Day 4 of Interceptor trip 08/25

 “…it’s about the journey, not the destination…”

Yet another fanatastic view from the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

        The trip home was routine. Not what I had anticipated. Originally I had planned to either ride north on the Skyline Drive and then decide when to get off of it and finish the ride home on local roads….OR…take I 64 east from Waynesboro to Charlottesville VA and then north on US 29 to US 15 to Frederick MD. Then I would ride the rest of the way on my route around Baltimore. Probably home by 4 pm or so.

I often stop at an overlook and set up a camping chair and read for a while.

        This morning “…the best laid plans…” went awry. The forecast called for heavy storms in the afternoon at home. It had rained over 3 inches there yesterday and more of the same was expected today. As much as I wanted to have a great ride home I didn’t want to end up riding through heavy rain on the way home. 

One of my favorite things that happened on the trip was lunch at The Barn.

        Not wanting to tempt fate I decided to take the fast way home….or some version of it. Up at 6 am I got dressed and packed my bags, then I loaded the bike and had breakfast. On the road by 7:15 I rode I 64 east to I 81. Then I rode I 81 north keeping an eye on the clouds. As I rode I could see the mountains to my right, often with dark clouds looking like rain here and there over them. Should I interstate it all the way home, or not?

When I was teaching, grading papers, a vision would come to me of a day I had been on the BRP.

        I rode around 85 miles on I 81 to the exit for Stephens City VA where I took VA 277 east to where it intercepted US 340 by Dinosaur Land. US 340 goes all the way to Fredericksburg MD ( about 30 miles ). There I could make the decision to take I 70 east to Baltimore and I 95 north home or around Baltimore on back roads.

Beautiful bike and beautiful scenery.

            I decided to take the long way. This allowed me to stop at the Delta Diner for lunch, and then cruise back home on one of my regular rides. I had a nice turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese and mayonnaise on toasted rye. Then a nice ride home, only stopping to gas up, and home by 2 pm. I never hit rain. My next trip is with my daughters in late September into the middle of Pennsylvania. Until then day rides, each day on a different bike. 

Marker at the southern end of Skyline Drive.

DAY 3 OF THE INTERCEPTOR TRIP 8/25

"...it's about the journey, not the destination..."

Wonderful restaurant in Staunton VA, started in 1952 and still open today.

        As I put together this trip I knew that the weather was going to be questionable. On Monday the forecast was for thunderstorms in the morning and cloudy weather by the afternoon. By Wednesday morning it was calling for thunderstorms after lunch ( as I sit here at 3:22 pm the sun is out and the clouds are scattered! ). I sat in my room until 9:30 and then decided to go out for a short ride with a close watch on the sky.

If you look closely at the picture you can see “tendrils” reaching
down to the mountains. Those tendrils are in fact rain showers. 

        With no specific plan in mind I decide to ride south on US 340 out of Waynesboro and then decide the next step as I went. Riding south on US 340 a sign said that it intersected US 11 in 11 miles. A plan was forming in my head. I decided to turn north on US 11, which paralleled I 81. This meant that if I ran into heavy rain I could shoot over to I 81 and then turn and burn for Waynesboro and the hotel.

Riding through Staunton VA I passed the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and museum.

        With an eye to the sky I rode north, enjoying the morning. US 11 is sometimes a 4 lane highway, sometimes 2 lane highway with a turn lane in the middle, and a simple two lane country road. I continued north, working on deciding when to turn east and begin the return trip to Waynesboro. 

I have often ridden on the BRP in the rain and fog. No fun! As I looked at the mountains today I saw places where the clouds hid the mountain tops…this meant these areas were covered in fog.

        Looking at the clouds around me I decided it was time to head east. I came to VA 256 and turned east. This route passed through Grottoes VA. I reached US 340 and headed south. Most of the road was simply 2 lanes and a very nice ride. I looked at my watch and saw it was 11:30 and that I could look for a restaurant to have lunch. I wanted to be close to the hotel so that if it started raining while I was having lunch I would have a short ride home. 

The interior of the Barn Restaurant in Waynesboro VA.

