Mini Power Tour

[Wingnut]

I had a few days to kill and just wanted to ride. Didn't really want to go anywhere or see anything in paticular, just wanted to ride. So I checked the weather. To the north it seemed too cold, so I headed south.

Here is the map of Day 1


I left at 03:30 to get over the Chimpanzee Bridge and past NY before the madness, and plowed down I81 to the Waffle House in Maryland. Had a bite to eat and beat feet to Front Royal to get on the Skyline Drive.



Beautiful day, what could go wrong?

I wasn't in the Skyline a half hour before this:



Some places it was so bad I could only do 15 MPH. Not to mention going through the tunnels in the fog was a thrill. It would let up in some places and get bad again. The overlooks were all inoperative due to the fog. It was strange because the clouds were real cold and the water would condensate on the visor and windshield so you could not see at all. The whole bike was soaking wet and dripping, but it didn't rain, this day. Of course progress was slow and I didn't get to the Super 8 motel in Waynesville until about dark, but, 576 miles in the bag and the Skyline was behind me.


(Continued)

[Wingnut]

Day Two

The plan was to go from the Super 8 in Waynesville to the Blue Ridge Motel in Asheville on the Parkway and knock down another 386 miles.


I was hesitant due to the fog from yesterday and did not get on the Parkway until 09:00 waiting for it to clear. But when I got up there it was hazy, but not bad.











You gotta love this sign



Not a bad day overall. I got into the "Blue Ridge Hotel" late again due to the late start. Friends, remember that name! "Blue Ridge Hotel" in Asheville. I was checked into the hotel about an hour when I went to the front desk and asked for my money back, I was leaving. That place was full of the south's finest scum, drinking and hollering and carrying on. It seems they do alot of long term section 8 rentals. I left and found a good hotel a few miles down the road.

Continued

[t3rmin]

Wow that sign is priceless!

[Wingnut]

Day Three: Asheville to Cherokee to the Smoky Mountains back past Asheville on the highway and start back up the Blue Ridge. 366 miles planned. I am getting tired because each day consists of gas and go all day long. I wanted an early start so I can get to the Alleghany Inn in Sparta before too late. That was not to be!



The morning was great. I made the southern end of the loop and back past Asheville and headed north on the parkway. The Parkway from about 75 miles north of Asheville to the southern end is a great ride. Tighter and more technical than the northern half. This was my day to crank it up, and I did. Unfortunately I had tightened the steering head bearings just before I left, (If a little does a little good.....) and had them too tight so the bike drove like a dump truck. But still fun never the less.

The haze never did let up.








But as soon as I got back on the Parkway north of Asheville it rained the remainder of the day slowing progress substantially. At one point I got off the Parkway to take a state road the remainder of the way to Sparta. I lost even more time with that move because it was smaller and very crooked. It did however take me through the valley farm land which was pretty even in the rain. I finally made it to the Alleghany Inn in the middle of nowhere, but it was a nice motel.

Continued

[Wingnut]

Day Four

From the Alleghany Inn in Sparta to the North end of the Blue Ridge, continuing further north through the Skyline Parkway again and ending up in Front Royal. 344 miles planned. This also was not to be.




But I did get an early start. I was on the road by 07:00 and saw 11 deer in the first couple of hours. No problem as they are southern deer, not as big and they don't seem to dart across the road like they do up here. They just sort of walk across. Couldn't get a picture though, they weren't that laid back.

A little early fog, not much.



Saw lots of Wild Turkeys





But about 200 miles into this day, around noon, it acured to me, I'm done riding. I'm going home. So I got off the Parkway into the next little town, fueled up me and the bike, and hopped on I81 north. I arrived home at 23:00 Hrs. and had logged 780 miles for the day, 200 of it on the Parkway.

I slept pretty goood that night. With one more day of vacation left I cleaned and serviced the bike in the morning. Then a strange thing happened, I felt like going for a ride.

[Gravity Tester]

Great Read Bob,

Sorry I did not see this till tonight. Some day I will get the chance to have that much vacation time just to spend on me but I dont want to wish away these last few years w/ my kid's.

Pat

[Ironriot]

Super thread revival.... Pretty cool trip. Although the weather didn't look like much fun

[p_s]

I wasn't a member when this happened. (I was thinking you did this last week which would take enormous cojones.) Great trip--I hope I do something like that one day. I spent a couple summers a few years ago near the "crapanzee" bridge myself--I can understand the early start.

[willie]

Crapanzee? Chimpanzee? I grew up within site of that bridge and never called it anything other than the TZ. Its been a few decades since I boated under it but have some fond memories and great sunset pics of it. Sounds like its gotten a pretty bad rep over the yrs. Too bad, sure was beautiful back in the day.
Willie in TN

[Pillage]

That was a great read, especially in January!
Bob, the only part of the trip I don't understand is why you left the Blue Ridge Hotel? Wasn't it reminicent of staying with the GSRers on the Catskills/West Point ride last spring? :-D

[darkbane]

Indeed a great read, which is always that much better with pictures to show of the sites and encounters that accompanied you along your journey.
I am indeed jealous of the amount of time you had to spend with yourself.

With this LOONNNGGG winter coming to an end, I hope to have a similar experience.

On a side note, I noticed in your picture that you have what appears to be an HJC CL-15 helmet. I purchased this helmet this winter and haven't had a chance to use it yet. I was just wondering what your thoughts of the helmet were. Likes/Dislikes?

cheers