The long ride of a few misfits
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cyclefreak
Over 1,000 Posts
Sorry for not posting pics here yet. After we got back late Sunday its been kinda busy trying to recuperate from the trip. Jason kept a daily log of our time on the road, sharing that will give the best insight to it all. I will get some pics loaded here shortly.
Trip notes: Headed for the Hills trip.
1st day- After hurting back at work, I feel lucky to be able to go at all. We gathered at the WH in Springville for lunch and head out. No problems for most of the way. Traffic wasn't too bad, but the worlds longest yard sale was a bit tricky. Torn between cars stopping suddenly and the need for pickers like us to stop and browse. We pressed on and made it through Chattanooga if not with a slight scenic detour. Finally got to a road with some curves. Got to the motel at Fall Creek Falls with only a few oil leaks, empty tanks and bellies. We were to late for the restaurant so dinner by porch light. Overall good 1st day. 232miles
2nd day- Had a good nights sleep. A first thing rain shower and dark clouds let us know what is in store for weather. Cold morning tries to do in the battery on the fjr. Roll start gets her going. On the road again and twisty roads are a pleasant change. Unfortunately some gremlins seem to have found an XS to chew on. After several stops to try and shake them we conceded to swap for the Suzuki. Making better time now. Especially the 25mile blast back to retrieve a misplaced tank bag. Long miles, cold temps and tired bodies add up. We make it to cabins around midnight to a group of happy and slightly inebriated buds. Nice digs and dinner on the stove were welcome sights. Happy to be here. 302 miles
3rd/4th day- Feeling the effects of a long cold ride. Nice to be at a warm dry base camp for a couple of days. Had time to tweak on the bikes and figure out any parts needed. Got to take in some of the beauty of the Red River Gorge. Awesome place. Excellent accommodations and great food. Logan and Amanda have been wonderful hosts. 115 miles
5th day- Packed up from a great stay at RRG. Headed for Summerville, WV. Great day of riding 2 lanes with the exception of about 80 miles of highway. Had a couple of stops to get El Negro feeling happy with her carbs. Wonderful scenery through small coal towns. Got to cross the New river gorge (US19 bridge). Rolled into Summerville in time for dinner and a good nights sleep. Long day of riding but one of the nicest so far. 280 miles
6th day - Nothing like a good nights sleep and a hot breakfast. Girls take to the truck and we're off toward Blue Ridge Parkway. Haven't yet got out of town and we get a blue light. Apparently bumping pegs in town is frowned upon. No harm no foul. Route taking us down 39(great road) toward Lexington,va. Nice,twisty,scenic and patrolled road. Just a couple of stops to take pictures, pan for gold and break side stands. Minor scrape to the Beemer but she's good to go. Stopped for a very filling late lunch /early dinner. Made it to the BRP and decide to camp at Otter creek campground. Another good day. 158 miles
7th Day - Birds wake up early at camp, so we get an early start on the day. Heading south on the parkway we are lulled by the slower speeds. The views are spectacular and the road is fairly smooth. We stop often at the numerous overlooks. After a check on the map we plan on staying at FancyGap, Va. The boys (Jared and Neal ) decide to alter their route for some more axillerating roads. Rest of us press on and grab a room for the night. With the whole group together we opt for pizza delivery. The fun starts when we decide to pile in the truck (all 6 of us) and drive to Mt.Airy,Nc. to do some laundry. It's sketchy enough looking for the "laundrorama" until it's pointed out to us that in this town, we're the sketchy people. Laundry closed early when we walked in. Back to the hotel. Loving this trip. 150 miles
8th Day - Early morning laundry duty has us back on the BRP around 11am. More sights to see equals stopping often. Mountainous countryside and expansive vistas are all a part of the BRP. We make our way south the the Linville Viaduct. Here we part ways with the" XS support group" that was headed on to Ashville for parts/repairs. Rest of the group has fun with mountain winds, spiral curves and spectacular views. We trudge on to Little Switzerland for a stop and see. Great place to base for weekend riding. We make our way on down into Ashville and meet up with rest of the group for a most wonderful dinner at the"Black Mountain Bistro". After a bit of overindulgence with dinner, it's back to check on the "former" problem child XS. Tina"dirt dauber" is back in action. GREAT DAY! 201 miles.
