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[ST] My 1720 Mile WV Memorial Day wknd thus far.....



My 1720 mile wknd, thus far:

Started off Thursday night in Norwalk, CT.  Left my
place @ 9:30 after a really unplanned late start. 
Slabbed it to my buddy's place in Falls Church,
VA.Friday morning took off @ 11am for a 292 mile route
to Flatwoods, WV. Basically took Route 50 West (good
fun), 219 South (Awesome), CR-151 West, Rt 20 South
(awesome) , 15 West (awesome) to the Truck Stop where
we stayed.  Great weather, really not a lot of traffic
for a major roads through the state and holiday wknd
traffic.  Lots of cruisers headed East to DC for a big
gathering and parade ride.  I stopped for a couple of
photos....Gotta love the windmills:

http://tinyurl.com/932xa

And of course, the corners!  I think this is route 20:
http://tinyurl.com/837pd
http://tinyurl.com/a2t87
http://tinyurl.com/e266s


Met Anna on her CBR and Brian on his Daytona late at
night.  They did something like 630 miles from
Chicago...on sportbikes...holy moly that's hardcore!  
Anna was having some funky noises from her tranny, but
other than that they were in good shape.  We ate at
the truck stops diner and chatted it up discussing
squids, favorite tracks, desired street pace, where we
had been in the country for goods roads etc. etc. 
Turned out Ruffcut was running late and might meet us
Sat morning so we turned in for the night.

Here are the bikes bedded down for the night:
http://tinyurl.com/8cbm3


Sat. morning woke up for a 9am ride to a slight
drizzle, and a 305 miles route planned.  Rt 19 North
(decent), to 4 East (Decent), to 20 South (awesome),
15 East (awesome), 219 South (awesome), 39 West
(awesome), 20 South (Awesome), 60 West (Awesome), 19
South, 60 West (Awesome), 16 North (high speed
sweepers by the river) , Some stupid dirt/logging road
that the GPS though was paved, backtracked to 4 North,


I-79 South to Summersville. Brian and Anna elected to
slab to Summersville and wait the weather out.  They
would get out for a good ride eventually, but I
decided to go through with the full route.  I figured
a scenic ride in the rain can still be fun and I'd
snap some pics.  Here is the YZF toughing it out:

http://tinyurl.com/d5z9b

After 64 miles I stopped at a Ski Barn near Mount
Storm seeing matching bandit 1200s.  I vaguely
remembered an STN wife/husband team with matching
bandits and checked it out:

http://tinyurl.com/a6wlj

Turned out they weren't apart of STN, but road the
area often.  We chatted and when we went outside the
weather was clear, yeehaa!

Ended up taking one of the side roads labeled Scenic
roads/Wildlife...I had the time, y not?  Ended up
seeing two deer shooting off into the woods...damn the
micron, scares them all off! :

http://tinyurl.com/9tyzv

Came across a Harley/Memorial Day rally....talk about
feeling like a fish out of water! :

http://tinyurl.com/7rzu6

Exited town...this was Rt 60 I believe, and came
across this sign:

http://tinyurl.com/bn7gv

hrmm...I wonder if this could be fun? hehe. 

Broke off from 60 to go down 19 South to the New River
Gorge Bridge.  What a wonderful sight to see:

http://tinyurl.com/946kh

Road under the bridge on a one-way path and thought
this was cool:

http://tinyurl.com/aevv2

Went through the Hawk's Nest State Park...not to be
confused with the hawk's nest on Rt 97 near Port
Jervis, NY I sometimes play on:

http://tinyurl.com/7mpv3

Took some back roads and had to take this shot of
these curves....mucho fun!:

http://tinyurl.com/9e7k6


Back on Rt 60 came up on the ZZR1200 list ride. 
Chatted with them a bit, they were taking an unplanned
stop due to some 'difficulties' down the road. 
Everyone was ok, but I met some STN lurkers I was
told:

http://tinyurl.com/7wqup
http://tinyurl.com/chbmq

The GPS led me on a dirt road that got pretty hairy,
this was when it was 'good' when I could actually
stop:

http://tinyurl.com/bqlbj

Got to the bottom, and saw a paved road.  I thought to
myself "hallelujah, I'm saved!"  But it was not to be,
it was some retired guy's long driveway.  He came out
of his house startled...I was ready for him to get the
buckshot out, but he was actually really nice and felt
sorry for me that I had to go back up the dirt/gravel
road.  But at least it was uphill, the downhill was
hairy.  Got back on track, was tired, and slabbed it
back to Summersville.  Sadly no Ruffcut, but Steve was
already there with his Superhawk all nice and shiny
and a couple of minutes later Anna and Brian pulled
in.  They got out for a nice ride as well for some
smiles:

http://tinyurl.com/76rc4

Sunday morning we got together and found out that our
respective routes for the day were entirely opposite. 
But we figured since this was a 'group' ride, we
better ride together a bit to make it official.   We
did exactly 30 miles on Rt 39 West.  It was nice to
see a bike or two in my rear view mirror...it gets
lonely riding alone!  We split at Rt 39 & 16.  Sunday
I did Rt 39 West (decent), CR-81 West (no marked
corners, no lines, decently fun) , Rt 64 North, Rt 94
SouthEast (decent), Rt 3 West (Decent), Rt 85 South
(big time sweepers...70 MPH the entire time, little
traffic), Rt 10 West (Awesome Awesome, up over the
mountains twice and nice tight stuff, otherwise
sweepers) , Rt 119 SouthEast, Rt 65 South, Rt 52 South
(incredible...sweepers and tight stuff up over
mountains...tires u out.  Passes through some slow
coal down down south, but not bad) Where I passed Anna
and Brian headed North towards Ashland, KY , Rt 20
North, Rt 19 North, Rt 44 West, Rt 20 North, To
Pipestem State Park, about 5 miles North of the VA
border.  

Pipestem state park...I could not of come across a
better state park even if I had planned it.  I picked
this off of Microsoft Streets and trips as I was doing
my routes each night based on the weather, but I
stumbled upon the mother load.  Riding stables,
cottages, riding stables (http://tinyurl.com/73284),
Ski lift down to the bottom of a huge river Gorge,
wildlife (could hear something grunting in the middle
of the night, had a turkey fly by me on my way out and
also saw this cute deer-> http://tinyurl.com/dsub6)
views, river, golf, it had everything:

The tent and the bike:
http://tinyurl.com/b64ap
http://tinyurl.com/e37yv

The Ski lift ride to the gorge:
http://tinyurl.com/b2r88
http://tinyurl.com/bondh
http://tinyurl.com/8whdz
http://tinyurl.com/dsx87
http://tinyurl.com/9ldzr

Down there they had a state run motel where u can stay
at the bottom, a classy restaurant, shuffleboard
court, meeting rooms, and all sorts of trails and
activities, very cool.  Road back up the lift to catch
the sunset...something that was definitely worth
waiting for:

http://tinyurl.com/b89q2
http://tinyurl.com/7nj8v

Monday morning got another late start as I was talking
with the people at the next site over.  They had a
mudded up ATV and they ride street bikes at home. 
very cool people...I think when out in nature and
camping everyone seems to be in such a great mood. 
Was weird being probably the only guy there alone,
without a fire, and on a motorcycle from Connecticut,
but it was all good.  I had a great time.  The route
goes as follows:  Rt 20 North, Rt 41 North, Rt 1 (Old
Nicholas Road <nice country, hilly, cruddy pavement,
chewed to all hell, definite back road>) Rt 20 North
(Awesome as usual), Rt 33 East through Seneca Rocks
(http://tinyurl.com/7rmma, http://tinyurl.com/8k76f
Scenic at first, get progressively more fun as you go
over the mountains, the backside of the mountain when
u cross into VA is awesome, would like to run that the
other way some time.), Rt 211 East....very nice going
up and down the the mountain crossing the skyline
drive) and slabbed it to Falls Church, VA.

Some observations...riding alone ain't all that bad. 
Yes there is no one to pull you out of a ditch, or
know where u fly off a cliff (:p) but you don't have
to stop for anyone, worry about matching pace, and u
can stop when u want to stop.  The roads in WV are so
good, I wasn't bored and wanting for interaction, my
brain was flying processing each corner as quickly as
possible.  Yes there is gravel in the right hand
corners.  Especially up North.  But after awhile u end
up getting used to it and just riding in the tire
tracks.  But you cannot go as fast in most right
handers as left handers.  So much so that my tire
profile is V shaped, but not symmetrical.  But I'm not
complaining!  haha.  As for the quality of roads vs.
down south in the smokies...I really think WV has a
lot to offer...and a lot closer for those in the NE.  

Squids are squids no matter what part of the twisty
country u are in.  On route 20 Just south of Rt 64. I
came across my only sport bike of the wknd while
riding.  IT was a GSXR 750 with no plate, leather
spidi jacket, but cargo shorts and sneakers.  I passed
him, he gave chase down the straightaway reeling me in
on my little YZF600r with tons of luggage, and once we
hit the corners he vanished from my mirrors....I
freaking love it ever time this happens!  Once down
the mountain in the flatlands he came back up on me. 
As I was turning off he pulled a tiny wheelie as to
show me "hey I DO know how to ride this thing damnit!"
I had a nice laugh inside my helmet. 

I have a diablo leftover from the last set of tires
and an Avon AV 46 rear.  I love the avons...they have
2655 miles of hard riding on them and I'm really
digging their profile and sticking power.  They are
great in the wet as well.  Very happy.

I love camping on the bike...being
self-sufficient...ya gotta try it!

Also....it's officially Bug Season->
http://tinyurl.com/ccux2 haha.

Thanks for reading, Ruffcut we'll meet some other
wknd.  I hope everyone got out for some riding this
past wknd.  I have a 290 mile slab ride North tonight
after work. 

All 100+ pics can be found here: 

http://tinyurl.com/dgxcf

Bryce 




		
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