Weekend Riding Report

I did some nice riding over the weekend. It was nothing spectacular, but very enjoyable. As seems to be usual for short, local rides, my camera was along but didn’t make it out of the tankbag.

I had intended to make it up to the TWTex Pie Run 250 miles away in Lake Fork on Saturday. I had been eying the weather forcast right up to Saturday morning, feeling more and more positive. I awoke at 6AM to dark skies and pouring rain. The radar was very “green” on top of my house and for what would be the first hour of riding.

I wussed and did my taxes instead. (Yay! Refund!)

After some of Dad’s yummy waffles, I designed a shortened Piney Woods route to get me out of the house and on the R1200ST for the first time (one commute doesn’t count, right?) since my ride to Pensacola.

I really wanted to ride FM1725 between Cleveland and FM150 again, so I headed that direction. Between a 1.5 lane farm road, a pavement-ends turn-around situation, and a 10-minute pouring rain cloud, it was a very pleasant and adventurous outing.

And there was much leaning of the BMW. (Hey! Something had to be done about the I-10 flat spot on my tires!)

Patricia had organized an afternoon ride on Sunday. I met up with her, Billy & wife/pillion Anna, and Ronnie for a pre-ride mocha while we decided on a route. Patricia had a route out to Fayetteville loaded in her (Gavin’s) GPS, but she really didn’t want to lead the ride. I don’t know the Fayetteville route well enough to lead it, but I DID know a fun way to run up to FM3090 in Navasota and then back around on FM149 through the forest.


Surprise! Surprise! I ended up leading the four bikes north through my route.

Those who know me know that I don’t generally enjoy leading group rides. I won’t go over my usual reasons ad nauseam because this ride turned out to be the exception.

It was a beautiful day: clear and cold. The roads were clean and dry for the most part. After the first few turns I got a feel for what a comfortable pace might be for the members of the group and was able to relax. The R1200ST ran smoothly, eating up the miles. With just a touch of pressure to perform, I focused more than usual on holding the bike steady on my chosen line and fully looking through each turn as I powered out. Over the course of the ride I had only a few flubs that needed correction, marked by a chastened shake of the head. (That momentary loss of the rear wheel to a tar snake doesn’t count, darn it! Thrilling, but easily ridden out.)

We ended the ride with a late lunch at Phil’s in Montgomery, one of my local favorites!