Dirt Anniversary

Mr. J and I set off on our 28th wedding anniversary for an adventure in the dirt. Sounds romantic, doesn't it? If you imagine cresting the summit of mountain tops, a landscape blooming with the last flowers of the season, miles of open desert, soaring vistas, unguarded cliffs and no one but the two of us for miles...well, it is romantic. 

If you imagine peeing in the desert (while rationing your kleenex and carrying it out), sharing from a melting bottle of ice, picking the bugs off your face shield, trying to sneak a peak at the open cliff while not riding off the edge and fighting shoulder cramps induced by freezing temps in the 60's....well, might not be everyone's idea of romance.

For me, it was the best kind of romantic.

On our way to the top!

While I have been off road exactly three times (this trip being my third), Mr. J was confident I could climb Mt. Lemmon. We were going up the back side - a winding dirt road open only for a few months in the summer. At the top I was assured of lunch in a quaint cafe, cool mountain air and a fancy dinner in Tucson that night. I'm in!

The trip up the mountain was fantastic! I'm usually pretty nervous about venturing into unknown territory, unsure of my skills and at the complete mercy (or so it seems) of my guide...who I also happen to be sleeping with that night.

I don't know if it's because I'm on the perfect bike setup for me, a lot of mountain biking translates into some decent off road skills or I've just got a knack for riding up mountains, but the ride up was really no problem. It was challenging and took a lot of concentration, but I never felt like I was in over my head. 

View from the top!

Riding to the top of a mountain (or through any challenging terrain) is extremely gratifying. I feel like I conquered nerves, maybe a little fear, and, well...a mountain. You're constantly balancing checking out the view with keeping your eye on the next rock, trying to find the best line and just going for it.

It was chilly and rained a little near the top, which was fine while I was working uphill, but I nearly froze at the top! Guess I'm becoming a true Arizonan. There's a ski resort and a little tourist town at the top, which provided hot coffee and a snack.

We spent the following day on an easy ride near Sonoita and through Box Canyon Road (Hwy 62). Beautiful terrain that is only accessible by off road vehicle or bike. That's why I've taken up this type of riding - to have access to places that are hard to get to. It's definitely worth the challenge. We saw waterfalls, gorges and washes...all dry at this time of year, of course, but you had to wonder if the building storm clouds would soon fill them up and the water sweep away anything in its path.

Back home on Sunday around the back of Mt. Lemon was another treat. Not as difficult as getting up the mountain itself, but plenty of steep inclines and descents that had me riding the rear break, scooting back on the seat and hoping I chose the right line!

Me and Mr. J, middle of nowhere.

As is often the case, that last day of riding can be tough. I started getting pretty tired about half way home, and considered skipping the last bit of our planned adventure in the dirt for an easier stretch of concrete slab. The promise of a coke in Florence and the knowledge that we accomplished our plan for three days kept me going. (It's amazing, for someone who doesn't like or drink coke, how delicious it tastes while on a motorcycle trip).

I've always wanted to see the Florence Kelvin Highway, and it was worth the extra effort. It's a beautiful stretch of dirt road, rolling hills and open desert, and not a soul around.

That's one thing about the entire trip that I found surprising. We just didn't see a lot of people. No vehicles means we weren't eating a lot of dust, and it added to the feeling of adventure to feel all alone out there.

I could make all sorts of analogies between an off road adventure and making it through 28 years of marriage, but I'll spare you. I get to feeling philosophical when I'm out in the middle of nowhere. I concluded that we make a pretty good team, Mr. J and I, no matter what kind of dirt we're tackling.

Is a Motorcycle Crash Inevitable?

We've all see the crash video by now. If you haven't read this excellent analysis on Revzilla Common Tread about whether or not a crash could have been avoided, I highly recommend it. 

A common topic of conversation among participants in the Basic Rider Courses I help coach is the inevitable motorcycle crash. "It's not if, but when you have a crash", their buddy/uncle/the Internet told them. 

