jerryh

I may be able to meet up with you guys. PM me. There is a waterfall in Highland NC you can ride behind. More of a photo op than anything else but it's fun to see

Pidge

Hi Wolverine / jerryh


I have saddle bags that are serviceable I think they are made by OSI? Not sure if they are still in business. The saddles will carry the Frog Toggs (Tks W) and other quick access stuff. I picked up a dry bag from REI that I will use for stuff that has to stay dry and put that in a gear bag.


I have not planned a route through PA. On the ride down from Manchester NH we will head west on either 101 to Rt 9 or drop down a bit and take Rt 2 through Mass and pick up the Taconic parkway in NY. From there cross the Hudson either around West Point or keep going south and cross on the Tappan Zee. Probably take 287 down to the Garden St Pkwy from there. I don't see any good secondary highways for that part of the trip, the area is just too congested and we will need to make up time by then.


On the trip back I will I will probably go through PA to the west of Philly somewhere and imagine that will sometime on Saturday 9/27.


I will PM you guys and IB my cell phone number so we can try to meet up somewhere along the ride.


Go Patriots.

Pidge

Dropped by Cycle Gear today just looking for Maxima chain wax. I had called them earlier in the week looking for the Sedici Distanza sissy bar bag they have on sale only to be told sold out, try Friday. Called Friday and "told no we ain't got none", asked today and they said sure we got some! WTF


Also picked up a dry bag, the wax and a cheapo plastic throttle lock.


Pep Boyz supplied the oil and filter change supplies.


So much for the Patriots.


Five days till show time.

jerryh

I may have a red Ventura pack if you need one. I'd be happy to loan it to you for the trip. Not 100% sure I want to part with it completely, my black packs are 15 years old and one has a small hole in it. PM me if you want to use it

Pidge

Hi jerryh

Thanks for the offer but I am all set for luggage. Last piece to arrive today, a Cortech 18 liter mag mount tank bag.

Need to get more chain wax, had it in the new Sedici bag and when it took it out from the truck to bring into house the chain wax fell out. I didn't notice and drove over the can the next morning.

Going up to NH tonight to mount the new Dunlops and give her an oil change.

nnjhawk02

Pidge

U'll love the Cortech it works awesome.

I've not read all ur posts entirely but Taconic is nice, no trucks allowed, but watch for Forest Rats(deer) if riding early morning. Also the speed limit is low there, so watch for NYSP.

How much time are U allotting for trip down or back? U really shouldn't miss West Va.roads nor some in Pa or Upstate NY - Orange or Ulster Counties.

I would cross over Bear Mtn bridge. Get off the Taconic at Rt. 301 go East toward Cold Spring, NY, then Rt 9D south to bridge.

Then ride Thru BearMtn Park & Harriman - via Rt.106 (if u have time stop at Perkins Memorial in Bear Mtn. Great views)

Take Rt. 106 thru Harriman (low speeds very tight road but awesome on the western end). Pick up Rt 17A heading north & west into Warwick NY. Another great road. Then Orange Cty Rt 1.

In North West NJ - find Rt. 650 thru HighPoint State park. Take 650 to Old Mine Road. This will let U out on I-80 by theDelaware Water Gap - NJ / Pa border.

Gas up in NJ cheapest around by far. Gas Buddy app is useful.

Any other info PM me - stay away from Stroudsburg Pa area during weekends lots O traffic

Rt 611 into 32 goes along the Delaware in Pa.

Pidge

nnjhawk

Thanks for the tips. Not sure if we will have time on the way down. Google maps is saying it will take almost 5 hours to get to Taconic I84 junction so we will have to decide to hit the highways at some point to make up time. We want to be in Bayville NJ by dark.

I will definitely check out and try to incorporate some of those roads on the way back if we can't fit it in on the way down.

Wolverine

That vid is pretty much how I remember it, except the triple digits.


You're really making me want to go back this season. Enjoy yourself and be safe. If you need anything in the south central PA area, txt or call me. I'll send you one so you can lmk when and where you'll becoming back through PA. Maybe we can hook up for a few miles.

jerryh

Be mindful that with all the curves, hills, mountains, accel, decel you WILL get mentally fatigued, there are very few places you can train for the intensity of the combination found in this area. Physically you may feel great but it's brain fade that causes many mistakes and crashes here. It doesn't take long, trust me. Last year Caffeine came down from Canada with a handful of people. Out of a group of 5 or 6, 3 crashed out with 2 being airlifted to Asheville hospital. Instead of riding with a great guy I visited him in the hospital with broken ribs, punctured lung and spleen. His problem was at low speed on the dragon. He didn't hit anything, no trees or boulders. He didn't jet down the side of a cliff (it's common). Oh and don't get fooled by the majority of the curves having awesome camber, some dont!

