The Answer to Whether You Can Join a Ride Posted on the Forum

[Greg]

Perhaps there should be an "OBDURATE" section in the forum.GJ

Sorry John....I now need a chief of police section.....lol

but funny stuff....

This is your 4th name change, Lloyd.
What's up with that? Just curious .....

[Deplorable, thank you!]

"If you are suggesting a closed sub forum for some group of riders on the forum which some forum member would control access to, the questions would be, who would these sub forums be created for? "


being in a total good mood and a smart ass today;

Multiple "private" sub forums...members can belong to one or all-- (The "owner" of that section moderates it themself)

lets see we have the;

1) I am underskilled and don't know it therefore I can ride as good as anyone,section

2) I am super fast. Trust me I am,section...

3) I have no idea where I am going, so you lead,section

4) I am slow and know it and am totally okay with that,section

5) I am slow and embarrassed about it, so I will push as hard as I dare to ride with you guys,section

6) I do trackdays, and the streets are paved just like the track, so lets use it all,section

7) "It is what it is", "I don't need to think about riding, I just ride",section

Rays section....80-85 for 90% of the ride, start and end in Nelson (oh wait my speedo is what?,,,15 mph off, no way)...oh and if I don't show up--I took the duc and ran out of gas---I'll catch up

9) Vince's section....I will go as fast as everybody else wants to but I will do it following 3 bike lengths back. 70 no problem, 170 no problem, lets go....

10) Paul's section....I do destination rides because I enjoy them...I have no interest in riding "fast" even though my pace often is as brisk as some of the "fast" guys. Plus you better be able to go further than 150 miles on a tank of fuel (unless you are riding a dualsport, that falls under the dual sport exception rule)

11) Rogers section...I like to wick it up especially on the tupperware bike. Come ride with me and we will have plenty of yuks and a great time at all the stops..

12) Denyse's section...Guys, you need to pose for this picture, then we can ride some more.

13) Chris' section...okay we were supposed to leave at 9 it is now 10, lets go already

14) Johns section.....is it Monday yet?

15) Greg's section...Tri- State boogie time. Devoted subscriber to #7 though. Now who has a truck to get me to Arkansas?

16) Lloyd's section... 68-74 mph 90% of the ride and I do not want to wait for anyone, nor do I want to put my feet down at stop signs. I will see you guys for ice cream in 500 miles and it won't be via MN sweeper roads, it'll be some loopdeloop round and round hitting every road imagineable and no I do not care that those 46 miles were sand covered...NO you cannot share my route sheet..

17) Tony's section...I'm with you guys, wherever you want to go. I just want to ride. What? I need a new chain and sprockets, how did that happen...

18) Joel's section....what? me lead....ummm ok

19) Marks section....***the section you are entering has no rides***....

Now I hope everyone enjoys a little humor and little fun being poked at some of the people I like .... I have no doubt they will get a good laugh out of it.

I guess Ray really is special.....he doesn't even get a number, rather he is the cool guy smiley....lol

[Deplorable, thank you!]

Perhaps there should be an "OBDURATE" section in the forum.GJ

Sorry John....I now need a chief of police section.....lol

but funny stuff....

This is your 4th name change, Lloyd.
What's up with that? Just curious .....

obdurate is played out...the fun has left the building.

Chief of Police is my new fun phrase.....for now

[GUZZI JOHN]

   SOMEONE'S OFF THEIR MEDS! WHILE YOU GUYS BANTERED I GOT IN MY 90MI N.W. LOOP.

[Jvs]

I didn't get a section Lloyd   lol

[Deplorable, thank you!]

I didn't get a section Lloyd   lol

#4 ?

[Jvs]

I'd say more of a 3/4 recovering from a #5 and 1

Did get a pretty good laugh out of the new number system though

[vince]

3 bike lengths, now you know you loose the draft if you get any farther back. And the Rocket keeps trying to pass me doing a wheelie. I need the draft. When I get the new bike your going to up that 170 to 200 right. Do I need track tires for the number 6 section or can I use some really bald tires that look like slicks.

