This weekend while a group of us were out riding, enjoying our first good weekend of the year, my girlfriend on her Sportster directly in front of me had a mishap that she could have avoided. We were turning under an overpass, through a large intersection, when she swung out wider than she normally would. As she did so, she encountered the small pile of gravel and debris that gets blown out to the edge of the lanes, and winds up in the center of the intersection. She went down so fast, there was no warning, no nothing. Her injuries were minor considering she wore no helmet or jacket, but her bike took quite a beating. Someone recently asked what our biggest fears were while riding - gravel, sand, pine needles, and other loose fodder in the road are some of mine. Just a reminder to always be on the look out for that stuff. My girlfriend said she never saw the gravel, but she realizes now that she should have been watching for it; she typically does, just not this time.

Have a great Spring!

hope shes ok

Since I am still stuck in my car waiting for the snow to melt I have been running all of the outsides of the turns, curves and corners that I drive through in an attempt to work all of the leftovers from the winter road crew work off the pavement prior to pulling my bike out of the garage.

Last fall there was concern for all the wet leaves, but I never had any problems.

I remember riding in the springtime up in Colorado and having to deal with sand leftover on the roads. I think the worst was on Monarch pass once, I entered a long sweeping turn and right near the apex there was gravel/sand across both of my uphill lanes. The bike kicked out and I drug the pipes but made it through. It scared the hell out of me. So much that I remember it 20 years later... I'm just glad I was going uphill :eek:

Hope your friends OK, I'm sure she'll remember that one for a long time!

Hope your friends OK, I'm sure she'll remember that one for a long time!

Thanks! I know I will remember for a long time! :eek:

I've played out that same scenario a couple of different times in years past. One was comming out of a driveway and the other on the open road. The first was at low speed, the second was at moderately low speed. Both times my noggin took nasty bounces on concrete. The first one my head bounced of the edge of the curb. Put a nasty gash in my helmet even though the speed was very low. Ever since then I have never thrown a leg over a bike with out helmet on. I'm glad your riding partner was ok.

Hope your friend is feeling better, Bon.

Thanks for the safety heads-up.

Hey BonRu. Glad that you and your friend are alright and am sure glad that the wreck did not set off a chain reaction which can sometimes happen when people ride in a group. Yup you gotta watch out real good in the spring.

Today it got over 60 degree for the first time this year and the bikes are coming out of the woodwork. Spring is always the most dangerous time to ride. Watch out for the others that have not ridden in 3 or 4 months and take it easy yourself until your get your riding legs back.