A trip to two rallies - the BMW-MOA rally in Gray
Tennessee, and the BMW-RA in Canaan Valley West Virginia.
As soon as the National rally sites and dates were revealed for 2009, a trip
to both seemed on the table. Both were in areas where I loved to ride, and were
within a reasonable distance of home, and each other. The gap of 4 days between
the two rallies afforded me some time to ride in areas I'd only been to via car,
and had wanted to ride, and the chance to revisit some areas I'd previously
visited on two wheels. I also had a goal of finally completing the Blue-Ridge
Parkway - so this seemed an ideal time
How to go, who to go with - all were unanswered questions,
but close to a year ahead I had reservations for a motel room in Tennessee, and
6 months ahead, a room had been booked in West Virginia.
The how to go was going to be somewhat determined by who I was going
with - if anyone. Given my own choices, I'll do a mix of backroads and a bit of
better slab (not too many trucks or traffic, and decent pavement - something you
never find in NJ - but once in a while find in other states.) Originally Harold
Gantz from NJ Shore and New Sweden clubs wanted to join me - we'd done a number
of other long distance rides together, and our riding styles meshed well - plus
I knew the bike he'd be riding, my old K75S.
Unfortunately Harold had a conflict that prevented
him from coming, and at sort of the last minute - an old friend Mike
Kowal signed on. Mike had just gotten an R1200C "Cruiser" as a basket
case, and put it back together. When I say "just" - I mean it - Mike
finished finally assembling the bike the night before we left - and the
suggested 100 mile shakedown cruise I wanted became a ride around the
block. It would have been a good thing if the shakedown cruise actually
happened.
Day 1 - July 13th
We left bright and early on Monday July 13th.
(bright and early for me is 8AM.. some people have different ideas..)
Our trip on Monday would be one of the longer days on the ride - which
I'd roughed out in my head and on Google Maps. We'd be going from our
places in NJ (Howell and Spring Lake Heights) to Stephens City Virginia
- and a Comfort Inn off Rt I81 that I'd stayed at several times before.
The trip followed a route I'd taken a number of
times before - get out of NJ as quickly as possible (I-195 to NJ
Turnpike south, to Delaware Memorial Bridge, I-95 to Newark Delaware)
and then off the highways to back roads leading across the top of
Maryland into Westminster MD, then to Frederick MD and heading
south-west through Harpers Ferry into WV, and VA - to Stephens City.
Total for the day would be about 285 miles.
Day 1 - Map
Day 1 - terrain
The ride became interesting the first time we
stopped. Whenever Mike stopped the engine, when he restarted it - it
sounded as if it was only running on one cylinder. After about 5
minutes of putting along on one - it suddenly cleared itself and ran
on two cylinders. This would be a continuing problem for a good
portion of the trip. Mike was starting to realize there was a reason
I suggested the shakedown ride..
Delaware Memorial Bridge - Going and Coming
The other thing I learned on Monday - Mike doesn't
like to go over 60MPH. I was able to pull him up to around 65 - almost
70MPH once or twice, but after a while he'd start disappearing in my
rear-view mirrors. On backroads it was a bit better since I only ride as
fast as I can see - so 10MPH over is about my speed. At those speeds -
Mike didn't disappear too often. This set the pace for the entire trip -
it was sort of relaxing, no matter where I wanted to stop and poke
around, or if I wanted to slow up to look at some flowers - Mike was
agreeable.
Not far from the motel - in Virginia is found this
oddity. It's on the Stonewall Jackson Hwy at the intersection of the
Lord Fairfax Hwy (AKA 522 and 340). The website for it is impressive
(more impressive than it is..)
http://www.dinosaurland.com/ I've been passing the site for
years now on rides to the south.. gotta really stop someday and take the
tour.
Mike caught me admiring the leg of the
brontosaurus..
Finally - about 4PM, we arrived at the motel:
Destination for the night -
Comfort Inn, Stephen's City VA
Where we checked in, and then retired to the pool to
cool off..
Highly recommended for dinner -
Roma's Italian/Greek restaurant - right around the corner on 340.
The motel was clean, safe and a bit odd. There was a price list
thumb-tacked in the bathroom, giving prices for things like towels,
pillows, the TV set. I can only imagine they had a problem with this
stuff walking away with guests. We enhanced the price list by adding the
toilet paper prices (per sheet.) Not a bad place to stay - pool
was nice, WiFi worked - but next time I may check the prices in the new
Holiday Inn Express that's located right next door.
Off to sleep early in anticipation of some great
riding tomorrow..
On to
day 2... |
