Spring Trip 2019- II

"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

The view from an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway

     The second day of the trip we rode from Chantilly VA, near Washington DC, to Roanoke VA. The route was Interstate 66 to get away from Washington, then route 55 over to Front Royal VA. Then down US 340 to Waynesboro VA, where we had lunch. US 340 from Front Royal goes through the Shenandoah Valley, through some small towns. It has some twists and turns, and we could generally run at 60 mph.

A stop to admire the view along the way.

     From Waynesboro we rode Interstate 64 over to the exit where the Blue Ridge  Parkway has it's northern point. From there it was about 120 miles for the exit to get off and ride into Roanoke. One of the key aspects of riding on curvy roads is how to approach turns. On a motorcycle it is imperative to "pick your line." If you make a mistake and need to change your "line" the bike might "wallow," and it will  slow you down. The worst case scenario is to come out of a corner too wide into the opposing traffic, or off of the road completely. On the Blue Ridge Parkway this could result in going "over the side," and maybe a long drop!

Curtis can't seem to leave his cell phone alone! 

     Some people use engine braking only to slow down for a curve. The challenge is this  might not slow you down enough. I prefer to down shift and use the brakes. This brings up another question: front and rear brakes, or only one or the other. Again, my preference is to use both if needed approaching a turn, and then just the rear as I go through it. In my experience the front brake tends to make the bike sluggish to lean into a curve if you are using it aggressively. During the turn grabbing a lot of front brake tends to make the bike "stand up." You can hustle through turns by getting wide approaching them, slowing down by downshifting and using both sets of brakes, and then using the throttle and rear brake control your speed so that as you see the turn coming to an end you can accelerate out of it. With practice, and patience, your skill at riding curvy roads can improve and add to the enjoyment of motorcycling.

A gentleman we met along the way riding a Can Am Spyder. A former Harley rider, physical problems stopped
him from riding a Harley, but with the Spyder he could continue to ride, in spite of his challenges. 

     The Blue Ridge Parkway is 465 miles of motorcycling bliss. I know of people who think riding the Tail of the Dragon is the pinnacle of motorcycling, but the length, the changes in altitude, the almost continuous numbers of "sweepers" (turns that can be taken at some speed), and the scenery make the BRP the best!

The wife and children of the owner of the Super 8 in Roanoke VA. Interestingly they walked
right past Curtis' bike and wanted to sit on mine. Hmmmmm? 

     We arrived at the Super 8 Motel in Roanoke by 6:30, after stopping for dinner at the Outback Steakhouse. I had an interesting discussion with the owner of the motel, and his two sons were quite take with the bikes. As we were unloading the bikes they came over to stare at them. I told their mother to put them on the bike so that I could take a picture, which I then sent to the owner. This interaction was the cherry on the top of an excellent day of motorcycling!