[Jared]

1) I am underskilled and don't know it therefore I can ride as good as anyone,section

2) I am super fast. Trust me I am,section...

3) I have no idea where I am going, so you lead,section

4) I am slow and know it and am totally okay with that,section

5) I am slow and embarrassed about it, so I will push as hard as I dare to ride with you guys,section

6) I do trackdays, and the streets are paved just like the track, so lets use it all,section

7) "It is what it is", "I don't need to think about riding, I just ride",section

Rays section....80-85 for 90% of the ride, start and end in Nelson (oh wait my speedo is what?,,,15 mph off, no way)...oh and if I don't show up--I took the duc and ran out of gas---I'll catch up

9) Vince's section....I will go as fast as everybody else wants to but I will do it following 3 bike lengths back. 70 no problem, 170 no problem, lets go....

10) Paul's section....I do destination rides because I enjoy them...I have no interest in riding "fast" even though my pace often is as brisk as some of the "fast" guys. Plus you better be able to go further than 150 miles on a tank of fuel (unless you are riding a dualsport, that falls under the dual sport exception rule)

11) Rogers section...I like to wick it up especially on the tupperware bike. Come ride with me and we will have plenty of yuks and a great time at all the stops..

12) Denyse's section...Guys, you need to pose for this picture, then we can ride some more.

13) Chris' section...okay we were supposed to leave at 9 it is now 10, lets go already

14) Johns section.....is it Monday yet?

15) Greg's section...Tri- State boogie time. Devoted subscriber to #7 though

16) Lloyd's section... 68-74 mph 90% of the ride and I do not want to wait for anyone, nor do I want to put my feet down at stop signs. I will see you guys for ice cream in 500 miles and it won't be via MN sweeper roads, it'll be some loopdeloop round and round hitting every road imagineable and no I do not care that those 46 miles were sand covered...NO you cannot share my route sheet..

17) Tony's section...I'm with you guys, wherever you want to go. I just want to ride. What? I need a new chain and sprockets, how did that happen...

18) Joel's section....what? me lead....ummm ok

19) Marks section....***the section you are entering has no rides***....

Now I hope everyone enjoys a little humor and little fun being poked at the people I like.... I have no doubt they will get a good laugh out of it.

I guess Ray really is special.....he doesn't even get a number, rather he is the cool guy smiley....lol

Pretty funny...

[vince]

I just read the last half page to my wife. She is still laughing.

[Tim...]

The sub forum sounds like a good idea - let's call it "Pissy Pants" with a membership of one.

[Deplorable, thank you!]

Matt---"I have not heard anyone complain about any group rides except those who do not attend them."


Greg---"There were hundreds of experienced, proficient riders at the STAR rally last year. MSTA national uses route sheets."


In answer to Matt, Probably should do some fact checking before making such an assumption. your statement couldn't be more false.

I guess, Vince, Joel, Andy, myself don't attend rides? As I see it we have all made complaints about rides (read past and present threads) and atleast 3 of the 4 attended dozens of mn-msta rides last year alone... I could name a few more members that attend numerous rides and have complained as well....but this clearly makes my point.

In answer to Greg. The people who attend STAR, TWISTAR and the other national events. Well they travel from far and wide to attend these events, they are more experienced (IMO) and they have a different mindset and attitude than the minority of the follower members on this forum. It is the equivelant of comparing college grads to high school drop outs.


Tim. I am sorry I didn't make a group for you. Oh thats right you are of the I don't join in the rides group because route sheets are too dangerous? We'll give you the ownership of the Pissy Pants group you desire with your lone membership....


Come on 20 subforums was a joke (or was it?).....Vinces wife clearly had the same reaction I did to my creation and I am glad Jared saw the humor as well....

