My Indy GP trip, 3283 miles later

[chiwawa444]

Hey all, so last Thursday I got back from my trip out to indy and more, and I finally got the pics up and the time to write a report. Enjoy!

Sunday Day 1 439 miles

So I got up early to watch the F1 race at Spa before I head out, great race but I'm a little bummed Kimi ended crashing out right at the end Load up all the gear, get a block away and then come back for the chain lube I forgot. Headed down Rt. 7, 22, out to NY, hit up T***** rd, say goodbye to Ozzy, who had followed me out that far, then head south on I87, west on I84 and south again on I81. Stopped at a scenic view area on I84, beautiful view of the sunset. Started talking to guy in a RV pulling a Harley. Turns out he was a bounty hunter from Alabama, orig from Brattleboro, came up here to visit and ride the roads. Pretty cool. Get to Locust Lake State Campground at about 9:15pm set up camp and hit the hay.




Monday Day 2 387 miles

Woke up and found out the campground to be an awesome spot. Back on the interstate until I reach Gettysburg. What a place that is, I spend maybe an hour cruising around the military park but then have to keep on going. More interstate miles until I reach the Skyline Drive at 5:30pm. $10 to drive the 105 miles but it was worth it. Some of the most amazing views of the trip, and more deer on the road than I ever want to see again. Finish the Skyline Drive and transition to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rode about 40 miles in the dark with more deer, until I arrive in Buena Vista where my friend is going to college. He threw a bonfire that night and I stayed up much later than I planed.

Camp

Locust Lake

PA soldiers monument

VT soldiers monument


Skyline Drive





Tuesday Day 3 about 284 miles

Woke up to rain, and it rained pretty much all day with varying degrees of intensity. Met up with an older guy, Larry, on 1981 Suzuki GS1100G from Toronto. He was riding the BRP, and his pace was close enough to mine, we ended up riding a couple days together. Ended up at Linville Falls campground, right off the BRP at mile marker 317.




In the clouds


Wednesday Day 4 about 284 miles

Light rain in the morning that gave way to sunshine all afternoon. Plan was to finish the BRP and get to the Dragon by the end of the day. Ended up riding all the way to the top of Mt. Mitchell elev. 6578ft. Took a detour off of the parkway because of a closure and found NC route 80 (South from the BRP to route 70). One of the best roads on the trip, sorry no pictures, was too tight and twisty and fun. Made it Robinsville NC after dark and checked into Phillips Motel.






Thursday Day 5 356 miles

Headed north from Robinsville to the Dragon. We got caught behind an 18 wheeler right before the fun started so we pulled off and waited 15 minutes for it to get a ways ahead, only to catch back up halfway through the dragon, and have to pull off and wait again. Lots of traffic on the dragon, but none that would hold you up. Stopped in TN at a store to get our dragon stickers/t-shirts and whatnot and headed our separate ways. North to I75 and then to West I74 to Harrison OH to the Comfort Inn. Passing by Lexington OH I encountered the worst rainstorm I have ever rode through. Washer and dryer was very needed after a couple days in rain and shitty saddlebag rain covers.

me and larry on the dragon





Where do you call home board. One of two from VT


Friday Day 6 178 miles

Made it to Indy through the rain, met up with the svrider.com people and set up camp. Our seats were as awesome as they looked like they were gonna be: bikes in our view for about 32 seconds, views of turns 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and launching down the straight. Rain slowed and stopped in early evening and didn't start again until morning Sunday.



View from STAND J SECTION 8 ROW T SEAT 4


Saturday and Sunday Day 7 and 8 21 miles

Qualifying was in the bright sun and was awesome. There were at least 3 different Desmosedicis there.




one of the yami customs

Hayden leads in the opening laps



Rode to one of the only places with an open room in Indy sunday night, the Hampton Inn, and payed way too much. I was tired.

[chiwawa444]

Monday Day 9 349 miles

Headed East on I70, stopped at the AMA Hall of Fame Museum. Relatively small but worth going to if you're ever out that way. Got off the interstate and rode rt. 555 "the triple nickel" after some advice from the Ohio svrider people. Magnificent road, constant elevation changes, corner after corner. Some pavement was shiesty but still way better than VT roads. Finished in Marietta, Ohio, a very old city that was proud of being one of the first and a had a great dinner and beer at the local brew pub.

McQueen's Husky from On Any Sunday, and his 1926 Scott


Neil Peart from Rush's drum set and bimmer R1100gs he used on his 50,000mile round the world trip


Arlen Ness twin engine custom and "Smooth-ness"


Ohio route 555 "the triple nickle"


Tuesday Day 10 355 miles

After looking at a map decided to try out rt. 26, and was glad I did. Apparently its been recognized by Car and Driver as a great driving road, and it did not disappoint. After that headed back on I70, then to rt. 30 in PA to Gettysburg. rt 30 climbs over a few mountains and is pretty fun as long as no trucks are near you as the grades are extreme climbing and descending the mountains. Checked in to a cheap motel in Gettysburg and had another wonderful dinner and beer at the Appalachian Brewing Company's Restaurant.





