September 17th ride

Ah yes...Fall is in the air. For the first time I was glad I was wearing my heavy leather jacket for something other than protection from road rash! It will soon be time to start using the inner lining of the jacket and full-finger gloves. I rode alone today and didn't carry a camera, so no pictures - just another boring write-up! Today was all about enjoying the ride, carving the corners and practicing some emergency maneuvers. I headed out on Wesselman Ave and onto E. Miami River road via Buffalo Ridge road. I'm quite fond of riding in this area - nice twisty roads bordered by lush green foliage and I don't have to take the freeway to get there.

On straight stretches of E. Miami River road, after making sure there was no traffic in either direction, I practiced making panic stops from about 60mph. I did it about 4 times and although I didn't measure the stopping distances, I felt each attempt was better than the earlier one. Near Ross, OH, I pulled into the Proctor and Gamble parking lot and practiced swerving at around 30-40mph. Next Sunday I will be attending the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's course for experienced riders where I hope to further hone my skills.

From Ross, OH I continued on route 126 for several miles. The morning haze had lifted and the sun was now shining brightly. I tried to take it all in - the black tarmac whizzing by underneath, the green farms on either side, the blue sky, the cool breeze - "euphoric" would best describe how I was feeling.

I am planning several trips to Indiana in October to see the Fall colors, particularly to CliftyFalls state park near Madison, IN and Brown County state park near Nashville, IN. Do check back to read about those trips. And yes, there will be plenty of pictures!