Marcarl Posted May 31, 2015 #1 Posted May 31, 2015 Just made it home, how did everyone else fare. Left Don & Nancy @ a motel. Left Dogman @ Walmart Sent the Rooster on his way by himself Tooch was going on his way and should be home shortly Wizard left me me so I could rise by myself for a bit. Had a bit of wet, good company and a good ride Thanks all for coming and thanks Don for being the sponsor yet again.
saddlebum Posted May 31, 2015 #2 Posted May 31, 2015 Wow you guys must have left early. And what are you doing leaving Don and Nancy at a motel - they are not married yet. ...............
rickardracing Posted May 31, 2015 #3 Posted May 31, 2015 Carl, glad you mad it home safe. It concerns me everyone riding in that weather. All of the Michigan group made it home, but man oh man were we wet.
Gary N. Posted May 31, 2015 #4 Posted May 31, 2015 It was a hot and toasty ride most of the way home. We took the long way home right along the lake as much as possible and stopped to take our rain gear off before we got to Toledo. When we got to Detroit I stopped to gas up and the sky was turning black. The closer to the bridge the blacker it got so I decided to seek shelter under a gas station canopy on Fort street about a mile from the bridge. It poured buckets while we were putting our rain gear back on but we stayed dry in the gas station. When it let up a bit we took off thinking we'll probably have a long wait in border traffic but when we got to CDN Customs there was no one in line and we drove right to the booth. Home about 6:30.
ReinyRooster Posted May 31, 2015 #5 Posted May 31, 2015 Pulled into the garage at about 12:45 last night......wet but home safely.
Wizard765 Posted May 31, 2015 #6 Posted May 31, 2015 I got in almost exactly midnight.. Great weekend and GREAT people.. Met some new friends and had an AWESOME time.. Rained about half the way home and after dark that was NOT FUN but the rest of the trip was a blast.. Really enjoyed the cooler air and fresh scents once the rain started.. ALL IS GOOD
slowrollwv Posted May 31, 2015 #7 Posted May 31, 2015 I left the motel at 7:30 AM this morning in the rain. Just got home a few minutes ago. I had a Very good time while there. Thanks Don for a job well done.
The Tooch Posted May 31, 2015 #8 Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) I got to experience something I've never done before......sliding down the highway at 70-80 km/h and watching my bike sliding down the highway beside me, throwing sparks off of the left rear bag rails.......I was thinking, man all this rain and water on the road and it's still throwing up all those sparks! I'd been in the right lane on the 407 Hwy. just coming up to Hurontario Road, the rain had turned into a monsoon again and the wind had really picked. I had basically no visibility but there was no traffic and I could make out the white lines that I needed to keep it between. I should have slowed down more then I had but I was still an hour out and wanted to get home. I didn't see that the run off was coming across the roadway and was pooling along the right side of the road. I started to hydroplane and the front end lost all traction and started to go into a wobble. I rolled off the throttle but the backend started to slide towards the right. I started to correct and felt her starting to come around but I hit another standing pool of water that totally wash out the front end on me. The road is 5 lanes wide here and the surface is concrete the water was running in sheets down the camber of the road and I might as well have been on ice. As the back end completely wash on me and came around, I knew I was going down. As the bike started to slide onto her left side I just pushed away from her and let her go her way and I went mine. I didn't want to stay with the bike in case she went high side on me. Well I slide down the highway watching and thinking about the sparks when it dawned on me, man, I think this is going to hurt! And just as I thought that, I came to a stop in the middle of the highway and looked over at the bike which was stopped on its left side over, by the centre concrete barrier. There were no lights, no traffic coming towards me so I did a quick check of myself and nothing hurt so I got up and walked over to the bike on the left shoulder of the road. I picked up my windshield with the windows bags still attached as I walked towards the bike but that was the only thing that appeared