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!”

SUMMER SCRAM TRIP #3

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

Stopping at a scenic overlook in West Virginia

        We made the decision that today we would go west into West Virginia and then on Friday east to get on the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. We got off by 8:30 north to Strasburg where we picked up route 55 and headed west across the Shenandoah Valley. Generally these roads are not well traveled meaning we could enjoy the curves. The plan evolved into riding on route 55 until it crossed US 33. Then ride US 33 east to Harrisonburg where we would pick up route 42 back north to Woodstock. 

After a cloudy morning the sun started to come out .

        As we rode out of Strasburg the clouds hid the tops of the mountains we were riding towards. The benefit was that it was pleasantly cool to the extent I put on a  long sleve shirt, and wore my rain jacket as a windbreaker. The roads were great. There was little traffic but we did get behind the occasional truck. The roads twisted and turned, rose and fell, and the temperature slowly rose.

The route 11 diner where we had dinner.

        We found a very interesting place for lunch in Seneca Rocks in West Virginia ( I didn’t do my job and take any pictures !😖). Yokum’s General Store had a “grill” where the locals came to have lunch. We had a nice lunch, enjoying the people who came and went. I simply had a feeling that real, basic Americans came in this place for lunch, and to shop. As is the case with many of these general stores they have an amazing variety of things to buy

A map of the general area we rode today. Note route 55 west out of Strasburg, US 33 east into
Harrisonburg, and US 42 north from Harrisonburg to Woodstock.

        Once again the threat of thunder storms intruded on our day. It was supposed to storm in Harrisonburg by 2pm. We hustle along US 33 east towards Harrisonburg, trying to get there before 2pm. We made it by 10 minutes and then hit route 42 towards Woodstock. We arrived there by 3pm, and never got wet. We hung out in our room until 6:30 and then went to the Route 11 Diner. After a good meal we went back to out room and watched the last two episodes of Long Way Home. Tomorrow into the mountains!

        

SUMMER SCRAM TRIP #2

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

…rest stop on the trip to Woodstock VA…

        The plan for this week is to stay at one motel for 3 nights and ride across the Shenandoah Valley on 1 day, and perhaps ride Skyline Drive for a while on the second day. The ride from Curtis’ house to Woodstock VA could take as little as 1 1/2 hours, or longer if you took back roads. An additional complication was the threat of heavy thunder showers beginning as early as 2pm. We wanted to ride as long as we could but be able to quickly ride to Woodstock to avoid the storms. 

We have been carrying small foldable camping chairs to use at rest stops. 

        We decided to ride west from Chantilly on US 50 until it crossed US 340. Then ride almost to Front Royal where we will take route 55 west towards Strasburg VA where we can continue west or shoot down US 11 directly to Woodstock. On the way along 11I saw a sign for Fishers Hill Civil War battlefield park. We decided to see what was there and take a little rest in the shade. 

A little rest in the shade on hot and steamy summer day.

        We sat in our chairs in the shade and discussed what we should do next. We decided to  go the the  motel, check in, and then get lunch. The sky was getting dark to the west and we really felt the threat of storms. Once we arrived at the motel by 12:15 only to find out we could’t check in until 2:30. There was an Italian restaurant within view of the  motel so we went there for lunch. After a VERY liesurly lunch I got a call that our room was ready. We checked in and settled in to watch Long Way Home on Apple  + tv. As we relaxed in our room we noticed that the storms had arrived. Dry and comfortable in our room we relaxed while the storm did its thing. Based on the forecast tomorrow should be a better day with less chance of rain. It all worked out.

While we relaxed in the room I colored some of the small pictures I’d brought with me. 

SUMMER TRIP ON THE SCRAM TO THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY JULY 2025

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

A park on the Susquehanna that I often stop at.

        I had planned to take a trip to Winnipeg Canada to see some friends there this summer but, due to my back surgery, I simply couldn’t take a long trip like that. Instead I decided to take several short trips, including one on my Royal Enfield Scram to the Shenandoah Valley. My friend Curtis agreed to come on the trip with me, so off we go.

The Delta “Diner”…one of my favorite little place I go for lunch.,

        Because of the threat of heavy thunder storms in the afternoon I wanted to leave early for Curtis’ house. I got on the road by 8:30 with the Delta “Diner” as my breakfast stop. I put Diner in quotes because this is a name given to the restaurant by my friend Jimmy (its name on the sign is the Delta Family Restaurant!). I got her by 9:45 and ended up with brunch rather than breakfast. Back on the road I road on a series of back roads around Baltimore to Fredrick MD where I got on US 15. Took 15 to Leesburg VA, and from there route 7 east to route 28 south to US 50 east to Chantilly VA. I stopped to gas up the bike and from there to my Curtis’ house. I got 183 miles on a tank, averaging 66.6 mpg. Once I got to Curtis’ house we hung out for a while then went out to dinner with several of his work friends.  Back at his house Curtis started packing and checking over his bike. Our plan was to leave early in the morning because of the threat of thunder showers in the afternoon. 

I arrived at Curtis’ house in time to miss the bad weather. The bike had to sit
out in the weather while I enjoyed the hospitality of Curtis’ house!

Epherta Motorcycle Breakfast 7/6/25

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

There are several Can Am Spyders by my Scram…nice guys

        On the first Sunday of every month, April to October, there is a motorcycle breakfast at the American Legion in Epherta PA. From several hundred to a thousand or more show up during the day, and generally many different brands of bikes, mostly Harley’s! There are often many unusual brands, and many diverse motorcyclists. 

The mist rising from Pennsylvania farm land on the ride to Epherta.

