2009 First Ride

[R100R Rider]

Saturday, January 3rd looks to be a good day for a ride. After being cooped up for the last couple of weeks, I am looking forward to getting the new year started out right.

I plan to do th CNW-2 ride out of our ABEES guide (North Central Alabama Run. Starting point is at the intersection of US 78 and Sipsey Road, 9 miles SE of Jasper, 7.5 miles NW of Sumiton. This ride combines Martin Benson’s Ride to Nesmith’s Hamburgers, Don Norwood’s Cr 33 Ride and the best part of Vance Harrelson’s Mud Creek Ride. It traverses excellent back roads through the Bankhead Forest to Moulton then to Double Springs, Nauvoo and the Warrior River riding through coal mining country to end at I 20, Exit 100. There are many curves and elevation changes with great scenery. The rider can check off 13 ABEES POIs and 4 favorite rides: Ride to Nesmith’s Hamburgers, Cr 33, Mud Creek Ride and the North Central Alabama Run totaling 17 check offs. The POIs are shown here in bold type.)

I would love for any and all to come along. I will be at Kiki's West (on Finley Avenue close to farmer's market) 7:30 AM for breakfast. Leave Niki's by 8:15 AM.

Look forward to seeing you there.

[NRJ40]

Hey Martin. I'd like to make this ride. I think I am free that day. Will send you a PM.

[jdubeemer]

New years day ride

Hey Martin the Birmingham CMA chapter is leaving Riders Harley Davidson in Trussville at 11 am on January 1st for a ride to the new BASS PRO SHOP in Leeds for lunch. It is an annual tradition for us to ride somewhere on the first day of the year. Not necessary to go far but always to go somewhere for lunch on that day. If you don't mind being seen with a bunch of Harleys and Goldwings and one Beemer come join us. All are welcome and we promise not to hit you over the head with a Bible.

[R90srider]

Thanks for leading the ride Martin. This one is going to be fun and the weather looks good for early January. We will have over 20 checkoffs on the ride to qualify early for the 2009 ABEES challenge and a chance to win another Bogart's Olympia riding jacket.

I will leave home in time to stop by the BP on Valleydale Rd for fuel (I 65 exit 247), then ride through Homewood and Birmingham collecting 7 ABEES points before meeting at Nicki's. I will depart the BP at 6:30 AM Jan. 3 heading north.

Garmin GPS route files are available, so if anyone would like for me to email them, just let me know.

[Raceydog]

Is this an on-road or off-road ride?

[R90srider]

All well paved roads Racydog

[Vance]

Thanks Martin. Not sure if I can make it but I will try. Depends on weather, honey do's and the other usual stuff! Oh yeah and if I get Buster back from T. Ware in time!

[Norwood]

I took my Jan 1 ride today from Chattanooga over the Skyway to Robbinsville area, nice day... at lunch in Tellico Plains at Tellico Cafe... at 5000 feet on the Skyway, temp was cool 32 deg at 2 PM, but I rode in a range from 30 to 50 degrees today, great day to ride.

[Wrong Way]

First ride in 2009 was an annual run to Ezell's Fish Camp for lunch. There was at least 200 bikes there. Weather was cool in the morning but the day finished nicely.

[Raceydog]

What happened to everyone this morning? I was at Niki's at 8:00 am and waited till 8:05. No one there. Drove up to the corner of Sipsey Rd and 78 and waited for 30 minutes. No one there. Drove home.

[R90srider]

Sorry we missed you Jimmy. Martin called Niki's and discovered they were not going to be open. We all met at the BP at 6:30AM and made the ride through Homewood and Birmingham collecting 7 ABEES points before starting the ride, then to Jack's in Graysville for breakfast. Had any of us known you wanted to go, we would have notified you about the change in plans. All together we got about 25 checkoffs today, a great start for 2009

[Raceydog]

Hey again. I didn't realize anyone would change the plan without posting, so I left Niki's about 8:05 and headed North just in case ya'll figured no one was coming. I talked to Vance a little while ago and we figured that I arrived at the Sipsey Rd/Hwy. 78 spot (8:50) a few minutes after ya'll passed by. I figured ya'll would stop there since that was supposed to be the starting spot, so I waited for a half hour just in case. As far as meeting at the BP, I didn't know anyone else was meeting there besides Bob. And since I think it should be against the law to get up that early, I went on to the spot that I figured the ride leader would be at. And although I ended up riding all Interstate and Highway, at least I was riding. So it wasn't a total loss. I just hate to ride alone.

[NRJ40]

Really enjoyed the ride yesterday! Martin, the roads were great! I learned something interesting at each stop. After eating at Nesmith's I learned I really didn't need that second double cheeseburger, but it sure was good. I also learned on this ride that deer can run up to 40mph. Glad he did no harm when he decided to merge between myself and Terry. The lightning show on the way home was beautiful, and the swim refreshing!

I enjoyed riding with all of you and look forward to the next one. Raceydog, sorry we missed you. Hopefully there will be another ride soon.

NJ

[Raceydog]

Awwww man! Now ya'll are just rubbin' it in. I've always wanted to go swimming in full riding gear.

[catchmeifyoucan]

Martin,

Sorry I missed your ride. I had that awful upper resp stuff going around and conked out for about a week. Hope I can make your next one. You're a good ride leader.

Lenn