11-01-2018, 05:45 AM
(11-01-2018, 03:42 AM)Nortoon_imp Wrote: When I started back riding in 2014, I searched Google Maps for twisty roads. I currently have over 100 homemade maps with printed directions and their reverse routes which I shuffle to plan my day rides. When I get bored riding a series of roads, I reverse my route. It is amazing how different a road can look riding it the other way round.
Like most Canadians my riding season is only 6 months long from May to October. My CB1100 is now under a dust cover in the back of the garage, and the battery on a shelf in the basement with all my other motorcycle gear.
During the winter I search Goggle Maps for new roads to explore. The street view often shows me whether or not they are interesting enough to ride. Sometimes I ride through some of my favourite spots using the street view. When forum members post maps of their trips, I ride them using street view. Got lost a few times in Australia.
During the winter I visit this forum everyday. RevZilla e-mail me a reminder every week to read the Common Tread. That keeps me up to date on the new things in the motorcycle world. Winter is also the time I buy new gear, accessories, maintenance products and parts for the next season.
Weather permitting, I walk the local Nature Trail every day during the winter for exercise, fresh air, sunshine, and just to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors.
Indoors I have projects adding battery power, radio control, and sound to large scale model trains for the summer. I also like watching hockey, and fishing shows like The New Fly Fisher. Even if you don't fish, its is a great way of enjoying the outdoors.
Although I don't have 100, I do probably have 2 dozen routes (loops) mapped out which I alternate riding and like Nortoon I often reverse the way I ride them for a different perspective. The Loop, the 450 Loop, the Airport Loop, the 247 Loop, the Stonelick Loop, the covered bridge Loop, the Ribber's Loop, the old Coney Loop, the Kentucky Loop, the 41 Loop, etc. All I have to say is the name of the loop I'm planning on riding to my wife, and she knows where I'm headed.
Although I like riding new places, I never get tired of riding the local roads over and over. I've always said a left curve is a left curve whether it is in Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado or California .... or Europe for that matter. Same goes for right curves and S curves. Some are more open than others, or tighter than others, but curves are curves no matter where they are. I have ridden most of the famous curvy roads in the U.S, ridden in a couple Canadian Provinces and 5 countries in Europe. What makes them different is the scenery surrounding them. The curves are the same everywhere. As far as pure riding goes I enjoy riding my roads as much as I enjoy riding the roads anywhere in the world (that I have been so far).
Technically we probably have a 7 month riding season for most motorcyclists May 1- Oct 31 but I stretch that into 12. Jan and February can be difficult sometimes with below freezing to below zero temps and snow and ice, but with proper gear the temps are not an issue and as long as their isn't accumulated ice or snow on the roads, I will probably be out riding one of my loops every day. Today it was raining so I rode the old Coney Loop. Some curves and elevation change, but mostly flat and only 35 miles out and back. That satisfied my need to ride.