Retardation. 7/1/2007
I had to make a short run out of town this morning, to look at a place that falls under my area of responsibility, some what. I decided to drive, since I had a couple of passengers with me, and the promise of a look at an orchard. When I first heard of the location of this place, I didn’t think much of it, until this very morning, when I realised that it was located right smack on one of my favourite local riding roads, ever.
The weekend haunt of the canyon strafers.
I must have passed it about a thousand times, on a thousand given Sundays, and never realised what it was, what it is, and how it was going to feature in my life. Strange how karma works out doesn’t it? I was driving the diesel, early in the morning. Naturally, when I was at the petrol station fuelling up, 2 riding buddies, one on an Africa Twin modified to be a supermotard, and the other on a Multistrada, turned up at the pump next to mine. One surprised hello later, they looked at the diesel, and asked where I was going, and if I had given up riding for off roading. I said I was going the same place they were, except at a much slower pace. They laughed and bid me farewell, and rode off.
I felt a little pang of envy as they did so, watching them ride off, and immediately hit warp speed on their bikes. More than a small part of me wished I was riding with them. But, I had things to do, places to be, etc.
And then I approached the canyon road. I headed up the approach, up the first hill, and charged into the first left hand corner. Using the line I always take. And then it dawned on me, as the diesel started crossing the center line, and drifting very, very wide, exactly what I was driving. I was in the wrong vehicle for this. Very wrong indeed.
Old habits, honed over years and years of weekends riding the same road, die hard. I had only ever done this road twice before, years and years ago, in a 4 wheeled vehicle, once in a 4 door sedan, the other instance driving a Porsche 928. And now in the diesel. It felt weird, like wearing your underwear the wrong way around.
I tried charging through the first set of corners. I scared more than a few cars, who didn’t expect to see this 2 and a half ton vehicle blasting through the bends. A BMW tried following me, but he backed off after seeing the way I threw the diesel into a blind 4 part set of esses. There is definitely something to be said about knowing a road, and knowing it well.
And then I backed off, and slowed down. I couldn’t do this. Not after I once did this road on a 916 in about XX* minutes, start to hilltop. Anything else would be a pale shadow of all the times I stormed up this road, riding various motorcycles, with varying degrees of high speed and insanity.
Never felt so retarded in all my life.
* Figure omitted to prevent someone shaking their head and wondering what the hell they are doing with me.
- Posted in : General
- Author : thesnark
Comments»
BMW 540i.
LOL
“Not after I once did this road on a 916 in about XX* minutes, start to hilltop.”
Nah, you’re a slow rider.
Man, you’re lucky. I have a list of cars I’ve driven, and the fastest is only a E36 Beemer.
Paul : I’m thinking about it, but not very seriously. Maybe.
Grant : I am a slow rider. You’ve seen me ride.
Dr Tan : I’ve never actually thought about putting up a list of vehicles I’ve driven. And luck has nothing to do with it.
look at me you dont know leh….last time i used to drive fast also, you know. *proud smug look* cause it gives you such power when you’re in complete control of a mere vehicle and you’re giving other slow drivers the finger, winding down the window, throwing a huge bottle of evian onto their windscreen!
but after having kids, I lost my balls. I think i’ll keep it that way.
why you got so many cars wan?
Marsha : I am a slow driver.
winding down the window, throwing a huge bottle of evian onto their windscreen!
Marsha, you’re a fucking tool. I’m sure some other law abiding car driver with their children in the car thought you were a fucking barrel of laughs. I hope karma comes and bites you in the ass
You forgot the [/rant] code, …idiot.
Nice post, snark - haven’t we all seen teh perfect road from an imperfect vehicle at least once? I just got my big bike license here, and I have a list of roads. Some I have travelled, some I have not.
A list, I tell ya.