Archive for the ‘motorcycle touring’ Category

Motorcycle Ride: 900 Miles, 2 States, 1 Back of the Dragon

Posted: July 26, 2023 in Motorcycle, motorcycle touring
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My wife and I rode our Harley Davidson Ultra Limited 898.9 miles in four and quarter days.  Our goal was to ride our motorcycle the entire length of the Back of the Dragon from Marion, Virginia to St. Marys West Virginia. The Back of the Dragon is also known as US Route 16 and is not “The Tail of the Dragon”. For the most part the roads were great, the weather was great and the time away from work was great.

Over the next few weeks I am going to break out each day’s ride.  Starting with this post and day of our mini motorcycle vacation.

DAY 1: Run like hell and get wet! Or Storm Chaser Powers Activate.

I get off work, according to the official schedule at 4:30 PM, often it is much later than that.  This day I shut down everything at exactly 4:30. Debbie had the motorcycle packed and ready to roll. At 4:50 we were on the bike and headed south to Marion.

Unfortunately, to get to Marion from our home quickly we must use Interstate 81.  I81 is, in my opinion, a terrible road for motorcycles. Tractor trailers are consistently changing lanes to get around each other slowing traffic from 70 to 45 MPH.  The big truck were running three abreast on some parts of the highway.

The car traffic is no better. Drivers in the left lane running at or below the posted speed limit forcing people to sprint around them. Distracted drivers texting on their phone, which is even more madding when you know that particular automobile has hands free built in! You have to have your attention on the road 100% of the time and looking as far as ahead as possible.

Taking the above into account I was hoping to get to Marion in about four hours. That did not happen.

At about hour three, the clouds turned dark, then very dark, and then our Storm Chaser Powers were once again active and at full strength.  We left the highway at the next exit and parked under the awning of mom and pop gas station. 

We were only feet away from the awning when the full force of the storm hit. The rain was coming down so hard it was difficult to see the far side of the road. Lightning was striking within a mile of where we were sitting. The water in the parking lot rose so fast that within minutes it was lapping all around our tires.

Debbie was looking at the phone at both weather radar and nearby hotels. She spotted a break in the storm and a hotel six miles away. Mounting up, we started to move out when I noticed that the water between us and the road was about 18 inches deep.

I wish I had the camera on as we passed through the water, it looked like Moses parting the Red Sea!  Hitting I81 again I had to run carefully with flashers on.  We made it to the hotel with minutes to spare before the next wave of rain arrived.

Luckly the hotel had clothes driers available which made the next day a lot more fun!  Also, this was the only rain we had for the entire weekend.

Next up – Day 2 Taming the Dragon

ijustwant2ride.com
Taking the CAGE to an all new level!

How do you Ruin a Great Motorcycle Road? Ohio State Route 555

Posted: June 30, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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One of the best driving and riding roads in the United States is Ohio State Road 555, better known as the “Triple Nickle”. This is not just my opinion it is also from Car and Drive and many other publications. Also 555 is also one of the Ohio “Windy9” roads and is heavily promoted, by the state, in many motorcycle publications.

Well, the Triple Nickle use to be a great motorcycle riding anyway!

Starting at the southern terminus of the road the road Ohio has “repaired” by the “Chipseal” method (or Tar and Chip where I grew up).  SR 555 is a ROYAL MESS.  I cannot recommend you ride a motorcycle on this road at this time, maybe in a year?

Gravel chips are everywhere.  Tight turns, and this road has many, can be dangerous along with every driveway and intersection.  When it gets hot the tar may become slippery if the chips have been removed by traffic or weather.

I don’t know how far north the chipseal goes as we turned off after about 10 miles. State Route 555 is just unsafe for motorcycles.

So, to answer the question, “How do you ruin a great motorcycle riding road?”  Just chipseal it, you could ruin it for years!

*****

Ride on, Ride safe

Terrible, just terrible!

MICHELIN Tire Rebate! (until 6/30/23)

Posted: June 15, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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Michelin and Continental are two brands of tires I have never used, so I don’t have an opinion on there products. But with an $80 rebate now might be a good time give Michelin a shot.

