Here we are already, approaching the most beautiful time of the year to hit the mountains on a bike. The leaves will be changing in the next few weeks and the mountains will be calling on you to fire up and ride. There is something so awesome about the mountains in the fall, the bright and deep blue skies, the crisp mountain air, and the fantastic views in Suches, GA and other well known areas.
The one thing I want to remind all of my brothers and sisters in the wind about is that cages also like to ride in the mountains and look at leaves. During this time of year the highways (especially Hwy 400) are crowded with “leaf lookers” headed north to see the sights.
The most prevalent way motorcycle accidents occur, usually resulting in death, is the “left hand turn.” Be aware that while you are out riding and trying to see the sights--so are the people in the cages. I know-- this sounds like useless information and most readers are thinking “hey Scott, we know this already,” but I have been riding a long time and have seen very seasoned riders killed because for one second they lost focus of the cars around them. It is my hope that one rider, who may be a novice, will read this article and pay better attention.
One thing that most riders don`t realize is that people in cars, especially those who don`t ride or have never ridden, don`t know how much distance it takes to stop a motorcycle. They naturally assume that a motorcycle can stop as quickly as an automobile--not true at all. A motorcycle traveling 60mph takes approximately 175ft to stop completely and as you may have guessed the variables are infinite considering the riders experience, age, and reaction time.
The busiest route for traffic heading up to look at the leaves is Hwy 400. There are a few alternate routes riders can take that will not only provide a safer trip up but also great views. My personal favorite is to take Interstate 85 North to 985/365 and then take a left on Lula rd/ Hwy 52 which will give you several choices of final destinations to ride toward.
Bottom line: Be very aware as you head to the mountains in the next few weeks, take a little more time to focus on the cars around you, and ride a few mph slower than normal.
Keep it in the wind, Chaps
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