2015 Trip to XSSE and the Carolinas

[BillyRok]

Headed out early Sunday morning for the Carolinas and then the Ironhorse. Thought I'd post a trip report in case you want to "ride" along.

It was in the 50's when I left after being almost 90 the week before. Going south on Rt 14 along Seneca Lake...

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920150925_zpschaeg34m.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Signs of fall in NY even though the leaves haven't changed much..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920150905_zpsrsb5qohz.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Left a little earlier this year with a goal of riding the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. It starts right where Skyline Drive ends in VA. The Visitor Center up on the hill has a really cool topographical map, all of Skyline and part of BRPW. It was made in the 1920's I was told, must be 8'x16'.

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920151655_zps7i4ongki.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

So I headed down the first of what I hoped would be 469 miles under partly sunny skies..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920151651_zpslaeljyq5.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Passed a milestone on my clock at Mile Post 45..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920151829_zpsherqmlkp.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Covered 520 miles that day and stopped at the KOA near Lexington, VA. It was getting dark, I'd seen deer in the road, and so I didn't want to travel the 4 miles to the nearest place to eat. That only left slim pickings at chez KOA...

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0920151916_zpsppp60wfa.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

So pitched my 2 man tent, downed my vitamin packed supper, and called it a day, eager to start fresh at dawn's first light.

[BillyRok]

Monday morning, uh oh!

The next morning I wake up at 5:30 to the sound of rain on my tent. Two of the places I least care to have rain is in a tent and on a motorcycle.

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921150723_zpsl9ewhugi.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

So I lie there in the dark for a few minutes before deciding to check the radar on my phone. But first I want to see if that little "waterproof" cover over the tent is really keeping the rain off the tent. I shine my flashlight up and, not only is water seeping through the cover, but every daddy long legs spider within walking distance is searching for a warm dry place and has crawled up between the tent and cover! Time to move out. I tear the tent down and shake spiders all over the place, then move everything to higher, dryer ground. It was kinda early to fire up the bike but I figured the people in the background would be understanding!

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921150754_zpsvrbvbebv.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

I wait around a while to see if the rain lets up...it doesn't. Roanoke is about 55 miles down the BRPW and radar shows the rain may be breaking up there. The posted speed limit is 45mph so it's over an hour to get there. Fire the bike up and head off for what I anticipate will be better weather, I'm shooting for Boone, NC which is 230 miles away. Well, my hopes and Mother Nature's plans are two different things! It rains steady for the next 3 hours, and then drizzle, mist, and fog for 230 long miles.

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921151537_zpsjsscs45u.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Every scenic overlook or view out over the valley looks like this..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921151546_zpsdlmtttzg.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

The fog was so thick at times that when the double yellow lines would occasionally change to broken lines to allow passing, I could only see the line next to me and the next 3 ahead. Sometimes 20mph was all I could do between the fog and the deer..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921151600_zpsgmbslqzk.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Boy was I glad to finally make it to Boone! Cold, wet, and tired, I decided to camp that night at the Marriott! I didn't fall for their bottled water scam..

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921152336_zpsd7ltim5k.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

But I was more than happy to put some hours on their automatic boot dryer.

http://[URL=http://s1249.photobucket.com/user/billyrok19/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0921152139_zpspgoe07na.jpg.html][/URL][/IMG]

Tomorrow's another day, still have about 180 miles of the Parkway to cover, hopefully the skies will clear so I can enjoy some scenery. Stay tuned --

[MaximPhil]

Hi Billy,
Thanks for posting. The only thing worse than hearing rain while in a tent...is feeling rain while in a tent Ride safe. See you at the Iron Horse.
Phil

[BillyRok]

Tuesday

This morning doesn't look as bad as yesterday but it's still foggy and it's misting lightly after a light rain during the night. Packing the bike and donning the rain gear, I'm ready to head out...and the bike won't start! It cranks and with the petcocks on prime I'd get a pop sporadically, but it won't catch. Not wanting to drain the battery and really be screwed, I decide to take the kill switch apart and try to blow it dry since the bike sat out all night with no cover. Pulled plugs 1&4, not wet so no flooding. I pour a little gas in the cylinders, replace the plugs, hit the starter...and she roars to life, yippee! Off I go with 180 miles of BRPW to travel.

