Gonna get plenty of photos Ernie.....that's the thought behind this thread ahead of time......so everybody that hooks up with us will have one thread to post photos.
Whoa! I thought we agreed they're be NO photos!!! (Man, Q, you are going to be seriously disappointed!!!)
First, let me say thanks to Andy, JC, Jon, and Heidi for waiting on me! You were great about it!! I'm sorry I threw your whole schedule off! Thanks to TCnBham for acting as backup escort. Great job and first time on a road trip on the new SEUC.
Unfortunately, the California boys didn't make it to Biltmore due to ME being late! My oldest son wrecked his girlfriend's car and that threw a wrench in the plans. I was going to cancel but then we thought I could catch them north. I thought they were taking "the best route" on the TOTD direction page which is I75-I575-Hwy 5-Hwy 76 to NC60-Spur 60 to 64. I was already in route waiting at 575. They left the dealership at 10 AM and I left Marietta, Georgia after 11 AM. They were traveling interstate and I was traveling two-lane roads across North Georgia. I stayed 100 miles due west of them most of the day! JC, Andy, Jon and Heidi were good sports about it!! I wish you could have seen them all lined up standing out in front of Wendy's on Hwy 19 in Franklin, NC!!! They are from the west coast, but definitely have the "Southern Hospitality" down-pat! They were so much fun! Of course, we compared the two orange bikes!! They look best, you know!
I had a blast riding with them from Franklin to Maggie Valley. JC is a great sweep! Checks on every one, makes sure they don't need gas, etc. Andy told us the story of how he bought the Pumpkin from someone on this site after being forced to lay his Black & Blue SEEG down during a group ride. $8,000 worth of damage and ONE dislocated finger!! It was soooo much fun zipping down the highway with those guys on the V!
Unfortunately, I caused them to be 3+ hours late at the Wheels through Time museum and meeting up with Chip! However, the owner of the museum and Chip waited on them and still gave them the Cliff Notes tour! What an amazing museum! The current display is about women motorcycle riders!!! Every motorcycle with a motor runs and he has his own burn-out track! To quote Andy, "This place makes Arlen Ness's look weak!" I have never seen so many different style motorcycles or OLD motorcycles. There are a few antique cars on the showroom floor too that will make you jaw drop! Heidi has a group photo at the museum if she makes it to a PC!
I was going to bail after the Museum, but decided to stick it out! How could I leave them so soon after they waited and waited and waited?
After an unscheduled stop at the rest stop for a "Group Meeting, " it became obvious that no one told Chip I was a novice rider because he was more than slightly perturbed that I was slowing them down. (Sorry, Chip! Only been riding for six months and the Vrod for only ONE month. I-40 is NOT your typical interstate! Any interstate that has a 8% downhill grade with runaway truck ramps and seems to be the interstate version of the TOTD has my respect. Particular after seeing that old guy take that curve too wide and lowside through the curve! THAT is why I told you I was planning my escape route and wasn't planning to go with you guys to Charlotte! I knew I would slow you down! He looked like he'd been riding for quite some time. Those downhill, right-hand sweeping turns still make me nervous! After I thought I was going to go outside the lane and hit my brakes almost too hard, I HAD to slow down!)
Then, the ligntning storm from HELL!!! Chip gave up on us at that point! JC and Andy were of course the perfect gentlemen and stuck it out with me! THANK YOU!!! Andy and I got caught at a light. We missed the turn to I-85. JC waited on us and we thought with the modern technology, we'd be there in no time! Funny thing is GPS is not accurate in a thunderstorm.
Regardless, Chip and Nancy were the perfect hosts! I'd like to thank them sincerely for their hospitality! Great people, beautiful home and a lot of fun!! NICE MUSTANG too! I forgot to thank Jon for dinner. Thank you. Heidi, I saw you snapping away with that digital camera like nobody's business. Do I get copies?
Here's three things
I learned:
1) Always go with your gut instinct NO MATTER WHAT! If I had done this, I would have cancelled completely. Therefore, they would not have been off schedule!!
2) A novice should NOT ride with a group of seasoned veterans in unfamiliar territory. Patience wears thin when you're caught in a thunderstorm!
3) A map and good directions are still superior to a GPS! JC's GPS was saturated and not working well. (Does lightning and cloud coverage affect them like it does a satellite dish?) How he managed to watch the display and traffic in the rain is beyond me!
JC and Andy, it was only about 55 miles from where we stopped for gas to Chip's house. We missed 485 TWICE and drove completely around the city and back again. It only took about 45 minutes at 5:00 AM this morning to get from Chip's house back to 321. 485 is not lit either. Got to do something about that headlight. Looks good, no light! Was at home by 10:30 AM. 85 was definitely the fastest route, but still only averaged 65 mph with stops for gas and food. I still have a long way to go before I can keep up with you guys!!!
Thanks for going easy on me guys! Now aren't you glad, we didn't try to ride the TOTD and that I turned you down on joining you and Jock for the trip west...
Have fun in Myrtle Beach today and a safe trip up to WV, back down to Chattanooga, and then west! Stop at Thundercreek HD! Awesome dealership!
TheVgirl
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Topic: Ocean to ocean...including Cripple Creek.......... (Read 28480 times)