Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Why do I do this?
In my relatively short 4 years of riding on the street, I've logged around 35,000 miles, give or take a bit. Nothing really noteworthy, but not too bad I guess, when you factor in working full time and being oncall every couple of weeks.
There's a saying among motorcyclists that there are two types of riders - those who have crashed, and those who haven't yet. I've crashed twice now, a fairly mild lowside due to me locking up the front wheel around 30MPH, and one serious collision with a deer at 70MPH. Each time I cheated death and serious injury. Each time I was eager to get back on and ride again.
Some friends don't really understand the draw, while others would do and have done the same as I did. We cover ourselves in leather and abrasion resistant textiles, and gladly straddle a few hundred pounds of aluminum, steel, and an internal combustion engine, with several flammable gallons of unleaded gasoline between our legs. Why, people ask, why take that risk? When you know the statistics, and there are perfectly good cars to be driven, why chance the bad weather, the bad drivers, the fates?
For a long time, I didn't really have a very good answer for this. "Why?" bounced around in my head from time to time, like a question with an answer you knew but just couldn't quite put into words. After my own two accidents, friend's accidents, and the deaths of people I admire in the long distance riding community, I struggled to find the words to understand the answer.
Recently, a friend of mine observed that while doing yardwork, he was able to calm his mind, look inward, and reflect on life's lessons and experiences. He asked on Facebook - "what other activities are meditative?"
I quickly typed a short comment about riding, but then paused before clicking submit. Suddenly, the "Why" started becoming more clear, and I started typing.
Motorcycle riding - not just commuting to work, but actual 'getting out on the road for at least a couple of hours' riding - for me, is unbelievably relaxing and meditative. It's so effective that my wife will actually tell me that I need to get out and go for a ride when she sees that I need it.
There's something about being open to the world and the elements that strips away everything that doesn't really matter. With music playing through noise isolating earplugs, the world is no longer black and white and right or wrong.
It's vivid green and bright sky blue, it's the fiery colors of leaves in the fall and pastel painted meadows as far as you can see when the wildflowers bloom, it's the smell of cut hay or grass in summertime, the scent of plowed earth.
It's the temperature change from the mountain top to the valley below, the smell and feel of rain, a set of high-beams piercing the night's darkness because what's ahead of you is all that matters now, and the reminder that sometimes we really are as free as we allow ourselves to be. It's shuttered up small towns and cemeteries and the faintest scent of decay that reminds you that in spite of all this, life is woefully short, and we should strive every day to live our lives to the fullest, and love as deeply and as hard as we can, because we are only here for a short time, and no one knows when their time is up.
There's a saying among motorcyclists that there are two types of riders - those who have crashed, and those who haven't yet. I've crashed twice now, a fairly mild lowside due to me locking up the front wheel around 30MPH, and one serious collision with a deer at 70MPH. Each time I cheated death and serious injury. Each time I was eager to get back on and ride again.
Some friends don't really understand the draw, while others would do and have done the same as I did. We cover ourselves in leather and abrasion resistant textiles, and gladly straddle a few hundred pounds of aluminum, steel, and an internal combustion engine, with several flammable gallons of unleaded gasoline between our legs. Why, people ask, why take that risk? When you know the statistics, and there are perfectly good cars to be driven, why chance the bad weather, the bad drivers, the fates?
For a long time, I didn't really have a very good answer for this. "Why?" bounced around in my head from time to time, like a question with an answer you knew but just couldn't quite put into words. After my own two accidents, friend's accidents, and the deaths of people I admire in the long distance riding community, I struggled to find the words to understand the answer.
Recently, a friend of mine observed that while doing yardwork, he was able to calm his mind, look inward, and reflect on life's lessons and experiences. He asked on Facebook - "what other activities are meditative?"
I quickly typed a short comment about riding, but then paused before clicking submit. Suddenly, the "Why" started becoming more clear, and I started typing.
