I'm doing the GOAT Rally this week. Right now waiting for storms to finish passing.
We had a good ride all day yesterday. Storms at night made a few water crossings impassable, but we found ways to circle around.
My XT225 is one of the smallest bikes here. I keep finding myself looking for another gear when I'm at 55 mph, then remembering if I'm at 55 there's no gears left.
Glad I found a group that had a TW200 and a KLX 300 that kept a good pace for me.
A short video from the ride today. * The ride was about 30% pavement 68% dirt and gravel - Here's some of the 2% 'other'.
My video from this year's GOAT Rally. I hadn't ridden for quite a while. At first my lines on the road and trails were off and handling of the bike was sloppy. After three full days of riding (a little over 500 miles total) I really felt good on the bike again. I made some new friends and had a great time.
Photo Album from this year's GOAT Rally, almost 200 pics: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBoEKz
I was at a near fatal wreck on Thursday afternoon (pretty sure that he survived after surgeries) and last night's crew was at a motorcycle accident where one died on scene and another was flown to the nearest trauma center. Other accidents in the area recently that we did not respond to because they were instantly fatal. Lots of people riding without helmets around here.
I know that at least one rider from the GOAT Rally ended up at the ER with a broken leg.
I'm not going to quit riding, but I am going to be avoiding areas with high traffic and not riding while tired or distracted. I'm going to wear my 'Batman suit' unless I'm going for a short, local ride at low speeds. It won't make me invincible, but will help cut down on punctured lungs and road rash.
I do most of my riding on the weekends, usually in the AM. Best on Sunday, as few people are out and about. And I generally dislike riding in populated areas, which also helps.
ATGATT, of course.
Yup, it's way more dangerous than driving a car. I feel the added risk is still worth it. Have a health scare in your life, and you'll look at risk/reward differently.
ddavidv said:... I feel the added risk is still worth it. Have a health scare in your life, and you'll look at risk/reward differently.
'Send-it' with no regret. In my 60s now, I've been on the pointy operational end of things since I started working. Risk of death or dismemberment on a daily basis for over 40 years has taught me not to avoid dangerous things, but to identify and mitigate hazards to a reasonable extent. In the end I'd much rather fail spectacular doing a thing than regret never having tried it.
In reply to AAZCD-Jon (Forum Supporter) :
100% - Risk was always part of my career as well. You just do what you can to mitigate necessary risk, and avoid unnecessary risk. No such thing as risk elimination...
That said, I finally got fed up about two years ago and sold my bike because I couldn't even take a weekend morning ride without some idiot trying to kill me. Location can have a lot to do with it, and the unrestrained and poorly managed population growth where we lived was making the roads untenable on two wheels. First time in 30 years I'd been without a bike. Now that we've retired and moved to a less congested area, I've got a bike back in the garage. Now, I just need to find the time to ride it...
Rode to work this past Tuesday. Only had one car try to merge into me on the freeway
@Rodan - you're doing retirement wrong. 
In reply to ddavidv :
K24 swapping our race Miata while getting settled in a new house has pretty much dominated the last 6 months for me... 
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