9th Day- Early morning rain shower quickly passes and changes to a steamy day in Asheville. What a difference from a week ago. We gear up and head into town for an early lunch and do a bit of shopping and sightseeing. You could probably spend a lot of time and still not see everything in this southern town. With Ashville in the wake and good part of the day spent we head further on up the parkway to find camping accommodations. Doing this proves difficult with the onset of memorial day weekend. We were pleasantly surprised to find a great motorcycle only campground not far off the parkway (Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground). Another good day added to a wonderful vacation. 55 miles
10th Day- Nice to find such a cool place to camp last night. Met some nice folks, had good food for dinner and breakfast and great setting under the stars. We get packed up and on our way. We take a slight detour for fuel, then it's back up the parkway for a photo op at the highest point. That done we set our sights on Helen,Ga. We again find ourselves on some nice twisty roads. All is going fine until one bike is down. Everyone is accounted for and we have one slightly scratched Beemer. But she's tough and is back in the groove, less one fairing. We make it to Helen and manage to get a room. Time to take the edge off the day with some Bavarian beer and food. A bit sad that I'll be leaving the group in morning but I'm missing my baby. Bev has been on my mind from the start. One thing is for sure, it's been a great vacation with a great bunch of friends. 155 miles
11th day - 10 days on the road and I'm a gonna make it home today. I leave the rest of the bunch at dark-thirty. GPS is set to fastest route home and it has me on gradually bigger roads. East towards Dolenaga,Ga. Then south to Georgia 400 and i285. One more turn catches i20 and it's on to Birmingham. Feet touch the ground once for fuel and I'm greeted by the sun less than 10 miles from home. My baby meets me in the driveway and that's a hug I've been waiting for. This has been one of the best trips I've ever taken. I'm truly blessed to have friends to share this excursion with. 255 miles
11th Day (Jared Wyatt)-
Bittersweet morning, today is the last day of our adventure. Jason left last night to head home, but as we wake we find he has made it back already safe and sound. We take another stroll through downtown Helen to check out the shops and attractions and for some food.
Bikes and truck are packed, weather looks sketchy, we pull out for the final leg of the journey. Catch a little rain on the way out but quickly get ahead of it. Smooth sailing on decent roads.
Roads get worse soon thanks to fresh (very slippery) crack repairs on the asphalt.
More rain comes. We have an extended fueling break waiting for it to pass. And then back on the road. All is good even with sore, achy, tired bodies. Then it happens 50 miles from home Tina Marie decides to let go of a valve cover quickly showering my leg with hot oil. The girls stop and find it. Too close to home for a roadside repair. The "little GS that could" gets unloaded to finish the trip.
We stop at Pops country store just shy of our prospective homes to gather needed essentials from the truck. Kiley informs us we are 12 miles shy of hitting 2,000 for the trip. He and Neal will get that much on their way home. I swing by the grocery store to pick up dinner and ensure I break the 2 grand mark. The realization that the trip is pretty much over sets in and as sore as I am I don't want it to be. Get a message from Neal saying his clutch cable broke just a few miles from his home. Kiley chimed in saying he went down pulling in his driveway. We all made it though.
I can't help but think of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Stand by me, at the end the narrator says "I've never have friends like the ones I had when I was twelve" My version of that same thought however is at 40.
Trip total: FJR 1917 miles
States crossed: Alabama,Tennessee,Kentucky, Virginia,Virginia,North Carolina and Georgia
Trip notes: Headed for the Hills trip.
