Sunset Surprise

Sunset Surprise
Just because there wasn’t any gravel on the road a few minutes ago, doesn’t mean it isn’t there now.
You’ve enjoyed hanging around the motorcycle rally, kicking tires and telling lies, but late Saturday afternoon you decide to experience that twisty road over the mountain pass that everyone has been bragging up. The road turns out to be just as exciting as they said, and one advantage of turning around and riding down the mountain is that you’ve just seen the road and know what the surface is like. You feel more comfortable riding aggressively, closer to the limits of traction and lean angle.
But, halfway down, approaching a sharp downhill left-hander, you are shocked to see a fresh trail of gravel spread across the pavement. It wasn’t there a few minutes ago. You quickly lift the bike vertical and get hard on the brakes, sliding through the loose gravel and straight off the pavement onto a level dirt area. Apparently, within the last few minutes some local driver spun his tires, spreading gravel out onto the pavement.
Your tactic of getting the bike vertical and sliding straight off the road was good, but you were extremely lucky there was a level area to slide into, rather than a tree or rock wall. This could have been a serious crash. While it’s fun too ride aggressively, avoiding accidents requires that you always keep speed within sight distance, and never assume you know what you can’t see. Downhill left-handers are more hazardous because of gravity and surface camber. Clever riders slow down earlier when approaching potentially hazardous situations, not only to scrutinize the surface, but also to ensure there is no cross traffic.
Anita