Item 18. Best Day Riding 2021

[emptysea]

For a number of reasons, none of which have to do with the marque, I am a member of the Chicago Region BMW Owners Association. They have a discussion board similar to this forum, although much more difficult to navigate (perhaps it's designed by the same folks that design BMWs onboard technology).

At the end of each year, they start a discussion requesting a year-end riding recap. It's in list format. Here are the first for items as an example:

1. Blaine Paulus 'Days on the Bike' Award: Total Riding Days:
2. Longest Continuous Daily Riding Streak:
3. Total Riding Mileage:
4. Number of Days w/Passengers:

There are 18 items in all and I dutifully responded to all. Item 18 is an essay question. "18. Best Day Riding (essay):" I thought you all might like to read it as it involves one of our esteemed moderators.

Disclaimer: The story you are about to read is true in sentiment, but may contain factual inaccuracies, exaggeration, and poetic license.

Might seem odd, but my best day riding wasn’t my best day riding.

“Weather looks good for a ride to Badlands on Tuesday.” I said to the other 5 as Isponged up the last bit of what were supposed to be two eggs over medium with a half-piece of my wheat toast.

“Why can’t they ever get it right?”

“The weather?” asked Mike.

“No, the eggs over medium. They’re always either runny or hard and not that perfect combination of both.”, I complained through a mouthful of toast and corned beef hash.

Jennifer noticed that they had a glue pad of touristy “Motorcycle Maps” by the door of the restaurant and scooted back her chair to go pull one off, saying over her shoulder “How far is it to The Badlands?”

“Further than what will show on that Black Hills area map – probably 130 miles to the visitor center.”

I knew not to say “260 miles round trip” to Jennifer because she would round that up to 300 miles and talk herself out of the ride because of the length. Jennifer is the newest rider of the six of us, three couples, that have shared these annual riding vacations since 2012 and she doesn’t much care for riding longer distances on her Indian Scout. She grabbed the map so she could verify my estimate. I explained to her, and to everyone else, that it’s a long straight stretch from Custer to Badlands excepting the 40 or so miles near Custer on stunningly beautiful and plenty curvy US16A.

“The good news is that Tuesday’s high temperature in Badlands is predicted to be in the lower 80s with temperatures here in Custer in the upper 70s. It’s a long day, but if we’re going to ride Park Loop Rd., it’s the best day this week.”, I said and then added that we would have a picnic lunch in the park and that put even Jennifer in a more enthusiastic state of mind.

The Custer trip had 6 riders and, for a couple of days, Mickey and Dianne as support vehicle drivers. Both Mickey and Dianne ride and Mickey is one of the best riders I’ve ever had the opportunity to ride with. They were on a 4-wheeled road trip that conveniently landed them in Custer while we were there. Mickey also rides a CB1100 and has ridden all over the US, except for a few states and South Dakota was one of those. I promised him that he could borrow my bike while he was there so he could check off another state on his list.

We made the ride out there and it was as pleasant as could be. Not too hot. Not too windy. While straight, SD44 does have some very beautiful, if stark, vistas along its path to the park. We had a great time, a great lunch, and a slightly warmer than expected ride back toward Custer. I’ll be the first to say that 70 miles in 85 degree sun at the end of a ride is quite a bit more draining than the same stretch in 75 degree sun at the beginning of the ride. Nevertheless, that 70 mile stretch left us at the Conoco just outside of Rapid City and a short, mostly tree-lined, 45 miles from our hotel.

We soaked up some shade beneath the soffit of the Conoco building (as one does in these situations) and hydrated. Just then Mickey and Diane show up from their side trip to Wall Drug (which they both, understandably, disliked). Jennifer asked, not as coyly as she thought she was asking, “Mickey, wouldn’t you like to ride back to Custer on my bike?” To which Mickey replied, not as politely as he thought he was replying, “Not a chance.” Jennifer set her sites on me at this point.

“If you want to let Mickey ride a CB1100 on that nice road back to Custer, I’d be happy to ride in Dianne’s car while you road my bike back”. “REALLY Happy.” “Really quite VERY Happy”. A couple of looks from the other female riders told me that it was time for me to be chivalrous instead of condescending and I agreed to ride the Scout back to the ranch. Cheryl had the route in her phone and, since the Scout didn’t have a phone mounting bracket - not needed for most 20-mile rides (OK just the one condescension), Cheryl agreed to lead us home, Mickey on my CB in the 2 spot, the rest filling in, and Indian Matt bringing up the rear.

