Riding with Dad

sheepofblue · 10-02-2006, 2:25 PM

I went riding with Dad Sunday

He recently picked up a Honda Shadow Aero and had put about 800 miles on it. Before that he had not ridden to any signifficant amount in about 10 years.

Things started out bad when he comes up the inside of me to ride 'in formation' Well I consider this one of the most dangerous habits I see on cruisers

I waved him by and tucked in behind. A bit up the road we stopped for gas and had a talk on single file only riding

From there on it was cool.

We headed out US72 then over Skyline mountain. We angled off on AL35 and were doing great other than some punk

's that insisted on tailgating then got miffed when passing when opportunity $5 came along

. The top of Skyline has these nice easy sweepers with a wide road and huge paved shoulders. Ready made for a cruiser and I figured he would love them. He picked his pace up a bunch and was grinning at the end.

I passed him for the tight stuff on the way down and waited for him (we had already agreed on this

)

Well we headed out US64 to TN50 and up to Sawannee. I again pulled out on the way up the hill and waited at the Rock at the top. We met a couple and he helped take their picture then we discussed a side road that has a natural bridge and heads down to US72 via Stevenson, AL.

We pulled off from the rock and I detoured through the College of the South so he could see the awesome old buildings. On to Monteagle, TN. We stopped and got a coke and I gave him the low down on US41 and we were off. Well we headed off with me in the lead and turned on to US41 and I ran off a bit again (that section is a bit misleading and has minor pitch and roll so is a bit intimidating the first time).

He caught up at the bottom and we rode the valley up to Pelham, TN then hooked up toward Altamont on TN50. Some nice easy sweepers later we are at the base of the hill and there is construction signs

. We they had not started but it is repave time so I will avoid it until next year, not all bad as it could use it but

. So we head on up and stop in Altamont.

In altamont he grabs some candy and I tell him of the road going the other way with the waterfalls and Beersheba Springs hill (massive pitch and roll). But we are looping the other way so I put him in the lead as we head to Tracy City on TN56 then turn on US41 and back to Monteagle. That section has lots of nice sweepers and nice scenery.

Well back to the hill at Sewannee and I let him lead going down and watch from behind. Not bad but he is not using the whole road and turning in way early. But considering he did well and we caught the lead group of cars at the bottom.

Headed off on TN50 and he misses the turn for US64 but sees me missing shortly and turns around. We head across and get of on McClure Cementary Rd (used to be the sheep farm turn) and over to Winchester.

Pretty fun he clocked 200 real miles on the bike vs the commuter miles he had so far. I think he had a blast and we will do it again. Of course he thrives on the lazy sweepers and I like the 25MPH switchbacks but a little of both is easy to find

booracer · 10-02-2006, 2:31 PM

Sounds like an excellent ride. Any pics?

sheepofblue · 10-02-2006, 2:38 PM

Sorry no. I had the camera but have been through there many times myself so didn't take any

onevcs · 10-02-2006, 2:59 PM

I'm glad you can do that with your dad. I bet it was a very fulfilling experience you might look back to and remember
warmheartedly for years to come.

kawboy69 · 10-02-2006, 3:00 PM

Glad to hear you had fun its always great to spend time with pops..

jetbdude · 10-02-2006, 3:17 PM

That is awesome! If I have a passion for motorcycle it's all because of my dad. He passed away 9 years ago, before I got my fist street bike. I only dream about riding with him, and always wake up happy, so I can only imagine how cool it would be

maxib · 10-02-2006, 10:36 PM

That is awesome, SoB. You are very fortunate to be able to do that with your father. Do it again soon.

Also, thanks for sharing this ride report. You probably didn't notice, but I was the third bike in your group...or so it seemed when I read it. Thanks for the ride, it was fun!

leelover · 10-02-2006, 11:21 PM

That sounds liks an awesome ride Sheep! Like Jetbdude, my dad is gone, its been 22 years now. It's weird, whenever I get a new tool or truck (or bike

) I want to tell him all bout it.
I guess the thing is make the most of whatever time you got, cause you sure can't go back.
In that vein I try to ride with my son as much as possible. Of course, the senario is the other way around. I am constantly waiting on him! ( I can say that cause there is about no chance he will get on here to tell you differently!)
I am also envious about the roads you have available there. In this area of Fla the only interesting road curves are in gated communities, and they tend to frown on any motorcycle antics!

tuffy6969 · 10-02-2006, 11:43 PM

That's nice that you and your dad are able to do something special that you BOTH enjoy - together.

KAWBOY69JR · 10-03-2006, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawboy69

Glad to hear you had fun its always great to spend time with pops..

Yea it's real great to spend time with your pops. As long as when your spendin time with him you dont drop he brand new bike. sorry bout that dad.

.. kawboy isnt workin

im trin to get his ass down here so we can ride..

ihatecrashing · 10-03-2006, 12:28 AM

That sounds like it was an awesome ride! It's always so cool to do something with dad. Thanks for sharing!

SomeStrangeGuy · 10-03-2006, 2:37 AM

You lucky SoB

thats pretty cool man, glad to hear it

sporky · 10-03-2006, 3:28 AM

gia sou sheep, nice reading

next step is to get him in a racetrack, wish I could do the same with mine but he is completely out of the whole thing (motorcycling)
s.

oldfogey · 10-03-2006, 5:05 AM

You're a lucky man, or SheepofBlue: treasured memories.

Baketech · 10-03-2006, 8:21 AM

Great post SoB...

sheepofblue · 10-03-2006, 8:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sporky

gia sou sheep, nice reading

next step is to get him in a racetrack, wish I could do the same with mine but he is completely out of the whole thing (motorcycling)
s.

Doubt that but when I was a mere little guy we dirt tracked. Since I have done track days he has came twice with me to Barber (rained both days

) and I am hoping he can wander down at least one of the November days

FrenchieR6 · 10-03-2006, 9:03 AM

Awesome SOB..... Glad you got to spend time with your Dad doing something you both enjoy.

cbr99xx · 10-03-2006, 9:56 AM

Great post Sheep... Would like to have done that with my Dad.

smkeatr · 10-03-2006, 1:42 PM

Great post.

Although my dad is no longer with us, he rides with me on every ride.

He gave me some sound advice when he was still alive and I live by it every time I put my helmet on.

Mojave954 · 10-03-2006, 9:02 PM

abtech · 10-03-2006, 9:35 PM

Freeze these rides in time, because they won't be there forever.

My dad never rode, but he ran the race team for my brother and I for several years.

I can still see him standing against the armco on hot pit lane at Willow giving me the thumbs up

sheepofblue · 10-03-2006, 9:50 PM

Thanks all. I almost didn't post it as I thought I was rambling more than normal

HondaGalToo · 10-03-2006, 10:25 PM

That's awesome, Sheep!

My Dad, who's been gone nearly 9 years, liked motorcycles, too. When he was in his 20s, he had a big Harley of some sort. His riding days were long behind him when I became interested, as he gave it up in his 20s after an accident. He enjoyed the fact that I liked motorcycles. I got to give him a ride on the back of my '82 Yamaha XS650 once. When his friends came over and saw the bikes in the garage, they'd ask him if they belonged to his son. He'd proudly exclaim, "no, those are my DAUGHTER'S bikes!"
It would've been cool if he had kept his license up and could have ridden with me. I wish his health had been better when I got into doing trackdays as I'm sure he would've enjoyed watching them. I guess he's watching them now, though.