Motorcycle riding - not just commuting to work, but actual 'getting out on the road for at least a couple of hours' riding - for me, is unbelievably relaxing and meditative. It's so effective that my wife will actually tell me that I need to get out and go for a ride when she sees that I need it.
There's something about being open to the world and the elements that strips away everything that doesn't really matter. With music playing through noise isolating earplugs, the world is no longer black and white and right or wrong.
It's vivid green and bright sky blue, it's the fiery colors of leaves in the fall and pastel painted meadows as far as you can see when the wildflowers bloom, it's the smell of cut hay or grass in summertime, the scent of plowed earth.
It's the temperature change from the mountain top to the valley below, the smell and feel of rain, a set of high-beams piercing the night's darkness because what's ahead of you is all that matters now, and the reminder that sometimes we really are as free as we allow ourselves to be. It's shuttered up small towns and cemeteries and the faintest scent of decay that reminds you that in spite of all this, life is woefully short, and we should strive every day to live our lives to the fullest, and love as deeply and as hard as we can, because we are only here for a short time, and no one knows when their time is up.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Ouch.
This was all my own fault - I lost control while slowing for a 45 degree turn at an intersection. Luckily, the bike fell on the left side after tossing me off and didn't flip. I landed on my left hip (primary impact) and left shoulder (secondary). Nothing on me is broken, but naturally, I hurt like hell.
The cause was a combination of stupid things, a bunch of dumb mistakes really. It was misty drizzle and I wasn't compensating for it. I rode across a huge section of yellow paint while downshifting and braking, and all these things combined were enough for me to lose traction. I was paying more attention to making the light and getting to work, I screwed up, and it bit me.
I need a new front tip over bar cover and a left mirror assembly. My rear tip over bar is bent, but I think I can bring it back to position with some persuasion. My helmet hit the ground with my head in it, so it needs to be replaced. My jacket, pants, and gloves held up very well, all of them are in serviceable condition and do not need to be replaced. My boots need a new toe slider, but otherwise, they are fine.
Moral of the story - riding like a dong ain't cheap.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
ArkanSTOC
People of all types and shapes and walks of life are brought together by a common love of motorcycling, and you can find "Ride to Eat" get-togethers, Bike Nights, and Rallies, year round through various forums such as Motocampers.com, Adventure Rider (Ride the World!), Two Wheeled Texans. Buying a motorcycle of a particular make or model or type, though, often comes with the wide, welcoming arms of a larger global online community, and the Honda ST1300 is no exception.
The Honda ST Owners Community is one of the finest around, spread throughout all 50 states and around the globe, and it's almost a matter of pride for there to be an annual event (or two!) in as many states as possible. Hosted by locals who know the area like the back of their hand, the road recommendations are spot on, the restaurant suggestions are great, and people you meet will be some of the best you'll find anywhere.
All that is to say, this is how I found myself scheduling time off from work to take a long weekend ride into the northern part of Arkansas, to ride roads I'd never seen before, with people I'd never met before. For five years running, ArkanSTOC has been held every September in the Ozarks, up near Eureka Springs, and it's gotten so popular that people put this on their calendar and book hotel rooms a year in advance.
I left Austin Wednesday afternoon and rode through 98- 100 degree temps until I threw in the towel at Clayton Lake State Park in Oklahoma. It was hot, humid, and mostly miserable... Certainly not the best night I've ever spent in a tent, but it's hard to complain when you're not at work and have a full day of riding ahead of you when you wake up.
Up early Thursday morning, I had my standard moto-breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and was on the road by 9AM. I'd been in this part of Arkansas back in November of 2011, and I was eager to see the Talimena Byway again.
The view from the Byway, the cool mountain temperatures, and the steady breeze chased away all memory of the previous day's heat. Following the Talimena Byway into Mena, AR, I stopped for lunch at the Skyline Cafe around noon. The Skyline Cafe is one of those small hole in the wall places that most folks wouldn't look at twice. There's a reason the old timers and motorcycle riders stop here though - the food is great! I had breakfast again: eggs over easy, home made corned beef hash, and home fries. With a full belly, I headed back out and down the road towards AR 28 and 27. These two roads took me through Russellville and dropped me onto Arkansas Scenic Route 7.
