Mountain run tonight.. Dragon.

[Acro]

This was sorta sprung on me late yesterday. Some friends invited me on an all night Mountain run up to The Dragon. If anyone is interested in joining us, we are going to meet at the Pleasant Hill BP meet. Hang out there, and then head out about 11 or so.

[wonton]

hmmmm tempting!

i dont think ill be able to hang though! my back tires are friggin bald!

[amaff]

i dont think ill be able to hang

It

Is

Not

A

Race!!!!!


Just stay at the back of the group and run your own pace

[caseyfoster]

Very safe.

[Stealth97]

do want. but church is early

[RotorNutFD3S]

It

Is

Not

A

Race!!!!!


Just stay at the back of the group and run your own pace

Easy killer. Sean of all people understands this. Still his tires are in pretty rough shape for a mountain run.

[Acro]

Well.. They just called and made it a normal N. Ga run. After the BP meet. Anyone is welcome. I'm not gonna go fast cause my job depends on me having a license.

[matredd]

How far is it from the BP?

[wonton]

It

Is

Not

A

Race!!!!!


Just stay at the back of the group and run your own pace

i know its not a race. but when i rode with stephen at the last mountain run, at the speed he was going....i would have been making out with a guard rail. and stephen was the slowest driver there!

[Acro]

How far is it from the BP?

It's right at 50 miles from BP to Dahlonega.

[LagunaRoadster]

i know its not a race. but when i rode with stephen at the last mountain run, at the speed he was going....i would have been making out with a guard rail. and stephen was the slowest driver there!

:-) Safe driving FTW!

[Acro]

:-) Safe driving FTW!

Everything went great until Edward decided that he wanted to lead on 180 in his Capri. I told him not to drive past his or the cars limits. Don't push it... He left lake Winfield Scott, and he took off.. I was havin a hard time keeping up. We hit the first really twisty section, and he made it 3 turns in... Then hit the embankment/ditch at like.. 30 mph. I don't feel sorry for him. He was being a dumbass.

[Grantri]

Damn... another mountain run ruined by a wreck? No one hurt I hope?

Aint no fun if you dont get to make a round trip .

[wildfire0310]

Everything went great until Edward decided that he wanted to lead on 180 in his Capri. I told him not to drive past his or the cars limits. Don't push it... He left lake Winfield Scott, and he took off.. I was havin a hard time keeping up. We hit the first really twisty section, and he made it 3 turns in... Then hit the embankment/ditch at like.. 30 mph. I don't feel sorry for him. He was being a dumbass.


This is why I am very selective about who I go into the mounts with.

Only once have I gone up into the mountains with people I was not sure of their levels(both physical and mental) but it was 4touge. But they treated me like a n00b and I had to show them that I was a level head person and wasn't trying to prove myself but rather enjoy what my car was able to do on the mountains.

[Doppelgänger]

Wait... the guy in the Capri... is he friends with the guy who drives the white Jeep Wrangler that goes to Sonic/BP?

[Oblio]

good grief not again

[amaff]

and this is why most of the time I head north solo

[JDM88]

Not the only incident I've heard about from the last few weeks. It's only a matter of time until something really bad happens.

[jester911]

So almost every thread we have seen in recent memory about mountain drives has ended with similar results.
What do they say the definition of insanity is...

[Spark!Plug]

id love to cruise the mountains.. key word being.. cruise. i need new brakes before i go to any mountain rides or even if i just go up there. rotors are looking good but the pads are going away. the last time i drove the dragon, i was in a stock hyundai elantra gls. so yeh it didnt turn good at all and the gearing was crap.. 2nd and 3rd constantly going back n forth. 2nd for a corner, 3rd for a straight, back to 2nd for another turn rense and repeat.

[amaff]

What do they say the definition of insanity is...

Talking to yourself?


:p

[RotorNutFD3S]

No no no, it's not talking to yourself or arguing with yourself. It's asking yourself what you just said. lol

[jester911]

Well hell if thats insanity I am already there.

[Acro]

Wait... the guy in the Capri... is he friends with the guy who drives the white Jeep Wrangler that goes to Sonic/BP?

Same guy.. The jeep was there too, but I never saw him.. I was going slow, and was faster than him. I was doing 10 over max.

[Doppelgänger]

The guy in the Jeep is a complete f.ucking idiot asshat....too bad it wasn't him that ate the enbankment....