to have broken off. I could see a lot of damaged and bent parts on the left side. Wow what I mess if the bikes that bad there has to be some injuries to me. I really checked myself over feeling around and moving everything. My rain suit was shredded and my armoured jacket was full of abrasions and worn right through on my right elbow to the armoured pad. My armoured pants looked the same. I had pair of Kevlar jeans underneath but later I found they didn't have a mark. I didn't have a mark on my body and nothing at all hurt and I felt fine. I didn't think my head had banged off of anything but I took my helmet off and looked it over, not a mark. I went over and wrestled with the bike and got it up right but the kickstand would not come down and was jammed up somehow. I pushed her over to the concrete barrier and leaned it against that. It was still pouring rain and the best I could see the left side was a mess. I threw on the 4-way flashers and dug out my cell phone. Of course my cell phone is dead! As I said not much traffic and what there was, I couldn't get anybody to stop and help me out. Finally someone stopped and of course later I find out he rides and that's why he stopped when he saw me trying to flag him down. Bruno was his name and he called the police for me. The police came and did a report and he called a friend of mine for me, who came with a flat-bed tilt-load and took the bike to his shop, in Vaughan and gave me a lift there. I called Cathy well after 1:30 and woke her up to come get me. She had no idea I had left MD to come home early and was mad, that I hadn't called her to tell her I was on the road on the way home. She drove the hour down from Barrie to get me and I guess she had settled down some, cause she finally ask if I was all right. I was soaked right through by this time, helping to unload & load the bike. (My rain suit was shredded & somehow wasn't doing much to keep me dry!) When we got home I had a hot shower and looked me over again, not even a bruise. Got to bed at 5:15 a.m. And thought, I bet I'd feel it in the morning......... Well I'm not feeling anything out of the ordinary. As I type this, the only thing that is injured, is my pride. I'm OK and grateful that it turned out that way. The bike can be fixed and if not, I guess replaced. Edited May 31, 2015 by The Tooch
Marcarl Posted May 31, 2015 Author #9 Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) Wow,, what a story, the rain put you down, but I bet the water greased things up for your slide. Glad it didn't happen earlier in the evening with more traffic,, could have been a bit different. Glad your OK,, I think Somebody is looking out for you. Edited June 1, 2015 by Marcarl
ReinyRooster Posted May 31, 2015 #10 Posted May 31, 2015 WOW!!!:starz: Glad to hear you're not hurt! Not the kind of experience any of us want to have. Now the rebuilding starts.
Guest divey Posted May 31, 2015 #11 Posted May 31, 2015 Glad to hear it wasn't worse Tooch and you're pretty much unscathed. Doug
RockinRobin Posted May 31, 2015 #12 Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) Dave, So glad to hear that your alright. As others said it could have been worse. Be safe. Edited May 31, 2015 by RockinRobin spelling
steamer Posted May 31, 2015 #14 Posted May 31, 2015 I don't know what to say....that scared the crap out of me just reading about it. Thank god your ok. Take care and god bless.
slowrollwv Posted June 1, 2015 #15 Posted June 1, 2015 Sorry to hear you went down but glad you are OK. Let me know what you will need to fix the bike. If I have any parts you need I will get them to you. I have a couple windshields and the fairing if needed.
ricksbike Posted June 1, 2015 #16 Posted June 1, 2015 So sorry to hear about you going down,thank the Lord you weren't hurt,hope you get your bike repaired,God Bless.
ragtop69gs Posted June 1, 2015 #17 Posted June 1, 2015 I'm relieved to hear you are ok. That being said, I hope you didn't hurt that new trailer hitch ! Sorry you had to experience that. Happy you are ok.
rickardracing Posted June 1, 2015 #18 Posted June 1, 2015 Darn it I hate to here this. Glad you are ok Tooch. The bike and or parts........can be replaced. I was afraid I was going to here about somebody getting hurt in this weather. Just had a feeling. I know I felt my bike slide on the entrance ramp from I-275 to I-94. Take care....fix that bike and I will see you next year at Maintainence Day.
