From: Juliana L Holm
Subject: Newbie at RCR and bike weekend (LONG)
Date: 1995/06/26
newsgroups: rec.motorcycles


We took
k off at 5:30 on Friday, with A couple of other RCR riders (Jeff T and
John D.) We got some gas and took off.  Not 15 miles from my house I was
stopped with a dead bike.  This was the beginning of electrical problems
which were going to plague me enough during the weekend to be annoying.
I stalled the bike at a busy intersection and it would not start.
Headlight was dim; clearly an electrical problem.  Pushed the bike over
to the side of the road, and waited for Mark to go get jumper cables.
At that point we were wondering about whether we would be stuck taking
the CAR to the RCR!

Now, there are less than brilliant design decisions on every bike.  On
my virago, it's having the gas tank UNDER the seat so that if you are
packed up, you have to unpack EVERYTHING on the seat, and your
saddlebags to gas up.  (More on that later.)  On mark's Suzuki, its the
location of the battery, way down under everything.  A real bitch to get
to.  And when the rumblers were put on, the original owner had a chrome
plate put on that fastens over the battery to cover it.  This works
great chrome-wise, but really makes this whole battery thing even
tougher.

When Mark returned a half an hour later with the cables, he crouched
down and started removing stuff to get at the battery.  Before he got a
second nut off, a guy in a truck stopped and asked if he could help.  So
we jumped my bike off the truck, and we were again on our way.  Mark
told me for God's sake not to stall, and we took off to Rte 7.

We decided to use the standard Rte 7 to 15 way, even though it was less
interesting.  At that point it was past 6:30, and we knew this route.
So we headed out to Leesburg.  We ran into little trouble on the way.  I
managed not to stall, and kept my speed up to that of the surrounding
traffic almost all the way.  We also discovered that my rain suit and
boots work like a charm.  I was perfectly dry the whole trip up.  We
rolled into the Mountain Gate restaurant about 8:30, with all our gear
in black plastic lawn bags strapped to our bikes and joined the rest of
the DoD.

On the way into the restaurant I passed a Harley with a sidecar.  Amy
Spiker must be here.  I told my hubby.  Of course I was right.  I
entered the restaurant and innocently asked the waitress "Have you seen
any bikers today?"  She laughed, replied "Tons of them" and led us back
to where we could sit and eat and start meeting folks.  I  initiated a
wave, right there in the restaurant, but I think nobody got it.  Oh
well.  Right away we met Bob 4knee and his wife (who were delightful) as
well as Mark Hodgson (who introduced himself right away with "Are you
the Julie who just got her license?")  and a couple of others.  I am a
person who has a real problem remembering names!  It was a strange
ironic twist of fate that now I knew names but not faces!  And so many
faces!  I'm sure that I met people I don't remember, but at least a few
of you left a real impression on me in the few hours I knew you.

The ride back to West Mar from the restaurant was a ton of fun for me.
(NOT)  Nothing like twisties in the dark in the rain.  Mr 4knee lead
off, but was figuring riders behind him by count.  When a couple of
sport bikers caught up and passed his wife and I, he took off and left
us in the dust.  Naturally, I managed to stall on a hill. . . . And
stall. . . . And stall. . . . . and stall.  I really appreciated the
denizens who patiently waited for this newbie to get going again.  I
also managed to take a wrong left down an anonymous gravel road.  Again
denizens waited.  And the only comment I got afterward was about how
brave I must be to have tackled that road in the dark in the rain, with
the curves so soon after learning to ride!  Bob pointed out that he
realized abruptly how little you could see on the road.  I had already
managed to notice that.

Needless to say, but the time we got to West Mar I was ready to give
riding a rest for a while.  I do have situations where I ride for a
while and get to the point where I am mentally exhausted enough that I
really need to get off the bike for a while.  Do other riders find that
true?  It is always in situations with a lot of hazards, and depending
on how long I've been riding I may need to stop for a half hour or a
night before going on.  Once at West Mar I knew nothing short of
daylight was going to get me back on that bike.  So we picked bunks,
stripped  out of our gear (rain suit, rubber boot covers, chaps, leather
jacket, helmets, gloves) and headed up to the pavilion, to meet folks.

Ian had brought a battery charger so we thought about charging the
viragos battery up (given the many starts I had the night before) but
when we did so we discovered the problem.  There is a moderate amount of
corrosion on my battery terminals, and one of the connections is not on
there just right.  Needless to say, I get to do my first work on this
bike setting the battery and such to rights!  We decided to wait until
the morning and jump it then if necessary.

We had a lovely time visiting with folks, but around 12:30 decided we
better hit the hay.  Mark was really tired, and we were planning to be
up early, and out of camp by 8:00 or so, so we went to bed.

Mark (who wakes unfailing at 5:30 in the morning every morning) woke me
at 7:00.  We dressed, packed and went up to have some of Ian's coffee.
It was wonderful!  I met and had a long conversation with Cate Leonard,
whom I have enjoyed reading and some brief correspondence.  She is
delightful.  As is Amy, who joined us a little later.  I started talking
again about a potential motorcycle vacation for next year, (Seems like I
am planning a lot of these!)  I also learned exactly where Deal's Gap
is.  All too soon I was saying goodbye and heading on  out toward the
bikes.  I hope next year that we can stay for the ENTIRE weekend.

Surprisingly the Virago started up great, and as we gunned the engine a
little bit, seemed to be in prime working order.  Before you know it we
were off, and got gas in Thurmont before starting up.  While we were
getting gas, it occurred to Mark that he could fit my knapsack on his
bike, and if he did that we would not have to un-bungee and re-bungee
that stupid knapsack on my bike every time I got gas.  When we were
ready to go, I started the bike up. . .NOT!  Sure enough it would not
start.  We jumped it again, from one of the cars at the station, and
started again on our way.  (to be continued.)
Julie Holm (ENTP)| We're all mad here.  I'm mad and you're mad.
jholm@dc.shl.com | If you weren't mad, you wouldn't be here!
jholm@gmu.edu    |			-Lewis Carroll (approximately)
SHL Systemhouse  |
                 | DoD #1604  AMA #397939    1987 Virago 535 "Kate"
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