To Bash a Bug

This year was the 7th annual Bug Bash rally, held in Dayton, OH, drawing a cast of thousands. Ok, maybe dozens, but still a good attendance.

Saturday morning I woke up to the absence of an alarm clock, and the distinct feeling it wasn't as early as I'd hoped. Thankfully, it was still only 8 a.m., but my phone's alarm had been set for 7:30. I found the alarm to be more helpful when I turned the phone's ringer back on. I got up a little stiffly, but that soon wore off, and I headed downstairs, hoping to catch up with Smurf and see about getting the bike chain adjusted before we were all due to meet up in the Target parking lot at 9:30.

I found Smurf outside and he walked over to the bike with me, agreeing that the chain had been in fairly significant need of an adjustment (just because the slack was enough, it could stretch up and touch the swingarm..) Whilst I had been upstairs sawing logs, he'd been busy, and with a borrowed wrench and his own tool kit, adjusted the chain, informing me he'd gotten his hands greasy before even going to breakfast. That was super nice of him to take care of that for me, and if you're reading this, sir, thanks again!

Since there was now a little free time, I walked back in to get some of the free breakfast, and sat with Karl, Tom and Catt. I'd ridden with Karl last year in the north Georgia mountains, along with another member of the BBO, Larry, so it was kind of cool to get to see them again. Breakfast was a short break, and then everyone started filtering out into the parking lot, suiting up and heading across Wilmington Pike to the Target.

All told, there were probably 35 bikes in the group, with 29 of them going on the ride through the countryside. Lots of milling and talking before Mike (Mr. Host) summoned us all for some pre-trip instructions and etiquette. A cop did act as our blocker so we could all leave the parking lot as one body, and I was up in the first four of the regular bikes, riding behind the leaders and a few other riders acting as blockers for the multiple intersections we went through.

The ride was definitely more a leisurely cruise through corn fields than a lively race through mountains, but it was still fun to get out. We managed to find a few curves and definitely were out in the sticks. A lot of areas we rode through had trees overhanging the road, which provided cool tunnels, there were hills to negotiate, both up and down, and it turns out some of those signs that indicated a sharp curve ahead were accurate.


Our first stop was at Caesar Creek Gorge where 29 bikes were counted and cold water provided out of one of the chase vehicles. At this point, I was able to bum some batteries for my camera off Smurf (good thing he came to the rally...I'd a been in sorry shape!). My original batteries had died right as we'd left the Target parking lot, which is why there are no pics from that part of the ride.

At the stop, some ladies were doing yoga stretches, while Angie, the roving photographer was documenting everything digitally. Before heading out again, we all gathered for a group shot near a bridge, but shortly after that saddled up again. This time, I was second in line behind the leaders and blockers, with Chris ahead on his Honda VLX, and Matthew (Smurf Jr.) riding pillion.

More curves and winding roads ahead. There was one curve that had a decreasing radius that snuck up on me a little, to the point I said, "whoa!" in my helmet, but I managed to stay to the right of the centerline. The guy on the cruiser behind me did swing a bit to the left, and I was really glad there was no oncoming traffic. A few minutes later, there was a left handed 90 degree turn, and you didn't see it until you were on top of it that 60% of the road was covered with loose grass clippings. I was heading deep into the curve when I saw that, and immediately slid left off the seat and tightened up my turn to stay inside of the loose grass. It came up quickly and there was not really any way to warn anyone behind of the hazard ahead.

We rode on a few more minutes, but then a couple of the blockers peeled off and headed back the way we came. Then the leader did the same, and the one outrider ahead pulled over onto a side road, and the snake of bikes followed. Once down the road, that bike turned back the way we'd come, and the rest of us are looking at each other and wondering what the hang is going on. Parked the bikes (on a side country road) and got off to find out what was up. Word filtered back that a rider had gone down in the grassy curve, so then there were anxious moments to hear of her condition. Finally, we heard she was fine, but the bike was not in rideable condition. The folks who'd gone back for the downed rider left her bike there to be gathered on a trailer and brought her back to meet up with the rest of us. Margaret looked a little shook up, and wasn't terribly happy with herself, but we were all glad the worst appeared to be knees that had been scuffed up through jeans.

