Unmarked corners

[MarkG]

I had one E-ticket experience while riding in the Black Hills on my recent vacation. Most of the corners are marked with yellow signs and they are pretty accurate. If the corner is not marked it can normally be taken at the speed limit. Been that way for years, since I grew up there. Between the Vanacker Canyon Road junction and Rapid City on Nemo Road there is a corner that is not marked. There is a big 50 mph speed limit sign prior to the corner. I was going just about 50 mph and knew instantly that I was in serious trouble.

Two things went through my mind about one second into what should have been a 30 mph corner. The video of the HD rider going into the ditch on the Tail of the Dragon. The Ride Like a Pro Course saying "Look Where You Want to Go." I talked out loud through the whole corner.

"Look where you want to go, look, look, turn your head farther, don't look down-you will go down, don't look forward you will blow out of the corner, look where you want to go, look where you want to go." Then it was "lean it down, lean it, lean it, take it down to the boards, it will go farther than the boards and you know it, take it down, lean it." About this time I realized I was coming off the throttle, oh crap, "grab it, keep power to the wheels, don't let off, ride this thing." Several hundred feet past the corner I realized that I was straight up going straight down the road and still saying "look where you want to go." I slowed down to 35 mph for the rest of the trip. One heart wrenching experience is enough. I stayed in my lane through the corner but it wasn't easy.

Always have disliked the Nemo road. If it isn't a corner, construction, somebody pulling out without looking, or animals it will be something else. A reminder to the road captains that will be leading us through the hills area next year. Regardless of the signs on the Nemo road portion after Vanacker Canyon, stay at 35 mph or less regardless of the so called 50 mph signs. Had I been two up or riding in a group, the odds of survival would have been pretty small.

I credit the Ride Like a Pro course stressing "Look where you want to go" and talking out loud so I did not forget it, is what probably saved my life on that one. Other than that, I had a marvelous time on my trip.

[Yellow Jacket]

All I can say is, "Darn good job!"

Great Job. Remember: If you aren't scraping you aren't trying! You should be ok braking a little bit in the curves if you have to. You get a little pucker factor when they catch you off guard though......

[rksaw]

Originally Posted by Yellow Jacket

All I can say is, "Darn good job!"

Ditto!

[watchman]

Good job!!! I have done a little talk'n to myself a time or two and it works. That is if you know what to say.