Get a $80 Visa Reward Card via mail-in rebate with the purchase of two (front and rear) qualifying MICHELIN Cruiser Motorcycle tires.

Get a $60 Visa Reward Card via mail-in rebate with the purchase of two (front and rear) other qualifying MICHELIN On-Road and Road Racing Motorcycle tires.

Get a $40 Visa Reward Card via mail-in rebate with the purchase of two (front and rear) qualifying MICHELIN Off-Road Motorcycle tires or qualifying MICHELIN Bicycle tires.

If you need new tires, or shortly will, you might want to take advantage of this deal!

You can check out their range of motorcycle tires on their motorcycle website,

Motorcycle Riding around Front Royal: Fort Valley Road

Posted: May 16, 2023 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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Front Royal is set at the northern end of Skyline Drive, one of the premier motorcycling destinations on the east coast.  Thousands of motorcyclists pass through Front Royal on their way to Skyline Drive or to parts unknown as they leave the National Park.  At most they spend a night in town before heading on their way.

However, riders should spend a day or two riding in the Front Royal area. There are more than a few great riding roads and routes that will appeal to every motorcycle rider. Adventure bikers, you can check out the availability of roads in the George Washington National Forest as some become open to motorcycles, there is even a Jeep “Trail of Honor” that will put your skills to the test.

Fort Valley was first surveyed by George Washington in 1748. Washington would later make plans for Fort Valley to be his winter retreat, had the revolutionary army been defeated, as it has a lot of natural defensive features.

Between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War, the valley was a major source of pig iron for the new nation. During the Civil War the mountains surrounding the valley served as observation posts for the Confederate Army, overlooking multiple local battles.

Canyon Carving and Valley Riding

One of the best kept “secret” motorcycle riding roads around Front Royal is Fort Valley Road. A ride that is part canyon carving and relaxing valley riding. The ride will take about 2-3 hours, depending on how often you stop to take pictures or visit some of the local attractions along the way.

Once you turn onto Fort Valley Road it is just a few minutes before you are whipping your motorcycle through a tight canyon.  Rock wall cliffs on one side and a sharp drop into creek on the other will keep your attention very tightly focused.  After a while, that canyon passage will open into a farming valley.

You will ride for miles through a mix of green and amber fields intermixed with forest treescapes. This is the part of the ride that will have you sitting back and admiring the views of the steep mountains to your left and right and the family farms you motorcycle through.

But before long you are at the southern end of the valley where you will encounter an unmarked section of the road.  This part of Fort Valley Road is a steep climb out of the valley through twists and tight hairpin curves. As soon as you crest the top of the mountain you will begin a just as steep drop to the bottom of the mountain.  The views of the Shenandoah Valley as you descend can be quite awesome.

Once at the bottom you will leave Fort Valley Road and make your way back to Front Royal via US 340.  You will find that when you get back you just might want to do this loop a second time.

Local Highlights along the ride:

Front Royal Visitors Center

George Washington National Forest

Fort Valley Museum (open irregularly)

Skyline Caverns

The route:

From the Front Royal Visitors Center

Right on Main Street

Right on Royal Street = US 55 and 340

Left on Quadrant Road = US 55 (as you cross the bridge)

Left on Strasburg Road = US 55

Left on Fort Valley Road = VA 678

Straight on Fort Valley Road / Camp Roosevelt Road = VA 675

Left on North Egypt Bend Road = VA 684

Right on Bixlers Ferry Road = VA 675

Left on North Broad Street = US 340

Right on Main Street Front Royal

Day Two of the Great Smokey Mountains HOG Rally

Posted: October 4, 2022 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring, Rally
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Day two started out bright and sunny with a heavy dew.  We had our motorcycle seat cover on so our butts would be dry in the seats, and the dew made it easy to wipe away the many bugs splats from the previous day! Today’s ride was a guided ride to “The Tail of the Dragon”, “Cherohala Skyway” and “Maple Springs Overlook”.

