Later I awarded myself with a walk in the Sapperton Landing Park. Today a lovely retreat with enjoyable river views, it has quite a gruesome past.
November 07, 2011
Rumble in the Bronx
It was a challenge that I had set for myself that had led me to New Westminster, a city in the lower Vancouver Mainland adjacent to the Fraser River.
New West Downtown has quite a few steep roads with uneven surface, and has always been my nemesis until today. It was early in the morning, and had only 2 or 3C (35 or 36F) when I conducted my exercise and rode those roads down and up, left and right. I struggled uphills a few times to keep the weight of the Sportster balanced, but I managed not to drop it.
Letting the bike roll downhills was better. I was glad about the relatively empty streets and the dry weather conditions because these roads are really nasty, and did I mention steeply sloping?
Later I awarded myself with a walk in the Sapperton Landing Park. Today a lovely retreat with enjoyable river views, it has quite a gruesome past.
In the early days hardened criminals were unloaded at this pier to be incarcerated at the BC Penitentiary. 'The Pen' was operated for over 100 years before it was shut down for good and converted into office space.
So, all in all it wasn't really the Bronx, and there wasn't much of a rumble either. However, for the Jackie Chan fans amongst you, the martial arts movie of the same title was partly filmed here, as Front Street provided a slight resemblance to New York's infamous area.
I admit at another time but Sunday mornings I would not have been comfortable stopping here. It looked sketchy enough to me... ;-)
Later I awarded myself with a walk in the Sapperton Landing Park. Today a lovely retreat with enjoyable river views, it has quite a gruesome past.
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Nice job taking on and training on "adverse" terrain!
ReplyDeleteI really get a bit "worried" on steep downhills in "suboptimal" weather conditions. How's the engine braking on the HD? Or, was a judicious use of both brakes required at times?
Dom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
@Charlie6: Dom, downhill riding was indeed a combination of both brakes and engine braking. Worked well as long as the clutch was operated ever so smoothly. When the grounds get too slippery I rely even more on engine braking. My weakest spot with the Sportster is actually riding uphills making tight right turns.
ReplyDeleteSonja
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little kid my uncle used to take me for rides down a ver steep hill in New West, it was like going on a roller coaster. I can well imagine what it would be like to ride up and down that hill on a bike. Good for you!!!
@Dar: Roller Coaster is a perfect way to describe those streets. It requires a lot of concentration and control to master those hills, and I am still working on improving my skills.
ReplyDeleteThe situation that seem to cause me to worry are the stops and right turns on steeply cambered roads. Putting my right foot down would tip the bike over. Fortunately, I've run into very few of them around here.
ReplyDeleteSo does the BC Pen office space still have the bars on the office doors? I'm sure some employees feel that way....
Isn't it nice to conquer those areas that have been your nemesis? Good job on getting out there and riding those roads. It looks as though the park was a nice reward too. Beautiful pictures
ReplyDelete@RichardM: Seattle has actually roads that are as nasty, and I had my share scary moments when I was there on my Beemer. Not funny.
ReplyDeleteIsn't working always feel like being incarcerated, especially when the weather is nice?
@Trobairitz: I hesitated often, but I needed to do this sometime.
Sonja
ReplyDeleteThose really steep cobbled streets need a machine with the capability of the mighty GS (an 1150 would do - one doesn't want anything too modern), but you did really well on your HD!
Sonja it's nice to have a good challenge and get it behind you. Not dropping the bike is a big plus. If you did drop your HD on an uphill steep pitch on a tight right turn, you would have needed a tow truck to get it back to rubber side down! And that's the risk that makes the whole experience worth a blog post. Thanks for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteThe steep streets were what kept me from riding in San Fran. The black rubber skids at the crests were what made me glad I hadn't! Kudos to you for facing them. Tips?
ReplyDelete@Nikos: Yeah right, I have to admit that I had handled those roads better with the G650GS, but now that I have the Sporty I thought I better get trained on this one as well.
ReplyDelete@David Masse: David, now that I come to think of it... maybe not a tow truck but certainly help from others depending on the angle. But still it had to be done.
@VStarLady: I haven't been in San Fran with the bike but in Seattle, and it was a heck of an experience. Tips: Downhill with gentle front and back break but more through engine braking, uphills: keep the balance by staying on the throttle, and playing with the clutch, I almost didn't use the brakes as the hill slowed me down enough. Not sure if it is by the book but it worked for me.
Sonja
ReplyDeleteDuring our road tests here in Victoria they take you to a very steep hill with a stop sign at the top and then you have to make an immediate right turn. This hill is the dreaded hill and has given many a newb heart flutters, I have to say going up steep hills are not my fave thing, but I have managed to deal with it, but New West Hills not ready for those.
Good on you, braving the challenging streets of the area. There are places I'm afraid to ride when alone. Not just gravel roads or shoulders, but places with an off camber surface. I have a hard time judging these things.
ReplyDeleteSomehow I find it humorous that a penitentiary was replaced by an office. Prison, office...not so different :)
I love your cityscape scenes. Very nice backdrops for bike.