Summers here how about a RIDE!

GPS - Check

Spencerized Seat - Check

Nearly empty, rural twisty hill country roads - Check

A forecast for August 6th with a reasonable high temp in the lower 80s - CHECK

Ok so Summer is halfway over - so lets get that group ride in we've been wanting to do. Sorry for the short notice but I just got freed up for next saturday. So of course I'm going to ride.

I also have this ride posted at the MN-MSTA so there maybe a couple other riders that join, but who knows. The route was developed by a member there so I have to give him credit. I have a lot to learn of the WI roads so I jump on the opportunity to try out new routes. Hopefully some of you can make it, although I know this is short notice being next weekend. Make it happen!

Organizer - Matt Carlson

Start - Freedom Gas station in Prescott, WI. 0800

Ending in Hastings

Length - 275 miles

Lunch and gas in Arcadia.

Speeds: straights +8 to +40 depending on how far ahead I can see. Turns x 2ish

The southern spot of this route will be Arcadia, then heading back west and north through Zumbro Falls, Zumbrota, and back towards the cities. I've ridden most of the WI roads east of the river and they are great, and some fantastic scenery. We should be able to be back to the cities by 4pm easily, so you can still make evening plans with da lady if she so demands.

Please let me know if you plan on attending or inviting a friend so that I have a head count.

Here's a rough map

I'd go but Huron52 "Mr. Cale" has invited me to drink and act the fool that weekend. Big shindig @ Empire Michigan

You folks have fun, I'm going to get arrested.

Count me in Matt. Btw, how did you get the ok to go riding on your Daughter's 3rd week Birthday? You must have been a very good Daddy.

Oh you know, it is a day she can go shopping so she's ok with it. I will e-mail you the GPX files too Marc.

carlson_mn said:

A forecast for August 6th with a reasonable high temp in the lower 80s - CHECK

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You realize that most of the people in this country hate you right now?

-Rick

Strayshot said:

carlson_mn said:

A forecast for August 6th with a reasonable high temp in the lower 80s - CHECK

Click to expand...

You realize that most of the people in this country hate you right now?

-Rick

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Ah yes we are blessed with great summers. However it's been one of the hotter July months ever here and it's no fun riding in 92+ degree heat with 75 degree dew point like this past weekend.

I think Rick may not have much sympathy for us being that their summer has been a SCORCHER. Over a month of 100+ degree days & dry as a bone, even hurricanes dry up.

I would enjoy going Matt, but a prior commitment prohibits it. Although it does include a bike ride in 'sconerland; just north of you guys.

that's cool Mike, enjoy the weekend as well!

Matt, This ride looks vaguely familiar.... way to go for getting it going.

I can't enjoy this ride as I will be heading to Boston, then to the COG (Concours) Rally in Vermont

Enjoy your ride, as I know you will.

Bustanut joker said:

I'd go but Huron52 "Mr. Cale" has invited me to drink and act the fool that weekend. Big shindig @ Empire Michigan

You folks have fun, I'm going to get arrested.

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Bust - just curious. What's happening in Empire? Looking for a place to ride on Saturday.

roger dodger said:

Matt, This ride looks vaguely familiar.... way to go for getting it going.

I can't enjoy this ride as I will be heading to Boston, then to the COG (Concours) Rally in Vermont

Enjoy your ride, as I know you will.

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Have fun I hope the FJR does well for you heading out East. This route for Saturday is a blast, gets into WI pretty quickly, and I've never actually ridden the MN part of the route, the twisty roads through Zumbro Falls area. In WI not too far SE of Prescott there's some really nice stretches of smooth sweepers, just perfect for our bikes.

Matt,

Will you have route sheets or post something we can print?

mnxs54 said:

Matt,

Will you have route sheets or post something we can print?

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Since this route was developed by a member at MN-MSTA, I have to give them credit and point you to their "routes" section of that local forum. In the 'routes' forum, look for the thread titled "No GPS". It has the route sheet and GPX file located there. I have ridden the first stretch almost through Arcadia, and the map and directions are very good. I will have it on my GPS.

The section I rode couple weeks back is not only a really fun road, but has some scenery that's kinda puuurty.

Hi, Matt!

A couple of things here.

1)Highway 60 is closed between Wabasha and Zumbro Falls. They're replacing a bridge. Here's a suggestion (done it twice in the last 6 days). From Wabasha, head south on 61 to Kellogg. At Kellogg (the intersection with the Kwik Trip, as well as the entrance to The Lark), take a right on county road 18. This will head west for around 10 miles, with some really fast sweepers and decent scenery. There will be a long hill. At the bottom (T-intersection), take a right on county road 4. You will head north for 6 or 7 miles. It intersects with 60. Take 60 west from there. As a bonus, the section right west of that intersection has 3 or 4 miles of the best part of hwy 60. So, to recap, take 61 south from Wabasha, right on county 18, right on county 4, and left on 60. Highway 60 is open back to Zumbro Falls from there.

