Official TEXASMAC Memorial Ride thread 2010

[Baileyrock]

BTW I can't gaurentee all you late registors the correct T-shirt as the oder was placed and production in running, but I'll try to cover everyone!

:goofy:

PS we have at least 62 signed-up as of today! :warranty:

BR

[Monk]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

[house]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

Every year we get some rain... so plan accordingly. Most usually will ride anyway if it's not Tstorms all day and if it's reasonable in the AM before we take off. Just think of it as a way to clean your gear for free!

[house]

When you seek those "Eh Team" guys heading south for temproary asylum, you know the time is near!!

Looking good Ken. See you there Wednesday night. :warranty:

Keith, What's up with the gay smily?

[Bent]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

Whatever the long range forecast is today, it will change before TMAC. The area is the most weather fickle place I know.

Yesterday, it showed great weather, now it's 60% chance of wet Fri, and Sat. It will be different than that by then...either better or worse but actual will not be as the forecast is now. :warranty:

[oyama]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

Are you telling me you have a different rain gear for mist, drizzle, light shower, rain, heavy rain, and so on? :warranty:

[jeremy556]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

50% chance of rain, all the time. Bring some rain gear, but nobody is going to be riding in a monsoon.

[TimC]

I'm leaving a day early so I can hit some fun roads on the way to Franklin instead of having to slab it all the way there Thursday. 10-day forecast right now doesn't look good, but I'm hoping it changes for much better next week.

I should roll in late Thursday afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone! :fing02:

[Baileyrock]

I'm leaving a day early so I can hit some fun roads on the way to Franklin instead of having to slab it all the way there Thursday. 10-day forecast right now doesn't look good, but I'm hoping it changes for much better next week.

I should roll in late Thursday afternoon. Looking forward to seeing everyone! :fing02:

HS and I should be rolling in about the same time Thursday! :fing02:

:beer:

[Monk]

I was wondering what the rain is doing in the area of T-Mac's..... I have a show of 40% chance Tue(18th) .....30% Sat(22nd)..... I've been getting those percentages around here as well but nothing is actually happening.... So I'm asking for some locals what's it actually doing there.... I have an assortment of rain gear and am trying to pack for what type of rain possiblities, so as to keep the pack to a minimum..... THX

Are you telling me you have a different rain gear for mist, drizzle, light shower, rain, heavy rain, and so on? :fing02:

Actually, that's pretty much the way it is. I didn't go out and just buy everything, for all situations all at once, but as time went on it ended up that way. I have a 2 piece water resistent riding suit that I use though the cold months. My summer 2 piece is what I'd like to wear, and carry a rain jacket that I can put on under it, or a full 1 piece totally waterproof rain suit. But I don't want to carry all that crap, on 1 day rides I usually can tell what I'm going to come across and take what I need. So I was looking for some local info on the type of rain that's been going on lately. As it stands right now I'll wear my summer 2P and carry my rain jacket and full rain gear along with rain gloves and boot covers(Harley rain leggings).

[gradus]

Now the 10 day forecast looks great.

[CornerCarver]

When you seek those "Eh Team" guys heading south for temproary asylum, you know the time is near!!

Looking good Ken. See you there Wednesday night. :fing02:

Keith, What's up with the gay smily?

I just want to make sure that anyone seeking asylum feels welcome, and since there were no smilies of flowers bursting into bloom it most closely approximated the feeling in my heart when I saw Ken's trailer being loaded for the trek south.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Trace]

......since there were no smilies of flowers bursting into bloom it most closely approximated the feeling in my heart when I saw Ken's trailer being loaded.......

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Hahahaha....too funny. :fing02: Now THERE is a man who is secure in his own masculinity, yet is in touch with his feminine side! :beer:

:fing02:

[Monk]

Now the 10 day forecast looks great.

THX... What's the rain been doing when it does rain in your area,lately? Mist(1) / Moonsoon(10).....?

It's been claiming rains this last week around here but the most is a "0" or sometimes a "2"....... I guess I'll bring the full suit, just trying to keep the weight down...

[gradus]

Now the 10 day forecast looks great.

