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Retirement
Ride II
June-July
2006
Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia,
North
Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
The V-Strom, all loaded
and ready to go.
Oil and filter changed
(Amsoil 10-40 Motorcycle Synthetic Oil and Suzuki filter).
Chain oiled and
adjusted. Tire pressures OK. Coolant OK.
Planning for the RR-II
began back in the cold rainy season we call winter here in southwest
Illinois. As a piano teacher, I found
that most of my students are out of town over July 4th, so that’s a
good week to travel. My first retirement
ride in 2005 gave me ideas for more places to explore in and around West
Virginia.
When a minister friend of
mine retired in South Carolina earlier this year, I looked at a map and
discovered that Deals Gap (a very popular motorcycle area just below the Great
Smoky Mountains Park) was almost in a direct line between here and there. Hmmm.
OK, there are two destinations.
Linking South Carolina and
West Virginia are many good motorcycle roads.
One that I was really interested in was the Blue Ridge Parkway. Along the border of West Virginia and
Virginia (yes, they really are 2 different states!!!) are several twisty roads
promising a good ride. The only problem
is which ones to pick.
My original plan had me
leaving IL on Monday and traveling to far eastern TN. Getting up early Tuesday, I would explore the
Cherohala Skyway and the Deals Gap area, then continue on to SC. After a days rest/visiting there, it would be
north to WV. But as you are about to
see, plans change for the dumbest reasons.
One other thing I would
like to mention about my trip is that I tried to stay within a very strict
budget. Being a substitute teacher and
church organist doesn’t exactly put me in a high tax bracket, if you know what
I mean. I believe you do not need to buy
the most expensive new bike, the most expensive new riding gear, and the most
expensive luggage and accessories to have an enjoyable ride. For example, I bought my bike (a 2005 Suzuki
V-Strom 1000) used with 4K miles. The
original owner upset it in his garage and scratched up the right side
somewhat. I got the bike for slightly
more than half the cost of a new one.
Another example: I looked at
motorcycle rain suits for $50 - $200 at the bike shops and found a comparable
one at the local farm supply store for $17.
It kept me perfectly dry through 300 miles of hard downpour, except for
my socks and pant cuffs. Moral of the
story – If I can do it, almost anyone can.
Well, enough talk – let’s
start the trip!
Day 1 - Illinois to
Clarksburg WV
630
Miles
Those of you who
know me know that I am a notorious early riser.
Even on the weekends, I am awake by 6:00 am. It should come as no surprise that I was
awake for this trip at 3:00 am, and drove out of the driveway at 3:45 am. Three reasons I do this: 1) 20 degrees cooler than daytime temps, 2)
far less traffic, and 3) I love watching the sun come up and night turn to day.
Originally, I had
planned to make a loop going through Tennessee and the Carolinas, then heading
north to West Virginia. However, 2 weeks
before the trip, I could not find a replacement rear tire anywhere within 200
miles of St. Louis. As a last-ditch
effort, I called Leeson's Motors in West Virginia and got lucky. My tire had enough tread to go from Illinois
straight to West Virginia, but not via the southern route. Therefore, I decided to do the original
route, but clockwise instead of counter-clockwise.
Since I had 630 miles to
go, I decided to hit the interstate all day.
I will have lots of opportunities for back roads in the coming
week. I don’t even need a map
today. I-64 East to Charleston, West
Virginia, then I-79 North to Clarksburg.
Easy.
I-64 in western Indiana –
about 6:00 am.
I love mornings!!!
It was unusually cool when
I left, just in the mid 50’s. I debated
about wearing my lightweight long johns, and was glad I decided to go ahead
with them. It was none too warm at 75
mph with jeans. I kept them on until
about 8:00 am. It wouldn’t be the last
time I had them on.
I had clear weather and no
winds for the first 450 miles, which I made before lunch (even with losing an
hour at the Eastern Time Zone change.
However, at the West Virginia border, it suddenly got darker and started
raining. Within 20 miles, it was a hard
downpour. Apparently the entire east
coast of the USA was having a week of hard rain and flooding.
Soaked on the first day in
Hurricane WV.
Lucky I wrapped everything
in Zip-Lock 2-gallon bags.
I continued on to
Clarksburg in the rain. I was a little
concerned about the rear tire with little tread left on it, but there was no
hydroplaning. I rode rather
conservatively to be safe. Along the
way, I passed a semi-truck that had crashed.