[Spark!Plug]

man i dont know if i'd want to meet up with people to do mountain runs.. all this wrecking you guys are talkin about. it sounds like there are people up there who have no business being there in the first place. sounds like i'd only want to be around guys i know can drive so i can trust them to be close to me near the performance edge.. otherwise i'd do my runs solo!!! if it wasnt so far away i'd prolly be there every weekend.

[Acro]

The guy in the Jeep is a complete f.ucking idiot asshat....too bad it wasn't him that ate the enbankment....

I know man.. I was hoping >..> He's been just showing up at the house randomly lately.. Really freaking annoying -_-

[Acro]

man i dont know if i'd want to meet up with people to do mountain runs.. all this wrecking you guys are talkin about. it sounds like there are people up there who have no business being there in the first place. sounds like i'd only want to be around guys i know can drive so i can trust them to be close to me near the performance edge.. otherwise i'd do my runs solo!!! if it wasnt so far away i'd prolly be there every weekend.

He only went for something to do on the weekend. If I had known he was gonna drive like that, he woulda stayed home. Only experienced drivers from now on. It was his first time.

[Doppelgänger]

I know man.. I was hoping >..> He's been just showing up at the house randomly lately.. Really freaking annoying -_-

I wouldn't have a problem telling him to GTFO....

[Acro]

I wouldn't have a problem telling him to GTFO....


Oh I have... And he does.. I'm in no mood for him after work. Well.. Ever.. But especially after work :p

[LagunaRoadster]

I have no issues with mountain runs, I usually stick in the back and take my own pace. Im not to worried if you are 10-20 car lengths ahead. I'm having fun, your having fun, we win. You tailgating me to go faster, i keeeel you.

[Spark!Plug]

I have no issues with mountain runs, I usually stick in the back and take my own pace. Im not to worried if you are 10-20 car lengths ahead. I'm having fun, your having fun, we win. You tailgating me to go faster, i keeeel you.


GOD i hate that. tailgating. if im going 10 over and theres someone on my back bumper like im not going fast enough, i'll pull into the left lane and just about stop and let them past me. on a mountain run i would like to keep people 10-20 lengths away front and rear.. it just sounds like im going to end up doing this sort of thing ALONE.

[RotorNutFD3S]

When I used to go on a regular basis, we ran 3 cars at the max, but usually went in pairs, just so in case someone had a problem, there was someone close by to lend a hand. Never any accidents or stupidity.

[Acro]

He didn't listen to a thing I told him before or during the run. Not to push the car, no lane crossing allowed or he would leave, don't push yourself. He didn't heed those rules/warnings and paid the price. He's not going with me again. I wasn't running fast either. I hafta have a license for my job, and am fast enough now to warrant track time instead of public roads. I was doing 10 over max, and when I'd lose him, I'd slow down. It was only when he led that he turned into an idiot.

FenderFlaired: Beautiful car in your sig btw.

[Spark!Plug]

He didn't listen to a thing I told him before or during the run. Not to push the car, no lane crossing allowed or he would leave, don't push yourself. He didn't heed those rules/warnings and paid the price. He's not going with me again. I wasn't running fast either. I hafta have a license for my job, and am fast enough now to warrant track time instead of public roads. I was doing 10 over max, and when I'd lose him, I'd slow down. It was only when he led that he turned into an idiot.

FenderFlaired: Beautiful car in your sig btw.


thanks, amazing what givng your car a bath can do!

With these guidelines youre talking about, i wouldnt have any problems goin with you. i might venture a foot or less accross the yellow line, but only enough so if i had to i could correct my line and be fine with a big wide truck coming around the corner at me... if that makes sense. and i most likely wouldnt want to lead. infact it'd take a more than 1 trip for me to learnhow everyone drives to the point i can trust what you guys are ganna do in different situations. i still need to do some maintainanace before i go to the dragon

[amaff]

if you need to cross the line, you're going too fast. It's not as fun when you're cleaning a motorcycle out of your grill...

[Spark!Plug]

point taken. i guess that could be, in effect, the speed limit.. what about running the lines like you would a track.. like the propper racing line within the white and yellow lines? i do that a lot actually.

i wish we could make a cruise guideline list.. basically a rule book. "MX5Atlanta.com Official cruise guidelines"

[Acro]

point taken. i guess that could be, in effect, the speed limit.. what about running the lines like you would a track.. like the propper racing line within the white and yellow lines? i do that a lot actually.

i wish we could make a cruise guideline list.. basically a rule book. "MX5Atlanta.com Official cruise guidelines"

I'll come close to them, but will never cross them. If there is traffic, all bets are off, I'll slow down. That's why I go at night. No traffic... And no cops. I still stay in my lane though.