THX... What's the rain been doing when it does rain in your area,lately? Mist(1) / Moonsoon(10).....?

It's been claiming rains this last week around here but the most is a "0" or sometimes a "2"....... I guess I'll bring the full suit, just trying to keep the weight down...

It's been kinda dry here or similar to what you're seeing, 0-3. But Charlotte is a bit more predictable since we're not in the mountains. For rain gear, bring what's best for lots of rain, but ok in warm weather. 2 years ago (or was it 3?) Purvis and I got stuck in a huge down pour with hail on our way in. We found a country store where they let us park our bikes on their porch. Then that Friday was all sun and Saturday was all rain.

[Monk]

Now the 10 day forecast looks great.

THX... What's the rain been doing when it does rain in your area,lately? Mist(1) / Moonsoon(10).....?

It's been claiming rains this last week around here but the most is a "0" or sometimes a "2"....... I guess I'll bring the full suit, just trying to keep the weight down...

It's been kinda dry here or similar to what you're seeing, 0-3. But Charlotte is a bit more predictable since we're not in the mountains. For rain gear, bring what's best for lots of rain, but ok in warm weather. 2 years ago (or was it 3?) Purvis and I got stuck in a huge down pour with hail on our way in. We found a country store where they let us park our bikes on their porch. Then that Friday was all sun and Saturday was all rain.

Thx.. Gradus

[marid2apterbilt]

This time of year expevt a shower or 2, If you dont like the weather go around the mtn or wait 30 minutes..

As for a scale of intensity Good luck.

I have seen it dry in Robbinsvilla and Tellico with Peasoup fog and a very soaking rain on the cherohola..

[TimC]

I bought a hi-viz yellow FirstGear Kilimanjaro jacket a month ago for commuting in Cleveland rush hour traffic. The bonus is that it's waterproof, so I won't have to worry about a rain suit jacket for the trip - I'll just take the rain pants and gloves. :biggrin:

[Poncho]

When you seek those "Eh Team" guys heading south for temproary asylum, you know the time is near!!

I love temporary asylum in Franklin!

As soon as I jam my bike in that trailer tomorrow, the Toronto Canucks are on their way. (Ottawa Canucks to follow later I believe, don't know if there are any others?)

Look forward to beerz (oh yeah, and riding!) with everyone! :biggrin:

My plans to break Tumbles out of maximum-security stockade a day sooner is going smoothly ( I love it when a plan comes together ) . We hope to be there Wed evening now, so if you love to ride motorbikes… if you like to laugh… and you can find us… maybe you can drink with the Eh Team.

“Cue the music.”

[Monk]

This time of year expevt a shower or 2, If you dont like the weather go around the mtn or wait 30 minutes..

As for a scale of intensity Good luck.

I have seen it dry in Robbinsvilla and Tellico with Peasoup fog and a very soaking rain on the cherohola..

Thx... That's what I needed to know.....

[Baileyrock]

Group rides

I may only have ride groups organized with Lead/Sweep teams for the Relaxed/Scenic ride groups this year and just let all Int. & Advanced riders organize their own groups. Let me know your thoughts here!

We will have group rides/routes planned for Friday & Saturday that will include both long and short versions so riders can decide just how far they what to ride. Thursday & Sunday will not have any official ride or route planned, just days to acclimate to the area and do whatever you like.

As mentioned we will have long (aprox 250 mile) and short routes (aprox 150 mile) each day and each group will have a Lead/Sweep team to guide/control/maintain a SAFE group ride .

We'll have at least 3 ride group categories, Relaxed(newer riders),Scenic(Int/slow)& Intermediate(Int/fast) groups. The idea here is Not to let Ego choose your ride group. We want everyone to have a fun and safe time while participating in this event and controlling how groups are run is the biggest factor in a successful and safe event.

This is not a Competition or Race and our Lead riders will lead for the entire group, not a "your one your own" attitude.

Safety and fun will be the focus of all group rides, the idea is for everyone to make it home safely and share what a great time they had at the T-Mac. Not who's the fastest rider. Please keep the ego's at home (I have enough for everyone)

- Routes will be posted sometime next spring and will include GPS and hard maps of each days ride.