It's still overcast, foggy, drizzly so the views are no better than yesterday. The Lin Cove Viaduct is at MP 304, and here is how it looks in all the tourism brochures..

http://http://www.romanticasheville.com/linn_cove_viaduct.htm

But this is what it looks like when you are a poor slob from NY who is traveling on the wrong day!

[IMG][/IMG]

But as I get near Asheville the skies start to clear a little, I think I see sunlight..

[IMG][/IMG]

Finally!! Here's a few pics of the views...

[IMG][/IMG]

The mountains go on forever in the background.

[IMG][/IMG]

The tunnels through the mountains are cool, love the names too.

[IMG][/IMG]

Look at this slice of heaven. Little cabin, view of the waterfalls below, beautiful fall colors...a man could do worse!

[IMG][/IMG]

Couple more

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

Finally make it to the end of the Parkway

[IMG][/IMG]

I turned back around and went 25 miles back up the Parkway, then got off to go to Waynesville to visit some college friends I hadn't seen since 1984. But before exiting I pulled into one last scenic overlook and had a chat with a guy who owns this 1982 Honda CM250

[IMG][/IMG]

He and his wife were traveling from FL, he carries the 317# bike on a Harbor Freight rack on the back of his minivan. Was wanting to ride some of the Parkway and had gotten separated from his wife in the chase vehicle, with his cell phone in it! We used mine to find her so all ended well. Neat little bike, 17hp and 68mpg. Still rather have my 1100. Ended up in Greenville, SC for the night. Gonna spend a couple days criss crossing the state visiting old friends. Got 1100 miles in so far and not heading towards Stecoah til Friday. Ride safely all!

[madmax-im]

So you're the one bringing all the rain... Nice trip Billy...be seein ya on Friday!

[BillyRok]

Friday Morning

Update since Tuesday. On Wed in SC I rode from Greenville to Columbia then up near Rock Hill, visiting friends along the way. The weather was good that day. On Thurs I decided to wash all the grime off my bike before riding 70 miles back to Columbia. The radar showed rain moving in from the coast but I'm hoping to beat it. Get everything loaded, pull out of my buddy's garage, and get almost to the end of his driveway before it starts to rain! It comes down pretty good for about 3-4 hours, places got close to 3". When it rained on me in NC, a guy at a gas station told me they hadn't seen rain in 6 weeks. Now it's pouring in Columbia where they had been talking about their mild drought...pretty good luck huh? I pulled my bike up on the sidewalk at a little strip mall

[IMG][/IMG]

To grab lunch at one of my favorite college places..

[IMG][/IMG]

Slaw dogs with cheese, I ate hundreds of them back in the '80s!

[IMG][/IMG]

While I'm eating lunch I get a text from friends I'll be spending the night with saying the garage door is open, come get in out of the rain. The rain lets up a bit so I make the 30 minute drive over there...hot shower and dry clothes, yes! Now I just have to dry my boots out again. Oh, and I've been dealing with this for a couple days now..

[IMG][/IMG]

Looks like the new double lipped seal that I replaced the leaky oem seal with is not holding. I checked my timing a few weeks ago and found the original was starting to leak so I replaced it. Of course it doesn't start to leak until I'm hundreds of miles from home.

Will be heading NW in a couple hours to the Iron Horse. Checking weather forecasts for points along the way, have a decent chance of staying fairly dry today it seems. Sorry to hear of Ian's mishap, glad he is ok. Roads are wet so slow down, stay alert, and ride safe!

[tomcos67]

Xs Southeast

Glad you posted your journey.. For those of us who couldn't make it.More power to you ,that's a long haul....Great pics!! Haven't seen all yet but will.Have safe trip Hope weather breaks for you all.!!!!

[BA80]

,that's a long haul....

Eh, one long day or 2 short ones.

[STEPPENWOLF]

I enjoyed the ride report and pictures.Hey is that the extra tall wind shield?
If the weather was perfect the whole time you wouldn't have a great story to tell.I liked the Idea of a hair dryer for your boots.Roughing it is when you only have basic cable at the Marriot