        After stopping for gas as I entered Waynesboro ( I had ridden 60 miles that morning. ) I saw a restaurant on the left side of the road with several local people going in. When I travel I prefer to eat in restaurants where the locals eat. You can often get an idea about what life is like there. I parked my bike and went in. I had a simple but good lunch, and then rode through Waynesboro back to my hotel. I arrived there totally dry. I had gotten a ride in on a day where there was a chance of rain all day. Tomorrow I ride home. I have to decide what route I want to take. Hmmmm…..let me think about this.

The Interceptor sitting in front of the Barn Restaurant in Waynesboro VA.

A DAY ON THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY 8/25

 “…it’s about the journey, not the destination…”

What a way to start out a day, above the clouds.

        I’ve probably been riding the Blue Ridge Parkway for over 45 years. When I first rode it a section south of Boone NC was not completed. You had to get off and take a detour around it. The fun part was that as you rode the detour you could look up and see the part they were working on. It’s is scaled the Linn Cove Viaduct. It is spectacular! 

The beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Waynesboro VA.

        After breakfast at the motel I rode east on I 64 up to exit to exit 99 where I got off. Just a short way was a sign for the BRP. One of the great things about this road is that the speed limit is 45 rather than 35 on Skyline Drive. Generally I find I can run 55, or even 60 as, unlike Skyline Drive, it is not a national park. There are several parks along the BRP, and around those you have to observe the speed limit as there are usually Park Rangers around them. 

The first 45 miles or so are mostly a series of S turns
with the occasional straight part. LOTS of fun!

        I rode the first 35 miles of the BRP and then decided to find a nice overlook to sit for a while and read. I had been there for only 5 minutes or so before a light blue BMW convertible pulled in. Two women got out. I was setting up my camping chair as they pulled up and they were curious about where I bought it. This led to about a 45 minute interlude about various topics. Both of their husbands have motorcycles, but I don’t think they tour on them. Riding a motorcycle on the BRP is an exceptional experience, and they appreciated how great it must be to ride a bike on the BRP. The ladies then got back in their car and continued north, while I sat back and read for a hour or so. Towards the end of the day, as I headed back north to Waynesboro I did see them a couple of more times. This kind of encounter is what makes motorcycle touring so special.

The ladies posing by the sign at the overlook.
( I hope you like your picture! It was nice meeting you both today! )

        As I continued to ride south I thought about how far south I wanted to ride, and where I would get lunch. Riding south I saw a sign for Otter Creek, which is a campground. I remembered that after Otter Creek you can continue south to The Peaks of Otter, which is a restaurant and also a place to stay. Sounded good to me. 

Simply one gorgeous view after another!

        Otter Creek is about mm 60, and Peaks of Otter is about mm 85. At this point Mother Nature decided to get involved in the adventure. As I continued south I ran in and out of VERY small amounts of drops of water, not enough to be a shower; more like “spitting” water. I rode under dark clouds, and then out into sunlight. Wondering if I should turn around, I continued south, eventually arriving at Peaks of Otter. I went in and had a nice lunch…as I sat right next to a window I could see what appeared to be rain drops hitting the lake located there. Was I going to get wet? 

Early in the day little threat of rain; this changed by the afternoon.

        I looked at a map of the BRP that I have on my I Pad. I didn’t want to get caught up on the BRP in rain and fog ( I have done this WAY too many times in the past! ). I decided to ride north to the James River Visitor center, around mm 62, and then get off of the BRP on to VA 130. I would take that to US 29 north and then head north. After Amherst I would take VA 151 north to US 250, then onto I 64 to US 340, and to my hotel. The best part of this trip was VA 130 down off of the mountain over to US 29. LOTS of curves! 

Just another spectacular view as I rode south on the BRP!

        I ended up stoping for ice cream in Amherst and arriving back the hotel by 4:30 pm. Even with the threats of rain in the afternoon it was an exceptional day on the BRP. The Interceptor is an excellent handling bike and a JOY to ride through the curves. I love the sound of it, but the engine performance is a real treat. Often down shifting from 6 to 5, or even to 4 slowing for curves and accelerating out of corners is a real treat. Back at the hotel, dinner, and then do today’s blog entry. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, at least in the morning. We’ll see how that goes!

I LOVE riding this bike on the BRP!

INTERCEPTOR TO THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY 2025

“…it’s about the journey, not the destination…”

Maryland countryside on my route that takes me around Baltimore.