They were unloading the contents – ice cream!! Just a mile later, two cars had collided. Between these two accidents, traffic was
single file and slow for about 5 miles.
I made it home by 4:00 and
emptied a half-liter of water out of each boot.
My $17 rain suit from the farm supply store worked great, except I
didn’t bring boot covers. Oh well. It’s just water.
Mom was ready with a great
meal. A warm (and dry!) bed awaited. A great day, even with the rain.
Day 2
Today is new rear-tire day
for the Strom! Since it was raining, I
would not be doing much riding, so it was a good day for this. Leeson's Motors, the Suzuki dealer in
Bridgeport WV, has always taken care of its customers since I first starting
doing business with them in the early 1980s.
It's a family business run the way a dealer should be - honestly.
If you ever need service
or a new bike, check out Leeson’s Motors.
Leeson's Import Motors
Inc.
320 W Main Street
Bridgeport, WV 26330-1751
Phone: 304-842-5469
Fax: 304-842-5848
Email: sales@leesonssuzuki.com
Website: www.leesonsmotors.com
On the way to get my new
rear tire.
Check out the $17 rain
suit!! Hey, it works. (Wish I had
brought boot covers, though.)
Days 3: Exploring West
Virginia
214
Miles
The Weather
Channel showed Wednesday to be sunny and clear until late afternoon
thunderstorms, so I decided to head for the mountains. I could see quite a bit and still be back
home by 3:00. As usual, I was awake early,
and started out at 6:00 am.
Rather than go straight to
Seneca Rocks by my familiar route (Philippi, Belington, Elkins), I had
researched a different route that took me through some areas I had not seen for
over 30 years. I love taking back roads,
and I was not disappointed.
I took Rt 50 East out of
Clarksburg for about 10 miles, then turned south on Rt 76 towards Flemington
and Galloway.
Rt. 76 near Flemington
After reaching the end of
Rt 76 at Berryburg Junction, I took Rt 219 south to Philippi. The main attraction in this small town is the
Civil War-era covered bridge. Although
badly damaged by fire about 15 years ago, it was carefully restored.
Inside the Covered Bridge.
After leaving Philippi on
Rt 250 for about 5 miles, I turned left onto Rt 38 towards Nestorville. This 2-lane follows several streams along the
way. Don’t overshoot the corner or you
will get a free bath!
Past Nestorville and
before St George, Rt 38 provides a nice twisty ride.
At St George, I followed
Rt 72 south to Parsons. After leaving
Parsons on Rt 219/72 for about 3 miles, the road splits. I took Rt 72 on through Hendricks towards Red
Creek and Canaan Valley. Good road and
beautiful mountain scenery.
After just a few miles
past Hendricks on Rt 7, this sign told me of good times to come.
The sign was right! The road does narrow to about 1 and 1/10 lane
wide. This is rural West Virginia
back roads at it’s finest! One of the many roadside waterfalls along Rt
72 east of Hendricks.
Rt 72 about 10 miles east
of Hendricks.
Motorcycle heaven! Watch
out for gravel, though.
A secluded cabin along Rt
72 near Red Creek.
Nearing the East end of Rt
72 near Canaan Valley.
Before heading across the
mountains to Seneca Rocks, I usually stop at the Exxon station in Harmon. Most bikers continue on to Seneca Rocks to
the gas station there and hang out in groups.
I guess I like to avoid the crowds.
It’s a nice quiet place to stop for gas and a soda.
After a refreshing stop at
Harmon, it's east on Rt 33 over the mountains.
(Yes, I turned around
facing west for this picture - it's more photogenic)
Seneca Rocks Visitors
Center.
This area has many fond
memories of Sunday afternoon picnics with my grandparents. They used to love to come up here and watch
the climbers through binoculars. I have
it in my will that my ashes be spread from the top of Seneca Rocks, where I
have climbed (via the footpath, not straight up the side!) with my wife and
son.
When I retired from the
Air Force last year, I was asked where I wanted my retirement flag to be
flown. State capital? Washington D.C.? No, I wanted it flown over the Seneca Rocks
Visitors Center. The head ranger, Sue
Grafton, graciously agreed to fly my flag on this pole for the entire day. I was glad to see her this day and say “hi”.
After spending some time
reminiscing at Seneca Rocks, it was time to head back to Clarksburg. I decided to take my familiar route home
since it was beginning to look like rain.
