Dodging the storm in Western KY

[Goodman4]

I had a day off today and had planned an overnight ride Sunday and Monday to get my first oppotunity to do a decent ride on my new (to me) FJR. But then the weather forecast was all rain here and especially south, so I thought it was blown. I will ride in the rain, but get a little nervous and when I'm trying to get a feel for the bike on corners, I figured that's not what I'm needing to do.

Anyway, the rain kept delaying Sunday so I took off south for a short ride. I got sprinkled on right after I left but then it cleared up, so I kept going. Got to Dover TN and took 232 down to 147 (good twisty road) and had a blast on that. Still getting the feel of it but the FJR sure goes where you want it to go. Almost decided to go ahead with the trip but the wife said the storms were moving up from AL. So I looped around through Tennessee Ridge on and came back up through the LBL Trace. Usually tons of bikes on this road but I didn't see another bike probably because of the forecast.

190 miles Sunday

Thought I'd wake up to rain Monday but it was clear so after some errands, I took off in the afternoon knowing there were storms coming in from the west this time. I like riding to the storms so I can ride out of them if I run into them. So my path was Northwest.

I rode to Pennyrile State Forest via 91 and 139. This is where I dropped my VTX1300 on a corner in 2008, so it felt good to tell that corner to "bite me" on the FJR. Rode through the park which is really fun and headed on North. I decided I was going to go across the Cave-In Rock Ferry and ride the river in Southern IL.

I got to the ferry but could tell the storm was coming.

Right after I snapped this, the dust devils started swirling and the wind started gusting really hard. Called the wife and she said it was a strong storm with 50 mile gusts and would last a good while. I changed plans and headed south on 91 toward home. Easily rode out of the storm and instead of heading on home rode some back-roads over to 109 thinking I would do the Pennyrile State Forest again. Then the storm caught up with me.

By the time I got headed South again, the wind was up and the rain was hard. I was able to ride out of it again, and stopped a couple times to get some pics:

When I took this pic, I put my foot down in a hurry and almost dropped the bike over in the grass. I've got to get used to the weight balance on this thing. I think that's three times now.

So in summary, I got another 180 miles in today for a total of 370 for the two day trip which was not what I'd planned but a good learning experience. Loving the bike, though.

 

[Bugnatr]

Thanks for the cool pictures and good on you for flipping off the corner that bit you.

Also BUY SLIDERS. Someday she may go over and you will never regret having sliders protect your bike.

 

[Fontanaman]

Nice pics. Thanks for sharing. Having lived in the Seattle area my entire life it is hard to imagine dodging storms like this. I am much happier on a mountain highway with 1500' drop offs.

 

[user 28803]

Great pics!

+1 on the sliders. I tested my left slider in a rock/gravel parking area on Saturday. It saved the fairing from being scratched up.

 

[Goodman4]

Having lived in the Seattle area my entire life it is hard to imagine dodging storms like this. I am much happier on a mountain highway with 1500' drop offs.

I'd be glad to trade any stormy ride for those mountain dropoffs. My wife and I went on a cruise for our 25th last year and we took an extra few days on the front end to drive through Hurricane Ridge and around Northwest WA. The whole time we were saying, man this would be great on a bike. It's beautiful up there. You're probably pretty serious about your rain-gear up there, though. Can't just avoid it.

I tested my left slider in a rock/gravel parking area on Saturday.

Yeah, I was sorry to read that in your trip report from NW GA and AL. That's the area I hope to ride in this fall, like you guys recommended in my previous post. I am thinking about sliders. Which ones did you get?

Oh, and I noticed you just bought the Scala Teamset. My wife and I love ours. There's some negative reviews out there so I was cautious, but I have been very pleased. Had some tweaking at first with the pairing and it was a real pain to mount to my Nolan N90 modular helmet, but worked through it and now it works like a charm. Let me know if you need anything.

Paul

 

[SkooterG]

Excellent pics. Boy, I sure do miss those huge summertime storms that roll in in the midwest. The wind, smells, sounds. Brings back some fond memories.

 

[Kevin_Ireland]

Nice pictures. Glad you are liking your "new" bike. After mid-August (I'll be back in the US then) if you get up around NKY let me know. We have some great roads up here/there.

 

[user 28803]

Yeah, I was sorry to read that in your trip report from NW GA and AL. That's the area I hope to ride in this fall, like you guys recommended in my previous post. I am thinking about sliders. Which ones did you get?

Oh, and I noticed you just bought the Scala Teamset. My wife and I love ours. There's some negative reviews out there so I was cautious, but I have been very pleased. Had some tweaking at first with the pairing and it was a real pain to mount to my Nolan N90 modular helmet, but worked through it and now it works like a charm. Let me know if you need anything.

Paul

Man, I hate that I scratched my mirror but it could have been a lot worse. I knew I'd put her down eventually and I did it as carefully as I could, lol.

I got the extended sliders by OES (the ones at the bottom of the page):

https://www.oesaccessories.com/06-12FJR1300.html

I'll let you know if I have any issues with the Scala. We'll be using them for the first time this weekend. Thanks for the offer.

 

[Goodman4]

After mid-August (I'll be back in the US then) if you get up around NKY let me know. We have some great roads up here/there.

I'd like that. I've ridden across Southern KY, but never got farther NW on the bike than the Campbellsville area. Wasn't sure where we would ride except through the beautiful horse country of Lexington. The daughter almost went to UK, so that would have put me up there a lot, but now we will be Alabama bound when seeing her instead.

And where are you stationed? Is there a base up near Cincinnati? We are pretty much in Ft. Campbell here so I've got several friend in or retired from special forces. They are the real deal and I have lots of respect for any of our servicemen and women. Get back soon so you can do something a little safer like ride your FJR.

--

And rooster, I'm putting sliders on in the morning before I ride.

 

[dcarver]

Great pix!

I hit one in Galena...

 

[Kevin_Ireland]

After mid-August (I'll be back in the US then) if you get up around NKY let me know. We have some great roads up here/there.

I'd like that. I've ridden across Southern KY, but never got farther NW on the bike than the Campbellsville area. Wasn't sure where we would ride except through the beautiful horse country of Lexington. The daughter almost went to UK, so that would have put me up there a lot, but now we will be Alabama bound when seeing her instead.

And where are you stationed? Is there a base up near Cincinnati? We are pretty much in Ft. Campbell here so I've got several friend in or retired from special forces. They are the real deal and I have lots of respect for any of our servicemen and women. Get back soon so you can do something a little safer like ride your FJR.

--

And rooster, I'm putting sliders on in the morning before I ride.

You should join KY twisted also. I'm not on a base. I was retired but gave it up to deploy again and I did. I deployed with a Guard unit out of Independence. Taught me that not all the bad things I heard about the Guard was true but also they weren't all untrue either! I will say that I'll be glad to get away from them when we leave here. Going back home to Ft Living room. My wife questions my sanity for ever going back. Oh, well, it does bump up my retirement check.

There are some great roads in NKY/EKY. When I get home the wife and I are planning to ride to Virginia Beach then back. This is the route we are planning on taking:

https://mapq.st/KIIS9d

 

[user 28803]

And rooster, I'm putting sliders on in the morning before I ride.

:thumbsup:

 

[Redfish Hunter]

And rooster, I'm putting sliders on in the morning before I ride.

:thumbsup:

You will not regret this. My dad's '07 is obviously the same Black Cherry as yours and the whitish pink scratches in the sides of the fairing and the mirror will make you want to puke. I know it can't look any better on earthroosters blue bike, that is equally as fine a color.