        I like to get to Epherta by 7am or so, and that means getting up at 5am. Generally I leave by 6am and it is about an hour there. The route I take is through the Pennsylvania country side on back roads. It is a very good ride there on roads with many turns. 

It is so beautiful early in the morning riding through the Pennsylvania farm land.  

            I arrived at the American Legion by 7:15 which allowed me to pick my favorite parking spot. It is right in the middle things and lets me enjoy seeing many of the unique bikes that show up. I usually stay until 10am, and then ride to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch. Most of the guys that park where I do are members of a Christian Motorcycle group. All of them are motorcyclists who have ridden for years. 

In this picture there are several Honda Gold Wings, a Kawasaki Voyager XII, several Harley’s,
a Honda GL500 Silverwing, and an early 1970’s Honda 350 4, a pretty rare bike.

        There were Moto Guzzi’s, Triumphs, many different Honda bikes, as well as Yamaha’s and Suzukis. Generally what I do is talk with other motorcyclists about their bikes, rides and trips we’ve taken and different bikes we’ve had over the years. I was there on my Royal Enfield Scram 411, which drew comments and conversation from several attendees. One fellow, Dan, came up and told me he had a Royal Enfield Classic 350. After talking for a while he asked if he could bring his bike over and park it next to mine. I said yes, and he road his BEAUTIFUL chrome and red bike over and parked it. It is truly a work of art and a number of people stopped to talk and admire his bike. We sat together for about 45 minutes and then I got ready to leave to get lunch. Before leaving I promised to bring my red and chrome Interceptor in August if he brought his 350 back. After checking his calendar he agreed so we will both be showing off our Royal Enfield red and chrome bikes. I’m really going have to get polishing my bike so that I won’t be too embarrassed.

Dan with his GORGEOUS red and chrome Classic 350.

        With that I set off for the Brass Eagle in Gap PA for lunch. After a very good Caesar Salad with grilled chicken I rode home. It had been a fun day  with lots of motorcycle talk, meeting several interesting people. Looking forward to next month when I’ll have my Interceptor parked next to his Classic 350. It should be fun!

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

“..a few thoughts…” January 26, 2025…

Threatening clouds over the Shannondoah Valley

        I am watching a video series on YouTube published by a guy named Joe Ryan. He publishes a new video every Friday. The topic of his current ( ? ) video is a journey through northern Vietnam and it is wonderful He has a series of videos such as  “Roam New Zealand,”  “Roam The Himalayas.” The photography is great and he really gives you a feel for the culture in these areas. In the current episode       ( #6 ) he runs into some rainy and cloudy weather as he rides through mountainous North Vietnam.

On a trip with my college roommates on a damp day on the Blue Ridge Parkway

        As I watched the video I thought about the many times I’ve ridden the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in the rain and fog. I’ve often said riding in the rain or the fog is not a big deal, just ride “gently.” Riding through both at the same time, rain AND fog, is no fun. I was on the Skyline Drive on my 1988 Goldwing in 2022, which had 195,000 miles on it, and had decided  to get off on US 33 above Harrisonburg VA rather getting off sooner to get to the lowlands and out of the fog. Instead I pressed on. It became so foggy and wet that I was riding along watching the center line because I couldn’t see 30 feet in front of me. There are no shoulders on Skyline Drive so if the bike stopped I couldn’t get off of the road. I realized how dangerous this was, particularly on a bike with so many miles. It was a really dumb thing to do. I made it, but shortly traded my 1988 Wing for a 2000 model with only 26,000 miles on it.

The last trip on my 1988 Goldwing. I should have taken the clouds more seriously.

        When you ride in the high lands it can be much foggier, as you are literally riding in the clouds. Obviously keep your speed down and avoid sudden braking or acceleration. Stay off any painted lines if you can because they are much more slippery than the road. I was on a trip with my daughters to the White Mountains a few  years ago and we hit rain everyday day. Not all day but off and on, along with sunny patches. I simply told them to “ride gently” and eventually they came on the radio saying that if  you had the proper rain gear, and the rain wasn’t too heavy, riding in the rain is no big deal. I would agree, adding that tires with good tread is also a great help.

Our bikes in front of our rental home in the White Mountains.
The lower picture is from our front porch. Beautiful!

        Having good rain gear, and tires, is an essential part of riding safely in the wet. If you are on a trip you might consider waiting until the worst of the rain has passed, but you may have no choice but to get on the bike and ride. My general rule about stopping every 150 mile might change to every 100 miles, or, if the weather is really bad, every hour. It is dependent on the conditions at the time of the ride. 

The Peddler is a restaurant in Boone NC where I’ve stopped for dinner for over 30 years!
If you like steak I highly recommend it.

        On of the best aspects of motorcycling is that rather than watching the scenery go by in a car, you are part of it; you get wet if it rains, cold if its cold, and hot if its hot. You experience the place through all of  your senses, sight, smell, feeling, hearing. It is one of the things I like most about riding. You have to pay attention to all of what is around you and  you are part of it all, 

My Honda Silverwing scooter on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

        Winter is a tough time for me. I watch PLENTY of YouTube videos and go out when the weather cooperates. This week it is going to be in the mid to upper 40s Monday, Tuesday, and  Wednesday. I will be out on the Spyder Monday, the Interceptor on Tuesday, and on Wednesday I will be out on my new toy, a 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411. We are actually getting past the worse time of the year and we will have more and more days to ride. I have several trips planned for this year including North Carolina, Virginia, and Winnipeg Canada. Hope you have several trips planned this summer also. Until then get out on every nice day you can.