Wednesday Day 11 440 miles

Spent a couple hours at the Gettysburg Museum and Battlefields in the morning, one could spend an entire week there and still not see everything. Over 5100 monuments and over 6000 acres of protected land. After that it was interstate (with a couple small detours) all the way to Bennington, VT to a friends house who teaches at the high school there. 80 degrees in Gettysburg when I left, and 50 degrees when I got to Bennington that night. Why do I live in Vermont again?


Round Top



Thursday Day 12 188 miles

Rode to the Bennington Battle Monument as I had never really stopped and looked at it, then headed East on 9 and then North on 100 to 17, across the App Gap and then 116 to Burlington and home.







Was the best experience of my life so far, and want to go even farther next year, with less slab miles and more time to do it all. Thanks for looking!

[SVRACER01]

an 18 wheeler on the dragon? isnt that illegal?
looks like you had a great time. im gonna do something like that one day

[Pearldog]

Great post/pics..thanks for sharing.

Lyle

[chiwawa444]

i talked to some people down there and they said yea it was illegal for the 18 wheeler to be on the dragon, and that if cops saw em on it, they would give em tickets. not sure how this guy faired tho. he was dragging lots of dirt/mud onto the road in the corners and going way over the double yellows. one of the most unsafe things i have ever seen in my life.

[SVRACER01]

yeah...thats why they arent allowed. they generally get stuck or worse could kill someone coming the other way since they have to drive on the other side of the road to make the turns.

[sully749]

Re the trucks, I'm not sure when this page was done, but it's been floating around awhile: Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap and Cherohala Skyway, Graham Co, NC

[Doc]

Holy crap man!!! That is Awesome.

[SVRACER01]

the easiest thing to do would be to put up something that the trucks couldnt clear. like something that is only 11ft high. that would reduce thye BIG trucks anyways. as for smaller dump trucks towing trailers or RVs a "no trailers" law?

[Mondo]

sweet deal. I really want to do something like that next year.

Ive been to gettysburg 3 times now, awesome place. Last time I went there was with the Army and we did a Staff ride of the whole place and I got stuck talking about pickets charge and had to walk it and describe every little thing to everyone.

but it looks like u had a great time

[butcher bergs]

Awesome.

Thank you for taking the time to post.

[FTMS]

Cool Pics. Glad you had a good trip.

[catamount]

One of the best things you have done so far and one of the best ride reports I've read so far.

[chiwawa444]

yea man, gettysburg is just an awesome place, i don't even know much about it, just what i learned in school and from the museum. but the enormity of that place strikes you and you can kinda imagine what it musta been like.

i had planned that trip for almost a year and am so glad that i did it, i almost had to scrap the ride. i crashed a fiddy four weeks ago (two weeks before i was supposed to leave) and havent been to work since, 14 stitches in my pinky, no nail, fracture, bruises and rash on other fingers and chip on the end of my middle finger. left hand. so i cut the clutch lever down and bent it a little bit to reach it alright with two fingers. getting gloves on the first week was a 5 minute exercise each time. its healed up pretty good now, but still isn't fully mobile. back to work this wednesday

[bmrider]

Outstanding ride report and awesome pics...

[Mondo]

i had planned that trip for almost a year and am so glad that i did it, i almost had to scrap the ride. i crashed a fiddy four weeks ago (two weeks before i was supposed to leave) and havent been to work since, 14 stitches in my pinky, no nail, fracture, bruises and rash on other fingers and chip on the end of my middle finger. left hand. so i cut the clutch lever down and bent it a little bit to reach it alright with two fingers. getting gloves on the first week was a 5 minute exercise each time. its healed up pretty good now, but still isn't fully mobile. back to work this wednesday

thats a true champion right there

[a13x]

Wicked!

[Cowboyrider]

how was the sv with all the gear on the back?

[chiwawa444]

when i first set out i noticed it at slow speeds, like the bike wanted to turn more once you leaned it, but the higher the speed the less noticable it was, really didn't feel it much after the first day. felt fine through the twisties, could move around/off the seat fine, but not trying to drag knee or anything. riding without the gear the past couple days has been weird though, no back rest and no backpack haha, and it sits a little higher at stops without all that weight. to do it again i might think of getting hard luggage and carrying less clothes ( i had enough for about 6 or 7 days), just finding ways to wash everything.

[Mondo]

yea travel light all you need is toothbrush, deoderant, a few t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans and enough socks and boxers to last you the ride

hopefully

[virtualbong]

I need a trip like this. Looks like you had a great time!

[Ryno]

great write up man.
I flew out and didn't have half as much fun as you

[markbvt]

Great ride report, Mike! Wish I could have made the trip.

--mark

[chiwawa444]

Next year Mark, I'll be getting tickets again for sure . Maybe retool the itinerary a bit. I had too much fun on this trip, I'm dying to do more sport-touring now.

[markbvt]

I had too much fun on this trip, I'm dying to do more sport-touring now.

Yeah, it's addicting. I just got home from my last trip not even 48 hours ago, and I already want to do another.

--mark