There were storms on the way though, and I could see and hear their presence all the way up Route 7. Wet roads, heavy storms on radar, and the sound of thunder in the distance at every rest stop was enough to make me ditch my extended route and concentrate on getting to The Hub's campground so I could set up before the storms came. I managed to skirt along the edge of the storm front the whole way up, and got settled in. A quick run to the store for some adult beverages, and I was ready to hang out around the campfire and make some new friends until the heavy rains came.
It took them a while, but boy, did they come. It rained all Thursday night, and all day Friday - so heavy that I decided to abandon my riding plans and partake of the free beer and story swapping going around under the covered awnings. It finally cleared up around dinner time for the evening's parking lot and campfire festivities. Speaking of dinner... I caved in to the craving and got the prime rib at Scooters Restaurant. I highly recommend it.
Saturday morning greeted us with sunshine, mid 50s temperatures, and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect riding weather, so I took off with fellow Texas riders Andy, Fergie, and Taylor.
We got in some great riding down 7, 123, and 16 before Andy's clutch went belly up near Clinton AR. After making sure Andy was safely off the road and waiting for AAA to arrive, I headed back to The Hub.
With work on Monday and a long ride back to Pflugerville ahead of me, I went ahead and packed up, thinking I'd get down by the Texas State Line before finding a place to sleep. I hit the road heading South around 2PM, and took 7, 16, and 21 down towards Interstate 40. The thought of sleeping in my own bed was a pretty strong motivator - I made it in at 1:45AM, after riding a total of about 850 miles all day Saturday. You can view a track of my ride here - spotwalla.com/tripViewer
The Honda ST Owners Community is one of the finest around, spread throughout all 50 states and around the globe, and it's almost a matter of pride for there to be an annual event (or two!) in as many states as possible. Hosted by locals who know the area like the back of their hand, the road recommendations are spot on, the restaurant suggestions are great, and people you meet will be some of the best you'll find anywhere.
All that is to say, this is how I found myself scheduling time off from work to take a long weekend ride into the northern part of Arkansas, to ride roads I'd never seen before, with people I'd never met before. For five years running, ArkanSTOC has been held every September in the Ozarks, up near Eureka Springs, and it's gotten so popular that people put this on their calendar and book hotel rooms a year in advance.
I left Austin Wednesday afternoon and rode through 98- 100 degree temps until I threw in the towel at Clayton Lake State Park in Oklahoma. It was hot, humid, and mostly miserable... Certainly not the best night I've ever spent in a tent, but it's hard to complain when you're not at work and have a full day of riding ahead of you when you wake up.
Up early Thursday morning, I had my standard moto-breakfast of oatmeal and coffee and was on the road by 9AM. I'd been in this part of Arkansas back in November of 2011, and I was eager to see the Talimena Byway again.
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| The mountains never disappoint |
The view from the Byway, the cool mountain temperatures, and the steady breeze chased away all memory of the previous day's heat. Following the Talimena Byway into Mena, AR, I stopped for lunch at the Skyline Cafe around noon. The Skyline Cafe is one of those small hole in the wall places that most folks wouldn't look at twice. There's a reason the old timers and motorcycle riders stop here though - the food is great! I had breakfast again: eggs over easy, home made corned beef hash, and home fries. With a full belly, I headed back out and down the road towards AR 28 and 27. These two roads took me through Russellville and dropped me onto Arkansas Scenic Route 7.
There were storms on the way though, and I could see and hear their presence all the way up Route 7. Wet roads, heavy storms on radar, and the sound of thunder in the distance at every rest stop was enough to make me ditch my extended route and concentrate on getting to The Hub's campground so I could set up before the storms came. I managed to skirt along the edge of the storm front the whole way up, and got settled in. A quick run to the store for some adult beverages, and I was ready to hang out around the campfire and make some new friends until the heavy rains came.
