Well, some riders have lost their minds...

[Theodor]

... who are the "unintentional" victims? ...

What if I will put another twist on it - who are intentional victims? Are there really people who think: "Hmm... COVID... I need to get me some of that sh...."

 

[Drakhen99]

What if I will put another twist on it - who are intentional victims? Are there really people who think: "Hmm... COVID... I need to get me some of that sh...."

Yeah, then that s**t is premeditated... and that's no good for anyone!

-John

 

[Arfa]

Sadly, I agree. I consider backroads anything with 2 lanes [1 each way] that has at least 1 bend per half mile

A back road ride with local groups here can cover anything from the above photos down to any old lane that has had some tarmac once upon a time. Gravel patches, pot holes, grass down middle, fords and water features and next blind bend no more than 30m away are all par for the course.
I don't have an off-road bike, so I tend to skip the cross country rides down green lanes and BOATs (Byways Open to All Traffic), I stick to the rides on a solid(-ish) surface.

 

[Drakhen99]

A back road ride with local groups here can cover anything from the above photos down to any old lane that has had some tarmac once upon a time. Gravel patches, pot holes, grass down middle, fords and water features and next blind bend no more than 30m away are all par for the course.
I don't have an off-road bike, so I tend to skip the cross country rides down green lanes and BOATs (Byways Open to All Traffic), I stick to the rides on a solid(-ish) surface.

My knees and feet give me fits, so I don't stray too far from the paved surfaces. The closest I've gotten were some 1.5-lane roads, one of which had huge potholes we tried to avoid, and the other was crowned like a baby's head - SEVERE! I had just 1,000 miles under my belt on my Vaquero when I tackled that one, unintentionally. A well-seasoned rider friend of mine took us down that road, and I really didn't want to try a 3-point turn on my new bagger, so we forged ahead... for the next 3 miles, in 1st or 2nd gear, 20mph or less, trying not to fall off the side of the road. Never again [if I can help it]

-John

 

[YBGuy]

Many of my Harley riding friends are squarely in the group which thinks the pandemic is not as serious nor dangerous as the "fake media" makes it out to be. This event doesn't really surprise me.

Sadly I have known at least one person that past away at my work place do to complications with COVID-19, and they were pretty young (about 30 years old) and no preexisting medical conditions. Sigh.

 

[R-Rated]

Sadly I have known at least one person that past away at my work place do to complications with COVID-19, and they were pretty young (about 30 years old) and no preexisting medical conditions. Sigh.

That is terrible. I am sorry to hear your work is going through that.

If I remember correctly you're in SoCal and I read the vaccine is running short there. This all could have been better handled on the front end with some forward thinking and planning.

 

[YBGuy]

Knowing some of the places where you are . . . will there be banjo playing local folk there to "welcome" riders?

Joking aside, I am not sure if in my area there are sport bike meetups or any other kind. I do know I get emails from a lot of types of dealers and only the Clarksville, Nashville, and Franklin Harley dealers are broadcasting big group rides or big dealership gatherings. Maybe this is all part of Harley's plan to get their demographic to shift younger - cull the graybeards.

I cannot say to each their own because the virus does not always affect the person spreading it as much as it does the folks who are unintentional victims.

So True. : (

 

[YBGuy]

Sadly, I agree. I consider backroads anything with 2 lanes [1 each way] that has at least 1 bend per half mile

I miss my Harley. She's lonely outside by herself. I should really find a way to bring her in the house. Maybe if I put a slip cover over her, the wife won't notice how comfortable I am while watching TV with her? I might even spend more time with her, rather than editing footage from December.

-John

We have some back roads in my area. There is one called Mines road in Livermore, CA. It is nuts. Twisties every 400 meters or so, or sooner.
-->MotoVlog #15 Organizing my First Group Ride - 2020 ZX6R/ 2004 and 2014 Honda CBR 1000RR
(My bike is the Black CBR1000RR, and I am wearing a Yellow Backpack.)

 

[YBGuy]

That is terrible. I am sorry to hear your work is going through that.

If I remember correctly you're in SoCal and I read the vaccine is running short there. This all could have been better handled on the front end with some forward thinking and planning.