Pidge

Well the drive down Friday was good, though cold in the morning and never really warmed up until we got to NY. I stopped on 93 on my way to bros to check load for security and chaffing. Got back on, standing on tippy toe to adjust the air hawk seat and promptly did a slow motion tip over. Gave some folks on the hi-way a good laugh I'm sure. No damage done.



Got to bros and he had finished prep on his GS 1000 bimmer around 11 the previous night. So we did not get on the road until around 9 AM. Gassed up take off, my bro yelling hey you have to brake lights. Duh, pull over, yank seat, connect tail/brake light I forgot when installing Ventura rack!



Rt 101 to Keene, Rt 9 thru NH, VT and onto 7 in NY. Then Rt 22 to 295 to Taconic Pkwy. Crossed the Hudson on Rt 6 and then took Palisades Pkwy down to I287. It was getting late by this time so we stayed on 287 down to the Garden State to get to Bayville.



Only other mishaps were on RT6 at a stop light. Parts delivery truck first in line, us behind him when a tractor trailer way to long for the intersection tries to make the corner. Pick up which has a cap on the back decides (no windows) to back up to let TT through and he can’t see us, I'm beeping and back pedaling as fast as I can, my bro yelling. He finally stops! Yikes!



Then on the GSP at Monmouth rest area for a short stretch we get going again get up to speed, where's my bro? he catches up pointing at his head yelling my glasses my glasses! Pull over, WTF bro, he says I hit 80 and everything was blurry no glasses (he had switched from sun glasses to plain at stop) so we go 8 miles turn around 8 miles back to rest area, no glasses he can’t remember if he put them on his head. We are getting older!



Oh well off we go again to Bayville. Friends waiting, cold beers, food, nice reception.



Saturday get up load the small boat (14 ft whaler) and go clam digging. Filled our quota and got back to base before the rains came. Take a car ride to Lens Crafters $350 pick em up tomorrow “Ouch”. Steamers anyone? Oh yah, whole tenderloin on the webber spit. mmmmmm yum.



Sunday load up bigger boat (23ft Mako) go crabbing, not much crab but we get some blow fish for eating and snapper for bait. Get back, another ride to Lens Crafters, fish fry and today a pork tenderloin on the webber. This sucks. Oh some clams in there too.



Monday load up the biggest boat (30ft Henriques) out through Barnegat light and offshore for some fluke fishing. Lots of shorts but we get enough. Back to base more clams (raw, steamed, fried) fish tacos. Mmmmmmm yum.



Tuesday is a blank??????

Wednesday go for a car ride to see how sea shore is recovering from hurricane Sandy (still a work in progress in some spots) and to the fishing supply store in Pt Pleasant for t-***** and what not. Get back, help out host with some stuff around the place, pull out the Whaler. Hop in the Mako and go for a cruise to see how the rich people live.

Thursday, up early, drop of the guy from the west coast at bus station for trip to airport and back home. See ya next year Kelly.

Not sure what we will do today.

Pidge

Got on the road about 8:30, cold overcast until we got to PA and then warmed up a bit. Rt 530 to 70 to I295 to 322 across the Delaware. Got on Rt1 west and then a bunch of county roads down to Front Royal PA.


Looked for a Travel Lodge recommended by a friend, could not find and ended up at a quality inn on 522. Clean enough, out for a Mexican dinner then back to room and played with my bros go pro. We did capture some good vids of some of the back roads. Time and brain power permitting we will post.


Skyline drive and Blue Ridge Pkwy tomorrow.

jerryh

Hit me up 8659641145

Pidge

Here are a few pics of the firt part on the trip on Barnegat Bay

Wolverine

Looks like good eats Pidge!!

jerry, if memory serves me right, his off was on 28? I can remember being where his pics were.
No matter though, your words are wise. I had sooo much fun on the dragon and surrounding roads. The Cherohala Skyway is a place I would most definitely lose my license if I lived close. Lose concentration on its higher speed sweepers and game over. Is there much wildlife out there to worry about, or LEOs?