Saturday morning greeted us with sunshine, mid 50s temperatures, and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect riding weather, so I took off with fellow Texas riders Andy, Fergie, and Taylor.
We got in some great riding down 7, 123, and 16 before Andy's clutch went belly up near Clinton AR. After making sure Andy was safely off the road and waiting for AAA to arrive, I headed back to The Hub.
With work on Monday and a long ride back to Pflugerville ahead of me, I went ahead and packed up, thinking I'd get down by the Texas State Line before finding a place to sleep. I hit the road heading South around 2PM, and took 7, 16, and 21 down towards Interstate 40. The thought of sleeping in my own bed was a pretty strong motivator - I made it in at 1:45AM, after riding a total of about 850 miles all day Saturday. You can view a track of my ride here - spotwalla.com/tripViewer
Monday, September 2, 2013
Labor Day Breakfast Run
Finding myself with nothing to do and nowhere to be on Labor Day morning, joining some folks from Two Wheeled Texans for breakfast at The Monument Cafe in Georgetown seemed like the right thing to do. After a quick blast up TX 130, I was soon stuffing my face with fresh scrambled eggs and corned beef hash. It was so good I forgot to take a picture!
With breakfast finished, it was time to get some riding in before the heat of the late afternoon set in. Leaving Georgetown on TX 29 got me into rural Texas, where houses and buildings gave way to acres and acres of farmland.
Someone once said that the "FM" in "Texas FM Road" really stood for "Fun Motorcycle", and I have to agree. Some of them follow property lines and have long straightaways with several sharp turns, while others were born of the wagon roads that folks in the country would use to go to town on Sunday. With little to no traffic, and fairly decent pavement on most FM roads, they make for great riding.
I found myself near Bartlett, Texas, so I stopped in to get a picture in front of the set for the TV show "Revolution".
Sadly, the afternoon heat was getting worse and there were things that needed my attention waiting at home, so with about 150 miles done it was time to head for the barn.
With breakfast finished, it was time to get some riding in before the heat of the late afternoon set in. Leaving Georgetown on TX 29 got me into rural Texas, where houses and buildings gave way to acres and acres of farmland.
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| FM 158 @ FM 971 |
I found myself near Bartlett, Texas, so I stopped in to get a picture in front of the set for the TV show "Revolution".
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| The damaged building is fake, but it looks pretty realistic from the street. |
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Stick a Fork in Me
Yeah, okay, that was a bad pun...
Most motorcycles come with suspensions that are set up for a rider who is about 175 pounds, and well, I haven't seen those numbers on the scale in quite some time. The ST1300 is no exception and comes under-sprung and too softly damped causing poor braking performance, limited bottom-out resistance, and harshness over high speed bumps. While a lot of folks never notice these shortcomings, after spending many 8+ hour days in the saddle back in May, it became very obvious that I had to do something to the front suspension.
After researching the options, I decided to go with a non-progressive setup from Sonic Springs. Costing under $90 for a set of high quality chrome silicon steel springs, this seemed like a reasonable place to start - if the results were terrible, I wouldn't be out a lot of money, and reviews at ST-Owners were overall very positive. I considered progressive springs, but after taking into consideration how heavy the bike is, and that there is so little suspension travel to begin with, I felt I would run out of suspension travel just as the heavier side of the progressive spring was being put into action.
Based on Sonic's spring rate calculator, I ordered a set of springs rated at 1.2kg/mm. This is a pretty vast difference from the stock springs which are rated at .860 kg/mm, and should support the weight of the bike with me on it much better. I cut my spacers at 140mm, giving me about 25mm worth of preload on the front end. This will reduce the amount of suspension sag, or travel, that will be used up just to support the bike, leaving more active suspension available for riding.
To finish off the rebuild, I used BMW's 7.5w fork oil, set to a level of 125mm. The general rule of thumb is to set fork oil fairly close the amount of travel that the forks have - the ST1300 has 117mm of fork travel - and I went slightly over that to help stiffen the front end up a tiny bit more.