I love it when I ask the class if it's inevitable that you're going to have a crash, and I get a resounding "no". I think that attitude displays a proactive approach to your own safety, which, along with good training, constant practice, and always, always being aware of your surroundings, will keep a rider in a position to avoid a crash, and most of the time never even have to employ the emergency maneuvers they've practiced diligently.

Do I think all crashes are always avoidable? I'm inclined to say yes, although I fear I'm risking bad karma. But then, I wouldn't be out there if I did think it was inevitable. I can promise you that I do my very best at all times to keep my skills and mental faculties sharp and alert, and I ride with the attitude that I don't have to "just lay it down". 

Wearing all the gear all the time is just a given, so if there is a moment when I do lose my wits, at least I'll have my head and body covered. Literally.

One quick thought about this incident and group riding. I laugh at what I heard a friend say once: "I love group rides. Tell me where you're having lunch, and I'll meet you there." So many things are different when riding in a group, and not just the opportunity to capture your friends' idiotic moves on GoPro.

It's easy to let your attitude change, and to let your mental guard down. Just recently I was riding home with Mr. J, me following (of course), cruising down the 51 thinking to myself "What a beautiful evening. This is just awesome. I feel so relaxed. Look at the sunlight on the mountains. How beautiful". 

What was I doing? Just cruising along, letting him do all the work, not a care in the world because I was following along like a sheep. This is not a proactive approach to your own safety, but an easy mental state to get lulled into when riding with others. And as part of the analysis in the Revzilla article says, the riders who were paying attention in the crash video are the ones who ended the day with the shiny side up.

V-day? Track Day!

Today was my first track day. Yep, Valentines day, me & Mr. J rode our bikes fast on a track. As far as exciting things to do on a day made for pink hearts and red roses goes, this beats all that stuff.

If you've not heard, a "track day" involves riding your motorcycle on a track as fast as you like (as long as you aren't reckless and a danger to others). There are bike, gear and behavior requirements, control riders to keep everyone in check, and you're put into a group of riders with a similar skill level.

For me, it was a chance to push the limits in corners - not something I'm willing to do on the road. On a track, if I mess up, I'll most likely slide, scratch up my pretty bike, and watch in agony as somebody carts it off to the pits. On the road from Jerome, if I mess up, well...I envision cliffs, medi-vac, EMT's...yikes, I don't wanna know!

Bye-bye chicken strips. Achievement of the day.

But I would like to know what it feels like to really lean in a corner? Well, today I found out, and it was so much fun! Ok, ok, I wasn't MotoGP leaning, but I got my chicken strips scrubbed off and that's leaning to me!

I could care less about top speed (I didn't see much over 100 MPH), and I usually eased up on the straight and used it as an opportunity to let someone who was itching to pass go on through. I'd rather have those guys where I can see them. The thing I was most scared of going into my first track day was other riders! But nobody acted like I was in their way, and I taped up my mirrors so I couldn't see anyway!

The worst injury I suffered was a bump
from bending to get my gear out of the car.

This may sound like some kind of speed-freak excuse, but I think riding fast on a track can make a person safer on the roads. For one, I got to push the handling limits of my bike. If I make a mistake on the road (go into a curve a little to quick or need to make an aggressive emergency swerve), I will at least know what it feels like and will be less likely to panic and bail out of the maneuver (also known as "just lay it down"). Also, if a person is a natural adrenaline junkie, riding track days gives those types a safe, controlled outlet. There's nothing wrong with wanting to ride fast on a motorcycle, but there is something wrong and irresponsible with doing it on the streets.

So you wanna ride your bike fast? Spend a couple hundred bucks, go to the track, and speed your heart out. (I'll catch you in the corners). Even better, join a group who can teach you how to be good at it!

Oh...and there's usually a pro photographer on site, so you walk away with proof of a couple of truths, depending on how you look at life: "Damn, I'm a bad ass!" or "I though my knee was closer to the ground!" You get to decide.