2011 Color in the Catskills

I'm a sometime poster on ADVRider.com under the nickname of Rotten Ronnie, and my friend Willie suggested that we ride down last year to attend the ADV rally held at Hunter Mountain Inn and sponsored in part by Max BMW.

So this year Darryl finally got his BMW sorted and we recruited a few more to fill out our numbers, including my friend Dee and my brother Shaun, who is in his first season on a motorcycle.

2011 Color in the Catskills

Richmond Hill ON to Hunter NY

83,588 kilometres

 It started off with my brother's KLR losing headlight and signals, then failing to start after Shaun rode it down to my house from Barrie, so a quick trip to Wally Mart was in order to buy a replacement. It was exactly what was needed, as three days later the bike was running strong on the new battery and the old one that I'd left on a trickle charger was still not taking a charge. It's a KLR, that battery had been in the bike since Dan bought in (two years ago?), but otherwise those bikes are very reliable.

Crossing over the St. Lawrence Seaway over into the United States. 

While impressed with the view, Shaun was a bit nervous about the wind, but as the weekend progressed and he crossed a few more, he learned some techniques to deal with it:

• keep your body loose, a bend in the elbows and relax your hands on the grips, knees in to the tank, and balls of the feet on the pedals
• keep to the posted limit, going too slow makes the bike less stable and more susceptible to the wind, while going too fast leaves you less reaction time and less run off to correct for a gust of wind.
• look where you want to go, not where the wind is pushing the bike
• each bike has it's own "sail area" and will react to the wind differently. The KLR he's riding has a high centre of gravity, and the wind seems to push the tires out from under the bike. I like to react to the wind and simply use my body lean angle and counter steering to correct my course.
• in steady wind you can shift your bum onto the edge of the seat on the side AWAY from the wind, this will steer the bike into the wind, and counteract it's sideways push. Adjust your seating position as necessary, and be alert for breaks in the treeline, rock formations and others that would cause the wind to suddenly drop off so you have plenty of warning.

Shaun later found that he was far too tense and that was causing him to steer the bike with his body and introduce a secondary wobble. Once he had that sorted out, he was much more confident and able while riding.

Dee enjoying the ride

The Fast group

Here is the best picture I have of the fast group. We, on the other hand were Team Kawasaki, a Nomad, and two KLR's. :)

This is what happens when you forget a warm pair of pants. 

Willie took these great pictures.

I think Shaun is going to try to jump this!

 A novel kick stand

She tours on this 250.

Water and debris snapped these I-beams

Kiersted Museum - a famous relative.

The Hudson River

This is the best shot I got of this waterfall this year...

More from last year:
http://rottenxxxronnie.blogspot.com/2010/10/2010-10-02-color-in-catskills.html

We now take you back to your regularly scheduled program... :)

Can you see the car in front of Dee? Shaun has the right idea here with his vest.

Griffiths "TVR" Handbuilt luxury sports cars