Coming westbound out of Harmon on Rt 33 towards Wymer, I took a small
detour on top of Rich Mt (County Road 31) and took this picture looking back
towards Harmon and Job.
After making it to
Belington (via Elkins and Rt 33/250 through Junior), I detoured again through
Audra State Park and Volga on CR 11 (a very twisty little road!). After turning right on Rt 119 at Volga
(towards Philippi), I turned off at Carrollton to see the covered bridge there.
My last stop before
heading home was Buffalo Lake, about 10 miles south of Clarksburg. I used to swim out here when I was a
kid. My parents would bring me out here
and I would scare my mom to death diving off the high dive and swimming across
the lake with the men -- when I was still in 1st and 2nd grade! Now, the swimming area has been closed, and
the lake is deserted. But, I can still
hear the happy screams of hundreds of swimmers on a hot summer afternoon.
Well, that was an
enjoyable ride! Lots of old memories for
me.
Hope you enjoyed it too.
Day 5: More Exploring
390 Miles – All Backroads
The Weather Channel
forecasted Friday to be clear and sunny all day – no rain until Saturday
morning! I wanted to take advantage of
every minute, so I was on the road by 6:00 am (again!). Since I rode most of the roads between
Clarksburg and Seneca Rocks on Wednesday, I decided to take my usual (quick!)
route to Seneca and pick up where I left off.
Approachin Elkins in the
early morning haze.
Rt 33 eastbound out of
Elkins. If you have to be on a 4-lane,
this is it!
It does change back to
twisty 2-lane after about 6 - 8 miles.
What a view!
I took the same picture
with my Honda Nighthawk last year on my Retirement Ride I.
One of the limestone caves
on Rt 33 east of Elkins.
Approaching Onego on
Rt33/55 eastbound. Motorcycle heaven!!
I was in Seneca Rocks by
8:00 am (I stopped to take pictures).
Turning left on Rt 55/28 towards Petersburg, I went up to just before
Cabins and turned south onto Smoke Hole road (CR 28/11). Until just couple of years ago, this 18-mile
route was a gravel road. Now it’s paved,
but you still have to watch out for gravel in the turns. Take it easy – it’s a desolate spot to slide
off the road! This is the first I’ve
been on the road since it was paved.
North entrance to Smoke
Hole Road -- CR 28/11 off of Rt 28/55.
Scenic Smoke Hole road.
More Smoke Hole scenery.
Our farm is just over
those mountains about 10 miles.
Yes, more Smoke Hole
scenery.
The general store, about 5
miles from the south entrance.
Smoke Hole cave to the
left. Sorry the cave is dark, but I
didn't want to wait
several hours for the afternoon light.
Near the south end, the
road runs along the South Branch of the Potomac River.
A fisherman was trying his
luck by Eagle Rock.
South Branch of the
Potomac River.
The south entrance of
Smoke Hole road, at the Junction of Rt 220.
This sign is posted at the
south end of the road. The other legend
is that the moonshiners’ stills left a lot of smoke hanging in the air back
during prohibition. You can decide which
story you like better.
After this, I was planning
to ride up Rt 220 past our farm and into Petersburg for lunch, but I decided to
backtrack and ride the Smoke Hole road again northbound. It’s that enjoyable!!
I stopped in Petersburg
for lunch with Smitty Alt, an uncle who runs a large furniture store
there. We had a good 20-minute visit,
then it was off to cover more ground.
First, I headed south out
of Petersburg on Rt 220 to my grandparents’ old farm near Pansy. They passed away about 15 years ago, and my
parents still live there part-time.
Our farm as seen from Rt
220, south of Petersburg.
My grandparents' old
farmhouse.
I used to sit on the front
porch with my grandparents and listen to the
bullfrogs and crickets
singing their songs on hot summer evenings.
Grandma would sit in the
rocker, and grandpa and I would sit on the glider.
After leaving the farm, I
headed north on Rt 220 about 4 miles and
turned east on CR 220-4,
also known as Mill Creek Road.
Mill Creek Road is named
for …… Mill Creek.
This narrow road meanders
through old farmland and comes out 5 miles later at Dorcas.
After reaching Dorcas
(home of the Spring Run Fish Hatchery), I headed south on
CR 9 and CR 1 to Mozer,
Kline, and Upper Tract.
After coming out on Rt 220
at Upper Tract, I headed south to Franklin, then east on
Rt 33 for the Virginia
border, passing through Oak Flat and Brandywine.
