Turn One

We have plenty of reading material for you this month as it is coming in faster than I can get it published but that's a good thing. I have two lunch rides to report on plus good stuff from frequent contributors, Dave Dickson and Drew Newcomer. Both offer prime examples of the member mindset that makes the MSTA so special: the never-ending quest for riding skill improvement. Drew reports on a very interesting riding school he recently attended in Texas while Dave analyses the dreaded decreasing radius curve encounter. Great reading! Drew also has a report with photos of his recent solo ride in Arkansas and Oklahoma.


Later...
Bob

SKILLS

RIDES

LUNCH RIDES We had great lunch rides in March & April with 5 riders attending each. On Satrurday March 20 we met in Baton Rouge at the Starbucks. This ride looked like it belonged to a Kawasaki club! I was on my 08 Kawasaki Concours 14, member Eric Babcock, Kawasaki ZZR1200, guests Paul Thibodeaux, 2010 Concours 14 and David Webster 08 Conncours 14 all represented Team Green. Member Dave Dickson was the odd man out on his BMW K 1200 R Sport. WE had delighful weather with temperatures ranging from 45- 70. WE rolled out Lee and Bightside to River Road and crossed the Sunshine Bridge. We then followed the west bank River Road to Plaquiemine and highway 77 along Bayous Plaquemine and Gros Tete, crossing the bayou at the town of the same name for highway 411 which took us to Livonia and our lunch destination at the Joe Drefus Store Restaurant. The route was about 130 miles. After lunch the other headed back to Baton Rouge or New Orleans while I continued north on 81 & 77 to Morganza and then took the ferry to St. Francisville and home. For April we met in Zachary and followed a 240 mile back road route north to Monticello MS then south on Red Bluff Rd and several rather obsure byways to Franklinton, LA for lunch at the Franklinton Grill. Riders included Dave Dickson, Dennis Headrick, BMW 1150RT, Tony Crowell 2005 VFR800, Kevin Yeats, 2009 VFR800 and myself riding my 1999 VFR800. 240 mile route to Monticello then south to Franklinton lunch at Grill

UPCOMING RIDES

May Lunch Ride

NATCHEZ TRACE PICNIC RIDE Saturday, May 15 MEET: 9:00 am McDonalds. St. Francisville RIDE: 9:30 am LUNCH: Natchez Trace Mile 54.8 Rocky Springs Picnic Area. We had an annual picnic ride from 2004-2007 and I would like to get this going again. We will run a couple of good back roads up to Natchez and then 50 miles of the Trace to the Rocky Springs Picnic Area. Pack a picnic lunch! OR we can pick something up to go along the route.

That's all for now.
Keep riding & smiling

Bob Chappuis, State Director and Editor