NJ to Deal's Gap and back

[yzf1k]

Being recently unemployed has it's drawbacks, but one of the benefits is that it has allowed me to spend more time on the bike.
So with a weather window I set out for Deal's Gap last Sunday. Weather Sunday was clear but windy, with 25-35 mph gusts, just what you
want when buzzing out on the PA turnpike amidst the truck traffic. Now I know you hardcore Gold-BMW-HD Ultra-Wing riders would give me
some crap for a measly 350 mile day, but my butt isn't exactly made of iron. I hit Skyline Drive in Front Royal VA around 2:00pm and did a
nice blast down all 109 miles of it. The road is really nice and wasn't too trafficy for a Sunday (I only passed a couple dozen cars and bikes)
I didn't get to Waynesboro until around 5:00pm. I checked into a Quality Inn and had a burger and 1 beer before returning to my room.
Camping is not my favorite way to spend an evening, I prefer a bed and hot shower to a tent and morning dew.


The YZF makes a decent sport touring rig, and loves the corners.

I awoke Monday to a rainstorm, so I donned my raingear and set out to bomb it down 81 towards Asheville NC. Normally the Blue
Ridge Parkway would be my prefered route, but the idea of spending the next 450 miles at 40mph in the rain didn't seem appealing. Averaging
75-85mph on 81 dodging the spray from the tandem semi's and cagers seemed like a better way to spend the day.

Up about 6,000 ft heading over the smokeys toward Asheville, it wasn't raining, but the mist made things wet. I carry 2 pair of gloves on trips
and I bring along a couple of pair of latex gloves for working on the bike and waterproofing my hands, this works great but at 50 degrees the
fingers get a little chilly, it did give me the opportunity to practice using my left hand on the throttle while warming up and giving my right hand
a break. (don't try this at home, and especially not on an interstate in traffic)

I made it unscathed to Asheville and spent the night with my nephew Drew and his dogs Babu, and Rambo. Dinner and many rounds of
Margaritas later we returned to his place and stayed up very late catching up.
I got a late start on Tues. (it was 45 degrees out) but the weather looked good, so I set out for Deal's Gap.

Some nice spots for kayaking down there.

I got to the Tail of the Dragon in the early afternoon and did about 3 runs back and forth (pictures to follow when I get them from Killboy.com)

The view at the Lookout near the end of The Dragon.

I checked into The Two Wheel Inn around 6:00, nice clean room, nice clean hot shower, and a garage for the bike, does it get any better?

I noticed that my rear tire was getting a nice flat spot from all that highway mileage so I had Wheelers hook me up with some fresh Qualifiers
Wed. morning, no appt. I showed up at 8:50 am and Ken had me out the door by 11:00, and he had 3 bikes ahead of me!


Thanks Ken!

Wednesday I spent on The Cherohola Skyway, this is one of the most incredible roads you will ever ride, 51 miles long, with fast sweeper
after fast sweeper, with stunning views along the way, even though the weather was nice, the clouds get tight as you climb in elevation.
the highest point is around 6,000 ft, and the temp drops quite a bit.









I did a few more runs of the Dragon on Wed. and met a guy who had trailered his Desmosedici from Florida, imagine not wanting to ride
your $70,000 Ducati to NC? The sound that thing makes is awesome! He had a RGV 500 Gamma in the trailer also.

I spent Thursday riding the Dragon some more, doing the Cherohola again, and riding Rt.143-28. Spectacular day!

Friday I set out for home by way of The Great Smokey Mountain Parkway, this road takes you from Cherokee to Gatlinburg or Pidgeon Forge.
It gets a little trafficy but I sloted in behind a couple from Quebec two-up on a BMW GS1200, when he saw me in his mirrors he decided to
up the pace and we had a nice ride along the way up to an overlook about 6,500 ft up. This was a nice 7 mile climb up a twisty road with lots
of overtaking of cars : ) We both commented on each others riding as soon as our helmets were off.


I hit some rain later that afternoon in VA, and by Roanoke I was ready to call it a day. I finnaly settled into a Super8 motel that had a Mexican restuarant
within walking distance, and after 2 chimichangas and 3 Margaritas, I called it a night.
Saturday looked sketchy so rather that heading for the Blue Ridge I bombed it home on 81 thru West VA, MD, PA, and lastly back to NJ.
7 days 2,400 miles, 2 new tires and lot's of gas later I was back home by 2:30 pm, I thought about unpacking my gear and going for a ride,
but there is always next week. I would like to thank Ken Wheeler for all his help, Linda at the Two Wheel Inn for the finest accomodations in
the Smokeys, my wife for her support, and mostly my 1997 Yamaha YZF-1000R for getting me there and back, I've owned a lot of bikes over
the years, but none of them has inspired me more than that bike has, I constantly am amazed at how that bike and I communicate with each
other, if we all could relate to each other the way that bike and I do, the world would be a better place.

[stephenwc]

Really nice report Keene.

Can't wait to see those Gap photos.

This is my favourite



Thanks

Stephen

[eye.surgeon]

Hey Keene, sounds like a great trip. Always nice to read some ride reports from the other side of the country . Really like your bike. And i forgive you for the BMW crack, although it's true we tend to rack up the miles. For me it's more about hours in the saddle rather than miles. I can spend 8 hours of saddle time in a day no problem. Sometimes that covers 500 miles, sometimes it covers 200. Just depends on the road. After 8 hrs I start to lose interest. After 10 I really don't want to ride any more . It took me a while to figure out that I need to plan my trips by hours per day rather than miles.

[JimmieS]

Hey Keene --

Great trip! Yep there are those of us that can and do put lot's o'miles on our scoots - but as we all know, it's not about the miles it's all about the smiles.

Leaving in a couple of days for a long trip - and I'll be sharing some of those same roads you were on. Looking forward to the Blue Ridge Parkway again.

Thanks for sharing!! Good stuff.

Cheers.

[yzf1k]

Made the front page weekly update on Killboy.com!