Only a week until we leave for our Blue Ridge Parkway run down to Deal's Gap and back again.

I mapped out some VERY LOOSE daily goals last night, to plan our route with some flexibility but still make sure we get to Alcoa, TN by Wed the 7th (we've got reservations there for the 7th and 8th). The only other restriction we have is that we leave Alcoa Friday morning and get home by Saturday evening (so we've got 2 days of highway running to get home, with still reasonable goals of about 300-350 miles a day).

Here's our loose itenerary in case anyone wants to hook up for a ride or a meal along the way, or suggest any detours (Also, in case anyone wants to volunteer some contact information in case we run into any problems along the way).

Sun 4th -- Coatesville PA to about Elkton VA - ~ 250 miles (plan is to go west past York, then South through MD and into Virginia, probably down to 66 west across to 340S - bypassing Skyline Drive, cause I was less than impressed last time we were there).

Mon 5th -- Elkton Va to about Lamsburg VA - ~ 215 miles (plan is to head down to the end of Skyline Drive and finally hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway, then run as long and as far as we feel like that day. Could be more, could be less).

Tue 6th -- Lamsburg VA to about Brevard NC - ~ 200 miles (ride mostly the BRPKWY, break off for a remote destination like Brevard, somewhere toward the end of the day. Could go just about anywhere, as long as it's within about 200 miles of Alcoa for Wed's ride).

Wed 7th -- Brevard NC (or wherever) to Alcoa Tn - ~ 150+ miles depending upon where we wound up on Tue. Hooking up with some people there for a meal, some rides and probably more than a few laughs.

Thu 8th -- Spending the day in the general Deal's Gap area. Whatever the group decides to do is cool. All are welcome.

Fri-Sat - heading home, probably highway. We gotta get our butts back and pack up to move up to Bethlehem PA for a month (Jenn's got a rotation up there starting that Monday).

Anyone familiar with one or more of the areas wants to chime in that would be cool.

When Jenn and I travel by bike, we usually come up with some loose goal or destination and then just kinda go where and how we want. Since part of this year's goal IS the BRPkwy, we might not deviate THAT much from it, but ya never know. Part of the fun is waking up each morning and not usually knowing for sure where we will be that night.

Nights are generally spent at a hotel or motel within walking distance of a good restaurant and BAR (for obvious reasons).

If you want to join us for some lazy puttin', that's cool too.

Thoughts?

Kev

Have fun kevm!What bike(s) are you goin on?Is Mrs.Kevm ridin back pack or will she be on one of the other scoots?Enjoy the ride safe ridin.take care

Sounds like a great plan, wish you all the best, good weather, good times, good friends. Would love to ride to the gap and meet up with you. Going to S.FLa on May 30, bringing Grand kids up for two weeks. Won't be a lot of riding then, but we always have a great time with them. Ride save and have a great time. I've ridden a good part of that and it's absolutely Beautiful. :tour

Where the heck is Lamsburg VA? I tried to mapquest that and it ain't comin' up. I am in Lynchburg about 40 min or so from the parkway at James River around milepost 60. It's the one after Pedlar Mills. Unfortunately I will be working during the day but if something should come up; I could PM you my cell number.

Tim and FSZ, gracias mi amigos.

Jenn is riding her scoot - the 2005 883L - currently with a tad over 7k on the clock. That's the bike she rode to FL last March, right after getting it.

I washed it and the Guzzi this afternoon (embarassingly for the first time THIS YEAR). I'll be teching both out tomorrow or monday!

I rode the BRPkwy back in 1994, on my 1993 1200XL, but this will be Jenn's first time. HECK, that might be because she was only 14 in 1994 :o :shhhh

CYN, Lamsburg is 215 miles south of Elkton Va and about 160 miles north of Asheville NC (at least according to Mapquest).

If you want to PM the cell number, just in case, I'd appreciate it. I will of course recipricate with our number (we're just outside Philly, for the record, anyone should feel free to ask for it, if you EVER come up this way, people and their scoots are ALWAYS welcome at our place, and, if we're available, we're always willing to go at least up to 100 miles to pick up a fellow biker if they're in trouble).

Anyway, thanks all, ride SAfe!!!

kEV

I will be getting to Deal's Gap on Friday!!!! Staying in Asheville Thursday nite, then going to the HOG rally on Saturday. Sorry I'll miss the group...:frownthre:frownthre:frownthre

I will be getting to Deal's Gap on Friday!!!! Staying in Asheville Thursday nite, then going to the HOG rally on Saturday. Sorry I'll miss the group...:frownthre:frownthre:frownthre

Guess we'll be passing on the road.

RIDE SAFE!!!

Kev

I'd join you if I were in the neighborhood. Have a great trip.

Ok I found it now. You'll be in our area until after you pass at least Roanoke. Hope you guys have a GREAT trip. Ride safe.

I am going to Deal's gap as well, only my dad and i are going to be there the day before. i have a thread in the 'on the road section. some replied telling me that pics are required! they also said that weekdays early morning or late afternoon are best.

pperone, sorry we'll just miss you. But hope you ride safe and have fun!

