58 hours: a Sierra Nevada adventure

[lvdeuce]

Hi all,

I want to extend a heart felt thank you to all the new friends I met on the Sierra Nevada Pashnit Tour.

I sometimes struggle expressing myself in words but I will try by telling what happened Sunday after the tour ended.

I thanked Tim and expressed to him what a special thing he and Tim M. had created. With a full tank of gas I headed north toward South Lake Tahoe not thinking about much, just winding down, pretty straight road, light traffic going my way, heavy the other way. Heading into some curves I begin to ride a little harder my mind beginning to pour over the riding tips I overheard, usually hanging around Keith, everyone was so eager to talk about riding, turning, body position, counter steering, lean, more turn for less lean angle…etc. that all I had to do was hang out around Keith and listen in to learn from some skilled and accomplished riders.

I could see in my minds eye Alan at the end of the dinner describing a climbing uphill right hand turn even though I could not hear a word he was saying. There was an unmistakable way he moved his body while talking, hands on the grips, dropping right shoulder, gentle push on the right grip, head looking far around the corner. A dynamic description of how to turn a motorcycle that is worth a thousand posts in a forum. I see him as the turns get tighter and my wrist rolls on more power, I feel my body trying to emulate the artistic way Alan moved, awkward at first but a little more natural with each turn.

I roll into Tahoe unsure of my immediate future. I stop at a small local store, buy a beer and a map and put them both in my T bag. Slowly rolling along the lake comes into view…wow… I stop at a park and beach next to the lake take the beer and map out and sit at a picnic table, sip the beer and pour over the map (by the way since childhood I have been fascinated with maps).

I begin to wax nostalgic about the previous 58 hours, wait is that all it was…58 hours…that can’t be right. Let’s see..7:30AM Friday it all started…all these strangers…all these bikes…a lot of speed here… lord, what have I gotten myself into. Anyway the hours 7:30 Saturday is 24... Sunday makes 48..It’s 5:00 PM Sunday now, wow 58 is right. How could so much happen in just 58 hrs? How could so much change in just 58 hrs?

I sat looking over the lake for about an hour blissfully reliving the last 58 hrs. As my reminiscing began to catch up with real time I began to feel a wave of sadness wash over my entire soul. It was over…the adventure was over, but why was I sad, 58 hrs. straight and not one negative word or gesture or thought…. Wait, is that right? …………..It was……How could that be.

14 adults from all backgrounds, from places like Georgia, Louisiana, Las Vegas, England, Japan spend 58 hrs together with no BS. No attitude. No drama then it dawned on me….why I was sad. It was over. I knew I would see some of these folks again, that I would make sure of. Keith will be in Vegas in July I will see him then. I will see both Tim’s again, this will certainly not be my last tour with them. I realized that even though I will see these people again We will never be together, all together, like this again….It’s over…forever. I’ll never have that 58 hrs. again….over…click…

A switch flipped in my brain, time to go home. 6:00 PM…. too early to get a room, 2 hrs. of daylight left. Can I make Lee Vining? Don’t know, I should try. I pointed my nose into the wind, it was all business now, get home.

I stopped for the night in Bridgeport and was home in Las Vegas by noon Monday.

Thanks to everyone for the time of my life.


Mark
LVDeuce

[lvdeuce]

Pics to come, must resize. now to enjoy fathers day with my kids.

Happy Fathers Day to all.

[ogmike]

I believe you expressed yourself just fine Mark, great to see you had a good time.

[BMWRockster]

Originally Posted by lvdeuce

Hi all,

I want to extend a heart felt thank you to all the new friends I met on the Sierra Nevada Pashnit Tour.

I sometimes struggle expressing myself in words but I will try by telling what happened Sunday after the tour ended.

I thanked Tim and expressed to him what a special thing he and Tim M. had created. With a full tank of gas I headed north toward South Lake Tahoe not thinking about much, just winding down, pretty straight road, light traffic going my way, heavy the other way. Heading into some curves I begin to ride a little harder my mind beginning to pour over the riding tips I overheard, usually hanging around Keith, everyone was so eager to talk about riding, turning, body position, counter steering, lean, more turn for less lean angle…etc. that all I had to do was hang out around Keith and listen in to learn from some skilled and accomplished riders.

