SPYDER TRIP DAY 3

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

                                                    Spyder Trip Day 3

Morning stop on the BRP

    The ride from Roanoke to Boone should be an all day ride on the BRP. Unfortunately that is not what happened. The day started out well, again on the road by 7:30 or so, with temps in the low 60s to high to mid 50s. I had the perfect gear along so I was comfortable. Early on I had the heated grips and seat on low for a while, but soon shut them off. As with most motorcycles (trikes?) you need to ride them for several days to understand how they perform in various situations. As odd as the Spyder looks it handles quite well. If you use all of the “gears” it can move right along. What this means is that I spent most of the morning rolling along “quite well,” enjoying the curvy road. My morning stop was around MM 210, which allowed me to go back to MM 200 for lunch at the Lake View Restaurant ( I have yet to see a lake any where around it!). This is a place where the locals eat, and it’s not gourmet. Mostly I enjoy listening to the people talk, getting a feel for life in that area. The food is okay.

The first time this Spyder has crossed the NC-VA border

    After lunch the plan was to ride to around MM 260 and find an overlook. What happened instead is that the BRP was closed around MM 230. I followed the detour the rest of the afternoon until I got within 10 miles of Boone ( my destination! ). I got back up on the BRP, and found an overlook to relax, read, and enjoy the view. I bet the detour took an hour, and the ride was not fun. GRRRRR…

Afternoon break…enjoying the journey

      Out to dinner at a restaurant I’ve been going to for over 30 years, The Peddler. After dinner back to the hotel to do my blog, and think about the ride back to Roanoke tomorrow. I don’t want to follow that detour again. I looked at the map and I think I’ll ride US 421east until it meets I 77, then north until I get off and go to Fancy Gap. From then north on the BRP to Roanoke. Fingers crossed!                                                     

Spring 2023 Spyder Trip Day 2

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

                                                                 Spring Spyder Trip Day 2

MM 88 Skyline Drive…VERY different weather day 2

    I slept well last night, but woke up at 6:30, excited for today’s ride. On the road by 7:40 it was a little chilly with temps in Harrisonburg in the mid 60s. That meant it was going to be in the mid to upper 50s up on the mountain. 

At an overlook with the curving road north in the background 

    I did run into some construction on Skyline Drive as they were repaying it, but only delayed 15 minutes or so. When I got to the end of Skyline Drive it was around 10:30 so I rode down to Waynesboro for lunch. After lunch I rode back up to the entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway and started south. The exit for Roanoke VA that I like is around MM 125, so I decided to start looking for a place to stop and read around the 65 MM.

Yet another beautiful view, in this case eastward from the BRP

    I stopped and read for a while, enjoying the weather and the day. Back on the road by 2:30 I arrived in Roanoke by 4 PM. The total mileage for the day was around 211, and I had just gone on reserve. Stopping for gas I put a little over 5 gallons in the tank, which has a 7 gallon capacity. Checking the mileage the bike got 39.4 mpg. Not bad for a bike that weighs over 1000 lbs, and has 3 wheels. Checked into my room, had a nice dinner, now relaxing in my room. Tomorrow is going to be one of the best motorcycle rides in the east: MM 125- MM 290 to Broone North Carolina. Can’t wait!

                                               

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

                                                        SPYDER GET AWAY JUNE 2023

2012 Can Am Spyder Limited

     I have been very remiss in not keeping up with this blog. No excuses. Lots of stuff goes on in everybody’s life. Of motorcycle note I bought a 2012 Can Am Spyder in 2020 since, at 70 years old, I wanted to ensure that I could keep riding. The bike was pretty clean, but it show signs that it hadn’t always gotten the best of care. When I bought it I put aside $4,000 to get the bike “in shape.” Over the next two years I put a lot more into it than that, and the bike was often in the shop. The last time I put it in for repairs my dealer told me they were not going to work on this generation any more because they often needed repair and it was becoming very difficult to get parts. Not good news!

