Angeles Crest Highway - Boulders, Baggers & Bandits?

Lesson learned...please read description.

Video of us dodging boulders at Angeles Crest Highway a couple of weeks ago. One more vid of this ride after this....will be the last of the two up (pillion) riding vids for a while. Bitter sweet...love riding two up, but can't wait to get back on my R1. I'm sure Lady L feels the same way ;)

Regarding the rocks on the road: A few weeks ago in this same area I hit a rock which damagaed both my tires and wheels. I managed to get lucky and not have an off. Both the tires and wheels have to be replaced, no other damage sustained....besides the dirty shorts ;)
On this ride, after my incident a few weeks ago, should I have stopped to clear the rode in the event another rider happened to come by the large rock? Yes...I should have. I did not think of it at the time. I was focused on my ride and my safety. Selfish? Yes. But it is the primary responsibility of every rider to be focused on themselves first and foremost, IMO.
Two points:
1. If I come across road debris that is in a place that is unexpected and can cause harm to otthers, I should warn others and/or remove the debris if safe to do so. In this case, I would have spent half my day cleaning up the pine cones, rocks, rubble and dirt/sand for miles on this highway. Sorry, but I cannot.

2. This stretch of the road I choose to play in is well known for the potential debris that is found there from time to time. If you look at the vid you will see very little traffic in this area. Not too many riders go to this stretch of the road to play "Dodge the Rocks" like I do. Those that do are well aware of the risk. Riders who have never been on this part of the road should never assume the environment is safe to road race. IMO, no one should road race, even on a familiar road without a warm up lap or as I call it a sighting lap. Careful reconnnaissance is incredibly valuable to knowing when and how far to twist the throttle.

Every rider that road races is responsible for him or herself. Knowing what you risk and where your risk lies is paramount. If a rider doesn't know this, he or she should not be riding agressively. I knew this when I nearly ate asphalt a few weeks ago. Yet I went back to the same spot with my Lady L riding pillion to go play amongst the rocks. I do this beacuase I love to road race and I seek improvement one curve at a time.

Also, if you see the videos posted before this one of our return trip (posted out of order), you will see that the major debris was removed by the Park/Forestry Rangers. They pick up the big stuff, but do not worry so much about the little stuff.

Lastly.......I should have removed that big one. I feel like crap about that. I have learned another riding lesson.




Thanks to all that thru thier comments have helped make me a more responsible rider, especially TaorisUTS and SoftDrinkPksU.

The Beast is back!!! Stay Tuned :)

Thanks for reading and watching.




Speed safe.

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[SoftDrinkPksU]

@Shogun09R1

Just at 2 years ago. Was partly rider error..got a little too comfortable riding. Wasn't banged up or anything..just a little shaken. Had to ride bitch all the way back to jacksonville..which was about 300 miles..worst ride of my life!

[Shogun09R1]

@SoftDrinkPksU

Ouch!...sorry to hear that. Important thing is you where ok. I don't know if you'll ever feel like I do about your crash, but my crash on 10-11-09 was the best thing that ever happened to me. Broke my wrist and in reality totaled Lady L's R6 (got lucky, insurance glitch and they fixed it). Learned that I needed to stop riding or become a student of the game. Ego went out the window and I put on my thinking cap. Been getting better ever since. A little at a time. Speed safe.

[SoftDrinkPksU]

@Shogun09r1 No worries my friend...I learned the hard way riding in the blue ridge mountains..hit a rock about the size of a softball running about 65...launched me about 20 feet and threw the bike off the side of a cliff...fell about 200 feet..(Ninja250)..one good thing out of it was I was about to sell it to get a R6 anyhow..and I stop and get those cause I know what its like....

[Shogun09R1]

@SoftDrinkPksU

Damn!....scary stuff. Hope you weren't hurt too bad. How long ago?

[CBaileyII]

Dude, if the crest keeps getting crap like that on the roads that bad it may be time to find a new playground!!

[Shogun09R1]

@CBaileyII

I hear ya. Good place to test your reflexes and ability to make corrections mid turn. Down side is, you get it wrong and you'll pay the price.

But your rite, gonna find some cleaner roads to play on.

[MsBigBeat]

@shbednar Become one with the rider and move with the bike not against it. I have been riding aorund 15,000kms now AND LOVE IT I have a Ninja. I have some track footage on my channel. :) Ride safe people

[jamminjesus]

Please delete, set to private or rename this video not to reflect Angeles Crest Highway. The media and CHP are using youtube videos as ammunition to clamp down on bikers up Angeles Crest. We want the CHP to back off and videos like this don't help. Thanks!

[jhuey936]

I've been meaning to ask you. How bad is the debris on Ortega Hwy? I'm planning to pick up a bike within the next year, and I live in Hemet, so it'll probably be one of the first rides that I do. I'm also looking forward to one long run up Lilac, then Valley Ctr, then 76, 79, then home, and wouldn't mind some company on that one.

[insanebiker50]

wish i had roads like this to play on =(

[shbednar]

Lady l. Can you explain to other girls on how you stay positioned on the bike riding 2 up.

[spartanturtle333]

never heard that riding bitch part, but I think its cool you will.(tells alot about trust and self security). I just got a piaggio mp3 to teach the girl on one of those three wheel deals, maybe I could get some pointers from you when I load the vid?