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Mines and Mt Hamilton Roads: The Official Thread

I had to meet someone for lunch in Santa Clara yesterday, so came back via Mt. Hamilton instead of more freeway. In my opinion, there is more dirt on Mt. Hamilton Road than on Mines Road.

Met a riding friend up at The Junction that I hadn't seen in six or seven years. We didn't ride back down to Livermore together, since he likes a slower pace now. :ride
 
Photo with skeleton man on Mines Rd
 

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I've seen and experienced a lot of unusual stuff on the IOM (Isle of Mines). I ride it at least once pretty much every weekend.

Today coming back from the junction, I was cruising along at a maybe less than medium pace when I looked in the mirror and saw a car behind me. The pace I was riding while not fast at that moment, was faster than most "normal" cars would drive up there. So I sped up a bit and the car was still there. By this time I could tell it was an SUV of some sort. I sped up more still not shaking the SUV. Sped up more...still there :wtf OK time to shake him. Then suddenly on my left is the SUV overtaking me in not a safe passing area. If I would have moved a bit for a turn or ??? I would have been taken out. :wow It was a late model Grand Cherokee. I have sparred with porshes and vettes and even an electric Fiskar (and others) up there. I have never seen a car going this fast on Mines Road. I was a bit spooked by the pass and was expecting to see this thing crashed somewhere on the way down. Nope, at least not that I could see. Oh well, home safe and sound.

On another note, the last four trips up I have had deer sightings. Today going up was the closest recent one. One of the fackers crossed within about 20 feet of me just starting to speed up on the long straight at the bottom.

Ride safe :thumbup
 
kpke said:
...So I sped up a bit and the car was still there....
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My personal rule is that anybody that catches me gets to pass me and I'll pull over and wave them by as soon as I can. That makes it less likely for them to try a sketchy pass like that Jeep did for you.

I realize that it might hurt your ego to let some old jacked up 4 x 4 go by, but sometimes even those have fast drivers in them.
 
I've never had a car that could keep up with me even on a slow day, I ride up there almost every weekend.
 
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Was some dirt in the middle of the lane in a few corners, wasn't bad at all today.

OyacC2ul.jpg
 
ScottRNelson said:
My personal rule is that anybody that catches me gets to pass me and I'll pull over and wave them by as soon as I can. That makes it less likely for them to try a sketchy pass like that Jeep did for you.

I realize that it might hurt your ego to let some old jacked up 4 x 4 go by, but sometimes even those have fast drivers in them.
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That is a pretty good philosophy. Similarly, I let quick folks by just so I can watch them. It can be entertaining. And sometimes, scary.
 
SuperMotoD said:
I've never had a car that could keep up with me even on a slow day, I ride up there almost every weekend.
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When I had a Honda S2000, it was faster in the hills than any of the Ducatis I've owned, including the superbike. It was much easier to push the limits with that than with a motorcycle.

So what kind of cars have you owned? Something from Toyota perhaps? :laughing
 
ScottRNelson said:
When I had a Honda S2000, it was faster in the hills than any of the Ducatis I've owned, including the superbike. It was much easier to push the limits with that than with a motorcycle.

So what kind of cars have you owned? Something from Toyota perhaps? :laughing
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I've had BMW M3 , Porsche 911 GTS , Subaru WRX try to keep up with me on mines rd neither could keep the pace of the S1000XR to the junction but Thunder hill race way probably get my ass whooped.
So what cars have I owned ? Those guys .LOl
 
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SuperMotoD said:
I've had BMW M3 , Porsche 911 GTS , Subaru WRX try to keep up with me on mines rd neither could keep the pace of the S1000XR to the junction but Thunder hill race way probably get my ass whooped.
So what cars have I owned ? Those guys .LOl
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I can almost guarantee an M3 is quicker on anything but a wide open stretch. Cars can carry almost all of their corner speed and transition really fast. The bike will accelerate quicker that's about it. If it's wide open enough, the car will catch back up because they can have higher top speeds.
 
Cars can lose a little on really goaty roads, because a motorcycle can take a better line. Plus cars are for assholes.
 
kuksul08 said:
I can almost guarantee an M3 is quicker on anything but a wide open stretch. Cars can carry almost all of their corner speed and transition really fast. The bike will accelerate quicker that's about it. If it's wide open enough, the car will catch back up because they can have higher top speeds.
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Bring it.

I'll smoke your German shitbox with my American built sportbike.
 
ScottRNelson said:
My personal rule is that anybody that catches me gets to pass me and I'll pull over and wave them by as soon as I can. That makes it less likely for them to try a sketchy pass like that Jeep did for you.

I realize that it might hurt your ego to let some old jacked up 4 x 4 go by, but sometimes even those have fast drivers in them.
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agreed, don't want to push them into a horrid/dangerous pass attempt; maybe taking me out in the process...:afm199

just wave them by & no drama, & your instantly back into YOUR ride.:thumbup
 
EastBayDave said:
you've never met up w/a fast car YET. Fast car w/a fast driver w/4 big meats on the road will surprise you. Sure you can hold them up awhile, but dangerous to do so as I say in post above.
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Agreed.

For a road like Morgan Territory, few vehicles could ever keep up with a sumo, IMHO. But on more open roads, a car will have an advantage in the corners due to not having to worry as much about debris and having twice the contact patches, both in size and number.

I had a Toyota catch up to me in Berryessa when there was a construction stop when I was on my '13 ZX14r. I could lose him easily in the straights but that car dove into corners (using both lanes at times) a lot deeper than I was comfortable given the road conditions. (debris, tar snakes, etc) I felt it prudent to just pull over and let him pass since I had nothing to prove and more to lose.
 
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EastBayDave said:
you've never met up w/a fast DRIVER YET. Fast DRIVER w/an average car will surprise you. Sure you can hold them up awhile, but dangerous to do so as I say in post above.
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Fixed that for ya!:thumbup
 
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redtail said:
For a road like Morgan Territory, few vehicles could ever keep up with a sumo, IMHO.
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You would have to be insane to take a fast pace on that road - anywhere along it - in any sort of vehicle. Too many blind corners that aren't wide enough for two cars at the same time and a tight squeeze with a car and a motorcycle. If you encounter some F-350 Dualie hauling a four "passenger" horse trailer coming the other way you don't want to be going fast. And I've met more than one of those up there.
 
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