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Any one else been out for a ride & when coming across a difficult situation bottled out of gong any further?

Today on the last day of our little biking hol we went exploring up the coast. It was extremely windy & some of the road surfaces were appalling (guessing saltwater damage).

I was feeling a bit rough (dodgy tum + some vertigo), so the winds & bad roads were quite a challenge.

We decided to ride down to a little beach & should have realised that as there was a cliff lift it was going to be steep!

Started of steep but ok (done similar in rain). It became much much steeper with hairpin bends. The final corner proved too much for me as because of the poor road surface I took it really wide then ran out of room to turn down a 1:3 final slope!

I was feeling really dizzy so stopped & had to ask fella to come up & get the bike down the last bit! that

So felt ill + humiliated but at least I didn't drop my bike! Also got my fella to ride bike up & past nasty corner.

So anyone else up for admitting they couldn't do what another rider could?

Sounds like quite the adventure!

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, you did pretty amazing right up to the very end in conditions that are not anywhere near ideal and you didn't feel good either.

Steap hills are difficult and when you combine twisties, bends and hairpin corners in there, well, it all can add up to worse than pulling over to ask for a little breather; so you definately did the right thing.

Tiredness can kill, in a car and especially on a bike which is much more demanding. (I learned that after my one and only crash while 12 hours into a ride through the mountains)

So anyone else up for admitting they couldn't do what another rider could?

Many times I couldn't do what another ride could. Sometimes it's the bike (I'm pushing it as far and as fast as it will safely go) at other times I don't have the experience the other ride might (say riding fast on rock roads). Also I seem to turn better with left hand corners than right (maybe because I'm left handed?) thus I slow down more for those vs other riders.

Mike

The best thing you could have done is do what you did. I am IT stupid and have to hand over to other people when I am not capable or confident of what I am doing. Do I feel embarrassed, NAH, why should I, bet there are things they can't do that I can. The ability to make the right decision at the right time is a very admirable trait.

Cheers guys for the words of support. My fella did not hesitate to help + agreed to ride bike up & out of the corner thast freaked me out, so he too could see it was the right decision at the time.

I feel I should mention 2 other times when I DID COPE with steep hairpins ........

On my test ride (1st time ever on Speed Triple) we went across the Dorset hills (again very windy) & how I cursed when I realised we were heading for a famous Dorset landmark called Zigzag Hill! That was relatively easy as I knew the road.

Next occasion was down here in Devon but up on top of Dartmoor. This was my 1st big trip on shiny new bike! Lots of single track roads & started to chuck it down with rain. We turned down little road & I had to cope with hairpins, very steep + mud!

Funnily enough I enjoyed both of those days!

mogster wrote:
Cheers guys for the words of support. My fella did not hesitate to help + agreed to ride bike up & out of the corner thast freaked me out, so he too could see it was the right decision at the time.

No problem! That's what we are here for.

Mike

I think it's great you recognized your limit and admitted it - what's the shame in that?

A lot of people don't pay attention to how they are feeling or just ignore it and it makes riding dangerous for them and everyone else around them. There have been a few times where I was supposed to ride somewhere but didn't because i was feeling to poorly. If I am feeling poorly enough that I believe I wont ENJOY the trip I just don't ride. I have to watch my blood sugar a bit so there have been times when I have stopped riding to get a bite to eat when others didn't. I am also the guy that has groups of sport bikes all weaving back and forth behind me in skyline drive. I am sorry I go there to see the country not to race through the park.

It sounds like you were ill. I think you did just the right thing by stopping. No fun in getting sick AND wrecking your bike. I bet on any other day you would have enjoyed the challenge!

Regards,

UPDATE..........

We are on the opposite coast from our Spring trip with equally steep hills & hairpins.

Glad to report all well on a fab ride all over Exmoor today.

Challenges included 1:4 gradients aplenty, running water from the hills, horse poo + Autumn leaves. All successfully & enjoyably negotiated!

I even conquered the infamous Porlock Hill (down) in pouring rain with fading light!

The picture proves I had an easier option.......which I DIDN'T take

mogster wrote:I even conquered the infamous Porlock Hill (down) in pouring rain with fading light!

I think if I had to do Porlock Hill in the rain, I'd rather go up than down....