XS Southeast 2014

[GLoweVA]

Anyone else heading out from the greater Charlotte, NC area? I am planning on leaving after lunch sometime so I am not trying to find the place completely in the dark. Wouldn't mind riding up others! I always take the long way to get to places so looking at 4-5 hrs to get there.

Chris

Hey Chris, I'm not heading directly thru Charlotte, I'm take I-40 across on Fri. I'll probably be around that side of NC around early afternoon.

[jwhughes3]

Greg can we get there in 4-5 hours if we go the way Chris goes?

John


13 days till I leave for the Rally!

[BA80]

Tell ya what, let's race!!!!!

[BillyRok]

According to http://www.motorcycleroads.com/ we will be riding 3 of the top 5 motorcycle roads in the country, and I got to ride Bear Tooth Pass last month. http://www.motorcycleroads.com/augme....0deW4hXX.dpbs Some of you must have ridden Three Sisters...how do you rate that?

[BA80]

I've never ridden Beartooth Pass but growing up in Montana I've driven it a lot. Went to a little rally in Texas at JWHughes' place and was going to ride Three Sisters but I got separated from the group and made a wrong turn. Saw a lot of desert instead.

You'll love the North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee roads. This will be my 3rd trip back.

[JeffH]

According to http://www.motorcycleroads.com/ we will be riding 3 of the top 5 motorcycle roads in the country, and I got to ride Bear Tooth Pass last month. http://www.motorcycleroads.com/augme....0deW4hXX.dpbs Some of you must have ridden Three Sisters...how do you rate that?

Billy,

I've ridden Bear Tooth once as well as the Three Sisters in the Texas foothills like 4 times. You saw US 212 climbing the mountain then running the Bear Tooth. Just A+++ spectacular. Very hard to beat. There is equally good A+ ride / scenery in CA like Tioga Pass CA120 to name one of CA top A+ top 20. Colorado is loaded with good A+++ too. In fact there are good A++ climbs and great A++ scenery all over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Washington and Oregon and Idaho and Montana. Just gotta "GO RIDE".

As far as Three Sisters, you have to put that into perspective. TEXAS is HUGE. There are lots of riders in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas and places in between that are looking for a place to ride other than FLAT LAND. So if where you live is FLAT (with straight roads), the Texas Foothills is the closest place to find a bunch of curves with a little bit of elevation change (call it hills) for a day ride or weekend ride. So next I gotta say I'm a Texan at heart. I went to college in Houston. I love Texas and would move there if I could. The Texas Foothills, well the scenery is pretty nice but the pavement sucks. Remember it gets like HOT-HOT did I say HOT there in the summer so the roads are what I call Oil & Stone. Chip & something I think they call it. Just oiled & stone over the natural terrain with little if any grading the surface first. Lots of arroyo crossing that carry sand and gravel. Lots of sand and gravel in the roads to watch for. After a T-storm, drivers proceed at own risk. Did I mention cattle on the road too?

From Three Sisters if you ride another "DAY" (remember TX is huge) to get out to West Texas the scenery becomes just awesome. Fort Davis loop is much much better than Three Sisters. As is TX 170 from Presidio along the Rio Grande down to Big Bend. Terlingua and the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend. No comparison to Three Sisters B- to West Texas A rating. So then if overall (pavement, scenery, enjoyment, challenge, fun etc.) Bear Tooth is A+++ then this West Texas is B+ and A while Three Sister is like B-. Its good if that's all you got close by.

One of my favorite places on the planet is Camp Wood near the Nueces River in the 3 sisters area so I'm not anti-TX335, 336, 337. I just think it might be over rated to other places that are far superior. The area does attract a lot of bikers so that is part of the draw and the mystique. (it would be real crappy riding if you happen to be on a sport bike).

So if you were looking for an adventure ride in 2015 I'd ride to West Texas then up to Colorado. Take the Charles Kuralt fav highway in America NE2 coming back. Its kind of like where you live in NY. Ride along Lake Ontario, well its pretty flat. Go south a bit to the Finger Lakes, wow a few hills and a couple curves and some nice scenery and good roads. Then further south in Penna, got your curves and terrain change.

Jeff

[RichV]

I've also been on the Three Sisters Loop in Texas and it wasn't anything special to me. I've been on most of the top 100 and I have to say that this ride is rather low on my list. In my book Beartooth is by far one of the top five (if not #1).

The ratings are based on the evaluations submitted by riders that are mostly local very little of which have ridden on the high pass roads in the Rocky's. I was surprised to see Three Sisters here.

Looking through the top 100 reminds me that there are still many roads out there left for me to ride for the 1st time. America is a big place.

So many roads, so little money for gas.

[BA80]

So many roads, so little money for gas.

Actually it's not too little money for gas, it's too little gas for the money.

