Ride 5/17, saturday

[Mother]

Now there

is

an

idea!

I love that place

anyone know the owner?

 

[ryandalling]

Great ride guys. Sorry I slowed you down with my issues. However, I thought I did a great job coming off the mountain in fifth gear the whole damn time. Dropped it off at 'Corsa... hope they can get it shifting again. Sport bikes were not meant to have just one gear. 

[Betty Rage]

Sorry I didn't go guys. I went to see Mase this morning and then went to brunch with his family and Amber.

[Doctor Woodrow]

I saw and met Johnnyducati at Cyclegear while I was picking up my new treads previous to droppping of the beast at Cheshire's for a change and headlight/turn signal problems (and a good once-over by a professional since the wreck).

Sorry i didn't make it to the ride, I was chatting w/Daric at his shop while you guys rode off. No ducati at my home for a few days. 

The Doc.

[morganf]

Damn. Wish I coulda made this ride. stuck at home fighting the flu. 

[SaltLick]

who did go?

[Tailgunner]

Hey Doc, good choice with Chesire. Your bike's in good hands. I'm glad you took it there  and you will be too.

The ride - I wish I could have gone, it's my favorite 'loop' as we call it. I spent the day helping a friend out. Now I'm beat.

How was it? Any pictures you can post? What were the roads like?

Billy 

[JohnnyDucati]

Viktor was in fine form, setting a good pace for the 2 of us following (Ryan and me).  It was hotter than a mofo.  Started from Motocorsa right on time at 11:15 AM and headed for Stevenson via Rte. 14 in Wa.  Stopped for H20 and gassed up in Stevenson, then turned off at the Wind river and headed north to Cougar.  Love those twisty roads.

Ryan took 1 good cell phone picture.  I took one with my cell phone but screwed it up (forgot to save it) - dang it.  We stopped at Old Man Pass (an aptly named rest stop for yours truly) where Ryan took this pic.  The snow bank made a good backdrop.



Unfortunately, Ryan started to have some gear box issues.  Testament to his manliness, he nursed it all the way home in 5th gear  .  Sorry man, hope you get that fixed.

On our way downhill towards Cougar, we came across an unfortunate accident only a few minutes old.  There were 1/2 dozen or so bikes pulled over going the other way (uphill).  Flares were out and passersby in their cages had pulled over and were flagging traffic to slow down.  It appeared that a Kawasukihonda sportbike thingy had crashed approaching the turn.  I didn't get a good look and didn't see much - I think the 3 of us were trying hard not to rubberneck and were concentrating on getting throught the gauntlet of the cars/bikes by the roadside.  A few minutes later, two ambulances and a doctor(?) in his Merc SUV w/flashers on passed us going uphill towards the scene as we approached Cougar. 

Me, I was looking forward a cool frosty pop at one of the Cougar pubs, and Victor promptly blows right past them  .  He takes us to the remnants of the burnt-down Climbers Store at the turn-off to Amboy.  As we pulled over battling our dire thirst, Ryan and I had a collective A-ha moment where we remembered that the place was now history, but Vic wasnt aware of that.  From there, Ryan trundles off by himself back to Motocorsa from there via Woodland/I-5.

Victor and I barely muster up the energy to get to Nick's Biker Bar 2 miles down the road in Amboy.  We carefully parked between the oil spots left by the Harleys and went inside to the salvation of air conditioning, ice water and lunch.  Nice place, Nick's.  Good place for a bar fight because there's plenty of room to swing a dead cat in there and you can hurl your beer bottles unrestricted by walls or other impediments.  We made it out OK, though, just in time to catch the PEAK HEAT OF THE DAY at 2:30 or so as we struck for home.  My leathers are not perforated, by the way.  Did I mention it was hot?

No doubt, I had a great time, heat and other stuff not withstanding.  Hope Vic and Ryan feel the same way.  I am looking forward to the next run on this loop with more of the gang.

Catch you later.

JohnnyDucati

[Betty Rage]

Sounds like a fun ride. 

[Tailgunner]

Awwe cool, sounds like a decent time for the most part. Too bad about Ryan's gearbox and the other inncedent. Hopes for quick repairs.

That is a cool white-on-white picture and yes Victor, you to can own one of those purdy pearly 848's. Stop thinking about it and just do it!!!   Does the picture not speak just that? 

[krolik]

While riding up through Old Man Pass, we'd hid a low spot in the road where the cold air from the snow would collect, and it would be "Ooohh, chilly!"

[ryandalling]

Looks like one of the return springs snapped... got stuck in the gear box and proceded to tear everything up. Will need a new stator cover, stator, flywheel, couple of gears, some other what nots, and a return spring... all of which will need to be shipped in from glorious Italy. I asked if they could have them put a couple of bottles of wine in there too... but they said no. However, the voice mail that Brad left when he told me the damage started with, "Mad props to you for making it back from Cougar in 6th gear." 

From where the picture was taken... I found out I was stuck in second coming off the mountain. Then I pulled off and fiddled with it... and proceded to get the beast stuck in 6th. From there... the wobbly bits had wedged themselves into all the lower gears, and trying a downshift would reward me with a high pitch whine, on the verge of a grinding sound...similar to forcing a downshift in a car... without clutching.... high revs and a lot of clutch play got me down to the freeway... where I just let the bike take off.... she likes 6th gear on the freeway. I roll into Corsa and the first question was... "did you drop it?" Nope... no droppie... nothing that would cause it to misbehave like that... just a sad day to have to nurse my 848 back to the shop for fixer upper time. I guess I made my flywheel considerably lighter on the way home... cause some of the loose bits gouged chunks out of it. I am rambling now... but I attribute it to the nice sun outside and me inside with no bikey... 

[duc_fan]

Wow!  That sucks about the gearbox issues Ryan...     The voicemail from Brad sounds kinda funny, though... mad props indeed!

Wish I could'a gone, but I was moving my crap from Tualatin to Wilsonville.  Next time, hopefully.

Glad all of you made it back in one piece! 

[ryandalling]

You think I should have them look at the clutch? Having to hyper clutch like that the whole way back... I never over heated... but I was concerned about what it could do to the clutch.

[duc_fan]

If you had to slip the clutch excessively (which I would imagine, seeing how you were trying to do everything while stuck in 6th), I'd ask them if they can replace it under warranty, seeing how excessive wear was done because of a covered part failure.


Wait... this is under warranty, isn't it?