moving...only put it there when you need to shift up! other than that, ball of foot on the peg if you do get it caught again, just stop the bike and lean on your right foot when stopped, then get your left foot free! i know you probably werent thinking that at the time, but eh...just tryin' to help!

[MFolks]

The same conditions exist if you work around power tools. Never work in the shop if you're mad,sick,or tired. Remember if that saw blade cuts wood/metal it won't even slow down with it hits flesh/bone!

[HellBent]

Hmmmm, I guess I missed something in the original post. This isn't a post about "not being in the mood", this is a post about doing dumb things.

What you SHOULD have learned was the following :

Wear the proper gear, no matter what mood you are in.

Keep the balls of your feet ON the pegs, not resting your heels on the front of the peg. ( you should have been able to stop, even with your left foot incapacitated)

I know, I'm mean. I should say "wow, good job surviving the hell ride". Sorry, I won't say it. Some people shouldn't ride motorcycles.

Curt

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by 09Vulcan500

Something on my body puckered…bet you can guess what that was!

So how long did it take you to pry the seat out of there?

We've all been there. There are those who say "if you haven't been down yet, you will"... I don't totally agree with that, but I would agree if someone were to say "If you haven't had the crap scared out of you yet, you will"

[09Vulcan500]

"So how long did it take you to pry the seat out of there?"

Took awhile to relax again. Went on another short ride tonight. It was good. Things went smooth. And just so I can clarify things. I DO ride with the balls of my feet on the pegs. I was going from stop sign to stop sign. By the time I was in the gear I needed, it was time to start down shifting. So my foot got hung up moving from under the lever to over it. And I never said that I wasnt able to stop...I was so distracted by the whole ordeal that I went through the stop sign.

[VindianaJones]

Hey, **good job surviving the hell ride** . Hopefully you learned a good lesson. Sounds like you did.

[McGrude]

I'm glad you are ok. Despite what a hell ride it was you learned some valuable lessons without getting hurt, and you will remember them for a long time.

[KevyzToy]

Rule #1 for me is my head has to be in the game. I've gone out on rides and things just didn't feel right. I went home.

[angel2cdwings]

I have been late for meet ups because of a "gut" feeling. The way I look at is... I would rather be late than not show up at all. Besides, I am not in a hurry to get anywhere.

Glad you were able to have the experience and make it through!

[StevenL]

Hey! New 500 rider here. I almost hit an armadiller the size of a small cow tonight. I guess it's just a matter of time till you get whacked by something or other. Especially if you do a lot of night riding. Glad you made it home ok.

[0okami]

Originally Posted by StevenL

Hey! New 500 rider here. I almost hit an armadiller the size of a small cow tonight. I guess it's just a matter of time till you get whacked by something or other. Especially if you do a lot of night riding. Glad you made it home ok.

I hear those things are eatable. Is that so? TastY?

[StevenL]

If you season em up just right and put em in gumbo, tastes just like chicken. You can make fajitas with them. Ymmmm. : )

[1stbike4me]

Yeah I have gotten a feeling not to ride my bike a few times when I got up for work. So I take the gas guzzling truck. A few times I have avoided some serious rain (I dont watch the weather) by doing this. Sounds like quite a few of us have learned about not riding when we dont feel right about it. Riding should always be something that you concentrate on, but are also able to enjoy.