The list is a good idea.

[Grantri]

I was a little worried on the first 2 car mountain run I did with my wife just after we bought her car. I never worried about her driving just wanted to be certain she didnt overcook anything and get in trouble or try too hard to be fast . She didnt have a lot of experience with "performance driving"

Her response was "I'm not a moron,I'm not gonna wreck my car"...We made several runs together just the two cars and talked about things like braking points, apexes , shifting ,finding the limit etc before we ever went out with others

We go up often, we drive fast but not stupid. On the rare occasion someone behind wants to go faster we let em by . She handles her car quite well and I know I can trust her to drive within the limits of the car & her ability. Most importantly she can spot a moron .

The only rules are stay in your lane, dont hit anything and always be far enough under "the limit" to avoid incident. I'm good with wrenches but far less skilled with bodywork. I cant fix broken people at all. . We've been on a couple rides with some guys here and I'm sure we are welcome to join them again. It's supposed to be "fun" ... I've never been in a fun wreck .

[LagunaJames]

You guys have it about right.... written in a couple motorcycle mags back in 1991 from what google says and then quoted thousands of times more. "The Pace" which could easily be adapted to our cars and probably should be:

THE PACE
The Pace focuses on bike control and de-emphasizes outright speed. Full-throttle acceleration and last minute braking aren't part of the program, effectively eliminating the two most common single-bike accident scenarios in sport riding. Cornering momentum is the name of the game, stressing strong, forceful inputs at the handlebar to place the bike correctly at the entrance of the turn and get it flicked in with little wasted time and distance. Since the throttle wasn't slammed open at the exit of the last corner, the next corner doesn't require much, if any, braking. It isn't uncommon to ride with our group and not see a brake light flash all morning.

If the brakes are required, the front lever gets squeezed smoothly, quickly and with a good deal of force to set entrance speed in minimum time. Running in on the brakes is tantamount to running off the road, a confession that you're pushing too hard and not getting your entrance speed set early enough because you stayed on the gas too long. Running The Pace decreases your reliance on the throttle and brakes, the two easiest controls to abuse, and hones your ability to judge cornering speed, which is the most thrilling aspect of performance street riding.

YOUR LANE IS YOUR LIMIT
Crossing the centerline at any time except during a passing maneuver is intolerable, another sign that you're pushing too hard to keep up. Even when you have a clean line of sight through a left-hand kink, stay to the right of the centerline. Staying on the right side of the centerline is much more challenging than simply straightening every slight corner, and when the whole group is committed to this intelligent practice, the temptation to cheat is eliminated through peer pressure and logic. Though street riding shouldn't be described in racing terms, you can think of your lane as the race track. Leaving your lane is tantamount to a crash.

Exact bike control has you using every inch of your lane if the circumstances permit it. In corners with a clear line of sight and no oncoming traffic, enter at the far outside of the corner, turn the bike relatively late in the corner to get a late apex at the far inside of your lane and accelerate out, just brushing the far outside of your lane as your bike stands up. Steer your bike forcefully but smoothly to minimize the transition time. Don't hammer it down because the chassis will bobble slightly as it settles, possibly carrying you off line. Since you haven't charged in on the brakes, you can get the throttle on early, before the apex, which balances and settles your bike for the drive out.

More often than not, circumstances do not permit the full use of your lane from yellow line to white line and back again. Blind corners, oncoming traffic and gravel on the road are a few criteria that dictate a more conservative approach, so leave yourself a three or four foot margin for error, especially at the left side of the lane where errant oncoming traffic could prove fatal. Simply narrow your entrance on a blind right-harder and move your apex into your lane three feet on blind left turns in order to stay free of unseen oncoming traffic hogging the centerline. Because you're running at The Pace and not flat out, your controlled entrances offer additional time to deal with unexpected gravel or other debris in your lane; the outside wheel track is usually the cleanest through a dirty corner since a car weights its outside tires most, scrubbing more dirt off the pavement in the process, so aim for that line.