With new fork seals, new fork wipers, Sonic Springs, spacers, and fresh oil installed, it was time to put the front end back together again.
It was then time to turn my attentions to the rear shock. Honda was thoughtful enough to put a remotely adjustable preload module on the rear, and while it doesn't change the spring rate from being too low, it does help to offset some of the demand that us larger guys put on the shock.
To service the preload system, I removed the controller from the bike, and flushed it and the preload module with fresh fork oil. After reinstalling the controller the full range of preload options was restored.
Unfortunately, the rear shock is not user rebuild-able and I'll eventually have to send it off to a suspension specialist to have it upgraded. For now, I have to say I'm a lot happier with the suspension on the bike, especially when you consider that the total cost involved for the springs, fork seals and wipers, and fork oil was under $200 total.
 |
| Hmm, something's missing here. |
After researching the options, I decided to go with a non-progressive setup from Sonic Springs. Costing under $90 for a set of high quality chrome silicon steel springs, this seemed like a reasonable place to start - if the results were terrible, I wouldn't be out a lot of money, and reviews at ST-Owners were overall very positive. I considered progressive springs, but after taking into consideration how heavy the bike is, and that there is so little suspension travel to begin with, I felt I would run out of suspension travel just as the heavier side of the progressive spring was being put into action.
Based on Sonic's spring rate calculator, I ordered a set of springs rated at 1.2kg/mm. This is a pretty vast difference from the stock springs which are rated at .860 kg/mm, and should support the weight of the bike with me on it much better. I cut my spacers at 140mm, giving me about 25mm worth of preload on the front end. This will reduce the amount of suspension sag, or travel, that will be used up just to support the bike, leaving more active suspension available for riding.
To finish off the rebuild, I used BMW's 7.5w fork oil, set to a level of 125mm. The general rule of thumb is to set fork oil fairly close the amount of travel that the forks have - the ST1300 has 117mm of fork travel - and I went slightly over that to help stiffen the front end up a tiny bit more.
With new fork seals, new fork wipers, Sonic Springs, spacers, and fresh oil installed, it was time to put the front end back together again.
It was then time to turn my attentions to the rear shock. Honda was thoughtful enough to put a remotely adjustable preload module on the rear, and while it doesn't change the spring rate from being too low, it does help to offset some of the demand that us larger guys put on the shock.
To service the preload system, I removed the controller from the bike, and flushed it and the preload module with fresh fork oil. After reinstalling the controller the full range of preload options was restored.
Unfortunately, the rear shock is not user rebuild-able and I'll eventually have to send it off to a suspension specialist to have it upgraded. For now, I have to say I'm a lot happier with the suspension on the bike, especially when you consider that the total cost involved for the springs, fork seals and wipers, and fork oil was under $200 total.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Turnin' Wrenches on the Maxima
This afternoon I braved the hot and humid weather and got caught up on some maintenance that was due on the Maxima.
I was recently able to trace the source of a minor oil leak to the oil cooler housing. Seems that after 119,000 miles the O-Ring seal wasn't sealing any more. Not too hard of a fix - pull the right front wheel, remove the splash guard, remove the oil filter, and then you can access the 22MM fitting that holds the oil cooler onto the engine block. The car was due for an oil change anyway, so pulling the oil filter was something I needed to do anyway.
After the oil drained from the filter housing and the oil pan, I started taking the cooler off.
There are two small diameter coolant hoses that attach to the oil cooler housing. I was ready to disconnect both of them (those yellow SnapOn hose pinch pliers remain one of the best tool purchases I've ever made) , but only needed to pull the one on the right. Comparing the new O-Ring to the old made it obvious just how much the old one had shrunk. After cleaning the housing and engine block mating surfaces, I put the new O-Ring in and put everything back together again. After adding 4.25qt of Mobile 1 5w30 and a bit of coolant to top the radiator off, I started the engine, and....
No leaks, yeah! The local dealership wanted almost 200$ to replace this O-Ring, and that didn't even include an oil change. I bought the O-Ring on Amazon from a Nissan parts house for $9 and it only added about half an hour's worth of work to the oil change I was going to do anyway.
