August 2006 News from siderably since you last saw it) you’ll find Get Into the Thick of It a plethora of places to go and things to the Land of I thought the crowd was a little thin do. But also that Sipapu is right around when I arrived at the coffee shop this the corner, and with it the winding down Sunday morning. But instead it turned of the riding season. Of course, in New Enchantment out I was a little early, if you can believe Mexico the end of the season is also the that. In the half hour after I got there, best riding of the year. We truly live in BMW Riders bikes fairly poured in, filling up the park- the Land of Enchantment. ing lot. After an extended tire kicking We also seem to have a somewhat pre- session I headed north to Madrid, Santa dictable monsoon this year, so that you Fe and the Jemez. The bike count was up, can get some miles in the morning and way up. The roads were thick with them. be back before the afternoon rains arrive. The Mine Shaft hadn’t kicked into gear Of course, all bets are off in the moun- yet, but the Madrid coffee shops all had bikes in front of them, as well as both sides of the short street. I passed others headed for the mountains through Santa Fe, and saw them in pairs and dozens in the Jemez. It didn’t look like a single New Mexico motorcycle was in the garage. Left top to bottom: I guess summer is well under way, but Sometimes you can go flying by as well. Looking at the new home again. In the back calendar inside (which has filled up con- of my cousin’s shop in Montana I found the remains of the very first motorcycles I ever rode. tains, but that didn’t affect They should be of special the crowds of bikes I saw interest to Scootermeister heading right into the teeth Steve Mounce. of the storms in the Jemez. Yes, Lynn is standing As for me, I skirted them on the road. Is there and only got a few drops here a problem with that? and there. For a change. Montana mountains are Oh, did I mention the gully for four-wheelers. washer I rode through a cou- ple of weeks ago? I sure didn’t www.nmbmwmc.org skirt around that one. I think my clothes are still wet! BMW MOA Charter #123 David Wilson, editor BMW RA Charter #81 Wherein the author gets his day in court (almost), learns about justice first-hand My Day with The Man (almost) and gets to face his accuser (not). by David Wilson Disclaimer: Lynn says I’m being cynical. But I’m a journalist, gosh darn it, I’m supposed to be! The Facts changes occur, the suspension extends My citation was for passing in a no-pass- or retracts. This will change the ground ing zone. The officials on hand turned clearance and steering geometry and can out to be a prosecutor and her intern, the introduce oscillations in the suspension. Assistant Attorney General, and a Forest Reduced ground clearance limits lean Ranger representing all the Rangers who angle and can result in loss of traction…” had given out tickets. Had I followed the slow-moving SUV I had been advised to talk to the through the approaching corners, I would Assistant Attorney General, but there have been on the brakes throughout, com- was no talking beforehand. We arrived at promising the handling of the motorcycle. The corner where the 8:15 for the 9am hearing to find an empty Instead, since there was plenty of clear misdeed occurred. No courtroom. People began arriving around road (see the photo) and I could see all the traffic for about ¾ 8:30. By 9 it was standing room only, way around the corner, and since I barely mile. Truck crawling up and included five Forest Rangers, two had to accelerate to pass the truck, I opted the road. Then why no INS-type officers (none of these officials for the pass. In fact, I recall that that part passing? Because they were called to do anything, they just sat of the road had been a passing zone until painted those yellow around for a couple of hours then left), the restriping last fall. lines on the road there. and one nondescript Federal officer whose I tested this defense on two good patch just said “Police”. friends who happen to be judges and got The roll call was alphabetical, so about a split decision. One said it sounded rea- two hours later it was my turn at the sonable, the other just rolled her eyes. As table. It wasn’t a trial, but a preliminary it stands, we’ll never know. My goal was hearing to clear the docket: state a plea to not get slammed on my insurance, and and learn my options. They were to pay this result seems to do that. I took the the fine – which if I did they assured me money and ran. the charge would never appear on my record – or go to trial and risk “up to six The Opinion months jail time and a $5,000 fine.” I paid As usual, it boiled down to money. They See that gravel on the the fine. Then I left. The end. wanted $100, they got it, and I got off edge of the road coming with a dent in the pocketbook. Was it up around that blind The Fiction about safety? Doesn’t seem likely. The corner? That’s where I Since I agonized, researched, photo- message seems to be that as long as you’re was forced off the road. graphed, planned strategies and got legal willing to take a $100 hit every few People coming around advice from every judge and lawyer I months you can drive pretty much how- that corner and finding knew, I now present it to you. It’s preach- ever you want on Federal land. They may us parked there were ing to the choir, I know, but after all this change their mind if you start stacking pretty surprised too. time and effort for such a whimpering end, up the tickets, but there was no indication I need to do something with all this stuff. that they knew or cared. They only had My defense, had it gone that far, was the tickets on hand, no driving records. that what I did was actually safer than I also didn’t get to bring up the crazy the alternative of not passing the Ranger way I was forced off the road into gravel in the no-passing zone. Rest assured I had on a blind corner, or how the Ranger was documentation for all that follows. baiting drivers by his own driving. The MSF (New Mexico’s accredited Or the completely unmarked truck authority on motorcycle operation) states I’ve mentioned here before. I wonder if that the proper way to corner is to “Roll somebody thought he was some wacko on the throttle throughout the turn… pretending to be a cop and tried to get Federal officer or psycho Maintaining or slightly increasing speed away, would they be charged with evading pretending to be a cop? will stabilize the suspension and improve arrest? If you have a question about who Only his Commanding overall control. Avoid deceleration or is pulling you over, you’re supposed to Officer knows for sure. rapid acceleration while in a turn.” “Other acknowledge them and go to a safe, public difficulties arise from abrupt increases area to pull over. When I did that I was or decreases in speed in a turn. As such run off the road. That’s law enforcement. 2 The Legendary Shaft The Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks by Doug Guinn I decided to ride to Missouri this year (post retirement) with more available time than in previous Father’s Day gatherings. My brother, a dedicated Honda “Wing Man”, from Kentucky also rode in so that we might spend some quality time, apart from family time, in two wheel pursuits. Other cousin type relatives on a Harley Road King and Honda crotch rocket joined in for one day of twisties. Scenery Southwestern Missouri is green in late June. I mean really green, and that which ested turns seemed never to end. Each road The BMW Rally site in isn’t covered in trees seems to be dotted seemed to offer more than the last. Crane Missouri. Nice with cows and farms. There seems to be city park. more back roads in a single county than Road Kill in the entire state of New Mexico. It was Entire country meals all two lane, sparsely traveled by others, just lying around! and ripe for cyclists. When encountering Delicacies we rarely that occasional traveler going the same see! One safety con- direction, I was pleasantly surprised to cern I noticed on note that most pull over to let the bik- the first day was the ers pass. Bikes apparently frequent these abundance of road roads on weekends. We actually stopped kill we don’t have in to visit a BMW rally in Crane, Missouri. the Southwest. Some Nice setting in a city park, but small. of these would no doubt be quite slip- Crossing into Arkansas Unfortunately most of the 100 or so par- pery if discovered in a tight turn where on the Bull Shoals ticipants had gone to a dealer event in quick evasive maneuvers might be hard to Ferry.