1st day- After hurting back at work, I feel lucky to be able to go at all. We gathered at the WH in Springville for lunch and head out. No problems for most of the way. Traffic wasn't too bad, but the worlds longest yard sale was a bit tricky. Torn between cars stopping suddenly and the need for pickers like us to stop and browse. We pressed on and made it through Chattanooga if not with a slight scenic detour. Finally got to a road with some curves. Got to the motel at Fall Creek Falls with only a few oil leaks, empty tanks and bellies. We were to late for the restaurant so dinner by porch light. Overall good 1st day. 232miles
2nd day- Had a good nights sleep. A first thing rain shower and dark clouds let us know what is in store for weather. Cold morning tries to do in the battery on the fjr. Roll start gets her going. On the road again and twisty roads are a pleasant change. Unfortunately some gremlins seem to have found an XS to chew on. After several stops to try and shake them we conceded to swap for the Suzuki. Making better time now. Especially the 25mile blast back to retrieve a misplaced tank bag. Long miles, cold temps and tired bodies add up. We make it to cabins around midnight to a group of happy and slightly inebriated buds. Nice digs and dinner on the stove were welcome sights. Happy to be here. 302 miles
3rd/4th day- Feeling the effects of a long cold ride. Nice to be at a warm dry base camp for a couple of days. Had time to tweak on the bikes and figure out any parts needed. Got to take in some of the beauty of the Red River Gorge. Awesome place. Excellent accommodations and great food. Logan and Amanda have been wonderful hosts. 115 miles
5th day- Packed up from a great stay at RRG. Headed for Summerville, WV. Great day of riding 2 lanes with the exception of about 80 miles of highway. Had a couple of stops to get El Negro feeling happy with her carbs. Wonderful scenery through small coal towns. Got to cross the New river gorge (US19 bridge). Rolled into Summerville in time for dinner and a good nights sleep. Long day of riding but one of the nicest so far. 280 miles
6th day - Nothing like a good nights sleep and a hot breakfast. Girls take to the truck and we're off toward Blue Ridge Parkway. Haven't yet got out of town and we get a blue light. Apparently bumping pegs in town is frowned upon. No harm no foul. Route taking us down 39(great road) toward Lexington,va. Nice,twisty,scenic and patrolled road. Just a couple of stops to take pictures, pan for gold and break side stands. Minor scrape to the Beemer but she's good to go. Stopped for a very filling late lunch /early dinner. Made it to the BRP and decide to camp at Otter creek campground. Another good day. 158 miles
7th Day - Birds wake up early at camp, so we get an early start on the day. Heading south on the parkway we are lulled by the slower speeds. The views are spectacular and the road is fairly smooth. We stop often at the numerous overlooks. After a check on the map we plan on staying at FancyGap, Va. The boys (Jared and Neal ) decide to alter their route for some more axillerating roads. Rest of us press on and grab a room for the night. With the whole group together we opt for pizza delivery. The fun starts when we decide to pile in the truck (all 6 of us) and drive to Mt.Airy,Nc. to do some laundry. It's sketchy enough looking for the "laundrorama" until it's pointed out to us that in this town, we're the sketchy people. Laundry closed early when we walked in. Back to the hotel. Loving this trip. 150 miles
8th Day - Early morning laundry duty has us back on the BRP around 11am. More sights to see equals stopping often. Mountainous countryside and expansive vistas are all a part of the BRP. We make our way south the the Linville Viaduct. Here we part ways with the" XS support group" that was headed on to Ashville for parts/repairs. Rest of the group has fun with mountain winds, spiral curves and spectacular views. We trudge on to Little Switzerland for a stop and see. Great place to base for weekend riding. We make our way on down into Ashville and meet up with rest of the group for a most wonderful dinner at the"Black Mountain Bistro". After a bit of overindulgence with dinner, it's back to check on the "former" problem child XS. Tina"dirt dauber" is back in action. GREAT DAY! 201 miles.
