Uncle Punk
06-16-2009, 12:43 AM
I have seen a lot of talk about 536 on here since I joined and finally had the opportunity to ride it this weekend. I'm going to make a short story long because I am currently not working so I have plenty of time to kill.
I didn't organize this ride and no one who rode with the group belongs to this site except me so I didn't make it public on here. I was just a tag along with one of the two guys who put us all together. Three of us rode from Lorain to Mansfield and met up with five more riders for some southern Ohio road action. By the time I made it home I had traveled 456 miles for the day and had a blast.
536 is a serious road that can and will bite you. We had eight guys in the group and two went down on 536 both of them in the same corner. No one was hurt and both of them were able to finish the ride with no mechanical difficulties, their bikes just aren't a pretty as they once were.
Three of us in the group have varying degrees of track experience and one guy is a very experienced street rider who is able to ride a quick pace right along with the track guys. I mention this only to explain my thoughts on how valuable I find track time if anyone is going to be out riding at a quick pace on these back roads. I did my first track day in 2005 and thought I could ride prior to that. I would have oh shit moments that would send me into panic mode and I would end up doing everything wrong to recover. I crossed the yellow line a few times a year and not at a really fast pace, I just didn't have the proper skills or understanding of what to do. I now ride at a faster pace, much more relaxed and SAFER. I can say that I haven't crossed a yellow line in four years until Sunday. In my mind that's the same as a crash it was stupid and I am beating myself up over it. I not only put myself in danger but if someone had been coming the other way I could have harmed them from my own stupidity. I didn't go down only because I didn't give up but I wasn't in control enough to stay in my lane.
I really like 555 and have been hearing that 536 was even better but I kept thinking it couldn't be. It is definitely more challenging. 555 is longer and I haven't experienced any got ya places on it like 536 has. We rode across 78 east from 83 which is a nice road but it kind of lulled us into high speed mode. We get to 536 and start down it heading toward the river. Whoa, this is a fun road, we all stop at the stop sign, the group is all together and we make the turn to the right up hill. I am riding in the second spot at this time, so the three riders with track experience are riding up front. We come up to a 15 MPH right hand turn should be no big deal but not so fast this stupid thing is a decreasing radius turn compounded by the fact it starts to go down hill as it gets tighter. First guy touches the yellow line on exit, I cross it completely and the third guy low sides on the road and ends up in the hay field. The first guy and I check up, I stop and the fourth guy gets up to me and asks if I am alright, why are you stopping? He never saw the third guy go down in front of him. While we are having this interaction around comes the fifth guy and the six guy stands his bike up and rides down into the hay field. Not one rider following the guys that went off knew it had happened. If you look at the pictures you will see there is not too much distance from the stop sign to this curve but this road is so curvy it had separated us by then. No real damage to either bike or riders, they rode them out of the field and on to the road for us all to continue on for the rest of our day.
My new favorite road is 255. It has new pavement but not too new to be slippery. Be careful out there guys and if you can work at getting to a track day. I know the locals to this road can offer more information but this is what I experienced on it my first time. YMMV.
I know it didn't happen without pictures but I don't think one was taken all day. Here are some pictures of the route I took that day and of the turn I am referring to. Because I can't figure out how to get text between pictures I will try to explain them now.
1. My entire 456 mile route
2. 78 to 536 to 7 to 255 to 800
3. Overview from stop sign to 15 MPH turn
4. Closer Arial view of turn showing decreasing radius
5. Road view approaching turn
6. View looking back to exit of turn
1. My entire 456 mile route
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4405
2. 78 to 536 to 7 to 255 to 800
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4406
3. Overview from stop sign to 15 MPH turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4407
4. Closer Arial view of turn showing decreasing radius
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4408
5. Road view approaching turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4409
6. View looking back to exit of turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4410
I didn't organize this ride and no one who rode with the group belongs to this site except me so I didn't make it public on here. I was just a tag along with one of the two guys who put us all together. Three of us rode from Lorain to Mansfield and met up with five more riders for some southern Ohio road action. By the time I made it home I had traveled 456 miles for the day and had a blast.
536 is a serious road that can and will bite you. We had eight guys in the group and two went down on 536 both of them in the same corner. No one was hurt and both of them were able to finish the ride with no mechanical difficulties, their bikes just aren't a pretty as they once were.
Three of us in the group have varying degrees of track experience and one guy is a very experienced street rider who is able to ride a quick pace right along with the track guys. I mention this only to explain my thoughts on how valuable I find track time if anyone is going to be out riding at a quick pace on these back roads. I did my first track day in 2005 and thought I could ride prior to that. I would have oh shit moments that would send me into panic mode and I would end up doing everything wrong to recover. I crossed the yellow line a few times a year and not at a really fast pace, I just didn't have the proper skills or understanding of what to do. I now ride at a faster pace, much more relaxed and SAFER. I can say that I haven't crossed a yellow line in four years until Sunday. In my mind that's the same as a crash it was stupid and I am beating myself up over it. I not only put myself in danger but if someone had been coming the other way I could have harmed them from my own stupidity. I didn't go down only because I didn't give up but I wasn't in control enough to stay in my lane.
I really like 555 and have been hearing that 536 was even better but I kept thinking it couldn't be. It is definitely more challenging. 555 is longer and I haven't experienced any got ya places on it like 536 has. We rode across 78 east from 83 which is a nice road but it kind of lulled us into high speed mode. We get to 536 and start down it heading toward the river. Whoa, this is a fun road, we all stop at the stop sign, the group is all together and we make the turn to the right up hill. I am riding in the second spot at this time, so the three riders with track experience are riding up front. We come up to a 15 MPH right hand turn should be no big deal but not so fast this stupid thing is a decreasing radius turn compounded by the fact it starts to go down hill as it gets tighter. First guy touches the yellow line on exit, I cross it completely and the third guy low sides on the road and ends up in the hay field. The first guy and I check up, I stop and the fourth guy gets up to me and asks if I am alright, why are you stopping? He never saw the third guy go down in front of him. While we are having this interaction around comes the fifth guy and the six guy stands his bike up and rides down into the hay field. Not one rider following the guys that went off knew it had happened. If you look at the pictures you will see there is not too much distance from the stop sign to this curve but this road is so curvy it had separated us by then. No real damage to either bike or riders, they rode them out of the field and on to the road for us all to continue on for the rest of our day.
My new favorite road is 255. It has new pavement but not too new to be slippery. Be careful out there guys and if you can work at getting to a track day. I know the locals to this road can offer more information but this is what I experienced on it my first time. YMMV.
I know it didn't happen without pictures but I don't think one was taken all day. Here are some pictures of the route I took that day and of the turn I am referring to. Because I can't figure out how to get text between pictures I will try to explain them now.
1. My entire 456 mile route
2. 78 to 536 to 7 to 255 to 800
3. Overview from stop sign to 15 MPH turn
4. Closer Arial view of turn showing decreasing radius
5. Road view approaching turn
6. View looking back to exit of turn
1. My entire 456 mile route
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4405
2. 78 to 536 to 7 to 255 to 800
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4406
3. Overview from stop sign to 15 MPH turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4407
4. Closer Arial view of turn showing decreasing radius
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4408
5. Road view approaching turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4409
6. View looking back to exit of turn
http://www.ohio-riders.com/picture.php?albumid=453&pictureid=4410