We lined up early at Smokey Mountain Harley Davidson, the staging area for all the guided motorcycle rides.  Our group ended up with 13 Harley Davidsons and 1 Indian. The Indian was ridden by a man who had come from Frankfort, Germany to attend the rally which was the longest trip to get to the rally. The Indian was what was available for rent when arrived. His Indian was not the only out of place bike at the rally, there were several Gold Wings interspaced throughout the event as well as a BMW.

Soon enough we were on the road passing through the quaint town of Maryville on our way to the mountains.  Things were going well until we realized that the number 5 motorcycle, we were the sixth, in line was ridden by Mr. Slow.  The moment we started into the foothills we fell behind quickly.  I was worried that we would miss a turn and go astray. Luckily, we had experienced group riders in front of Mr. Slow and they would stop at the turns to make sure we followed the correct path.

When we hit The Dragon, it was clear we were going to set a record for the slowest run of all times.  Mr. Slow rarely passed 20 MPH at anywhere along The Dragon.  Now, do not get me wrong, I really believe in the adage “Ride your own ride.” however you do not need to force more then half the group to ride your ride.  Mr. Slow had multiple places to pull off to allow the rest of us to proceed, we all knew we were going to stop at Deals Gap, NC to regroup.

At Deals Gap not only did we regroup we had a chance for a group photo and time to pick up some Dragon souvenirs. But we were shortly remounted on our iron horses headed for some additional twistiness and river front rides. This time I was in front of Mr. Slow.

By now we had been riding for 3 hours and the ride captain pulled off at Tapoco Lodge for lunch.  The lodge restaurant is perched along a creek with a view of mountains and road upon which we arrived for our meal. For atmosphere alone I would recommend a meal stop at the lodge. The food was good, but company and conversation were much better.

The Parking area at the Maple Spring Overlook

Back on the road we headed to Maple Springs Overlook. A two-lane road takes you up hill to a parking area 3300 feet above sea level. A short walk from the parked motorcycles gave us a spectacular view of valley below and the Smokey Mountains in the distance.  Turns out that this road was to be the start of the Cherohala Skyway but, plans changed and now we have a road to a wonderful overlook with an awesome view.

Speaking of the Skyway that was the next leg of our all-day motorcycle tour. The Cherohala Skyway is a National Scenic Byway running 41 miles from Tellico Plains to Robbinsville climbing to over 5400 feet above sea level. 

I think the plan was to make a couple stops along the Skyway, but we were behind schedule. Dinner and a concert were on tap for the evening. But even without the stop to admire the views it was, none the less, awe inspiring from the seat of a moving motorcycle.

When we returned to dealership, we went to dinner with another couple we rode with and then returned back to Smokey Mountain Harley Davidson for the Def Leppard cover band.

Still watching you Hurricane Ian but, it is not looking good! Sigh!

Ride On, Ride Safe

All the way from Germany
Pardon me do you have Grey Poupon?
The western view from the Maple Springs Overlook

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah Valley and 220 Motorcycle Miles with Family

Posted: September 18, 2022 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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Ijustwant2ride.com

For a pleasant change we had family come to visit and ride with us! Debbie’s sister (Vicki) and her husband (Jeff) trailered their Harley Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle from Ohio to our home in Front Royal, VA.  Neither of them had ridden Skyline Drive or anywhere in this part of Virginia.

They came out for the Labor Day weekend arriving late Friday afternoon. Saturday morning, we unload their Fat Boy and made ready for Skyline Drive. The morning was cool but comfortable and the view of Skyline Drive from my driveway was clear and bright.  Little did we know that the bright sun would disappear and reappear and disappear and reappear as rode along the ridges of the parkway.

Stopping at a few of the early western view overlooks Vicki and Jeff though the sites of blue skies and the Shenandoah Valley were just spectacular! They were both enjoying the smooth tarmac and twisty nature of the parkway and as it was early in the day the bonus of a low traffic.

