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Riding the Ridge, Sprint Dawg Rallye 2000 - Thursday



Sorry for the long post but I gotta share to re-live:-) I'm no writer
so overlook my ineptness.

Thursday: Scott and Beth came up while we were checking the bikes this
morning and asked, "Care if we ride with you today"?  I think that their
vacation plans are about to change! Weasel Dawg, Big Dawg, Bird Dawg,
Scott, Beth and I  (Rude Dog - notice the spelling!) all headed west
down the Parkway and stopped at a observation point. Beautiful is all
you can say about the Blue Ridge Mountains. Again, I had the feeling
that this was going to be as much fun as last year and maybe even
greater. At this stop Beth related a story about a bee or wasp getting
inside her jacket a few days earlier and zapping her good. That's a very
funny story to an old bike rider. Should have had that jacket pulled
tighter weenie! After the overlook we took off enjoying the rode and
scenery. Suddenly a Bee Dawg ambushed me. Darn it, that sting is close
to a sensitive area in the upper pants area! I had to pull over after
slapping and pulling at the bee like Smokey the Bear stomping out forest
fires! I wonder what the cages thought I was doing riding down the rode
slapping my crotch area? I finally got the stinger out and then
concerned myself with my attitude and balance, as I'm very allergic to
wasp and most bees' stings. As I rounded the sixth turn I saw Scott
turning around in a pull off. As I rode up he asked if I was OK. I
explained while leaving out the area in question and we pulled away with
visions of catching the group. NOT! Scott was lead Dawg and he and I
were "IN THE ZONE". Great fun with just the two of us at a brisk pace
trying to catch the wagon train ahead of us. We passed three cars in
about four miles and I told Scott that something must have happened. The
group had to be riding slower than us and there was no way they could
have gotten around three cars like we did. We rode to the end of the
Parkway and went right to the visitor center. Along the way we stopped
to get help for an old man with a flat in the middle of the highway.
None of the cages paid any attention to him and I have to give Scott
credit as he pulled over first. At the visitor center we had many folks
coming over to talk to us and admire the wonderful RED bikes. Hey,
Honda's can't be all-bad. After answering questions for about twenty
minutes we checked the town on the left side of the Parkway without
finding the group. We then decided to go back up the Parkway looking for
the group. Rude lead with Scott trailing and we again hit the ZONE for a
great fun, aggressive, but relaxed ride. Why is that idiot on the black
bike we're meeting waving like a long lost dog? We pass each other at
the speed limit of 45 MPH, right? Must be something on the road that a
bad dog left? Oh wait, it's the group going the other way! Is Robert
"Retriever Dawg" leading? We turned around and found that the pack had
made a visit to the home kennel of Big Dawg to see pop Dawg. Dirt biking
on a ST! We all went down the Parkway and headed toward Gattlingburg on
highway 441. Along the way I looked off the road to my right and saw
another neat road leading into a tunnel. Wonder where that road comes
from? I then saw a road sign with the turn arrow going right and it kept
turning until it crossed under the first part and pointed about 270
degree to the left of the original route! Great turn and tunnel, wow! We
stopped in the tourist trap of Gattlingburg with the temperature
hovering around hot. At least you didn't notice the heat from the ST
engine was any hotter than the sun. We had a great Mexican dinner
without the Margarita. Darn it. If you ride this route be prepared for
heavy traffic all along Highway 441. We hit the Interstate soon and made
a quick dash back to the Inn. More Triumphs had arrived at our return
and there were Dawgs to meet.

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