    One of the great things about being retired is the ability to go on short bike trips when ever you want. In this case I wanted to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway on the Interceptor and explore the forests west of the Shenandoah Valley. I decided to go away Monday through Thursday to Waynesboro VA. The Skyline  Drive ends here and the Blue Ridge Parkway starts here. 

Breakfast at the Delta ( PA ) Family Restaurant. 

    Rather than having breakfast at home I decided to go to one of my usual places for breakfast that is on the way. I got on the way around 7:30, arriving at the restaurant by 8:30. It was chilly enough that I wore a long sleve shirt and my leather jacket. It was probably in the high 60s when I set out. As I rode on back roads there was very little traffic. The route goes through the rolling Maryland countryside which was beautiful in the morning mist. 

Glorious morning for a motorcycle ride.

    If I went on the Interstate it is supposed to be a 4 hour trip. My route adds an hour to that, but it is a much better ride. On the road around 9 AM I rode for an hour to Libertytown MD where I stopped for an hour or so to enjoy the morning and read for a while. After that I rode to Frederic MD and got gas.

Just west of Libertytown MD.

    From Frederick it is US 15 for a short period through Frederick and the US 340 towards Stephen’s City VA. Then south on I 81 to Harrisonburg VA where I got on US 33 east until it crossed the Skyline Drive. I got on Skyline Drive around mile marker 68 leaving around 37 miles until the end of Skyline Drive. 

Overlook on Skyline Drive. Mountains all the way to the horizon.

    I pulled into an overlook, got out my camping chair and sat in the beautiful place and read. After about an hour I noticed it was just after 4 PM, so I decided to get on the road to Waynesboro. It was about 30 minutes to the end of Skyline Drive, then on I 64 to Waynesboro. I topped off the tank, checked into the hotel. Dinner at Applebees, I bought some Irish Whiskey for the night and then  back to the room to watch a movie, and write this blog. Tomorrow south on the Blue Ridge Parkway. GREAT PLAN!

I’ve been ridding up here over 40 years…it’s still amazing.  

Epherta PA Motorcycle Breakfast 8/3/25

 ”…it’s about the journey, not the destination…”

The bikes in this picture are mostly Harley’s,
but there were many other makes there also.

        As always, April through October, I was really looking forward to the monthly motorcycle gathering at Ephrata PA. This Sunday the weather was forecasted to be especially great. As usual I got up at 5am so that I could get on the road by 6am and get there early and choose my parking  place. The temperature at my house was 60 degrees so I had my leather vest, fleece and leather jacket on. It was chilly but a special treat awaited me as I rode north. I just got on the road before sunrise and was treated to the rise of a large orange orb from the east. As much as I was in a hurry to get to Ephrata I HAD to stop and take some pictures. A really special treat!

A BEAUTIFUL sunrise as I ride north to Ephrata. 

        Even with the photo stops I arrived at the American Legion in Ephrata by 7:15. I used to park in the lower area but now I want to be more in the middle of things so I park in the “upper” lot. It just so happens that is the area where members of the Christian Motorcycle Association park. A great bunch of people who are genuinely interested in helping others. I parked and then held a spot for Dan, who has a STUNNING Royal Enfield chrome and red Classic 350. We had spoken the month before and I promised to bring my chrome and red Interceptor 650. 

My 650 is on the left, Dan’s 350 is on the right. 

        Dan’s 350 is a real eye catcher. He has extensively modified his bike so it is unique. He has entered it in a number of shows and has come in either first or second in many of them. An EXCEPTIONAL motorcycle. To be honest mine looked a little shabby next to his, but I also got many positive comments about mine. 

There were a majority of Harleys there, but here are a
number of very interesting Japanese bikes. 

        Dan knows many members of the Royal Enfield “community” and several stopped by. One of the most interesting ones is a guy who owns a 2007 Bullet 500. Compared to our bikes his looked like a classic collectors bike. His bike is chrome and blue and is in excellent condition. After visiting for a while he headed of to do some riding. What a magnificent exhaust note. 

A CLASSIC example of a Royal Enfield Bullet 500!

        I stayed until 11am and then rode to the Brass Eagle Restaurant in Gap PA for lunch. This ride through Amish country features many curves and gorgeous scenery. Once I finished my lunch I navigated home on a number of back roads that I have discovered over the years. It had been a wonderful day with lots of interesting and exceptional motorcycles…as well as great roads through awesome scenery. Next month I think I’ll take my Moto Guzzi California II, just for fun!