Looking east, however, I realized that the bright and sunny would not be the way the entire trip.  Lots of clouds clung at the treetops, with breezes moving them around in movie like motions as they sweep up and down the eastern ridge. I knew, from the number of times I have ridden the parkway, that in short order we would be riding in a cloud and the temps would drop.

I was not wrong, as we approached the first exit from Skyline Drive, Thornton Gap, the clouds were right down on the parkway.  Ridding through a cloud, if you have not done so, is foggy and damp.  Riding our motorcycles out of Thornton Gap we quickly made it to Mary’s Rock Tunnel.  Of course, we had to hit the throttle to hear the music of the V-Twins reverberate from the halls of the tunnel.

We pulled off at the Mary’s Rock overlook, today’s view was more, inside of cloud, then amazing vista but, we talked to Jeff and Vicki and generally admired Skyline Drive and the other motorcycles parked at the overlook.

Back on the bikes we were in and out the clouds going from warm to cool with the occasional mist and rain drops. We dropped off Skyline Drive at the second exit and then rode the motorcycles north on SR 340 back to Ft. Royal.

After the ride we went to “Shenandoah Valley Ax Throwing Company” for dinner and some fun.  Throwing the ax was a lot of fun and a bit therapeutic depending on what you were imagining the target to be 😊.  This is the first time we had been there be it will not be the last! 

The next day was just as much fun.  We rode the motorcycle south on Fort Valley Road to Luray.  Swung by Cooters, Duke’s of Hazzard Museum and then over Thornton Gap.

Thornton’s Gap has signs on both sides that state that this is a high crash area for motorcycles! The signs are right, people overestimate their skills.

Like the day before, as we reached the top of the ridge and passed under Skyline Drive, we activated our “storm chasers” superpowers. Three quarters of the way up a nearly all the way down the other side it was motorcycling in a light rain and fog.  But it was warm and sunny when we were back in the valley below.

This day we stopped for lunch in Front Royal at “PaveMint Smokn’ Tap House” which is a great place for wood smoked meals.  Everyone loved their food, Vicky and Jeff said they would like to come back someday. 

2 days of motorcycling, with 2 members of our family for 220 miles of the best of riding in Virginia … just cannot beat that!

Ride On, Ride Safe

Motorcycles and Front Royal, Virginia

Posted: July 12, 2022 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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I have ridden along many national parkways including the Natchez Trace (TN/MS), Great Lake Seaway Byway (NY), Blue Ridge Parkway (VA, NC) and, of course, the Skyline Drive Parkway (VA). I have also attended multiple motorcycle rallies along the east coast including Daytona.

Outside of rallies, I have never seen as many motorcycles in one location as I do in Front Royal, Virginia. During motorcycle riding season, it is not uncommon to see hundreds of motorcycles in Front Royal, either singular or riding in large groups daily. You can see these large numbers of motorcycles passing through almost every day but especially on weekends. In my opinion Front Royal could be the motorcycle destination of Virgina much like Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee.

Why are so many motorcycles passing through Front Royal? It is because the town is located at the northern terminus of Skyline Drive and about an hour from the nation’s capital.  All these motorcycle riders are passing through the town on the way to Skyline Drive or to parts unknown as they leave the Parkway.

By just passing through Front Royal motorcyclists are missing out on opportunities for some great local rides and the great local flavor.  For example, a rider can take a loop from Front Royal to Luray via Fort Valley Road. That ride would last about two+ hours, depending on stops, and would have you back in town by lunch time.

After lunch, mount the motorcycle and head south out of town to cross under Skyline Drive at it two gaps.  But be careful, they are quite technical, and the northern gap is designated as a high crash area. Two+ hours later you will be back in town with enough time to get to dinner and a stroll along main street.

After dinner, riders could visit the Virginia Beer Museum for brew and live music or Shenandoah Valley Axe Throwing for a unique activity or any of the many other venues in town.  Front Royal has lots of hotels and restaurants and a main street that could be considered a throw-back to another era. Check out the movie theater that has a 1950’s vibe with a state-of-the-art projector and sound system.