[JeffH]

next

A few updates / reminders
as you begin to get SE Rally Ready. Whether as a 1st Timer or Repeater ............... a couple things

#1- Iron Horse will post the dinner Menu's on either Sunday Sept 21 or Monday Sept 22

- So if YOU have Registered @ Iron Horse and they have your email address then you will get your Menu via email.
- Also, as soon as we get the Menu's for our Friday & Saturday nights I will post them here.
- If Iron Horse doesn't have your email or credit card on file AND you want to EAT but are sharing a room with someone or tent camping you will need to #1 get with IH and either pay cash or set some way to pay #2- fill out the Menu and turn it in.

. . . . So when you get your Menu fill it out and send it back to I-H via email. They might take it over the phone but email is better. In person when you check in ok too but it MUST be before 3:30pm on Friday

Note: the I-H Kitchen goes and purchases the food based count from the Meals selected. So it is important to help them out and fill out your menu selections Wed or Thur if possible. As a courtesy to us, I-H does let us make our Friday dinner selections up to 3:30pm on Friday.

Breakfast: each Evening you can Fill Out and Drop Off your Breakfast selections if you plan to have Breakfast at the I-H. If you have an account on file they will just 'put your breakfast cost on your bill'. Otherwise you can pay as you go, or whatever arrangement you have made.

#2 - we ride up to 5,000+ feet so if you tend to get cold while riding make sure you bring good gloves and jacket. Maybe insulated under-somethings too.

#3 - Smoky Mtns / Blue Ridge can get some foggy spots. Sometimes at the top of the peaks, sometimes at the bottom in the valleys. Sometimes we are in & out of drizzle, sun, fog, sun, drizzle for a few miles. Sometimes we have hit some showers. Weather is goofy and unpredictable. So bring some kind of cheapo rain gizmo to wear. I use $20 vinyl yellow car washer bib coverall pant suit. Looks stupid, but works well. It doesn't need to be expensive.

#4 - PM me with your email if you want to monkey with the gps routes. I sent them out to four people already this afternoon.

#5 - When you arrive at Iron Horse remember to go Register at Lodge Reception. After you get squared away with them, get your keys or get you account setup -THEN- stop by the XS Southeast area and sign-in and get your shirt if you ordered a shirt.

# 6- Yes we do stop for gas every 90 miles so the Special drivers are covered. Got the fuel and body breaks covered. Please remember to Fill-up with your favorite Petrol on the way into I-H. That helps all your buddies immensely. There is Ethanol Free $4 a gallon in Lauda on the corner of US74 / US23 and NC 28 in the Franklin corner. Not the NC 28 turn to I-H but NC 28 turn south after Bryson City. Other Non-Ethanol around too if that floats your boat. Tuskeegee Motel had some. Maybe Deal's Gap. Just don't start off Sat AM out of fuel.

Guess that covers the basics for now. That's enough blah-blah-blah-blah, just trying to help you enjoy the Rally by providing some info. Happy motoring down here whether bike or car or trailering. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Jeff

[GLoweVA]

thanks

Thanks for those tips jeff. Last year i bunked in the bunkhouse and i got the email, this year I'm rooming with Ron, so I'll email IH so i can get my menu selections in.

[madmax-im]

Theres also ethanol free gas in Robbinsville... I have my entire route to the IH planned around ethanol free gas stops.

[MaximPhil]

Thanks Duwayne & Ben,
Spending the afternoon clearing enough space in the garage to be able to change front brake pads. While it is over 30C here Alberta had SNOW yesterday I dare not have the bike disassembled in the driveway as thunderstorms can appear at anytime. Have to get horns and aux lights working again. probably connections that were disturbed during recent engine removal.
Phil

To update: Horns work. Aux. lights work. It was one loose wire connector and one bulb. Both front brake pads changed and fluid bled. Indicator socket cleaned and bulb changed to 27Watt now blinks at 1500 rpm Test ride done before removing rear wheel yesterday for new tire. New tire mounted to day.
Lube and install rear wheel to morrow. also change rear gear oil while the wheel is off.
Phil

[dpotter58]

To update: Horns work. Aux. lights work. It was one loose wire connector and one bulb. Both front brake pads changed and fluid bled. Indicator socket cleaned and bulb changed to 27Watt now blinks at 1500 rpm Test ride done before removing rear wheel yesterday for new tire. New tire mounted to day.
Lube and install rear wheel to morrow. also change rear gear oil while the wheel is off.
Phil

Careful Phil, you're going to become a mechanic.

[madmax-im]

Good Job Phil....

[jetmechmarty]

We just finished riding the Sunday loop! It's awesome. Now having a cold one in Silva. You like changing radius turns? We got over 60 of them! Off camber? We got those, too! We're doing Saturday tomorrow.