2021 Can Am Spyder Limited

    Late December 2022 I went to the shop to see how the repairs on my bike were going. The head mechanic, Joe ( a GREAT guy! ) said he wanted to show me something. They had a 2021 Spyder with a custom paint job that they were going to put on the internet, and were willing to make a deal because of the paint job. The bike had 6,200 miles on it and, other that the “art work” was in excellent shape. I went home that night and told my wife about the 2021, and she said why don’t you tell them you’re interested. Long story short they gave me a decent trade in on my 2012 Spyder and on January 12 2023 I bought the 2021! I’ve put over 4,000 miles on it since then.

Skyline Drive on a damp day

    Back in April I was supposed to go on the annual Spring Trip with my college roommates, but instead ended up in the hospital for a week. DON’T ASK!!! The result of this I never got to ride my “new” Spyder on the Blue Ridge Parkway…hence the current trip. I left home this morning at 7:30 and did not run into rain until Warrenton VA where I had lunch. Discretion being the better part of valor I stayed on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge on US 15, to US 29 until it crossed US 33, which goes over the Blue Ridge to Harrisonburg VA. I did get to go up on the Skyline Drive for about 4 miles until I ran into some more rain. Again showing my maturity I turned around, rode back to US 33, and rode into Harrisonburg and my hotel for the night. Currently at 7:27 PM it is sunny with blue skys! Should be a great next few days. 

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!

Fall Trip 2019 II

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

Beautiful view from an overlook on the BRP. You have to pick and choose; you can't stop at every one!

     The ride from Roanoke VA to Brevard NC consists of 292 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping for lunch and gas at Boone NC (mm 290), then continuing down to the Pisgah Inn (mm 408) where we would meet Curtis' brother Gary. An entire day on the BRP. Heaven!

Another overlook with mountains going off to the horizon. 

     Following my habit of getting up and out in two hours, and since we had a 300 plus mile day, it was "...up at 6, out by 8..."  We had breakfast at an IHOP restaurant on the way from the motel to the BRP. On the BRP by 7:45 we cruised south, running at 55-60 MPH with little traffic. As we rode south there was less and less traffic, but it was a little heavier than usual. As we would find out, due to our taking the trip a couple of weeks later than usual people were coming to the BRP to see the fall foliage. There were places, particularly in the Asheville area, where the road is at its highest elevations, that the trees were starting to change. Beautiful time of year on the BRP!

Gary and Curtis enjoying a libation as we wait for our table at the Pisgah Inn.

     The ride was uneventful, but GREAT! The BMW'S are a joy in the "twisties." As large as they look they are extremely easy to lean into turns, and hold the line well. The brakes are tremendous, the steering is very light. I generally like to stop around 10am and 3pm at an overlook and enjoy the view. With that being said we were both anxious to get to the Pisgah Inn and meet up with Gary. The plan was to meet Gary there, have dinner, and then ride down off of the BRP to Brevard and on to the cabin we'd rented. Arriving around 6pm Curtis and I put our names in for a table, got a couple of drinks and sat down in some Adirondack chairs to wait for our table. Gary arrived about 10 minutes later.

Beautiful blue sky, puffy white clouds, rolling mountains; the view never gets old!

      After a delicious dinner we rode about 4 miles further south to the exit for US 276 (mm 412). This is a VERY twisty road with very faded lines on the road. The saving grace is there are reflectors you can follow. It is safe to say you travel this stretch of road down off the BRP at a much more moderate pace at night than you would in the daytime. US 276 merges with US 64 into Brevard, then continues south towards the South Carolina border. We had never stayed in this cabin before, and it was down US 276 almost to the SC border. The cabin itself was great, but the road back to it was 4 miles of poorly maintained dirt road, no street lights, many curves and dips, sometimes narrower than my driveway. Needless to say we wouldn't be running back and forth from the cabin and Brevard several time a day! We all made it to the cabin safely, unpacked, and settled in for the night.

