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The Ride Part One

The Ride Part One

That's what I like about traveling; you can take a ride, sit down someplace and talk to someone interesting. You can see something beautiful, read a good book and that qualifies as a good day. You do that at home and everyone thinks that you are a bum. Kim Kazan/Before Sunrise

So what is this all about? I suppose if you really want to go back to the beginning, it all began on a bicycle ride that I took from Aurora, Colorado to Walsenburg, Colorado back in the mid '80's. I think I was about half way through that 150+ mile ride when I began to think about a cross country ride on two wheels. The dream began to take shape. The TRIP, as I came to think of it, lodged itself firmly in my mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and by the time that I got back home about all I could do was think about riding cross country on the bike. Over the next several weeks and months, I made my plans; I ordered special laminated maps made just for bicyclists from Bike Centennial, panniers lights and camping gear for the TRIP. I was ready. But then, I never went. Responsibilities, Jobs, Wife, Life all got in the way. The TRIP never happened but the dream never completely died. The maps are still in a cabinet drawer. I take them out to look at the route I had drawn on them. I got older and the wife and I eventually moved from Colorado Back to my home state of Florida where the bicycles that I had enjoyed for so many years were finally sold.

A few years after the bicycles had been sold, when gasoline was over $4/gallon and I needed a cheaper form of transportation. I used it as an excuse to buy a scooter. After taking The Motorcycle Safety Course and riding the scoot around town, I quickly realized what blast it was to ride and soon I was looking for a "real" bike. I went through a couple of them over the next few years before finally settling on the Yamaha. A big bike made for the highway and the long haul. With the big Yamaha touring motorcycle I realized that although the bicycles were gone, the Dream was still there and the TRIP could easily be done with the motorcycle. Easier, in fact, I could see more of the country on the two wheels of a motorcycle than I ever could on a bicycle.

The Trip was back on!

Where to go? I was still working for Citigroup and while I did have a good vacation package, retirement was still a ways off and time was limited for a cross country trip, even on a motorcycle. So I made a few short rides while I figured out to do for the TRIP: I rode a few hundred miles up into Georgia a few times, all the way to South Carolina and back in one day, some 400+ miles and down to South Florida to visit family several times. I was getting used to the bike... I rode over to the panhandle of Florida one weekend, spending the night at a nice campground near Apalachicola. This was where I realized that the bike is set up ideally for camping. So I started buying some camping gear. A new tent, lightweight sleeping bag, stove and related camping items.

Last Fall, almost a year ago now, I was on the internet, reading about some of the bike rallies around the country. One in particular caught my attention, The Americade Motorcycle Bike Touring Rally which is held every June in Lake George, New York. Excited, I checked out Google Maps, A distance of 1320 miles from Jacksonville, FL to Lake George, NY.

AH HA! A destination for the TRIP. I could attend the very cool bike rally, head on over to Syracuse, visit with my brother for a day or so before riding back home. I sent off my registration for the bike rally and started waiting for the following June......and waiting.

It seemed as if June would never arrive. One should never make plans for a TRIP that far in advance. It gives you too much time to think about it and there are only so many things to do to prepare for it. After a while I began to wonder if my anticipation of the TRIP was going to be greater that the TRIP itself.

But finally winter passed by. I worked on the bike some and made sure it was ready. Spring time came around and I was ready. And finally June 1st came around. Without any fanfare, I threw a leg over the bike which had long been packed and ready to go, kissed the wife goodbye and rolled out of the driveway, heading north towards upstate New York.

It felt good to finally be on the road.

Soon I was riding onto the ramp for I-95 and the first of several interstate highways that would take me north. There are some folks who just hate riding on the interstate highways, staying to back roads all the time. I tend to disagree with them. I love the highway. Rather I should say, my bike loves the highway. The Yamaha Royal Star was just plain made for the long ride. The 4 cylinder 1300 cc engine provides an easy, smooth, vibration free ride. A large windscreen keeps the wind and bugs out of my face. Highway pegs provide a resting place for my feet. There would be plenty of time for back roads when I reach the mountains with my boots on the pegs, the cruise control set at 73 mph. I was soon riding north into Georgia, happily watching the scenery. Which, along the east coast of Georgia, is mostly just pine trees and flat marsh land. Past the medium sized town of Brunswick and the smaller coastal towns, I was soon riding into Savannah where I stopped for Gas and a bite to eat. Checking out the thermometer at the gas station the temperature was into the 90's. It was getting warmer the farther north I rode.