I am from the San Francisco Bay Area (Northern California). Our company is slated to get the vaccine around August. From the sounds of it there is a lot of doses of the vaccine but the distribution of it is messed up. (I am not sure why)

 

[R-Rated]

I am from the San Francisco Bay Area (Northern California). Our company is slated to get the vaccine around August. From the sounds of it there is a lot of doses of the vaccine but the distribution of it is messed up. (I am not sure why)

Here in Tennessee we managed to F it up too. NPR did a piece where they found a person can register in all 95 counties for the vaccine and then get it vs. each county vaccinating their own parts of the population. This has resulted in some folks getting delays because either they were bumped or cannot travel to get the dose.

Sounds like it is set up here for the rich and connected to get theirs but to heck with the poor people.

 

[LoneWolfer]

A - Sorry I Missed this R-Rated!
2 - The reason I missed it is I got COVID-19 and the past week has been rough. I couldn't even walk up the steps at my house, split level ranch, without standing on the middle landing for a few minutes. And the brutal headache stretched out along 6 days and has lingered the past 3 days a dull ache whenever I try to look in a direction too far rather than turn my head.
C - Geezer Glide Street Stunt Team - Are the age requirements similar to AARP? Or is it like my local Greys Rugby team which I was allowed to join at 36?
4 - I understand wanting to get together with friends, ride bikes and travel, but jebus, we aren't there yet! Even with social distancing and being careful its still such a risk. Why not instead help organize immunization efforts, maybe with a goal of getting 80% of the riding community that calls that dealer home vaccinated and ready to enjoy a longer ride? I know that is probably a pipe dream but these business's have so much to gain by listening to science and helping get folks on board with helping their neighbors.
E - And this bullshit of too each their own needs to stop. This infection can effect people very differently. Some have no symptons, asymptomatic, but spread the disease just as though they were coughing or sneezing. Others feel like they are on the verge of death, much like I was ready to call an ambulance cause i was having so much trouble breathing. And some have wildly strange side effects like strokes or heart failure. Until you are infected, you do not know how it will effect you. And if you make statements like, well I'm healthy or young so my immune system will fight it off you are a fucking stupid moron. And its not just about you ya selfish twat, its also about the people you come into contact with and the ones they have in their household. Funny how weak willed so many people are. They can't tolerate having a mask on for the bare minimum or wash their fucking hands regularly because there isn't any glory in it and they aren't getting their participation trophies.

 

[R-Rated]

A - Sorry I Missed this R-Rated!
2 - The reason I missed it is I got COVID-19 and the past week has been rough. I couldn't even walk up the steps at my house, split level ranch, without standing on the middle landing for a few minutes. And the brutal headache stretched out along 6 days and has lingered the past 3 days a dull ache whenever I try to look in a direction too far rather than turn my head.
C - Geezer Glide Street Stunt Team - Are the age requirements similar to AARP? Or is it like my local Greys Rugby team which I was allowed to join at 36?
4 - I understand wanting to get together with friends, ride bikes and travel, but jebus, we aren't there yet! Even with social distancing and being careful its still such a risk. Why not instead help organize immunization efforts, maybe with a goal of getting 80% of the riding community that calls that dealer home vaccinated and ready to enjoy a longer ride? I know that is probably a pipe dream but these business's have so much to gain by listening to science and helping get folks on board with helping their neighbors.
E - And this bullshit of too each their own needs to stop. This infection can effect people very differently. Some have no symptons, asymptomatic, but spread the disease just as though they were coughing or sneezing. Others feel like they are on the verge of death, much like I was ready to call an ambulance cause i was having so much trouble breathing. And some have wildly strange side effects like strokes or heart failure. Until you are infected, you do not know how it will effect you. And if you make statements like, well I'm healthy or young so my immune system will fight it off you are a fucking stupid moron. And its not just about you ya selfish twat, its also about the people you come into contact with and the ones they have in their household. Funny how weak willed so many people are. They can't tolerate having a mask on for the bare minimum or wash their fucking hands regularly because there isn't any glory in it and they aren't getting their participation trophies.

Great points from firsthand experience. I know you stay more fit than the average Harley rider I have seen around my part of the country so for it to sideline you means this thing is no joke.

The masking up really is no different than what we go through with a full face helmet. At least it is that way for me. I get a bit claustrophobic and really have to focus on my breathing. So surely our fellow tough guy riders can sport a mask and look badass doing it.

The Geezer Glide Stunt Team requires all riders to have a 6-pack. Not on their abs but in their saddle bags.

