XSEast12

[Huron52]

Thank you Ben, Bruce and Deb for the pictures.... It feels like I was almost there.... oh yes that's right I was!

[Rockib]

Had a Wonderful time. Great pictures posted, thank you.

[DGXSER]

Looks like I missed the good scenic stuff on day two. Will have to go back once I convince the bike to behave again.

[newc4]

Reflections

I rolled into the driveway around 4:30. For a 350 mile ride it sure seemed like a long one, probably due to the heat and traffic. As I sit here, writing this it now seems like a dream. Just last week I was brimming with anticipation, today, 1161 miles ago, it’s in the past.

Some last day recollections. Cleaning up after Sunday evening, taking the garbage bag out to the dumpster and Deana talking to the two rabid raccoons working their way through the garbage, “This is our garbage, buzz off”.

Departure day is always rather sad. XSEast ends so quickly; I think we all wish we had another day. When we leave we’re so much more adept at road handling. Don’t brake, counter steer.

BNE called the room at 6:15, Brent jumped out of bed and said I’ll be ready in 5 minutes. I’ve never seen Brent move so quickly to get ready. I helped bring down some of his gear down and shook hands with other riders preparing to leave. It was a cool morning but I could tell it was going to be a hot one. Standing on top of the EconoLodge hill I waved goodbye as groups of riders departed home on their respective journeys.

Ron, Fran, Rochelle, Ralph, Earl and I got on the road shortly after 9:00 following a Denny’s breakfast and a Sheetz top-off for the bikes. (Those Denny’s sausages were talking to me the rest of the morning.) Merging on to I-70 east bound, Ron maintained a reasonable pace avoiding attention of law enforcement. I saw 5 troopers ticketing folks over in that 40 mile stretch to the WV border. Of course they were too busy to assist the two broken down motorists.

Around 11:00 we got off I-70 onto PA-119 through Greensburg then on to US-30.

(When I coming to XSEast I got lost on PA-119 near Connersville. I passed a BAE Systems site where there was an enclosed parking lot full of desert tan Bradleys and woodlands camo Paladins being refurbished. That’s something you don’t see every day.)

Once away from lights and traffic we saw rural America celebrating Memorial Day. We ran a while on the flood plain of the Loyalhanna Creek to the left under a cool, tree shaded stretch that offered relief from the heat. We then passed by Fort Ligonier on the left, a reconstructed British fortification from the French and Indian War now tourist trap. Further on a number of Jennertown rescue vehicles were caravanning to a site for what appeared to be a parade just off US-30. We passed close by the Flight 93 Memorial; some of the sights were familiar from our 2010 gathering in Somerset. We ascended two peaks where temps were 10° cooler, the panorama fabulous; however, traffic precluded a hot run down the mountain sweepers.

At Breezewood, there were lengthy waits at the lights and gas pumps as holiday travelers were heading home en masse. I made my farewells and departed the group heading south on I-70. Speeds increased and decreased, it soon bogged down with volume. Some weaving, judicious use of throttle and the right slow lanes put me 15 min ahead of folks I started with. I stopped at South Mountain to check traffic home and review the map for options; I must get smart on the all the upper Potomac crossings in this area, it could save me a lot of time. I merged back on I-70 to find myself abreast a van I had passed much earlier. Traffic slowed to a crawl towards Frederick, but I was right there at an exit ramp so I jumped off on MD-17 with nary a soul in sight.

I rode through the bucolic, tranquil Maryland farmland with rolling sweepers. The previous days prepared me for the twisties but a pair of right angle turns had me jumping on the brakes. So that’s what those yellow signs with right angle arrows mean. I continued on passing a HD trike to picturesque Burkitsville then crossed the Potomac into Virginia at Point-of-Rocks. VA-15 was slow to Leesburg, and VA-7 was slow to Sterling, temperature soared, traffic crawled and jaws tightened. Then traffic thinned, the pace quickened and I was on the final stretch. A right on to Beulah, through Vienna, and I soon pulled into the driveway. And that’s it?