New Member - Just Moved Back to 'Bama

[timebak]

Hi Folks. Just moved back to north Alabama from north Missouri after retiring and being gone for a couple of decades.  I'm presently riding a Yamaha Super Tenere, which I've had for about a year.  I love to ride backcountry and scenic roads/trails, whether paved, gravel, dirt, goat trails, fire breaks, or whatever. But, I'm still learning to handle a big bike like the Tenere in really difficult offroad situations.  However, at age 65, I've also learned that, as Clint Eastwood said: "A man's got to know his limitations."

I'm up for day rides or multi-day rides and like to tent camp.  This past May, I did a 3700 mile, 9-day ride from north Missouri through the backcountry of Utah and Colorado and back. I want to start doing parts of the TAT, and BDR's.  My dream ride would be to Alaska and back.  But I'm really looking forward to all the fantastic riding here in Alabama and nearby states.

It was great learning about this site, and I'm looking forward to meeting some folks here.

[KevinB]

Welcome to MC-AL and back to Alabama! We've got some active riders in N. AL, so keep an eye out for a posted ride.

[thinwater]

Welcome, watch and or post in the Rides section to kick up a ride or join in on one. 

[jrobinson]

Welcome from the east side of Hsv.

Watch for rides and show up.

Holler if you have any questions.

[norton73]

Welcome from Springville.

Great pics.

Post up a ride report of your trip please.

Hope to ride with you in the future.

[Sweeper]

Hey glad you found it! It's a slow time of year but there will be a couple of rides when there are good days so watch for them.


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[klaviator]

Welcome from Huntsville.  Looking forward to riding with you in the future.

[TWJohn]

Welcome, Nice Bike. Good people here.

[2372ighost]

Welcome aboard!

[SoloRider73]

Welcome

From what I've heard those Super Teneres are indestructible .

[TN_twowheeladdict]

Welcome from Middle Tennessee.

Check out www.gravelmap.com to find where many of the dirt roads are in the area.  If everyone does their part to populate gravel roads as you discover them we all benefit.  I have used this site when planning my adventures out of the area and have tried to document as many dirt roads as I can that haven't already been added.

[Mulley]

Welcome back. It looks like your don't have sense enough to get in from the rain.... You'll fit right in.  :D

[timebak]

Welcome back. It looks like your don't have sense enough to get in from the rain.... You'll fit right in.  :D

Hell, it was a blizzard!!  We got caught in one in Colorado as were trying to get back through the Rocky Mtns on our way back.  We went through Aspen and tried to get out over Independence Pass on Hwy 82, but it was already closed.  So we turned around and went all the way back down and back through Aspen and all the way up to Glenwood Springs and got on I-70, headed east.  As we were approaching the Eagle-Vail area we started seeing westbound vehicles covered in ice.  So we got off on US Hwy 24 and headed south to Leadville.  We ran out of the snow for a while and made it over Tennessee Pass and headed down to Leadville, but right as we were rolling into town, the blizzard hit there. By this time Steve and I were both suffering from hypothermia and needed to warm up. 

We had just pulled up in front of a restaurant that was open when that pic was taken.  They would only allow us to come just inside the door to order, but the wonderful young lady who took our order saw how cold we were and let us hide in an old coat closet around the corner to warm up.  Then the owner of the place showed up and we thought he was going to throw us out, but he took us into the main dining room of the restaurant and seated us at a table right next to a big heat register.  We were the only ones in there.  He made sure we had a never-ending supply of coffee and hot chocolate and excellent grub until we were fully warmed up.  By this time the snowplows were starting to run there, so we got back on our bikes and followed a snowplow for over half of the way down to Poncha Springs.  The road conditions were pretty bad.  That was the first time I'd ridden on icy patches since the 1970's, and it was scary as hell at times.  But we made it all the way to Canon City, where we camped that night at a KOA campground at Royal Gorge (the only campground we could find that was open), and just made it in ahead of a huge thunderstorm. 

The next morning, the snow had caught up with us during the night, and we headed towards Pueblo.  Stopped for gas in Pueblo and saw lots of vehicles coming from the east that were covered in snow.  We found out that the snow was worse the further east we went, but it was raining north of I-70. So about 45 miles east of Pueblo, at Ordway, we got on Hwy 71 and rode north as fast as we could.  We were freezing as it was 27 degrees leaving Pueblo, and 28 degrees going up 71.  As we were approaching I-70, the temp started climbing a little, and by the time we reached a place called "Last Chance" at the intersection of Hwy 71 and US Hwy 36, it was a balmy 34 degrees and raining, which never let up for the next day and a half. 

But you're right, we probably should have found a motel somewhere and holed up for a couple of days rather than ride for almost 3 days in snow, sleet, and rain.  ::) :P

[Mulley]

Now that's an adventure. I've had similar situations in Colorado on a dualsport. The worst of which was near Crested Butte and then came down in Aspen. Being up above the tree line in a sleet thunderstorm is scary.

[Al Goodwin]

Welcome from a fellow Super Tenere rider from Cullman.