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Gasteropod Rider
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Patriotic Ride Report: Closing the Gap
Early morning, like 1pm in the morning, on a beautiful 4th of July... I decided to go for a random errand in the east TN mountains...
 On the Foothill parkway, the Smokies were indeed deserving their name. Tstorms in the morning were still evaporating in a mysterious mist.  Taking some altitude in the mountain...  Impromptu shower on the way up. Not bad, very light rain, that vaporizes on contact with the tarmac. Just enough to get rid of the squids and have some clearance   Left or right ?  Left, of course, toward the Dragon!  Taking a rest after a first run of the US 129. Very little traffic on the Dragon tail, but LEO are in force. Still some opportunity for some fun...  The usual harley crowd is there too. Some serious eyeballing is going on... Very nice and friendly folks. A second run, and it is already time to go home... |
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07-04-2011, 07:13 PM
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Dismembered
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Highland Lakes, NJ
Posts: 2,139
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Nice report. It was too hot & humid here in Central NC yesterday, to take any pleasure in getting out. I love that long downhill run from the crest of the Foothills Parkway to US129.
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farkled '04 R1100S SOLD! 2012 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak (#072) "It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day from lack of what is found there" WC Williams |
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07-05-2011, 05:41 AM
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Talk Less, Say More
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Moab Utah. Home of wierd red & orange radioactive stuff... And 1 billion tourists.
Posts: 13,165
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Regardless of the stereotype, most Harley guys and gals are very friendly. They buy you beers, they stop and help when you need a hand. So there's a sub culture within the Harley world that likes rolling road blocks etc....
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cRaIg CaRr 2000 Dyna FXDX, 2001 Sportster Sport, 2000 R1100S,2007 R1200S,2015 rNineT,2023 F850GS,2023 R1250RS, 2017 Triumph T100, 2019 Jeep Rubicon, 2005 Jeep Sport, 2001 Corvette, 1978 Porsche 928. 2001 GMC Sierra 2500HD, 22 pairs of shoes. 24 bottles of beer. |
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07-05-2011, 05:49 AM
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Registered
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Albany, GA
Posts: 4,574
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I agree CK. I was also in the mountains of North Carolina this past weekend and came up on many, many HD's. Stayed at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground at Cruso, great place.
Anyway, we ran up on lots of HD riders, many would shift over to the right side of the lane so we could pass them yet not cross the sacred DOUBLE YELLOW.... Coming from Deals Gap, evidently a new sport bike rider was holding even Harley's back, so when the chance came two Harleys and us pulled out to pass. Just as I was winding the BMW up, the Harley in front of me hit the rev limiter....right before a curve. Talk about interesting. And then back at the campground other HD riders would come over and talk and always offered a cold beer. No brand has the market on jerks for riders. |
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07-05-2011, 06:07 AM
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Gasteropod Rider
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Quote:
I blasted through the 129, then took the 28 in NC toward the Fontana dam reservoir. Nice scenics, but a smidge too much traffic. From then, I took the 143, also called SkyWay. It deserves its name completely (elevation varies from 2000ft to a little less than 5000ft). The scenics are magnificent, I had in mind the Utah pictures, and you clearly see that these mountain share the rock, although they are covered with crazy lush thingies. The temperature drop is severe, I was cold at some point, sot GotRoad, don't hesitate to take the bike on a hot day, and go to the SkyWay, it is always fresh !  View Larger Map No pictures, I didn't had my camera. But my rear tire did not survive the experience 
Last edited by Meeni; 08-02-2011 at 02:15 PM.. |
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08-02-2011, 02:08 PM
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R1100s
1978 Porsche 928
2003 BMW Dakar
2000 Harley-Davidson Dyna FXDX Super Glide Sport
2007 BMW R1200S
2010 BMW F800GS
1983 Honda XL600r
2000 BMW R1100S
2001 BMW F650GS
