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Thunderbird Club

#327,083
GonePlaid said:
Yeah. I was stationed in Charleston, SC, for a little over a year. Before I-95 was done in GA. Lotta time on 17.
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From Pawleys Island on up north past North Myrtle Beach is always a mess.
But i know all the side roads and short cuts.
It’s grown a lot here.
Mainly northerners like me who’ve retired down here.
 
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#327,085
JIO said:
On my motorcycle at night - 100% concentration.
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That would be the thrill ride of a lifetime!

For those in the club that aren’t familiar with 17 in California - think of it as a multi lane winding race track through the mountains with lots of nicely banked curves and some switchbacks. With bumper to bumper traffic all moving at the 55mph speed limit it can be a bit of a white knuckle ride, one wrong move by the car in front of you can create a real mess. Then there was the joy of flying along at twice the speed limit on an open straight and going into a nicely banked blind curve only to instantly come up upon a Semi truck hauling sand at 20mph. Growing up in San Jose and partying in Santa Cruz I made that Highway 17 trip dozens and dozens of times, how I’m still alive and didn’t mess up any else is a miracle.

I can’t imagine carving that road up at night on an overly energetic if not suicidal motorcycle run. Glad you made it alive Geo!
 
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#327,086
GBassNorth said:
That would be the thrill ride of a lifetime!

For those in the club that aren’t familiar with 17 in California - think of it as a multi lane winding race track through the mountains with lots of nicely banked curves and some switchbacks. With bumper to bumper traffic all moving at the 55mph speed limit it can be a bit of a white knuckle ride, one wrong move by the car in front of you can create a real mess. Then there was the joy of flying along at twice the speed limit on an open straight and going into a nicely banked blind curve only to instantly come up upon a Semi truck hauling sand at 20mph. Growing up in San Jose and partying in Santa Cruz I made that Highway 17 trip dozens and dozens of times, how I’m still alive and didn’t mess up any else is a miracle.

I can’t imagine carving that road up at night on an overly energetic if not suicidal motorcycle run. Glad you made it alive Geo!
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You forgot to mention a hill on one side and concrete divider on the other...and no shoulders.
 
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#327,087
GBassNorth said:
That would be the thrill ride of a lifetime!

For those in the club that aren’t familiar with 17 in California - think of it as a multi lane winding race track through the mountains with lots of nicely banked curves and some switchbacks. With bumper to bumper traffic all moving at the 55mph speed limit it can be a bit of a white knuckle ride, one wrong move by the car in front of you can create a real mess. Then there was the joy of flying along at twice the speed limit on an open straight and going into a nicely banked blind curve only to instantly come up upon a Semi truck hauling sand at 20mph. Growing up in San Jose and partying in Santa Cruz I made that Highway 17 trip dozens and dozens of times, how I’m still alive and didn’t mess up any else is a miracle.

I can’t imagine carving that road up at night on an overly energetic if not suicidal motorcycle run. Glad you made it alive Geo!
Click to expand...

I had to have a look at googlemaps to check, Frank and I did drive that road into Santa Cruz for the first GTG, it was a bit hairy.
 
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#327,088
GBassNorth said:
That would be the thrill ride of a lifetime!

For those in the club that aren’t familiar with 17 in California - think of it as a multi lane winding race track through the mountains with lots of nicely banked curves and some switchbacks. With bumper to bumper traffic all moving at the 55mph speed limit it can be a bit of a white knuckle ride, one wrong move by the car in front of you can create a real mess. Then there was the joy of flying along at twice the speed limit on an open straight and going into a nicely banked blind curve only to instantly come up upon a Semi truck hauling sand at 20mph. Growing up in San Jose and partying in Santa Cruz I made that Highway 17 trip dozens and dozens of times, how I’m still alive and didn’t mess up any else is a miracle.

I can’t imagine carving that road up at night on an overly energetic if not suicidal motorcycle run. Glad you made it alive Geo!
Click to expand...
It was (still dark) early morning on my way to Laguna Seca for an AM-start track day so traffic at that time was moderate. At first I was intimidated but then just relaxed and got in a groove. (ex competitive cyclist, so years of two-wheeled experience) When I first started motorcycling in the mid '90s, I would ride at night to get comfortable with it - following my headlamp down twisty descents as the only vehicle on the road. (advantage of riding at night) I headed back home on 17 later that day, returning at dusk - after a day on the track 17 was a cake-walk! A lot for one day but I was a bit younger then! ;)

I was on my VF500 Interceptor - a late '80s 500cc bike that was not overly energetic but a really fun bike!

1758387090540.jpeg
 
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#327,090
GBassNorth said:
That would be the thrill ride of a lifetime!

For those in the club that aren’t familiar with 17 in California - think of it as a multi lane winding race track through the mountains with lots of nicely banked curves and some switchbacks. With bumper to bumper traffic all moving at the 55mph speed limit it can be a bit of a white knuckle ride, one wrong move by the car in front of you can create a real mess. Then there was the joy of flying along at twice the speed limit on an open straight and going into a nicely banked blind curve only to instantly come up upon a Semi truck hauling sand at 20mph. Growing up in San Jose and partying in Santa Cruz I made that Highway 17 trip dozens and dozens of times, how I’m still alive and didn’t mess up any else is a miracle.

I can’t imagine carving that road up at night on an overly energetic if not suicidal motorcycle run. Glad you made it alive Geo!
Click to expand...
mind blowing that up until not really long ago, there was no center divider.....
 
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#327,091
JIO said:
It was (still dark) early morning on my way to Laguna Seca for an AM-start track day so traffic at that time was moderate. At first I was intimidated but then just relaxed and got in a groove. (ex competitive cyclist, so years of two-wheeled experience) When I first started motorcycling in the mid '90s, I would ride at night to get comfortable with it - following my headlamp down twisty descents as the only vehicle on the road. (advantage of riding at night) I headed back home on 17 later that day, returning at dusk - after a day on the track 17 was a cake-walk! A lot for one day but I was a bit younger then! ;)

I was on my VF500 - a late '80s 500cc bike that was not overly energetic but a really fun bike!

View attachment 7325945
Click to expand...
ever see that Miata with the "FOR 17" license plate?...
 
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#327,099
Chucky Stiletti said:
mind blowing that up until not really long ago, there was no center divider.....
Click to expand...
Yeah, no concrete center divider when I was pounding it in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I think they added that in the mid 80’s.
I remember people referring to it as Blood Alley back then.
 
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