Cheryl has followed Mickey on several rides and has a high level of respect, well-deserved, for him and his riding skills. Cheryl doesn’t usually lead and has never had Mickey in her mirror. Mickey is a wonderful person and constructively blunt when it comes to observations about one’s motorcycling skills. She knows this about him and, frankly, wanted to impress him.

After negotiating us through some fairly gnarly intersections at the east end of Rapid City, she got us on to 36 and then on to 16A. And she was ripping it. From my vibrating perspective at the end of the line, I could see Riders 1 and 2 separate themselves from the rest of us. It was all I could do on an unfamiliar cruiser with mini-apes and a 3” ground clearance to keep up, but I kept up enough to watch her hit apex after apex with entrance speeds close to the posted limit and exit speeds significantly in excess of it. Her pearl white Arai helmet glinted in the remaining sunlight. While it is true that I mostly see her riding through my review mirror and so my view is limited, this was the best that I’ve ever seen her ride--ever.

In May, 2016, Cheryl fractured her right tibial plateau in a motorcycle accident. Her doctor said she would be lucky to walk without a limp and that she would not likely be able to run without pain. She was not allowed to walk for 5 months and then 5 more with crutches. I was not sure if she would ride again, but I was sure that I would support whatever decision she made. She rode again in May of 2017, less than a year after the crash. That first summer was hard. She was timid. But she got better every season. It’s been a joy to ride with her on this journey and it was just about as good as it gets watching her that afternoon from atop Jennifer's Indian Scout.

When we arrived at the Chalet Motel in Custer, Mickey said that he had underestimated her abilities to ride at speed and caught himself having to roll on some extra throttle to catch up. In typical constructively blunt fashion, he said “You were hitting those apexes perfectly and had a ton of speed. Keep working on those left turns”. She gave him a bit of a hard time about the blunt part, but took the constructive and complimentary parts to heart. The next day, it was just the two of us out for a short ride with me back in the front spot. Over the Cardo, she says, “You’re looking good, but you should work on your left turns.”

It seems odd, but for 2021, my best day riding wasn’t my best day riding.

[Rocky_imp]

Nice story

Because of COVID and changing restrictions, my riding last summer was limited and often just a short spurt over some of our coastal roads.
Nothing exciting or to write about.

[pdedse]

Truly, a good story. I rarely ride with others. I have done a few long distance trips with a friend--so strange to go your separate ways after days and days of seeing somebody in your mirror, or having someone to follow.

[Cormanus]

Really good story, well told, EmptySea. Thanks.

[the Ferret]

ok Sea, Dianne read this, and it made her cry. Tears of joy no doubt. She said she really enjoyed reading it and yes it was wonderful.

That was indeed a great day, and Cheryl, as well as being one of my favorite people on the planet, is right at the top of the list of those I don't mind chasing on a motorcycle thru 40 miles of compounding curves. She has indeed raised her skill level to a point that I don't have too much to be blunt about, when it comes to criticizing her riding skills. They are indeed impressive.

Some pics from that day

[emptysea]

I'm glad she liked the story, Ferret and thanks for posting up some pix. I may add a few if I can find any that are related to that ride.

Dianne didn't just drive a support vehicle. She WAS our support vehicle. She added so much to our time together in Custer just every time we get to spend time with her. We (and I mean all 6 of us) were so happy that you two could join us. I hope we are able to do that again before too long. Give her a hug from me, but let her know that it's really from me, Cheryl, Glen, Laura, Mike, and Jennifer.

Cheryl fell in love with Custer. There's a fairly long list of reasons she feels like she does; the mountains, the lifestyle, the bison. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if that delightful hour she spent on 16A isn't on that list someplace.

[Nachodaddy]

Great story EmptySea. Thank you. I haven't ridden with a group since I was stationed at Vandenberg AFB, in the early 1980s. Vandenberg is in northern Santa Barbara, California, USA, near Lompoc and Solvang, in some of the most beautiful country in the world. Your story brought back beautiful memories.