Climbing Rt 33 eastbound
up to the West Virginia and Virginia border.
(Yes, they really are two
separate states!)
This used to be a very
narrow, winding road up the mountain, but now it's "improved".
I prefer the old road, but
this one is still great.
Some fellow bikers
enjoying Rt 33 near the WV/VA border.
At the top of the mountain
is the WV/VA border. As I turned around
and headed back into WV,
I laughed at the first
sign after the border: 9% Grade and 25
MPH Curves. YES!!
After turning around at
the VA border, I headed back down Rt 33 into Oak Flat WV.
At Oak Flat, I turned
north off of Rt 33 onto CR 3
that runs 35 miles north to Moorefield WV.
I have driven past this
road a hundred times but never had the time to explore.
CR 3 about 5 or 10 miles
north of Ft Seybert WV.
Watch out for deer!! I saw one in or by the road about every mile.
After reaching Moorefield,
I headed west on Rt 28/55 through Petersburg and back to Seneca Rocks. This time, the lighting was a lot better, so
I stopped for another picture.
Strommin’ at Seneca
Rocks. I wish I could take it up the
trail to the summit.
After Seneca Rocks, it was
over the mountains to Harmon for gas, then quickly home to Clarksburg via
Davis, Thomas, Silver Lake, and then Rt 50 east into Clarksburg. I was running late for supper, so I didn’t
stop to take pictures. Rt 32 from Harmon
to Davis is great!
It was a GREAT day. God was good in giving me the nice weather to
ride most of the roads I wanted to explore on this trip. I enjoyed every one of the 390 miles today. The V-Strom is a great bike -- powerful,
comfortable, and easy to handle.
Hope you enjoyed the ride
too.
Day 6 - Hanging out
After yesterday’s great
ride, I was ready to rest a little and visit folks before riding to South
Carolina the next day. I also took the
opportunity to do a little maintenance on the bike – oiling the chain and
checking all fluids and tire pressures.
Everything was fine, except I added less than 1/10 quart of Amsoil
synthetic motorcycle oil (10w-40) to bring the level up to full (it was halfway
between full and add on the sight window).
After assuring her it
would not tip over, my mom posed for a picture on the bike.
She has a heavy foot and
doesn’t like to waste time when driving.
I wonder what she would say if she felt the acceleration of the bike
from 0-60 mph? (Would you believe she's
74?)
My dad was also interested
in the bike, but preferred not to sit on it.
(I think he’s a Harley
guy? ! ? ! ? ! ?)
Today, I also had a nice
visit with Olga Hardman, my choir teacher at school from 7th grade
to 11th grade. She gave me
the opportunity to serve as the pianist for the choirs, which gave me the
experience I needed to develop into a professional performing musician. She has a very interesting website at: http://www.olgaswritings.com/
When I got home that
evening, my Mom asked me what I wanted to do with the beer I had in the
basement. Huh?? She took me down and I found an old time capsule (OK, a cheap
cardboard box) with about 25 cans of Billy Beer and J.R. Ewing Beer from the
'70s.
Day 8 - Clarksburg WV to
Lexington SC
Which
way is up?
609
Miles (should have been 500)
I had two options
for the return ride. Option 1 was to
take the northern route and visit a great-uncle in Toledo (who is celebrating
his 90th birthday in July) and also a sister who lives in Canton,
Ohio. The second option was to take a
southern route down to South Carolina to visit the retired minister (and his
wife) from our church, then circle around to Deal’s Gap and the Great Smoky
Mountain Park area.
The Weather Channel was calling
for severe storms from where I was in West Virginia and all points north and
west (through Ohio), so I decided to take Option #2, the southern route.
Once again, I was up early
and on the road by 6:00am.
I love traveling the back
roads as the sun comes up. Only me and
the deer.
Rt 57 between Clarksburg
and Philippi.
After filling up with gas
in Elkins, it was south to Huttonsville WV on Rt 219 (a good ride),
then east on Rt 250/92 over the mountains
(picture).
The view from Cheat
Mountain as Rt 250 crosses into VA is spectacular.
After crossing
into Virginia on Rt 250 eastbound, the forest opened up to this beautiful view.
Rt 250 eastbound coming
into Monterey, VA from West Virginia.
Nice curves, but rough
pavement. If they ever repave Rt 250, it
will be a great ride.
Monterey, VA. A nice sleepy little town on a Sunday
morning, except -- what's that?