- Lead/Sweep teams will be picked from volunteers I choose that have the attitude I'm looking for which is Group oriented not self and you do not need to be a star rider, super fast or live in the area to be a good team member. I'll start a different thread for that over the next few weeks and will get into more detail then.

- Group size - I hope to have enough quality Lead/sweep teams to keep group sizes small as smaller groups sizes make everything easier and safer. Preferably 6-8 riders per.

Basic Ride Groups:

Scenic: Beginner/newer riders & riders who never go over the posted limits, have little to no twisty experience and are in no hurry to get anywhere. Group stops often for pics/rest/talk.

Relaxed:(Int/slow) Experienced riders, but little twisty experience. Confident in skills except newer to Heavy Mtn Twisties. PACE is Speed limit +/- 5-10 mph. Fun, Safe & consistent PACE. Shorter Loops(150/200 mile) because heavy twisty routes cause fatigue to set in MUCH Faster than normal. Time for extra miles if desired.

Intermediate:(Int/fast) Experienced TWISTY/Mtn riders and or track day experience, confident with non-stop twisties and the endurance to handle them on longer routes(usually 300+ miles) Ride PACE avg. of 10-20 mph over.

Note on group selection:

This area is unmatched in twisties both in volume, duration and technical level compared to 90% of the rest of the country and if you don't ride in similar terrine in that other 10% of the country YOU WILL NOT BE READY FOR WHAT YOU'LL ENCOUNTER HERE !

These twisties there are endless providing little chance to rest and fatigue sets in very quickly. Fatigue multiplies the chance of crashing by 10 fold especially in this area where the turn you just screwed up is only half as hard as the one your now entering from the wrong side of the road. Even the slightest mistake is compounded by the extremely technical nature of these roads that provide little to No room for error!

Please do not take group selection lightly, your life may depend on it! I can not express that fact enough!

We place a lot of importance and responsibility in the roll of our Lead/Sweep Teams and our desire for them to focus on GROUP safety as it's a very important aspect of this events success. But No matter how dedicated out Teams are, we can not control the choices each attendee makes and the effect these have on the entire Event. :fing02:

Each rider coming to this event also plays a hug roll in it's success buy choosing a proper and safe ride group for them. If you are an Intermediate rider in most of the country you will be a Relaxed level rider in this part of the country, please don't let ego pick your ride group! This is the single biggest and most important decision you will make when attending the T-Mac, it will play the biggest role in the fun and safety of everyone involved.

Please do your part and focus on the Fun factor along with Not loosing sight of the fact that this is a Memorial Ride for the first VFRD member to loose his life!

Thanks

[theoxmole]

What's with all this safety talk? :comp13:

It's absolutely, 100%, definitely the truth! :fing02:

I'm leading a relaxed group with House as my sweep and I take everything Bailey posted seriously. I've had people crash in years past and it's a real bummer for the rest of the ride. . . and everybody was fine. If it had been worse, I can't imagine having that happen. I'll lead, watching my mirrors a lot and we'll stop a few times. This is where House and I will talk about the pace and everyone between the two of us. Then I'll ask the group if they're comfortable with what we've been doing. I typically will run at the speed limit or just above (+5-10). We rarely pass cars unless it's safe for the majority of the group to go at once. When we stop, this is where everyone owes it to everyone else to SPEAK UP if they're not comfortable. I can't change something if I'm not aware of it. Your riding might appear fine to the lead and sweep, but if you feel like you're pushing it too hard to keep up, you have to tell us. We're pretty good at figuring this out but we can't know what everybody is thinking. There's absolutely no shame in admitting this as this is the biggest non-ego riding group I've ever met and we will gladly adjust. I don't want ANYBODY to get hurt as I always feel responsible for those I'm leading.

Now, with that explained, we had a tremendous time last year. Everyone did very well (even in the torential downpour) and we had a lot of laughs each night. This year will be more of the same. This is my yearly sanity check, guy's weekend, time off work, getaway. I can't wait to see everyone again! Rivcyko and I will be rolling in late Thursday.