I was recently able to trace the source of a minor oil leak to the oil cooler housing. Seems that after 119,000 miles the O-Ring seal wasn't sealing any more. Not too hard of a fix - pull the right front wheel, remove the splash guard, remove the oil filter, and then you can access the 22MM fitting that holds the oil cooler onto the engine block. The car was due for an oil change anyway, so pulling the oil filter was something I needed to do anyway.
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| Wheel off, splash shield almost down... |
After the oil drained from the filter housing and the oil pan, I started taking the cooler off.
No leaks, yeah! The local dealership wanted almost 200$ to replace this O-Ring, and that didn't even include an oil change. I bought the O-Ring on Amazon from a Nissan parts house for $9 and it only added about half an hour's worth of work to the oil change I was going to do anyway.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Willow Springs Road Bridge
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| Fayette County, Texas |
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Doh
The feeling when you open the box from the camping gear company and realize they sent you the wrong item:
Friday, May 17, 2013
Stage 7: The Dragon
Friday morning....
While the rest of the world woke up and got ready for work, I slept in a bit, enjoying the clean air and cool breezes flowing through my tent.
After a little extra sleepytime, it was time to wake up and ride the Dragon.
The Tail of the Dragon crosses Deal's Gap at the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, and is considered by many to be one of the world's best motorcycling (and sports car) roads. This 11 mile stretch of US Highway 129 comes complete with 318 curves, twisting its way through some of the most beautiful scenery you'll see anywhere.
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| My bucket list just got a bit shorter. |
One of the coolest things about this road is the professional photographers who hang out and shoot cars and riders as they go past. "Killboy" (www.killboy.com) has been doing this for a long time now, and has some really amazing shots up on his site. For a small fee, you can download high quality pictures of yourself hitting some of the best curves.
The scenery is amazing, but this isn't the place to sight see. The curves come at you rapid fire, and demand your full attention. Oncoming traffic can very often make a mistake and wind up on your side of the road, and underestimating the curves can have disastrous results. Angering the Dragon often doesn't end well for the rider.
After paying our respects at the Tree, it was time for some lunch. We'd skipped breakfast with the intent of going crazy for lunch, and this double meat, double bacon, double cheese burger on onion roll sure hit the spot. They call it the Pig Pen burger, and it was delicious.
With our bellies full and one run under our belts, it was time to head back up the highway from the other direction. I took advantage of some of the pulloffs to snag a few pictures this time.
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| There's pieces from hundreds of bikes here |
For years now, riders have been leaving items on this tree at the Deal's Gap Resort, as a warning to others, or perhaps as an offering to appease the Dragon.
 |
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| Mirror from a $25,000 bike |
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| The Dragon cares not what you ride, it demands respect. |
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| Wear your riding gear, kids. |
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| Deer, turkey, and even bears have been seen crossing the highway |
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| Ouch indeed. |
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| Health food. |
Unfortunately rain was starting to move into the area and we already had a few drops hitting our visors. Since we'd left most of our rain gear at the campsite, we decided to head back. I'd planned to get my gear and head back out, but "the tired" hit me like a ton of bricks at the campsite, so I spent the evening writing, catching up with my wife and downloading pictures from my camera. Around midnight the rains came down hard and heavy, and after I got used to the sound of it hitting my tent, I had a very good night's sleep.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Stage 6: Into Tennessee
There are over 4 million miles of road in the United States' highway system, most of which is just your standard A to B normal pavement. These roads are just a means to an end for most folks, a way to work, a way home, a way to a place to play. It's no different for those of us with 93 octane coursing through our veins. These normal roads are just a way to get to the fun stuff, to the good stuff.
A means to an end, indeed.
Some of these roads earn spots on on people's Bucket Lists. Roads that people detour hours out of the way to see, that offer amazing views, or technical riding, or both.