Up ahead on the right,
it's a Crown Vic police interceptor, waiting for speeders. Not me.
Leaving Monterey VA and
heading south on Rt 220. Behind me
(about 75 miles to the north)
is my grandparents'
farm. It's still hazy at 8:30am.
After miles of nice
farmland on Rt 220 south, I was surprised to come around a corner and find this
-- Hot Springs resort. It looks like an
expensive hangout, with lots of BMWs and Mercedes around. No thanks.
The last leg of
Rt 220 south before reaching Covington was an enjoyable ride.
Am I at Deal’s
Gap already?
QUIZ
OK, this is where
it gets weird. Here’s a quiz. I’m going eastbound. I come up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which
runs north and south. I want to go
south. So, I should turn right. Right?
Except, I pass under a road with a stone bridge, just like the ones on
the BRP. Then the road turns right
(south) for a few miles, then right again.
I’m thinking I passed under the BRP and am now approaching from the east
(facing westbound). Now which way is
south? Left. Well, that’s the direction I went without
looking closely at the verrrry small sign.
There are no “North” or “South” signs on the BRP. Only after an hour did I notice the small
cement mile markers were getting smaller.
Then, I passed the James River.
Wait a minute!!! The James River
is NORTH of where I got on. Oh
crap!!!! I’ve been going north for the
past hour and 15 minutes. I should have
been looking at signs rather than the scenery.
By the time I got back to where I started, I had been on the parkway 2
and a half hours. Now it’s 2:30, and I
still have 250 miles to go. I was not
happy.
Blue Ridge
Parkway - middle of Virginia. See the
smile? That’s before
I figured out
north from south. Nice view, though.
After getting off
in Roanoke for gas, I decided to make up time on the interstates. I had had several great days of backroads,
and now I need to make time. Although
there was a lot of holiday traffic, I managed to make it to Columbia SC by 7:00
pm. Tired!!! Very tired.
Day 8 - Visiting and
eating.
A hot day in South
Carolina.
The 77-degrees inside felt
mighty good!
I spent Sunday
evening and Monday visiting Rev. Edsil Bragg and his wife Lovern in Lexington,
SC, just on the western edge of Columbia.
They were at our church in West Virginia my senior year of high school
and as I was at the university. We’ve
kept in touch all these years throughout many moves – Virginia, Alaska,
Nebraska, Germany, and now Illinois. I
had a great time, and Lovern made some great meals. Thanks!!!!
We drove over to Fort
Jackson on the other side of Columbia for the day. There was a very nice museum there with
displays of Army training, and of Army life in general.
The entrance.
A WWII era truck, nicely
restored.
Barracks life from WWII.
Ah, yes, Sad Sack peeling
potatoes.
(Did I spell that right,
Mr. Quayle?)
Ft Jackson is a training
base, and here is a picture of a
Drill Sgt
"encouraging" a recruit to do better.
A very solemn room --
dedicated to South Carolina soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice
for their country and who
awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary acts of bravery.
Later, we attended a great
fireworks display on the base (even though it was July 3rd).
On the way back to the
Bragg's house that night, we passed this interesting tunnel.
What is cool is that it is
painted on the side of a building.
Day 9 - Lexington SC to
Deals Gap NC
335
Miles
I was up early,
but not as early as usual, had a bowl of cereal with Edsil Bragg and was on the
road by 6:30 am. It was a beautiful
morning, and the Weather Channel said just a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms
up in western North Carolina. The day
will prove them to be good forecasters.
Leaving in the morning
also had another advantage. Instead of
the 100-degree temperatures from the previous afternoon, it was a
more-manageable 70 degrees.
I wanted to get to the
mountains as soon as possible,
so I jumped right on I-26 and headed northwest
through Greenville.
Rt 178 northbound
approaching the border of NC.
Great road!!! Getting warmed up for Deals Gap.
I was at the North
Carolina border around 10:30 and stopped for lunch around 11:00. The weather was great,
and I was looking forward to riding Deals Gap
that afternoon.
Want to see a motorcyclist
drool?
NC Rt 28 near
Stecoah. The scenery and the roads are
getting more interesting.
The Ironhorse Lodge. This is where I stayed July 4th.
All of the weekend guests
have gone home, though, so I just about had the place to myself.
The restaurant and registration
office are behind me as I took this picture.