2) I will probably meet you guys, but I'd like to do it at Durand. Do you plan a stop there? If not, I'll just try to intercept you. Call me on my cell please (leave a message if I don't have it turned on). 507.254.8001. I'll check for messages tonight.

3) I may be able to suggest some more interesting roads once we get going, but I don't want to force myself into the situation. So we'll see how it's playing out, and maybe I can get a closer look at your GPS route when I meet you guys.

4) If I didn't tell you before, your daughter is beautiful. I'm sure that as a parent, you can't possibly hear that enough. But it's true.

So give me a call on my cell if you see this note Friday night or Saturday morning, and I'll try to meet up with you guys tomorrow. I may have to dial it back a bit. Put 274 miles on today over there with a buddy, and got pulled over on hwy 61 for 77 in a 65. He was nice and let me go without writing me up, but I think they're pretty interested in fund raising right now, so watch you speeds.

Thanks, Matt!

P.S......I'll be away from my computer, so I won't see an online reply. Sorry!

Scott (right? -bad with names sometimes) - I just saw your message. I will call you in the AM but I bet we could meet in or near Durand around 9-10am if that works for you, that'd be great. my cell is 952-210-9145. I'll be up till 1130 tonight and up around 545 tomorrow so call me anytime. I'm having breakfast from 7-8am at perkins in hastings i'll have my phone.

thanks for the heads up on 60, luckily I heard about that from another guy at MSTA too and I think I will follow your directions or just follow you at that point if you're with us.

Well, mixed ride report here.

It was a really nice riding day, a bit warm but can't complain with mid 80s - just stay hydrated. We had 10 riders including myself, Marc, and Scott from Rochester. As far as the route, it was one of my favorite rides I have been on. Not too short, not too long @ about 300-350 miles or so total. I wasn't longing to get off the bike at anytime like most of us sometimes do during 400+ mile hot day rides, but when I got home I was happy with the day we had ridden. I led a lot of the ways in Wisconsin. Marc led a lot of the way after we got into MN. Gramps is a great rider, it is a lot of fun to watch an FJR go very fast and well ridden from behind. I felt like we had the best overall bike of the bunch including CBR1000rr, Ducati 1098, ZX-6, ST1300, SV650, Triumph ST, GSXR1000. Guy on the CBR who is an excellent rider himself came and asked us how we were able to go so fast on the FJR and if we were scrapping, which we didn't much of. By the end of the day the sides of my PR2s are a but scalloped which isn't that easy to do around here.

The last part of the trip before heading back to metro area - 3 miles of twisties left out of 250 twisty miles haven already been ridden, one of our riders went down pretty abruptly and hard heading into a right hand sweeper. I was following about 50 yards behind. What happened I'm not sure as he swept through the first half of that stretch effortlessly without even using his brakes, he was very smooth and fast. I have a couple ideas of what he may or may not have done that resulted in the bike going down, but I'll wait until I hear from him again. Anyways, he and his bike slid into an oncoming Buick in the opposite lane. Luckily he glanced off of the side of the vehicle after it slammed on its brakes and spun back onto the road without getting bound up. Having said that he did hit the car hard. He was taken by ambulance then air lifted to a St. Paul hospital.

Initial report tonight I just heard is quite a few broken ribs, a fractured hand, and most certainly a concussion as he was out cold for a few minutes. He was wearing full leathers and an Arai helmet that certainly did its job. Not a fun scene to watch pan out in front of myself, but will feel better when he is cleared from the hospital and recovering well.

carlson_mn said:

Initial report tonight I just heard is quite a few broken ribs, a fractured hand, and most certainly a concussion as he was out cold for a few minutes. He was wearing full leathers and an Arai helmet that certainly did its job. Not a fun scene to watch pan out in front of myself, but will feel better when he is cleared from the hospital and recovering well.

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Thanks for the update Matt. Sounds like he may be ok, I truly hope so. Witnessing a crash can affect you in a profound way. I've seen more than my share and I still find that I question whether or not if I should keep riding. The only advice I can give is to learn from it & try to be a better rider. It was a very sad event that was a great day of riding. Eric is in my thoughts & I wish him a full recovery.

I stopped by to see him today at Regions hospital and he was in fairly good spirits considering the situation only a day later, and he had some good drugs that he needed. 7 broken ribs in addition to that broken wrist and sprained this and that. His girlfriend was hanging out with him there which was nice. He got a chuckly out of a few of the parts of his bike I carried in to give him.

7 broken ribs has got to suck!