I could see in my minds eye Alan at the end of the dinner describing a climbing uphill right hand turn even though I could not hear a word he was saying. There was an unmistakable way he moved his body while talking, hands on the grips, dropping right shoulder, gentle push on the right grip, head looking far around the corner. A dynamic description of how to turn a motorcycle that is worth a thousand posts in a forum. I see him as the turns get tighter and my wrist rolls on more power, I feel my body trying to emulate the artistic way Alan moved, awkward at first but a little more natural with each turn.

I roll into Tahoe unsure of my immediate future. I stop at a small local store, buy a beer and a map and put them both in my T bag. Slowly rolling along the lake comes into view…wow… I stop at a park and beach next to the lake take the beer and map out and sit at a picnic table, sip the beer and pour over the map (by the way since childhood I have been fascinated with maps).

I begin to wax nostalgic about the previous 58 hours, wait is that all it was…58 hours…that can’t be right. Let’s see..7:30AM Friday it all started…all these strangers…all these bikes…a lot of speed here… lord, what have I gotten myself into. Anyway the hours 7:30 Saturday is 24... Sunday makes 48..It’s 5:00 PM Sunday now, wow 58 is right. How could so much happen in just 58 hrs? How could so much change in just 58 hrs?

I sat looking over the lake for about an hour blissfully reliving the last 58 hrs. As my reminiscing began to catch up with real time I began to feel a wave of sadness wash over my entire soul. It was over…the adventure was over, but why was I sad, 58 hrs. straight and not one negative word or gesture or thought…. Wait, is that right? …………..It was……How could that be.

14 adults from all backgrounds, from places like Georgia, Louisiana, Las Vegas, England, Japan spend 58 hrs together with no BS. No attitude. No drama then it dawned on me….why I was sad. It was over. I knew I would see some of these folks again, that I would make sure of. Keith will be in Vegas in July I will see him then. I will see both Tim’s again, this will certainly not be my last tour with them. I realized that even though I will see these people again We will never be together, all together, like this again….It’s over…forever. I’ll never have that 58 hrs. again….over…click…

A switch flipped in my brain, time to go home. 6:00 PM…. too early to get a room, 2 hrs. of daylight left. Can I make Lee Vining? Don’t know, I should try. I pointed my nose into the wind, it was all business now, get home.

I stopped for the night in Bridgeport and was home in Las Vegas by noon Monday.

Thanks to everyone for the time of my life.


Mark
LVDeuce

Mark:

Very well described. Being on a Pashnit tour, its a feeling that you cannot describe to anyone who was not on the tour. I am glad you had such a great time. And you wonder why I have been on 7 tours? For the same reasons you describe.

Best,
Kevin

[lvdeuce]

Thanks Kevin,
I was ginuinely inspired by the ride. The roads, the scenery ... but it was the people that made it such a special experience.
I believe there is a positive force generated by Tim that propogates through all who participate in the site.

It will not be my last ride although I can't imagine it could get any better.


Mark

[the mad otter]

Mark...if this was a struggle I can't wait to read something that just flows. What a beautiful heartfelt letter...my thanks to you for changing the way I think sometimes...and I'm so glad that you enjoyed the tour to the extent that you did...those Mondays are quite a let-down, maybe Tim can extend the tours through Wednesday so we can ease into the week? I will look forward to your next tour.

[BMWRockster]

Originally Posted by lvdeuce

Thanks Kevin,
I was ginuinely inspired by the ride. The roads, the scenery ... but it was the people that made it such a special experience.
I believe there is a positive force generated by Tim that propogates through all who participate in the site.

It will not be my last ride although I can't imagine it could get any better.


Mark

Yes, it can get better. Each tour has a different feel based on the part of California you are in. I have done the same tour several times, but because of the change in guests, riding the tour at a different time of the year (Spring versus Fall), they all feel different. The Nor Cal tours are my favorite. NorCal is very remote.

Best,
Kevin

[pashnit]

Thanks Mark - you conveyed that well. It was a real pleasure to have you come out from Vegas and join us for the ride. A wonderful, yet eclectic, group of riders with a genuine love of the open road. Nothing better than a fresh set of faces all there for the same reasons.

Mark & me

[lvdeuce]

Thanks Tim,
What a great shot, me with the REAL celebrity of the site the 'busa.

Alan,
Thanks for the kind words, for some reason I was unable to rest until I got that out of me.

Thanks Kevin,
We WILL ride again soon.

[demenshea]

Mark, your writing was lovely, bittersweet and packed with insight. Thanks so much for putting into words what you felt in you heart.

Those 58 hours will be forever etched in your head and heart and you can revisit them over and over. (plus u have pix )