Anybody else find themselves out in this gale today? 

I had to ride down to Cupertino from San Francisco for work today.  It's a 50 mile trip one way.  I didn't start out with a full tank, so I filled up after my meeting before heading back.  I only took 2.5 gallons.  That was 2.5 gallons for 115 miles traveled--50 of which were on the freeway with this wind at my back.  I got 45 miles to the gallon!!!!    

On the way home I nearly pulled over.  I've never been afraid of riding in the wind before, but I got blown pretty hard a couple of times cresting some of the hills on 280.  Very unnerving.  I actually tried to follow trucks and cars to get into their draft.  I was in a full tuck and doing maybe 70 or 80 indicated. 

Getting hammered all the way down in Ventura County. Have to watch out for flying tree branches.

Nothing scarier than an involuntary lane change caused by a good gust...

Yes, I had trees throwing things at me left and right, got hit by branches quite a few times on my way home.

Last night Pescadero Rd was covered in branches, there were some corners I had to basically play hopscotch through.  There's probably still a bit of crap on the road, people might want to wait a couple days before hitting the twisties.

It was really fun last night as I was riding two up through the city with my wife. Even at low speeds there were a few blasts that seriously knocked us around  A little adrenalin rush before dinner is good for the appetite

Yeah, the Richmond bridge on a Vespa was definitely no fun. Just kept telling myself to be loose at the elbows and on the grips.

At least you weren't out fishing!

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/peninsula&id=6762016

Quote from: mostrobelle on April 14, 2009, 10:52:16 PM
I was in a full tuck and doing maybe 70 or 80 indicated. 

I've found that slightly slower speeds add significant stability in high winds.

Quote from: Remy on April 15, 2009, 11:10:08 AM
I've found that slightly slower speeds add significant stability in high winds.

Sometimes.  Usually there's a "sweet spot" and it has more to do with rpm than with speed.  At 65 the wind was knocking me around pretty good.  5 mph faster and I was cutting through it much better.

Quote from: Remy on April 15, 2009, 11:10:08 AM
I've found that slightly slower speeds add significant stability in high winds.

Those ARE slightly lower speeds.

Very true. But you end up getting whiffed by trucks on narrow bridges.

Also, I've found that putting more weight over the front wheel helps (tuck down, but don't scoot your butt back).

I'm a wuss, so I don't ride in the wind...I just do other things in the wind. 

yeah, i was stuck in foster city for 2hrs at starbucks b/c they closed down the SM bridge last night. big rig and boat both stopped traffic... unfortunately this  morning was more of the same b/c they were still f'ing around with that boat...

commuting to belmont for p/t work over the bridge is definitely not worth it.

damn this recession!

Quote from: NORCAL510 on April 15, 2009, 05:40:46 PM
yeah, i was stuck in foster city for 2hrs at starbucks b/c they closed down the SM bridge last night. big rig and boat both stopped traffic... unfortunately this  morning was more of the same b/c they were still f'ing around with that boat...

Still a little breezy tonight, but not bad at all.  That was a good thing.  I didn't have on much for gear.  Came straight from jury duty and went to work and then went out.  It was chilly on the way home, and I got a lot of looks in my pink pants on the bike.   

We were at the Code Superbike School at Laguna Seca Tuesday and the wind was CRAZY.  Almost worse trailering the bikes back home after.   

Track school was really fun, though - and I didn't crash!   

Quote from: somegirl on April 15, 2009, 07:06:51 AM
Yes, I had trees throwing things at me left and right, got hit by branches quite a few times on my way home.

Last night Pescadero Rd was covered in branches, there were some corners I had to basically play hopscotch through.  There's probably still a bit of crap on the road, people might want to wait a couple days before hitting the twisties.

I rode up and around Mt Tam this morning, and the roads were niiiiiiiice 

I seriously thought I was gonna blow into a car on tues on the lower deck of the BB. I saw this thread after I'd started one last night about lanesplitting...a little redundant oops. In any event, at least nobody blew away!

Quote from: mostrobelle on April 15, 2009, 11:19:36 AM
Sometimes.  Usually there's a "sweet spot" and it has more to do with rpm than with speed.  At 65 the wind was knocking me around pretty good.  5 mph faster and I was cutting through it much better.

I think that's what I'm trying to figure out because it seems when I'm going slow(lower rpm's) I feel like I'm being knocked around harder. I'm glad to hear somebody else say that and I'll try to my be in my "sweet spot" when riding in the wind-- barring any gnarly traffic.