I had a bed reserved in
the bunk house. This building has
several rooms that have 4 folding beds, complete with a stack of sheets,
blanket, towels, and pillow. Wash room
is the last door on the right.
More information: http://www.ironhorsenc.com/
My room. Although there were a few other guests, they
put each of us in separate rooms rather
than sticking us all in
one room. Very nice of them, eh? Plain, but VERY clean!
After dropping off my
luggage and resting my eyes for about 30 minutes,
it was off to Deals Gap,
about 15 miles away.
Deals Gap Motorcycle
Resort. The popular bike hangout.
It wasn’t as crowded as I
expected since most bikers
had gone home after the long weekend.
The “Tree of Shame”.
This is where people who
wreck their bikes on Deals Gap put a piece of their bike.
It’s layered with bent and
broken pieces off every brand bike you can think of.
I did not contribute, thank you!
So what is this Deals
Gap? How about 318 curves in 11 miles?
It is Rt 129 across the
border from North Carolina into Tennessee,
and has earned the nickname “Tail of the
Dragon”.
I know places in West
Virginia they would call that a straight section of road.
It was very twisty and
went up and down the steep mountain, but
I think some of it is
marketing hype. There are plenty of
other great roads.
This one just has a lot of
advertising. Still, it was fun.
Been there, done that,
bought the T-Shirt.
More information: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/
Nice view above a lake on
the Tennessee side of Deals Gap.
OK, twisty, but so was Rt
220 above Covington.
Coming back into North
Carolina in Deals Gap.
I tamed the Dragon, and
left no pieces for the Tree of Shame.
Before heading back to the
lodge, I went out Rt 129 towards Robbinsville.
Just a short time
down the road from the
Deals Gap Resort, I passed the Cheoah Dam.
This is the dam
Harrison Ford did the
Peter Pan dive off of in the movie “The Fugitive”.
About 15 minutes after I
got back to the Ironhorse Lodge, a large storm passed through,
with high winds and rain. Glad I was back from the ride.
I sat on the porch by my
room and watched the storm for a while, then headed to bed.
Tomorrow is a long ride
back to Illinois.
A great day riding!!! God is VERY good!!!
Day 10 - Deals Gap NC to
Illinois
559
Miles
Awake at 5:15 am, I packed my gear and
headed out of the Iron Horse Lodge at 5:45, as slowly and quietly as
possible. I was apparently the only one
stirring at that hour. A light drizzle
left over from last night’s storm convinced me to put on the rain suit. I headed down the road to Robbinsville for an
Egg McMuffin (one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind!). After eating and filling up with gas (two
separate events, folks), I headed out of Robbinsville on Rt 143 east, which
turns into the Cherohala Skyway about 10 miles later. The skyway is a 40-mile section of scenic
road that runs along the top of the ridges between North Carolina into
Tennessee, ending at Tellico Plains. It connects the Cherokee National
Forest and the Nantahala National Forest. It was
surreal, with the morning fog and light drizzle, and no traffic. In fact, the first car I passed was 30 miles
later, just 10 miles before the end of the road. I love early morning drives!
A drizzly morning. NC Rt 143 out of Robbinsville.
Start of the Cherohala
Skyway westbound.
I didn’t see
another person for the next 30 miles.
For more
information on the Cherohala Skyway, click here:
Cherohala Skyway – NC.
Cherohala Skyway. Ever wonder why they're called the Great
Smoky Mts.?
Another Cherohala Skyway
overlook.
More of the Great Smoky
Mountains.
After passing through
Tellico Plains, I headed northwest up Rt 68 to get on I-40 near Crossville,
then head west to Nashville. The rain
started about 8:00 and poured it down hard until mid-afternoon.
Pouring rain on I-44
westbound near Nashville TN.
It would rain hard like
this for about 300 miles. At least it
was very warm.
When I reached Paducah,
Kentucky, the rain stopped and the sun came out. Unfortunately, the wind started. I wrestled against 30mph crosswinds the rest
of the ride home.
I arrived home at about
6:00 pm tired but very happy.
The V-Strom performed
flawlessly. Even when pushed hard, I averaged
just over 40 MPG, even with me and about 75 pounds of luggage. It was comfortable, and I had plenty of room
to stretch my legs and good luggage provisions.
All in all, it’s an excellent bike for all types of roads.
Final
mileage: 10807
Start
mileage: 8071
Trip
total: 2736
Not
bad considering I was only on the bike 6 out of 10 days.
Now,
where should I go next year?
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