Across the Savannah River, riding into South Carolina, you immediately notice one thing.......the quality of the road. The state must not have much of a budget for road maintenance in South Carolina. The portion of I-95 that I rode through in the state was the most poorly maintained interstate highway of the entire trip. Fortunately, I did not have long to ride on this part of highway. Soon I was passing Waynesboro SC, and a few miles further I picked up I-26 heading northwest towards Columbia, SC.

Now riding northwest another 110 miles to Columbia, mostly uneventful but for the fact that the flat land off the south was gradually changing into some hills. As I rode down in to the valley that the City of Columbia sits in, the temperature kept climbing. The thermometer at a bank in Columbia read 93 degrees.

I rode on over to Pete's house to spend the night with him and his lovely wife Geri. Pete and I go back a long, long ways, some 50 years to our teenage days. The thing is, I have only seen him twice since then and both of those times were within the last year. After our days at Melbourne High School, Pete headed west for California the Navy and Vietnam. We just hooked up again last year and renewed our friendship. Pete and his wife made me instantly feel at home in their nice house. The swimming pool in the backyard was especially enjoyed after the long hot ride. We stayed up talking about the good old days but soon enough I was off to bed. I needed to get a pretty early start. Pete said he would ride his Harley with me almost up to Charlotte, NC before having to turn back, about 100 miles, nice.

Geri was off to work early so I did not get to say goodbye to her in the morning. Pete and I rode on over to the local IHOP for a good breakfast then back on the highway heading north on I-77. It was nice ride and the only time I would be riding with someone else until I reached New York. Riding early in the morning was nice, cool but already you could tell it was going to be another hot day. We pulled off at an exit at near Rock Hill, SC. just before I-77 gets into North Carolina and Charlotte. We had a cool drink, I said goodbye to Pete and was off on my own again.

During the ride I tried to avoid large cities. They are just no fun at all. All you want to do is get through them and Charlotte, SC certainly was no exception. I could take the bypass around the city or continue on I-77 straight through downtown with all of its overpasses, underpasses, cloverleaf exits and the such... I just wanted to get it done with so opted to go straight on through. It was not as bad as I thought it might be, I just followed the signs for I-77 North, watching all of the traffic around me and soon enough I was climbing into the hills beyond the city. Another 150 or so miles and I was crossing the border into Virginia.

It seemed as soon as I got into Virginia that things really began to change. The terrain got hillier, the air cooler, and traffic seemed to thin out, things started to smell different. Smells are one thing you really notice on a motorcycle. There is no air-conditioned comfort to sit your ass in. Your olfactory system can get overloaded. Smells are so vivid on a Motorcycle, tree, flower, swamp, river smells. Sometimes smells can bring back memories so strong that it seems as if I’m riding on a time machine.

Soon I-77 was going all up.....into the mountains of Virginia. This was my first experience in the mountains on a motorcycle. The air was getting cooler, I was actually glad for the touring jacket that I was wearing. I passed the turn off for the Blue Ridge Parkway. I think I let out a little yell. I know I had a huge grin on my face. Something very special was happening. I was in a part of the country I had never been before, what could be better? On my motorcycle with many miles to go, the weather was fine with just a few wispy clouds in an otherwise blue sky. A guy and his gal came up behind me and passed me on their bike and I realized my speed had dropped to less than 65 mph.......what was the hurry?

Not far into Virginia I-77 intersects with I-81 which I would ride for several hundred miles, all the way to Scranton, PA. I had no idea Virginia was such a beautiful state to ride through. If I have the time, on the way back I would like to ride some of its back roads. Even though the speed limit in Virginia is 70mph, I had the cruise control set at 65. I was enjoying this ride along the Smoky Mountains, the farms, houses and cabins tucked into the hills along the highway. It was so much different than the flat straight roads of Florida.

