FALL TRIP 2022 II

 “…its about the journey, not the destination…”

2000 Honda GL 1500 with just under 26,000 miles.

    Over the years I have often showed up for our trips with a “new” bike that my buddies didn’t know about. This year I decided to replace my 1988 Honda GL 1500, which I have owned for 32 years, and which has over 195,000 miles. A good friend of mine who is somewhat older decided that his ‘Wing was to big for him to handle. He graciously sold it to me for a very good price. It is a 2000 GL 1500 25th year anniversary edition with just under 26,000 miles on it. It had sat in his garage for over 2 years without being ridden. 

My 1988 Gold Wing at an overlook on Skyline Drive September 2022.

The Black Wing sitting in my back yard so I could admire it from my seat on the deck.

    When I got the Black Wing it needed tires, oil change for the motor and differential, and brakes, since I only had the hand brake. In addition it started right up, but wouldn’t idle. When my friend put the bike away he had filled up the tank,  but over the years only started it periodically. The result was that when I picked up the bike it had 3/4 tank of gas, and that gas was very old. 

The Black Wing at the part at Safe Harbor PA, one of my favorite day rides.

    My local Honda dealer (Power Sports East in  Bear Delaware) mounted the tires, changed the oils, fixed the rear brake which only needed to have the brake fluid replaced! The idle remained a problem. To get to idle I had turned up the idle adjustment. It idled, but would surge up and down. I spent a day in my garage, accessed the  air cleaner, which I replace with a permanent after market  unit, and sprayed the heck out the carb with carb cleaner. The result was it idled better, but it still wasn’t right. Probably the only thing that was going to fix it was to run several tankers of fresh gas through it. Time to take it on a trip!

FALL TRIP 2022

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

Overlook above Buena Vista VA

   Every spring and fall my college room mates and I take a motorcycle trip, usually down the Blue Ridge Parkway. This fall we decided to stay around Boone NC. We found a cabin to rent in Linville Falls, about 20 minutes south of Boone, and right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Gary would ride up from Atlanta, about a five hour ride for him. Curtis and I would have a longer trip, around 550 miles for me; around 400 plus mile for Curtis from Chantilly VA. 

The “historic” Hampton Inn Lexington VA

    It turned out Curtis had meetings in Richmond VA, so we decided to meet west of Richmond. I got a room at the Hampton Inn in Lexington VA. Curtis and I met Friday morning at Dillwyn VA, and then navigated to Appomattox VA, and on over to Roanoke. There we made the major mistake of the day. We (mostly I!) decided to ride down US 221 to Hillsville VA, get on I 77 south to US 421 to Boone. What we should have done is get on I 81 in Roanoke, shoot down to I 77, then to 421 to Boone. The result was we got to Linville Falls community after dark, had difficulty finding the road that the cabin was on. 

Nice front porch, but the gravel driveway was a challenge

    To add to the experience the road in was gravel, and the driveway for the cabin was steep and had soft gravel. Let’s just say Curtis and I were very happy to have the bikes up the hill and settled for the night. 

The view off of the back deck. Notice the sign on the tree, and the big guy to the left!