I had to drive out to Mansfield, PA to take a look at a prospective job site. I took my company vechicle into work but to get out to Mansfield, I was going right past my house so I decided to stop in and grab the max.
It was a bit over 400 miles round trip. I left at 10AM and got home around 8PM. My route was RT 28 to RT 219 to RT 6. Once I got to Mansfield, I took a bunch of back roads to get the site. Eventually, the "roads" turned into dirt trails as I made my way back into the woods.
Close to home, most of the leaves are still green but, as I ventured farther north and east, I got a chance to catch a good glimpse of fall foliage.
As has been noted on this forum before, RT 6 is a great ride. It is a two lane road with a lot of dotted yellow lines which give plenty of opportunity to pass. I was surprised at the amount of traffic on the road. I made good use of the passing opportunities and held good speed througout most of the trip.
On my way home I was heading west, approaching the town of Smethport. Shortly before town there is a long uphill climb that was congested with traffic. A crane was at the head of the pack, causing the hold-up. As I crested the top of the hill, I saw an equally impressive downhill descent with a wide open opposing lane. I seized the opportunity and passed about 8 cars before dropping down into the town. Through town, I played nicely and obeyed the meager speed limit. It is only about a mile long. Once through town, I was caught up behind a car as the road began to open up. I found a good opportunity to pass and as I started merging right again, I saw the flash of blue and red lights as I checked my mirror.
The car I just passed started pulling over but, the police car flew right past them. No denying it is me that they are after. I put on my turn signal and took my time finding a good spot to pull over. The officer asks if I knew why I was being pulled over. I told him I was not sure, was I speeding? He chuckled a bit and said yes, most definitely. I clocked you at 50mph at the end of town. That is a 35mph zone. I told him I thought it was a 55mph zone as soon as I crossed the bridge at the end of town but apparantly, it was not. At the same time, I was thinking in the back of my head, Thank GOD he did not clock me as I was coming down the hill into the town!
He then asked for the usual paperwork and says "A yamaha v-max? Those are pretty fast bikes. Might even be able to keep up with a hayabusa" I told him I didn't think I stood much of a chance against a busa but its fast enough. He said one of his friends owned a '99 and it was a beast, extremely fast. I handed over my license and fumbled around for my insurance and registration. Apparantly, I neglected to put the updated insurance and registration cards in my document holder (baggie inside the tool pouch) as they were outdated. He took what I had and went back to his cruiser. I stood on the side of the road and watched as all the cars I had just recently passed, drove by and saw me standing on the side of the road. It always seems like you wait for an eternity while the officer is sitting in the car writing you up.
He came out with his citation pad in hand. He told me the first thing I need to do is to start carrying my updated info. Then he proceeded to explain to me that he did not give me a speeding ticket, he is writing a ticket for failure to obey traffic control devices. This is a no points ticket and it is the state minimum fine. I told him I appreciate it as I do a lot of driving for work, I signed it, and I was on my way. Could have been better but, could have been MUCH worse. No complaints here.
All in all a good day. My ass was tired of sitting on that seat, legs cramped and shoulders a bit sore from fighting the wind.....It was worth the ride!
Here are a couple pics of the bike, some of the structures I hope we will be working on, and some scenery.