9th Day- Early morning rain shower quickly passes and changes to a steamy day in Asheville. What a difference from a week ago. We gear up and head into town for an early lunch and do a bit of shopping and sightseeing. You could probably spend a lot of time and still not see everything in this southern town. With Ashville in the wake and good part of the day spent we head further on up the parkway to find camping accommodations. Doing this proves difficult with the onset of memorial day weekend. We were pleasantly surprised to find a great motorcycle only campground not far off the parkway (Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground). Another good day added to a wonderful vacation. 55 miles
10th Day- Nice to find such a cool place to camp last night. Met some nice folks, had good food for dinner and breakfast and great setting under the stars. We get packed up and on our way. We take a slight detour for fuel, then it's back up the parkway for a photo op at the highest point. That done we set our sights on Helen,Ga. We again find ourselves on some nice twisty roads. All is going fine until one bike is down. Everyone is accounted for and we have one slightly scratched Beemer. But she's tough and is back in the groove, less one fairing. We make it to Helen and manage to get a room. Time to take the edge off the day with some Bavarian beer and food. A bit sad that I'll be leaving the group in morning but I'm missing my baby. Bev has been on my mind from the start. One thing is for sure, it's been a great vacation with a great bunch of friends. 155 miles
11th day - 10 days on the road and I'm a gonna make it home today. I leave the rest of the bunch at dark-thirty. GPS is set to fastest route home and it has me on gradually bigger roads. East towards Dolenaga,Ga. Then south to Georgia 400 and i285. One more turn catches i20 and it's on to Birmingham. Feet touch the ground once for fuel and I'm greeted by the sun less than 10 miles from home. My baby meets me in the driveway and that's a hug I've been waiting for. This has been one of the best trips I've ever taken. I'm truly blessed to have friends to share this excursion with. 255 miles
11th Day (Jared Wyatt)-
Bittersweet morning, today is the last day of our adventure. Jason left last night to head home, but as we wake we find he has made it back already safe and sound. We take another stroll through downtown Helen to check out the shops and attractions and for some food.
Bikes and truck are packed, weather looks sketchy, we pull out for the final leg of the journey. Catch a little rain on the way out but quickly get ahead of it. Smooth sailing on decent roads.
Roads get worse soon thanks to fresh (very slippery) crack repairs on the asphalt.
More rain comes. We have an extended fueling break waiting for it to pass. And then back on the road. All is good even with sore, achy, tired bodies. Then it happens 50 miles from home Tina Marie decides to let go of a valve cover quickly showering my leg with hot oil. The girls stop and find it. Too close to home for a roadside repair. The "little GS that could" gets unloaded to finish the trip.
We stop at Pops country store just shy of our prospective homes to gather needed essentials from the truck. Kiley informs us we are 12 miles shy of hitting 2,000 for the trip. He and Neal will get that much on their way home. I swing by the grocery store to pick up dinner and ensure I break the 2 grand mark. The realization that the trip is pretty much over sets in and as sore as I am I don't want it to be. Get a message from Neal saying his clutch cable broke just a few miles from his home. Kiley chimed in saying he went down pulling in his driveway. We all made it though.
I can't help but think of a quote from one of my favorite movies, Stand by me, at the end the narrator says "I've never have friends like the ones I had when I was twelve" My version of that same thought however is at 40.
Trip total: FJR 1917 miles
States crossed: Alabama,Tennessee,Kentucky, Virginia,Virginia,North Carolina and Georgia
cyclefreak
Over 1,000 Posts
Flugtechnik
My bike is not transportation, it is a respite
Awesome! I am glad I was able to join you on a very small part of this trip.
haircuttergirl
Over 1,000 Posts
Sounds like an amazing trip. I'm excited we got to see you guys for a portion of it. 
Killer trip. Great to meet y'all along the way.
cyclefreak
Over 1,000 Posts
It was great to see/meet everyone. Our trip plans changed almost daily, so unfortunately there were several people we didn't get to see at all or get to spend as much time with as we wanted to. That is the only part of the trip that I really wish I could change. However between needed bike repairs along the way and the weather not playing nice at some of our original planned destinations that's just the way it played out.
cyclefreak
Over 1,000 Posts
Mike, ideas for next years trip started getting tossed around before we left on this one! Already looking forward to it. And maybe by then I will be better at posting updates along the way.