Yup, pics are a must.

Kev

kev, hope your havin a nice ride, its raining bad back home

Sounds like an awesome ride Kev! Hope you and Jenn have a great time ....and take lots of pics for us on the west coast.....would love to do that ride someday.

We are heading out that way later this month- is lodging readily available or is it advisable to make reservations in advance along the BRP?

Put it Out there earlier Kev. May tag along next year.

Kevin,

Hope you have a very fine ride, be safe, take care & lots of pictures.
Jamman count 2 from Ky for that trip, twisty moutain roads rock.
:D :smoke :tour
HS

We're actually leaving tomorrow AM!

Thanks for the well wishes all. We'll take LOTS of pics!

As for reservations, hope we don't need any ;)

It's been more than a decade since I rode the BRP, but I didn't bother to make any reservations (except for 2 nights down in Alcoa TN, down near Deal's Gap, and that's just because we're meeting a bunch of other riders down there). Last time we rode it we just stopped each night where-ever we started to feel tired or ready and just found a place to stay (which is pretty much how Jenn and I travel on the bikes most of the time).

Sorry I didn't post an official thread earlier about it (I had mentioned it on other threads over the past month or two). Next time I'll post something sooner.

Ride safe all!

See ya in a week or so!

Kev

Rolled in last night, about 1600 miles or so, woulda been more like 2000 if we hadn't had a minor "incident" which involved 5 hours stranded on the side of the Blue Ridge Parkway (ignition switch fried out of nowhere on the Guzzi).

What a bitch that was to try and troubleshoot on the side of the road without a wiring diagram, test light or DVOM (at least the later of which I NORMALLY carry when touring and I have no idea why I didn't pack it this time like a dolt).

Anyway, a sorta-local Guzzi rider came 50 miles down the BRP to pick up my bike in her truck and haul it back to her place. When we unloaded it and started playing around with the ignition switch (i'd disassmbled and reassembled) I got the bike to come back intermittently. Tapping on the switch would make it stall again, so I grabbed a pair of dykes, cut the switch from the harness and wired in two toggle switches to close the two appropriate circuits (which are closed when the stock switch is in "run") and we were back on the road, but we'd lost the entire day of riding and had backtracked 50 miles from where we'd broken down.

All is well that ends well though and we had a blast.

If anyone is interested in riding the Blue Ridge Parkway, drop me a line as I've got some good info/tips.

Jenn loved it too.

And when we hit Deal's Gap she rode her Sporty through the Dragon like a pro.

Pics and full story to follow!!!

Kev


PS, Jenn managed to scrape pegs on both sides of the sporty, so I'm guessing the difference in weight on the stock suspension makes the difference in lean angles and what parts touch first (plus the camber of the road has to play a part too).

Hoorah!

Sounds like fun Kevin. I am guessin you mean your back home?

Kev, I watched for you Friday when we went through Deal's Gap Friday on the way to the British in the Blueridge Rally... Hope you had a good trip other than the problem with the ignition...

We took a trip the weekend before last from up here in Leesburg, VA all the way down to Deal's Gap and back via the Blue Ridge Parkway. We logged 1500+ miles in 4 days. My '98 XLC ran great, and it really enjoyed the 318 curves in 11 miles.

One thing I want to point out to you, is that there are no longer any gas stations on the Parkway. They closed down the last station (Doughton park) over the winter, so, you will have to get off the parkway to fill up. Just plan appropriately, so you don't run out (which happened to me). You should have a great time. Also, I would highly recommend taking the Dragon early in the morning (before 9:00am), as it gets very crowded later.


Greg

Kev, I watched for you Friday when we went through Deal's Gap Friday on the way to the British in the Blueridge Rally... Hope you had a good trip other than the problem with the ignition...


Friday morning we saddled up and left Alcoa (where we were staying just off Highway 129), then headed North to pick up the highway to blast home!

Sorry we missed ya though.

Fun time, pics to follow soon.

Kev

We took a trip the weekend before last from up here in Leesburg, VA all the way down to Deal's Gap and back via the Blue Ridge Parkway. We logged 1500+ miles in 4 days. My '98 XLC ran great, and it really enjoyed the 318 curves in 11 miles.


Weekend before last, i.e?

3rd and 4th?

That would be like a day or two ahead of us, bummer.

:tour

Yes. We left on June 1st from up here in Leesburg, and came back on the 4th. That would have been cool to meet up with you guys. The BRP is one of our favorite rides. That road was meant for bikes. It only gets better the farther south you get. Glad to hear you made it back from Deal's gap in 1 piece. A couple of days before we arrived down there, a guy ran head first in to a pickup crossing the bridge leading to the Dragon. A little sobering hearing everyone talk about it. But, we had a blast.

I've got a Huge ride report to give here, lots of pics, so I think I'll start a new thread.

Kev

Glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves and I so look forward
to hear more in detail and see the pics.

Glad to hear you enjoyed yourselves and I so look forward
to hear more in detail and see the pics.

Gracias my friend... new thread is up!

http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?p=399220#post399220