Pidge

Dam just type up the adventures for the last 2 days and lost it due to internet fade out!


Completed Skyline and the whole BRP, made it to Iron Horse. ONLY ONE WARNING FOR 55 IN 35 and only a little wet today.


My older brother Mike and his buddy made it too.


Iron Horse is in a dry county WTF who picked this place.

jerryh

You're right, caffeine wasn't on the dragon I remember now. No worries about license or varmints on the skyway Jason. Only time I've seen LEOs is when someone crashes out. Never ever radar. One of the great things about living here is 99.9% of cops ride and hate writing up bikes. Unless someone is doing something where the cop is put in position where they HAVE to do something no problem. We really should do a group ride this autumn.

nnjhawk02

Pidge that Hawk is loaded up - Are U running away from home?

Pidge

Hi Jerry, it was a little top heavy. Ran the Cherahola today and then up to the dragon running north to south first. Not far in some guy wiped out and was laying in the road.


We sent my bros friend off first and were worried it was him. Nope and situation well in hand by his group and others so we continued on. no traffic on this run, left my older bro and his buddy at deals and ran the dragon with my younger bro (GS 1000) the other direction back to the dam overlook and back, what a blast, got it on his go pro.


Maybe go up to Oak Ridge tomorrow.

jerryh

Man got swallowed up by work. My loss not connecting with you guys yet. Watch for loose gravel, dust and coal trucks on 116. A number of small communities on that road too so dogs etc..usually clear riding though.

jerryh

I will make my self free Tuesday afternoon/eve if you'll be around lenoir city

Pidge

Hi jerryh


Can't seem to hook up. I have no cell reception here at the Iron Horse. Email is best bet but that is hit or miss too.


We did the waterfall thing today. Took 28 - 143 - 129 - Old Murhpy Road and came out on 441. Then we dropped down in GA and got on 246 - 106, had lunch at Annie's Café small place good food and people - 64 - 28 and saw the water falls. Man the walk back up had my legs burning.


We wanted to take Wayah Road back but it was getting late so we took 28 back to base. 28 N from Franklin has some really nice sections but we got stuck behind a Honda odyssey for the best part)


They are having Prime Rib tonight so I am happy that I wont miss out on that.


We may take a ride down 143 to one of the overlooks and watch stars after dinner. If not to drunk.


Tomorrow we will go the the Wheels through time museum, not sure how we will get there or back yet.


Then Friday I am heading back to Mass and others down to Florida.

Pidge

Made it back to my favorite watering hole around 3PM yesterday. Internet was not working until Today.


2 Days and a 1,000 miles for the ride back, all superslab. Total for the whole trip, left at 7,900 got back with 11,599 = 3,699 over 10 days of riding.


Just got done with oil and filter change. Debug of fairing, wind screen, and the rest of the front of the bike. What a mess.


Only problem with bike, shifter bolt loosened up on the way back. I guess I didn't torque it enough when I lubed it up before the trip. Other than that she didn't miss a beat.


Only problem with me is old age, man I am sore from the blast back. My butt, palms, and neck really took a beating from 2 days on the superslab.


What a great riding area it is. There are some roads we did not get to, oh well there is always next year.


I have the GoPro vids down loaded from my bros camera. Lots of good stuff and lots of boring stuff. I will try to edit (new to me) and post.
Any pointers on how to post or free video editing software chime in.

Wolverine

Glad to see you made it back safe. Man that's a lot of miles!
I searched 129slayers entire day of pics and didn't see you. What day/time were you on the dragon?
I just use Youtube for vids.

Pidge

Hi Wolverine


Lets see, I think we did the Dragon on Monday afternoon 9/22. First run through north to south around 3 PM. Second run maybe a half hour later, Turn right around at the dam overlook and 3rd run came right back. If I remember right some of the photo guys were were packing up on the last run.


We looked the following morning but nothing was posted.


I just looked on US129photos.com, Sport bikes, 3.32 PM 3 shots, 3:43 7 shots. I can't find any other shots of me or my group?????


I looked on Dragon Slayer too but the site is not working right, when I change time it comes up all blank photos?


Back to work in the morning. Arrrrrrggghhhh.

Wolverine

Did you find your skyway pics?

jerryh

Sorry I missed you guys. Been working 7 days a week. That should ease up now if anyone else is coming along

dirty_!

I live here in GA Its not to cold to still ride. Let me know if anyone wants to head up. I've never been up there

insulinboy