A few from the group headed back to the hotel to get a trailer and truck so they could rescue her bike, and the rest of us eventually got our bikes turned around on that stinking narrow road. A word about that side road. It was narrow, but from the looks of it, it seemed like it would have to be no narrower than 'The Box' that all BRC and ERC riders have to deal with (and do figure 8 turns inside of). However, every rider that attempted a u-turn on that road ended up stopping and having to back up to complete the turn. Except me. However! When I got near the end of the arc, I was also near the edge of the road and there was a nice line of gravel on the edge. Instead of braking, I straightened up and rode off the road. Across a ditch. Up a slight incline and completed the u-turn, popping back through the ditch one more time to get to the road. The Ninja. It goes offroad :)

This time, since we all turned around in place, I was back near the very end of the line of bikes, and it was pretty cool to see the serpentine effect of the riders in front of me, going over hills and through curves. We didn't have far to ride and ended up at Miranda's Old Time Ice Cream for lunch and a break from the sun. While there, I sat with Chris, Brian (Smurf), Matthew and Emily (Smurf Jr. and Smurfette), and yimmidibidu (or Bob). After a while, when the kids were eating their ice cream on either side of me, the guys wandered off and I was regaled on one side with the formula to make an atomic fart bomb (by a very creative rising 6th grader) and on the other side got to watch a phone video Emily had made of her two young cousins participating in 'Red Light; Green Light.' The kids were good fun and were definitely enjoying their first long distance ride. Mama Smurf was riding with one of the guys who'd gone back for the trailer, so she wasn't there for lunch.

Soon enough, we all crossed the street to get back to our bikes and started heading to Mike's house. Mike and Angie live on a cul de sac, and thankfully, the neighbors seem to like this annual gathering. Good thing, too, because we all descended like two wheeled locusts in the early afternoon and parked around the perimeter of the cul de sac, filling it completely.

The next 'event' was a bike swap. Pretty much everyone left his keys in his bike and tacit permission to take it out for a spin. I didn't want to be the first one to go out, and it was a few minutes before the first person headed out. Once that ice was broken, though, bikes were coming and going for the next two hours, easy. When it was all said and done, I rode 10 bikes other than mine, and really had a blast. Everything from a big adventure tourer, to a sport tourer, to a pure sport bike, to a cruiser. While I was out riding a ZX-14, its owner was riding along on my bike, probably making sure I didn't get in over my head. At the first stoplight, he came up beside me and told me not to be afraid to open it up on the next stretch. So I did. Yeeee. Haw. Wow. That was a stupidly fast bike, and incredibly smooth. It left my poor bike in yesterday's dust, with Anson trying futilely to whip it up to pace with the machine I was on. Once we got back to Mike's, he said he had a totally new respect for me having ridden 1,000 miles on my Ninja....can't imagine why! :)

Top two favorite bikes I rode were the BMW R1150GS and the FJR. Makes me think about the next bike. One day, though not terribly soon (more on that later). Finally, after ending my riding tests on a humongorific Honda Valkyrie, I was done riding for the night and ready for some food. It appears most everyone else had the good sense to start eating while I was out taking yet another bike on a spin. Lots of good food, though, and after I loaded up my plate, I went and sat by John (Atonic) and his wife Debbie. I'd last seen him in Durango, as he was the other 'mystery guest' who'd ridden out there for the Potato Ranch Rally. Since that rally, he'd actually been quite ill with diverticulitis and had been in the hospital for an extended period. His trip to Mike's was the first excursion out of the house that did not involve a doctor's appointment in nearly six weeks. During that time, he's lost 42 pounds, although I have to say, it's a bit extreme to diet like that, John!

I stayed until around 11 again, and headed back to the hotel after the door prizes and poker run winner had been announced. Bob (yimmidibidu) followed me back to the hotel on his bike, since he'd been stuck in the cul de sac all afternoon with a bad battery, and hadn't learned the way back. Chatted for a few once back in the hotel parking lot, and then off to bed, again ending the day around midnight. I was looking forward to Sunday, which was truly going to be a day of rest. I needed it!