Dale

Now here's to a great time! :blink:

[Baileyrock]

What's with all this safety talk? :comp13:

It's absolutely, 100%, definitely the truth! :blink:

I'm leading a relaxed group with House as my sweep and I take everything Bailey posted seriously. I've had people crash in years past and it's a real bummer for the rest of the ride. . . and everybody was fine. If it had been worse, I can't imagine having that happen. I'll lead, watching my mirrors a lot and we'll stop a few times. This is where House and I will talk about the pace and everyone between the two of us. Then I'll ask the group if they're comfortable with what we've been doing. I typically will run at the speed limit or just above (+5-10). We rarely pass cars unless it's safe for the majority of the group to go at once. When we stop, this is where everyone owes it to everyone else to SPEAK UP if they're not comfortable. I can't change something if I'm not aware of it. Your riding might appear fine to the lead and sweep, but if you feel like you're pushing it too hard to keep up, you have to tell us. We're pretty good at figuring this out but we can't know what everybody is thinking. There's absolutely no shame in admitting this as this is the biggest non-ego riding group I've ever met and we will gladly adjust. I don't want ANYBODY to get hurt as I always feel responsible for those I'm leading.

Now, with that explained, we had a tremendous time last year. Everyone did very well (even in the torential downpour) and we had a lot of laughs each night. This year will be more of the same. This is my yearly sanity check, guy's weekend, time off work, getaway. I can't wait to see everyone again! Rivcyko and I will be rolling in late Thursday.

Dale

Now here's to a great time! :cool:

Thanks Dale, this is exactly the kind of synergy & communication I'm looking for in all of our Lead/Sweep teams! :happy:

The Sweeps can see things the Lead can not and if you don't talk you don't know.

As mentioned the other riders in each group Need to speak-up and communicate their concerns, we do Not look down on anyone saying "I think I need to slow down a little".

The TexasMac is is completely Group oriented and should be run with that in mind. It is about everyone having a Good & SAFE time, the Only individual focus here is for TexasMac (aka Bruce Williams)himself who is the member we lost and why this event exists in the first place.

WE do NOT cross the Yellow lines ever unless it to Pass someone, if you are or see someone cutting corners to keep Pace then you are riding Over You Head and need to slow down!!! The Lead needs to know this because if One member of his group is riding over their heads to keep up then the entire group needs to Slow down to keep it safe for everyone.

This is why I harp some much about sign-up for a slower group that you Think you should ride in until you see the Pace of the groups. If you let your Ego let you sign up for a group that you can Not Safely keep up with then you are messing it up for that entire group let alone risking a crash trying to keep up. :ohmy:

Please relax and try to keep the competitive nature out of the group rides as we don't want to add another name to the Memorial rides name! :fing02:

Look forward to seeing everyone in a few days, don't forget to bring rain gear as we will finish all routes started unless extremely severe weather is encountered.

BR

[Monk]

I say this because I haven't seen it..... The best/fastest riders should at the rear because they will be moving faster(catch-up)than the ones up front(even if the lead is doing their job.....

I also have noticed that there is a lot of people that like to pass as a group(which could be another tread in it self)..... My point is, there is a safe way to pass as a single bike..... 1st bike goes around, then gets some space in front of the cage and paces the car till the next bike comes around then the two bikes pace for the next..... That way no one should feel like they need to catch up, or to make a unsafe pass..... I've seen and heard to many times where a group pass is an accident waitting to happen.... IE; 3/5 bikes go around a cage, say lead or 2nd bike gets a flat..... pile-up........ This is something that each group should talk about as a group.... On a lot(most)of these roads it's going to be hard to find enough distance for a safe group pass.... just something to think about.....

[Aurelius]

Good advise all. I live in Florida now, but being from KY I have run my share of twisty roads, but nothing like you'll see in them-there-mountains. You can get in over your head in a hurry.

"Fatigue multiplies the chance of crashing by 10 fold especially in this area where the turn you just screwed up is only half as hard as the one your now entering from the wrong side of the road. Even the slightest mistake is compounded by the extremely technical nature of these roads that provide little to No room for error!"