A GOOD LEADER, WILLING FOLLOWERS
The street is not a racing environment, and it takes humility, self assurance and self control to keep it that way. The leader sets the pace and monitors his mirrors for signs of raggedness in the ranks that follow, such as tucking in on straights, crossing over the yellow line and hanging off the motorcycle in the corners, If the leader pulls away, he simply slows his straight way speed slightly but continues to enjoy the corners, thus closing the ranks but missing none of the fun. The small group of three or four riders I ride with is so harmonious that the pace is identical no matter who's leading. The lead shifts occasionally with a quick hand sign, but there's never a pass for the lead with an ego on the sleeve. Make no mistake, the riding is spirited and quick in the corners. Anyone with a right arm can hammer down the straights; it's proficiency in the corners that makes The Pace come alive.

Following distances are relatively lengthy, with the straightaways taken at more moderate speeds, providing the perfect opportunity to adjust the gaps. Keeping a good distance serves several purposes, besides being safer. Rock chips are minimized, and the police or highway patrol won't suspect a race is in progress. The Pace's style of not hanging off in corners also reduces the appearance of pushing too hard and adds a degree of maturity and sensibility in the eyes of the public and the law. There's a definite challenge to cornering quickly while sitting sedately on your bike.

New rider indoctrination takes some time because The Pace develops very high cornering speeds and newcomers want to hammer the throttle on the exits to make up for what they lose at the entrances. Our group slows drastically when a new rider joins the ranks because our technique of moderate straightaway speed and no brakes can suck the unaware into a corner too fast, creating the most common single bike accident. With a new rider learning The Pace behind you, tap your brake lightly well before the turn to alert him and make sure he understands there's no pressure to stay with the group.

There's plenty of ongoing communication during The Pace. A foot off the peg indicates debris in the road, and all slowing or turning intentions are signaled in advance with the left hand and arm. Turn signals are used for direction changes and passing, with a wave of the left hand to thank the cars that move right and make it easy for motorcyclists to get past. Since you don't have a death grip on the handlebar, your left hand is also free to wave to oncoming riders, a fading courtesy that we'd like to see return. If you're getting the idea The Pace is a relaxing, noncompetitive way to ride with a group, you are right.

RELAX AND FLICK IT
I'd rather spend a Sunday in the mountains riding at The Pace than a Sunday at the racetrack, it's that enjoyable. Countersteering is the name of the game; smooth, forceful steering input at the handlebar relayed to the tires' contact patches through a rigid sport bike frame. Riding at The Pace is certainly what bike manufacturers had in mind when sport bikes evolved to the street.

But the machine isn't the most important aspect of running The Pace because you can do it on anything capable of getting through a corner. Attitude is The Pace's most important aspect: realizing the friend ahead of you isn't a competitor, respecting his right to lead the group occasionally and giving him credit for his riding skills. You must have the maturity to limit your straightaway speeds to allow the group to stay in touch and the sense to realize that racetrack tactics such as late braking and full throttle runs to redline will alienate the public and police and possibly introduce you to the unforgiving laws of gravity. When the group arrives at the destination after running The Pace, no one feels outgunned or is left with the feeling he must prove himself on the return run. If you've got some thing to prove, get on a racetrack.

The racetrack measures your speed with a stop watch and direct competition, welcoming your aggression and gritty resolve to be the best. Performance street riding's only yardstick is the amount of enjoyment gained, not lap times, finishing position or competitors beaten. The differences are huge but not always remembered by riders who haven't discovered The Pace's cornering pureness and group involvement. Hammer on the racetrack. Pace yourself on the street.

[LagunaJames]

mx5 official cruising guidelines should be:

1- google "The Pace" and "motorcycle"
2- repeat until you are safe to take on a mountain run

[Acro]

mx5 official cruising guidelines should be:

1- google "The Pace" and "motorcycle"
2- repeat until you are safe to take on a mountain run

My dad showed me that a few years back when I first started driving, and it describes how I drive the car when I'm up there. One of the best write-ups around.

[LagunaRoadster]

interesting write up.

Cliff notes: focus on cornering, more so than speeding up, and then having to brake.

[leadfoot_mf]

This is why I am very selective about who I go into the mounts with.

Only once have I gone up into the mountains with people I was not sure of their levels(both physical and mental) but it was 4touge. But they treated me like a n00b and I had to show them that I was a level head person and wasn't trying to prove myself but rather enjoy what my car was able to do on the mountains.

who are you? what day was the 4touge run?

[scandmx5]

ja so schnell
holy thread revival batman

[leadfoot_mf]

ja so schnell
holy thread revival batman

yeah i really had to dig deep to pull up this gem.