XS East 2017

[Huron52]

That is an great idea
Very good roads down there if you can get to share them with the coal trucks!

[jetmechmarty]

I wonder if now gone, there might be some new little businesses start up, like seeds sprouting after a wildfire, and renew what was once there, and provide the small things required by the local inhabitants

Not likely. Who's going to invest there? Coal was the thing. It's mostly gone and all the jobs with it. Wal-Mart comes in and all the small businesses are forced out. One Wal-Mart leaves, all that's left is a big home for the rats.

Turn it into a motorcycle resort!

[dbbrian]

I wonder if now gone, there might be some new little businesses start up, like seeds sprouting after a wildfire, and renew what was once there, and provide the small things required by the local inhabitants

[MaximPhil]

This appeared on my morning new feed. If we had taken 52 east out of Welch we would ridden right past the store. Walmart sucks!





http://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/compa...cid=spartandhp

Hi Tom,
An interesting read. However a town of 18,000 could hardly support a store of that size. None of the comments refer to buying anything other than some vegetables ? WalMart is just the visible symbol of the rape and pillage by large corporations of the rest of us

[Huron52]

This appeared on my morning new feed. If we had taken 52 east out of Welch we would ridden right past the store. Walmart sucks!

http://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/companies/what-happened-when-walmart-left/ar-BBEmXVF?li=AAadgLE&ocid=spartandhp

[hamjam]

Brent and Earl 2 more of my Brothers from another Mother well that kinda includes all you Xsives

[Brent]

Congratulations

[

Earl gets the 1st Brent Hoovestol "Promptness Award"
You know, we are all lined up, engines running, and someone still hasn't put on their helmet and put out their ceegar...


Congratulations to all who won awards, and to each who attended. I missed Y'all. I rode my XS locally this XSeast holiday weekend, and thought of my long time XSive friends. Do not blame Earl entirely for his promptness; At his first XS rally, I explained to him that XSives were great folks, a friendly bunch, that it was good to visit and especially to welcome newbies. Then the example I set smoking and chatting, answering questions about seats, oil, tires..., ..., ..., I am honored to see an award named after me and pleased to see Earl receive it. Enjoying an adventure again by hearing or telling the story of it is fun. (AND more comfortable without the worry of being lost, low fuel, broke down, hardships, etc. but still fun). I have heard some stories involving me. Those who were there know, even if it is hard to believe. New XSives can believe. These stories are not made up to see how gullible you are. Any time I have made corrections for exact historical accuracy, I have found that the stories were not exaggerated, but understated. I overheard advice to a newbie; "Oh, you are riding in with brent?. Plan on it, you will be late, But you will be a better person for it."

Thanks & enjoy the trip.

[sethhope]

Does anyone else have photos to share?

Perhaps from some in the group that wasn't 'lost' ?

Phone camera is broken, so no photos from me, however, i will be posting the first 2 hours of Saturdays ride from my gopro soon.

I too would like to see some pics from yall! Post em if ya have em!

[dbbrian]

pictures anybody?

Does anyone else have photos to share?

Perhaps from some in the group that wasn't 'lost' ?

[dbbrian]

Total distance

Since I was presented the longest distance award, thought I would share my odometer reading for all miles racked up since leaving home

2,725 km or 1,693 miles

...and besides burning a couple of litres of oil, the 78E ran like a champ

[dbbrian]

Ride Home

Phil and I had planned to depart for the Great White North just after the tunnel, so we watched the three bikes disappear around a corner ahead and we wound our way through a few more miles of biker heaven until we could see a major highway way up above us.

We stopped to ask where the on ramp was, and some local folk started coming out of the woodwork. Interesting at first, but then it started to get a bit weird, and Phil was giving me the signals to get back on the bike. I started pulling on my gloves a bit quicker after the young fella talking to us said, Oh you guys were up a Dingess? Them people up there are crazy"

So turned a corner, caught a ramp up to 119 and headed north. A great ride home with an overnight stop that included dinner and beer at a nice pub for what seemed like a mistake on the bill, it was so damn cheap!

Thanks to Darrel and Marty for putting on a great event, and to Phil for helping me get there and back safely and being a good friend

[dbbrian]

Sunday ride

Sunday ride was also very good, with lots of winding roads along a river, up and down mountains, and of course....the Tunnel!!!!

Dingess tunnel has some folklore that I learned about afterwards, but there didn't need to be any folklore to scare me

It was pitch black I was last, so could see tail lights ahead, but my headlight and even the new cree lamps were useless until about halfway through when my eyes adjusted, and even then I could only barely see the surface of the "road"

Here we are waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. If you see lights, don't go yet Then go, and hope the nearly mile long tunnel doesn't have a vehicle coming with weak lights like mine. Everyone beeped their horns for fun at one point which eased the anxiety just enough to keep on going.



Now I understand why Marty asked "anyone claustrophobic?

[dbbrian]

Afternoon ride home

We all departed the restaurant and headed for the second "half" of the day, which turned out to be a lot more than half for Phil and I. As I followed with Phil behind me, I struggled to pace myself between keeping the bike in fronmt of me in sight, and not losing sigh of Phil behind me.

I reached a complicated intersection with a light system that had red, green and yellow lights all on in various configurations, so I stopped for safety sake and to let Phil catch up. I watched the bikes ahead disappear. We went in the same route but never found them. One last kodak moment at the famous sign, and the we had a great afternoon exploring, stopping at the info centre and talked with a local retired Army Vet who is busy marketing the whole Back of the Dragon thing. And I got a great hat!



Here is where we recommend you stop for beer. There is a walk in room that begs you to ahang out and select the varieties you might enjoy.


We were late getting back, but managed to get some dinner in time with the gang to celabrate a great days ride.

[dbbrian]

Back of the Dragon Run

All the bikes rolled out on Saturday and headed for the Back of the Dragon!



Even the road in and out of the lodge was fun, but faster riding was soon found as we headed for route 16. I was in the back of the pack, 2nd last. It was really impressive to see all those bikes ahead making the curves. As time passed we got more and more stretched out, and soon the back group of 5 bikes came to the proverbial fork in the road. I followed like a good little lemming, and it looked to me like we took the logical one that followed the yellow line but we never caught up to anyone. We discovered a really great mountain road that was narrow but paved and very scenic, so I think we got a bonus route but don’t ask me where it was .

Eventually Phil said “…get me to Tazewell, I know the rest from there.. ” and then he led us up and down the two mountains between Tazewell and Marion, but not without stopping so we could enjoy the breathtaking view.

Hungry Mother Park










Then we finished the downward ride off the second mouintain and found the Macado's restaurant and the rest of the gang.

[dbbrian]

A picture of the bikes at the lodge on arrival, or maybe the next morning.