I-81 passes to the west of Roanoke, Va. Roanoke is a good sized town, so the traffic picked up nearby but quickly thinned back out a few miles north of the city. Most of the traffic on I-81 seemed to consist of semi trucks. Other than the fact that they created a lot of wind turbulence, I did not mind riding with them. During the whole trip I never had a problem with a big rig driver. I certainly could not say that about some of the cars. For some reason a few of them would get upset when I passed them and try to speed up to keep me from doing so. A couple pulled over into my lane without even looking. I was glad to get into Lexington, Va. as it had been a long day on the road. I had a bite to eat and spent the night at a small motel whose rates were not much more than the local KOA....easier than putting the tent up.

The next morning I was up pretty early and after a good breakfast I was back on the road again. This time though, off of the Interstate and on the back road headed for Waynesboro, VA and the southern entrance to the Skyline Drive. The Skyline Drive Is the only road through the Shenandoah National Park. It begins (or ends) at where the Blue Ridge Skyway ends (or begins) and runs 105 miles along the ridge of the smoky mountains. I was entering the park at the south end off of RT64 and not without a little trepidation. This would be my first real test of riding a motorcycle on a small two lane twisty mountain road.

I pulled up to the ranger station at the entrance to the park and the cute ranger gal at the kiosk asked if I had a pass. Not paying much attention to the bike as I should have, when I pulled out my wallet and the Senior National Parks Pass, the bike tipped over and was leaning up against the kiosk with my leg trapped between the bike and the cabin. The ranger, bless her heart, immediately saw my predicament and came out and around to the bike trying to pull it back upright. But at 800+ lbs., not any easy task. I had my leg trapped and could not get any leverage to help push it back up. We finally realized that she was not going to be of much help. But then, the two guys in the truck behind also realized what had happened and came along to help. Soon I was back upright on the road. An embarrassing way to enter the park!

Soon I was rolling up the road and I do mean up as the drive increased in elevation. The first of several hairpin turns were handled with relative ease and the 35mph speed limit sure surely kept me from getting into too much trouble in the turns. There were many scenic turn offs along the Drive, inviting one to stop and enjoy the incredible views of the mountains and take a few pictures. There was not much car traffic but quite a few bike riders out enjoying the ride. I saw several white-tailed deer beside the road while in the park. They are always nice to see but it is always a bit disconcerting while on a motorcycle as you have no idea whether they are going to stay where they are, go back into the woods or jump out in front of you. Towards the end of the Skyline Drive you come upon the Mary’s Rock Tunnel, it was completed in 1932 and completed the Skyline Drive which ends/begins just north of the tunnel.

It took me nearly 4 hours to ride the 105 miles of the Skyline Drive. What with its 35mph speed limit, its many scenic turnoffs and a couple of stops at the visitors centers. By the time I finished, I felt that I was beginning to get a handle on riding the twisty roads that were so different to my usual riding. Especially, while they were twisty going up and down. I thought about stopping for something to eat in the town of Front Royal at the end of the Skyline Drive but it seemed so busy with lots and lots of city traffic. All of the restaurants along the road seemed to be of the fast food variety so I rode on through on RT 340 heading, eventually, back over to I-81. Being this close to Washington DC, Baltimore, MD, and Winchester, VA, I ran into my first really serious traffic situation. Not that it wasn't moving along, it’s just that there was so much of it. It was a pretty tense ride all the way through the rest of Virginia, and across Maryland, through Hagerstown and into Pennsylvania. Finally I had to stop for gas at Shippensburg, Pa. There was also a relatively inexpensive motel right off of the exit so I decided to spend the night there.

Make sure you read Part 2

This article is placed on site by kind permission of, Phil Hughes, Jacksonville, FL June 2011

Catch up with Phil on his site: http://motorcyclejourney.weebly.com/