Front Royal may be the gateway to Skyline Drive, but it should also be a destination at the start or end of your motorcycle ride.  Stay a day or two, there are plenty of hotels and campgrounds, to explore both our local roads and our small-town atmosphere.

Motorcycle Ride to a racetrack or… my wife went drifting!

Posted: June 16, 2022 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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Going for a spin!

A few weekends ago the wife and I took a motorcycle ride to Shenandoah Speedway racetrack.  A friend of mine was participating in a “drift” event.  For the few of you out there that might not know about drifting it is the sport of sliding your car sideways through a turn as fast as you can.  Quite exciting to watch a lot harder to do, unless you have plenty of practice and a car set up to do it properly.  My buddy has both the skills and the car.

The ride to the racetrack was great.  Bright blue skies with a few big puffy white clouds. The temp was not too hot or too cool making the ride with “ATGATT” comfortable. We left Front Royal going south on SR 340 in the spring green Shenandoah Valley.  With little traffic it was no time at all before we passed Luray Caverns. The Caverns are a very popular tourist destination and today their parking lot was full of hundreds of cars and lots of buses.

Just a short distance past Luray Caverns is “Cooter’s”!  For those of us of a certain age that remember the TV show The Dukes of Hazzard, Cooter’s is a museum of sorts celebrating the show.  The man who played Cooter, Ben Jones, is from the area and had collected a lot of memorabilia from the show which is on display including some of the cars with a General Lee replica out front.  By the way Cooter is also multi-term US Congressman.

My wife had never been to Cooter’s, so we pulled into its packed parking lot.  This day they had a Blue Grass and Folk music band playing, something they do on a regular basis.  We wondered around the facility for a bit with Rocky Top and Country Roads dancing in our ears.  The stop was a nice diversion back to our teen years.

Back on our steady stead we continued south on SR 340 until we reached the racetrack.  I knew we were close when I could see the plumes of white smoke and the smell of burning rubber in the air, drifting is very hard on tires.

It was not long before my wife was buckled in the race car and out on the track.  She was only able to get two laps in before they blew up the right rear tire.  Yet, those few laps were enough to give her an ear-to-ear smile.  She talked about it for many days later.

As the day got longer it was time to head to the house.  A 100+ mile motorcycle ride and a new experience for my wife made this a great day.


Ride on, Ride safe

Out and about on a short Motorcycle Ride

Posted: March 22, 2022 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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We were able to sneak out for about 2-hour motorcycle ride this past weekend.  Still a lot going on in life/work, so I am just happy to get out on the motorcycle.

Motorcycling around Front Royal, VA and the surrounding area is a lot of fun.  More than a few nice places as destinations and more than a few good country roads to ride.

We even got up on Skyline Drive for a short ride. The leaves have not yet reappeared on the trees, so the views were spectacular!

The curiosity of the day was the “Audi” Can Am Spyder.  The reality was the guy was not happy with the big, black, empty area on the front of his trike and put the Audi badge there.  It was a neat conversation starter.
Ride on, Ride safe

Motorcycle Ride 150 in 9! Front Royal Virginia to Front Royal Virginia

Posted: October 20, 2021 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle Rides, motorcycle touring
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I though I would try my hand at video recording my travels.  This ride I wanted to “shoot the gap”, the southern gap of Skyline Drive.

There are two places along Skyline Drive where you can ride your motorcycle under the parkway, after going up a twisty mountain road and of course back down the other side.  I had never ridden the southern gap so now was the time.

As you can see in the video it was a wonderful day to ride a motorcycle.  Setting out from my home in Front Royal with a clear, bright, blue sky and a cool but comfortable temperature just made for a perfect journey.  Low traffic in the Shenandoah Valley provided little impedance, except for the deer and her three fawns.  I had to stop and let them cross, woe is me riding in the country. 

So why 150 in 9?  This was a 3-hour ride, but my batteries died after 2 ½ hours.  NO ONE wants to watch a 150-minute ride with no commentary, I have not figured that one out yet, so I set it to fast forward and got the whole thing down to 9 minutes.

Hope you enjoy.

*****

Ride on, Ride Safe

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