I like your idea about dealerships getting behind the idea of being safe. Some did at first with things like bike Pick-Up and drop-off but now they are just doing whatever gets folks in the door.

One of the Middle Tn H-D dealers sent this out

 

[Drakhen99]

A - Sorry I Missed this R-Rated!
2 - The reason I missed it is I got COVID-19 and the past week has been rough. I couldn't even walk up the steps at my house, split level ranch, without standing on the middle landing for a few minutes. And the brutal headache stretched out along 6 days and has lingered the past 3 days a dull ache whenever I try to look in a direction too far rather than turn my head.
C - Geezer Glide Street Stunt Team - Are the age requirements similar to AARP? Or is it like my local Greys Rugby team which I was allowed to join at 36?
4 - I understand wanting to get together with friends, ride bikes and travel, but jebus, we aren't there yet! Even with social distancing and being careful its still such a risk. Why not instead help organize immunization efforts, maybe with a goal of getting 80% of the riding community that calls that dealer home vaccinated and ready to enjoy a longer ride? I know that is probably a pipe dream but these business's have so much to gain by listening to science and helping get folks on board with helping their neighbors.
E - And this bullshit of too each their own needs to stop. This infection can effect people very differently. Some have no symptons, asymptomatic, but spread the disease just as though they were coughing or sneezing. Others feel like they are on the verge of death, much like I was ready to call an ambulance cause i was having so much trouble breathing. And some have wildly strange side effects like strokes or heart failure. Until you are infected, you do not know how it will effect you. And if you make statements like, well I'm healthy or young so my immune system will fight it off you are a fucking stupid moron. And its not just about you ya selfish twat, its also about the people you come into contact with and the ones they have in their household. Funny how weak willed so many people are. They can't tolerate having a mask on for the bare minimum or wash their fucking hands regularly because there isn't any glory in it and they aren't getting their participation trophies.

Sorry you're going through this!!! I hope you heal quickly and have no lasting side-effects like I've heard of from people I know who've gotten COVID.

-John

 

[LoneWolfer]

Thanks Drakhen99. I'm hoping that I don't have any long term issue either as I already hae managed high blood pressure. Going to keep watch on any changes and keep my doctors up to date on any changes as well. Luckliy the past 2 days have been drastically better than the week before. And with today being the last day of my quarentine (I'm not planning on rushing out anywhere) I am hopeful that I will be able to return to work on Monday with two more good days of not hacking up a lung and to give my head a rest before attempting tasks at work.

And R-Rated if they offered a bowl of chili and a beer to everyone that had a vaccination card, that would be huge!

 

[Moto Mengy]

The reason I missed it is I got COVID-19 and the past week has been rough.

Sorry to hear you got it LoneWolfer, hope you recover very quickly.

 

[R-Rated]

Thanks Drakhen99. I'm hoping that I don't have any long term issue either as I already hae managed high blood pressure. Going to keep watch on any changes and keep my doctors up to date on any changes as well. Luckliy the past 2 days have been drastically better than the week before. And with today being the last day of my quarentine (I'm not planning on rushing out anywhere) I am hopeful that I will be able to return to work on Monday with two more good days of not hacking up a lung and to give my head a rest before attempting tasks at work.

And R-Rated if they offered a bowl of chili and a beer to everyone that had a vaccination card, that would be huge!

I like your idea for the vaccine cards.

 

[Meifesto]

All events and grouprides have been cancelled here.
Even some of the illegal ones got cancelled as it wasn't worth the risk.

I think the last big one was with Halloween, and even than basic precautious were advised. (and it was an random organized one)

 

[SighBored]

Gotta hit up Bubba ASAP! LOL

 

[Bbeck3174]

If you haven't rode a ride with Bubba and you like fast twisty back roads you should go.
I have known Bubba for several years, The Hooligan name comes from Boswells Race Team. Ol Bubba slings bikes around a flat track frequently when they race in Tullahoma (I think).
He also puts on a few overnight rides a year. They did one to Florida a few weeks ago.

He does a lot of group rides between Nashville and east Tennessee, Most of his rides are the same roads I lead group rides on. But he likes them fast so many cant or don't keep up and get lost.

everyone rides different, some like scenery and others like blurry scenery. I'm in the middle. I do like an upbeat pace.