Gary N. Posted June 1, 2015 #19 Posted June 1, 2015 WOW! I'm sure glad you are OK. There's a good lesson in this for all of us.
saddlebum Posted June 1, 2015 #20 Posted June 1, 2015 (edited) . Wow Dave I am super glad you are OK. Obviously it could have had a much worse ending and I am glad it did not. I hope you get checked out. Although you may feel ok you never know about delayed reactions to injury, specially when it comes to head, neck, rib and spinal issues. Not trying to scare you, just want you to be sure your OK. And yes I guess there is a lesson to be learned here because I know a lot of us, unlike the Harley riders we often see sitting under bridges, will continue to ride through almost anything and maybe we should think twice about the conditions we are willing to ride in. Edited June 1, 2015 by saddlebum
dogman Posted June 1, 2015 #21 Posted June 1, 2015 Dave I replied in another post but have to do another one. A scary storey to read, I can't imagine going thru it. You obviously did a great job to know quick enough to stay away from the bike when it was going down. It is great to hear that you did not get hurt in what could have been a very serious accident. As you know from work. Your bike can be fixed or replaced. It's us that are sometimes hard to fix. Take it easy the next few days you still may get some weird aches and pains.
XV1100SE Posted June 1, 2015 #22 Posted June 1, 2015 Wow you guys must have left early. And what are you doing leaving Don and Nancy at a motel - they are not married yet. ............... It's okay....there were two beds in the room.
XV1100SE Posted June 1, 2015 #23 Posted June 1, 2015 Dave...glad you are okay. As mentioned in the other post, if there is anything I can do to help you, let me know.
XV1100SE Posted June 1, 2015 #24 Posted June 1, 2015 As for our trip home.... Nancy and I left MD with Tooch, MarCarl, Wizard765, Reinyrooster, and Dogman around 3:30 on Saturday and for the most part stayed in between rain. Stopped for dinner in Erie (I think) and when we came out it was raining pretty hard. Geting back onto the highway I had a "moment" where the back end started to twitch and the front end felt "light". Managed to keep going but after that puckering moment lost some confidence riding. Thankfully the group slowed to a speed I was comfortable with. This was the first trip I had pulled the Time Out trailer. I've pulled a Tag-Along for about 12,000km (roughly 8,000 miles) with no issues and no concerns. I checked my tongue weight before we left MD and was about 35lbs. Tires - front 37, rear 40. Front shocks 5psi, rear a little over 30psi. Coming down from Ontario it seemed to be fine, but for the ride back the front end felt light and "wiggly" at slow speed. Wasn't noticing any bounce on the rear hitting bumps. By the time we got to Angola NY it was getting dark, had seen deer on the shoulder of the highway, few dead ones too. Temperature was going down and was a drizzle by this time. At this point I asked for advice from the group. First recommendation was that my rear shock needed more air based on the trailer weight of 325lbs + baggage. Was suggested that I take the front down to what I normally ride at which is 3psi. Thanks to Dogman, we brought the rear shock up to 48psi. I'm usually tail gunner but this time because of my concern with the ride I left with the group but went to a middle position. Bike felt great as we got back on the road. Much better handling and front felt good. Because I had riders behind me, I now found out that the running lights on the trailer weren't working. Brakes and turn signals were fine but no running lights. I put my 4-ways on and we pulled off at the next rest area. Jiggling the connector didn't fix the running lights and with the temps dropping and it still raining, and now with no running lights, Nancy and I decided to drop out of the group and get a room for the night in Hamburg NY. When we woke up this morning, temperature was 45 F and drizzling. But it was daylight, which made me feel more comfortable. Bike felt good and low and behold, the running lights on the trailer were working again. Must have needed a rest. I'll go thru the wiring when the weather gets better and before the next trip. We took our time going thru Buffalo and crossed at Fort Erie. When we got to the border, there were no line ups so we sailed thru. We took our time, stopped for breakfast and coffee a couple times to warm up and made it home around 2-2:30. MarCarl called us to make sure we made it home safe before I had a chance to let the group know we made it okay. Thank you for your concern Carl !
stickhandle2 Posted June 1, 2015 #25 Posted June 1, 2015 Glad your ok Dave, if you need an extra set of hands or anything just call. Mike
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