Curtis looking a little the worse for wear at the Mexican Restaurant in Roanoke VA. While Gary's hair always looks neat, Curtis does not enjoy that genetic trait!

     Mother Nature can throw a monkey wrench into your plans, and often does. In this case Curtis had to be home Sunday night to work on Monday. We met Gary and got into the cabin Thursday night. Heavy rain was forecast Sunday, so Curtis had to cut his trip short. He decided to leave Saturday for the 8 hour highway trip back to his home in Chantilly VA. Riding all day long in sometimes heavy rain is no fun, and can be dangerous. Gary and Curtis went hiking Friday, and Saturday morning, then Curtis left for home around 3pm. After Curtis left Gary and I went for a really nice ride along a series of back roads, crossing the BRP several times. We had dinner that night, and the rain hit during the night. It was supposed to end by mid morning Sunday. We'll see!

Another overlook, this one on a back road that I was on Friday as I wandered around south of Brevard. Great place to sit and read for a while. 

Fall Trip 2019

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

A view from one of the many overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway

     Its that time of the year again: the fall trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway to Brevard NC to spend a few days with my buddies Gary and Curtis. They both work, while I'm retired, so the trip is planned around their busy schedules. This year Curtis was doing a presentation at James Madison University in Harrisonburg VA. He would be finished by 1 PM Wednesday, so I arranged to meet him at that time in Harrisonburg.

The Chili's in Eldersburg MD. GREAT place for lunch!

     I decided to leave on Tuesday and ride to Front Royal VA and spend the night there. I have a route to Front Royal that includes no interstates, and features a ride through the Maryland horse country north of Baltimore. I have found that I am in Eldersburg MD generally by lunch time. There I stop for lunch at a Chili's. Then MD 26 to US 15 near Frederick MD, and then pickup US 340 which goes right into Front Royal. I stay at a Super 8 there, and then get on the Skyline Drive the next morning.

My bike sitting in the drizzle in Front Royal VA while I sat in a gazebo and read.

     The weather was cloudy and threatening rain the entire trip, but although I ran into isolated pockets of sprinkles along the way it never got heavy enough to put on rain pants. When I reached Front Royal I stopped at a small park in town that offered a gazebo with a picnic table where I could sit for a while and read. At the motel I ran into a pair of motorcyclists from Mississippi and we struck up a conversation. That evening we went across the road to a "burger joint" and had dinner together. The first example, of many along the way, of the fun it is to talk to and meet folks when you travel. This really adds to the enjoyment of traveling.

This is the third overlook on Skyline Drive heading south from the northern entrance. I stop here every trip. 

     Wednesday morning dawned bright and clear, with crystal blue skies. Using my senior pass I got up on Skyline Drive, speed limit 35 mph, to enjoy the 105 mile ride down to mile marker 66 where I would pick up US 33 over to Harrisonburg. The run down US 33 off of the Skyline Drive offers some interesting "twisties" on the way down off of the mountain. Once in Harrisonburg I came across another Chili's and had lunch there.

Curtis standing with his "new" bike in the parking lot at another Chili's in Harrisonburg VA.

     Curtis got done his commitment and met me at Chili's around 1PM. Then it was back up US 33 to the Skyline Drive, and then south. Reaching the end of the Drive we continued straight on to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We had about 120 miles to go to get off in Roanoke VA. Now the speed limit was 45 mph. With few Park Rangers I have found I can run at 55-60 mph with no problem, dramatically adding to the enjoyment of the ride. We stopped once on the way down for a break, arriving at another Super 8 in Roanoke just before dark. There was a Mexican restaurant right across the street, and we walked over and had a great meal, along with a couple of cervasas'. Tomorrow night we would meet up with Gary down in Brevard NC.

Curtis checking his phone, AS USUAL!