[aschendel]

I don't know if the conversation will get much traction, as it's a little politically incorrect, but I think it's an important discussion to have and now's a great time to have it.  From my reading of this and other attempted discussions about the tone or personality of this site, I feel that the "safe and proficient" riding / rides, "good riders on good roads" sorta personality of MN-MSTA is deteriorating.  Lloyd's sub-forum idea seems like one possible / logical approach to kind of masking the uglier side of what we have become -- a launching place for average riders on great routes riding like morons, out of sight of the general public at first.  I think the basic concept is along the lines of putting your best foot forward or you only have one chance to make a first impression.  The trick of course is how to judge things effectively, and while I don't have any good insight into how to do that, there are several well-respected riders here that would be more than capable of witnessing and then judging as needed.  I think if we're honest, there are rides we'd rather not have everyone know we run (perhaps most easily determined after the fact) or mistakenly think that that is how all of our rides are run -- the sub-forum idea was one way to contain that risk / exposure and highlight some of the more polished / by-the-book rides.  Maybe the MN-MSTA rides vs. Ad Hoc rides labelling is all that we need, but I think that's a pretty important distinction that some people, especially guests, won't recognize.

While the sub-forum might not end up being the answer, I think having very real discussions about "how rides are run" and how riders ride on them is the only thing that's going to keep "us" "better" than TA or MNSBR or whatever.  Sure our routes will probably always be unique and likely better, if we don't use up all of the leadership / ride creators and if the great routes aren't eventually over-used and abused, but if we refuse to talk about the core beliefs and how they / we are changing, our routes might end up being the only thing that sets us apart.

I've said it before and I'll say it forever, I'm a better and more "aware" rider than ever before, thanks to people being willing to judge me and others in the group.

a.s.

p.s. just for the record, I join group rides for the group aspect, it irks me when my "riding buddies" are either way ahead or way behind (like more than a few seconds).  I like being part of a group, a formation, I like the way kids stare and dogs bark and dads in mini-vans wish they were out there with us; I like watching people ride challenging roads well and the idea / hope that people are watching me ride (hopefully) well.  I like the sight of a train of bikes streaming like ants around a bend climbing a hill, I like the sound of a wide range of bikes pulling away from stops.  I like the security it brings and put up with the risk it brings.  I don't like spending energy "wondering" anything -- like am I riding too fast for those dropping behind, or will those in front come back for me if I have a flat or something or am I too slow for the guy on my *.*.  I don't like getting passed by anything with 4 wheels and love being passed by a friend that wants to run a little faster or lead an upcoming section.  I don't like being the only one to see things, I want to talk about that eagle, fox, deer, crazy driver, perfect corner or hopefully rare but beautiful great save, and I want to hear what other's thought of those same experiences... experiences, stories and tales that can't be shared when running solo or when the group is "too spread out".

[RCKT GRL]

Andy, that was very well written & I totally agree with you.  Thank you for your time & effort into putting into words what I haven't been able to.  I will have more to share on this subject when I have access from an actual computer & not just my phone.  For those of you with access to Facebook, I wrote a piece on riding that I will share here when I'm able to upload it. 

I for one think change is good.... we don't grow if we don't step outside our comfort zone.

[Hope2Ride]

I can't quote since I'm using my phone but I will say this in regards to what has been said about me...

If I would've gone on that Sun ride you guys are talking about that was advertised as 10+ then was apparently much more, I would've lost the group so fast that it would've been a waste of time for me to go. I go riding with other people because I don't want to ride alone the entire ride. By the time I would've caught up to a 90+ pace at a gas stop no one would even be there still. I think at the very least that if a ride is going to be posted with a planned pace that the ride should stick to that. But they dont... which is why I rarely join group rides. Whats the point if I'm gonna be left to self navigate i might as well do my own thing. I would rather participate more and sociallize with friends but if I'm gonna left in the dust well then...."my style" of riding currently could be labeled as "self preservation" rides. Of course I wanna  ride with my friends and become better and more skilled but not at the cost of trying to keep up on rides that were posted as 10+  but then were actually much faster. And no, I wasn't there, but I don't doubt it for one second.