The Moki Dugway
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Skyline Drive
The Natchez Trace
The Pacific Coast Highway
Monument Valley
Alaska Highway
Million Dollar Highway
Angeles Crest Highway
Going to the Sun Road
Mulholland Drive
Beartooth and Chief Joseph Highways
There are dozens more: some locally known, most nationally known, some even internationally known. If you ask any motorcyclist or automotive enthusiast for a top ten, you'll likely never get the same answer.
But down there in this part of the South East, it's hard to find a bad road. This is the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the good roads are treacherous mountainside twists with steep drop-offs, no shoulders, and only light duty guardrails. High risk, but oh so worth the reward.
Today, we packed up our camp and headed north, into North Carolina, riding mile after mile of great roads. We eventually arrived in Robbinsville, NC, where we started up the Cherohala Skyway.
The Cherohala Skyway was completed in the fall of 1996 after being under construction for some thirty-four years. It is North Carolina's most expensive highway carrying a pricetag of $100,000,000. Winding up and over 5,400 foot mountains for 15 miles in North Carolina and descending another 21 miles into the deeply forested backcountry of Tennessee, the road crosses through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests.... thus the name "Chero...hala"
Beginning at Santeetlah Gap on the North Carolina side (at elevation 2660 feet), the road quickly twists and ascends to Santeetlah, earning the "Mile High" part of its nickname at an elevation of 5377 feet.
A means to an end, indeed.
Some of these roads earn spots on on people's Bucket Lists. Roads that people detour hours out of the way to see, that offer amazing views, or technical riding, or both.
The Moki Dugway
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Skyline Drive
The Natchez Trace
The Pacific Coast Highway
Monument Valley
Alaska Highway
Million Dollar Highway
Angeles Crest Highway
Going to the Sun Road
Mulholland Drive
Beartooth and Chief Joseph Highways
There are dozens more: some locally known, most nationally known, some even internationally known. If you ask any motorcyclist or automotive enthusiast for a top ten, you'll likely never get the same answer.
But down there in this part of the South East, it's hard to find a bad road. This is the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the good roads are treacherous mountainside twists with steep drop-offs, no shoulders, and only light duty guardrails. High risk, but oh so worth the reward.
Today, we packed up our camp and headed north, into North Carolina, riding mile after mile of great roads. We eventually arrived in Robbinsville, NC, where we started up the Cherohala Skyway.
The Cherohala Skyway was completed in the fall of 1996 after being under construction for some thirty-four years. It is North Carolina's most expensive highway carrying a pricetag of $100,000,000. Winding up and over 5,400 foot mountains for 15 miles in North Carolina and descending another 21 miles into the deeply forested backcountry of Tennessee, the road crosses through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests.... thus the name "Chero...hala"
Beginning at Santeetlah Gap on the North Carolina side (at elevation 2660 feet), the road quickly twists and ascends to Santeetlah, earning the "Mile High" part of its nickname at an elevation of 5377 feet.
It was a lot cooler up here than we'd expected. It was still in the 60's, but after being at lower elevations and in full mesh gear in 80 - 90 degree temperatures, it was almost chilly.
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| We love mountains! |
It's ridiculously beautiful up here. But, don't let that distract you.... There are skid marks on many of the curves; a warning of what can happen if you aren't paying attention, or are riding beyond your abilities. Sudden decreasing radius turns, obscured sight lines, and a false sense of bravado from sections of the Skyway that beg to be ridden faster than the 45MPH speed limit.
... this Snake's bite can be incredibly painful.
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| This was an $18,000 motorcycle. |
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| The view.... well, let's just say that I'll never get tired of looking out over stuff like this. |
With the end of the day approaching, we made our way over to Hunts Lodge Motorcycle Campground (www.huntslodge.com). The Hunts are great folks, and they are riders too, and it shows - everything here is set up specifically for riders. Free wi-fi, hot showers, free laundry machines, motorcycle odds and ends in the vending machine, free ice, coolers to borrow, gas and charcoal grills available, lots of nice grassy places to put up a tent, and a huge covered pavilion for relaxing, all for less than $14 a person.
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