On my way to Ephrata as the mist rises from the fields.

SUMMER SCRAM TRIP # 5

 ”…it’s about the journey, no the destination…”

A stop in Frederick MD, in the shade, to prepare for the heat.

        

        Curtis’ and my trips home were very different. For Curtis he hopped on I 81 north in Woodstock and then on I 66 east to Washington DC, about 1 1/2 hour drive. I opted to forgo Interstates on the way home. Instead I would follow a route I’ve developed over the years that would take me to the north around Baltimore on back roads, eventually getting on US 1 right near the Conowingo Dam and onto back roads from there to my house. Probably 4 1/2 hour drive. 

By lunch time I had arrived at The Delta Diner, one of my regular restaurants 

        I started out the ride with my rain jacket on as a windbreaker because it was chilly in a short sleve shirt. I left Woodstock on US 11 north to route 55 at Strasburg and then east towards Front Royal. Just before Front Royal route 55 meets US 340 which I took north towards Berryville and Charlestown. I stayed on US 340 from Charlestown to Fredrick MD. By the time I arrived at Frederick it had warmed up so I found a place to stop and take off my jacket and get ready for the heat. 

I always sit at the same table so I can see my bike out of the window.

        From Frederick I took route 26 east towards Eldersburg where I got on route 32 north to Gamber where I  got on route 91 east towards Fowblesburg. There I hit 30 north to Hampstead. From there I took route 88 east for a short distance, and then took 137 east to 138 east to Jarretttsville. There at the traffic light where the Dodge dealer is on the corner I made a left and then stayed on that road north over the MD/PA line to Delta PA and the Delta Family Restaurant ( known as the Delta Diner) by noon time. This is a restaurant where I often stop when I am out for a ride. 

Back home after a fun trip. The Scram did great, even if the motor is only 411 cc!

        After lunch I wound my way on back roads to US 1 just before the Conowingo Dam. Then north into PA and off US 1 at Nottingham PA ( home of Herr’s Potato Chips! ) and on more small roads to my front door. This had been a very nice ride along back roads in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware. I was home by 2 pm. Now I’m looking forward to a similar trip on my Royal Enfield Interceptor the second week of August. There are several more trips planned after that. It’s going to be a great riding season through the fall.

A beautiful view from Skyline drive.

SUMMER SCRAM TRIP #4

“…it’s about the journey, not the destination …”

On Skyline Drive just above Sperryville VA.

        The hope Friday morning was that we could get up of the Skyline Drive and ride south. We were hoping that maybe we could even ride the Blue Ridge Parkway for 30 miles or so, before heading back to Woodstock. We got on the bikes and headed south on route 11 towards US 211, through Luray VA up to the Drive. Curtis took a look at the map and found a small road that “cut the corner” over to Luray, route 650. This proved to be a fun ride, with many twists and turns and changes in elevation. Right into the town of Luray. 

The clouds ahead looked very ominous. 

        US 211 from Luray is also a nice ride, particularly as the road narrowed and started to climb up the mountains. There are some sweepers and some more challenging curves with speed limits of 35, 25, or even 15 mph. Once up to the top we went through the entry station ( as senior citizens we both have lifetime passes, which I think I bought mine for $65. Up on the Drive we headed south. 

As we rode south we began to run into raindrops within minutes of getting up on the Drive.

        As we rode south I began to be concerned at the amount of dark clouds hovering over the Drive. After a couple of miles we pulled into an overlook to discuss the weather. Within 5 minutes raindrops began to fall. It was clear that if we rode south we would be riding into rain, perhaps heavy rain. Having done this over the years a few times we decided that perhaps the rain was moving west to east, and if we rode north we could ride out of it. 

30 minutes later, riding north, the rain caught up with us.

        We rode north, past the spot where we got up on Skyline Drive, for about 30 minutes and pulled over at another overlook to assess the situation. We were there less than 5 minutes before rain started to fall on us again! Okay, we get the point! We rode back south again to the spot where we got up on the drive and headed back down US 211 towards Luray. In the process of this we rode into some mild rain, but by Luray we were out of it. We went back to Woodstock, had lunch, and kept ourselves amused by watching videos. At least we got to ride a few miles that day! The next day we would be heading home.

One last look at the scenery from up on Skyline Drive before we would “run for shelter!”