Cheaha 2010 VIDEOS

[Kaiser]

Wife shot some video while riding.  NOTE: The wind noise is pretty loud on some of these - might want to turn down your speakers.

I've also got some video of us looping around the top of Cheaha Mountain...but it's 10GB by the time I added some audio to it.  So, I gotta figure out how to split it up.  Once I do that, I'll post it here, too.

We got split up after pulling out on the main drag after a gas stop.  I was the last one until the rest of the group caught up with us a little down the road.

Cheaha 2010 Back of Pack	powered by Aeva

Crossing a bridge:

Cheaha 2010 crossing bridge	powered by Aeva

The only casuality of the weekend (that I know of - other than my pride from a lack of dancing skills) was an accidental fill up of diesel.  Here we are enjoying the day while the Valk SWAT team of doctors tended to the sick bike.

Cheaha 2010 diesel stop	powered by Aeva

And what a Valk sounds like while running out the last bit of diesel:

Cheaha 2010 diesel Valk	powered by Aeva

A shot of me chasing Willow and Chris up the mountain.  I simply could not keep up.  Those boys can ride!  I wanted to blame it on me riding 2-up, but the simple truth is that they are better and more experienced riders than I am.  At least they were kind enough to stop at the intersections and wait for me so that I knew which way to turn.

Cheaha 2010 riding up the mountain	powered by Aeva

Here is a small teaser of what the road at the top of the mountain looks like.  The stone tower at the end of the clip is the Observation Tower.  And yes - they put a cell tower at the highest point in Alabama.  When I inquired about this, I was told "well, you ARE in Alabama."  

Cheaha 2010 road at top of mountain	powered by Aeva

GOT IT!  Here is the loop at the top of the mountain.  I put some music over the audio due to my videographer adding her own undesirable editorial comments.    The musical selection is probably considered to be sacrilege for some members of this board.  It is a Skynyrd cover by some of my favorite musicians (James Hatfield, John Popper, Jerry Cantrell, and [at least] Gary Rossington).  I picked it because when traveling at a whopping 15 mph, it takes about 9 minutes to get all the way around the loop...and this song was one of the only 9 minute songs in my collection.

Enough jabberin'.  Here's the video.  Starts from the highest point in Alabama - down to guard station - back up to Bald Rock Lodge (a.k.a. Ground Zero) - then back down to guard station.

Interesting side note: notice the Park Employee coming the wrong way up a one-way road in their truck!

Cheaha 2010 top of mountain	powered by Aeva

[BamaDrifter64]

I was looking for a vid of Smokin' Joe going up the mountain, but I didn't see any bike throwing up sparks around the curves...you must have missed him....

Dave

[Kaiser]

He rode with a different group...and I could not have kept up to shoot any video, anyways. 

[Strider]

 

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey Kaiser.....tell your wife shes pretty good with that camera on the back of a bike!  Thanks for the memory....that group ride was a county back road pace that was just putting me to sleep............airing it out with you and Willow was just the ticket 

[stormrider]

Thanks for the footage.

[Kaiser]

Hey Kaiser.....tell your wife shes pretty good with that camera on the back of a bike!  Thanks for the memory....that group ride was a county back road pace that was just putting me to sleep............airing it out with you and Willow was just the ticket 

Will do!  It's a pretty good testament to passenger comfort when I'm givin' it all I've got goin' up the mountain - and she doesn't feel the need to hang on with both hands.

I tried keepin' up with you guys - but as soon as I drifted over the double-yellow line...I knew I couldn't hang.

While we did not get a chance to officially meet, I'm glad that we *sorta* got to ride together. 

[Chrisj CMA]

maybe we can meet up during Biketoberfest....We are always down that way.  Thanks again for the video. 

[Kaiser]

Biketoberfest - yeah, I think I've heard of that one. 

Let me know if you're ever coming down this way and need a place to stretch your legs or enjoy a frosty cold adult beverage or spend the night.

Hope our paths cross soon.

[RedValk]

Hey Kaiser.....tell your wife shes pretty good with that camera on the back of a bike!  Thanks for the memory....that group ride was a county back road pace that was just putting me to sleep............airing it out with you and Willow was just the ticket  

seems to be a lot of that goin' on at Cheaha. I too....once i trimmed my group down a bit....(we lost jack, phyllis and Sherry...who went back early to start working....then lost the Germany "gang"...who went back to Anniston to freshen up)...and it was just a handful of us....i felt the need to "stetch the legs" on the old Valk going back up the mountain. the pace...was a bit brisker than riding with the group  

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey Kaiser.....tell your wife shes pretty good with that camera on the back of a bike!  Thanks for the memory....that group ride was a county back road pace that was just putting me to sleep............airing it out with you and Willow was just the ticket  

seems to be a lot of that goin' on at Cheaha. I too....once i trimmed my group down a bit....(we lost jack, phyllis and Sherry...who went back early to start working....then lost the Germany "gang"...who went back to Anniston to freshen up)...and it was just a handful of us....i felt the need to "stetch the legs" on the old Valk going back up the mountain. the pace...was a bit brisker than riding with the group  

Oh, absolutely........Steve ran a good safe and fun pace.......Just after hours of a group ride in the country, I was ready for a sprint on the twisties.......would not have been prudent to try that with the whole group.