EOM 2017 - Parting thoughts and thank you's...

[cota95]

Am I the only person who liked Lewisburg?

Nope. I like Lewisburg.

Ditto!

 

[BkerChuck]

Lewisburg was a nice venue. I could see visiting there again.

 

[chivvalry]

Really like Maggie Valley... plus its about 200 miles closer to south Florida than Lewisburg... ;-) I don't think I will camp this year... but maybe I will.

 

[Fred W]

Thought you all would like to see this. This is the last photo of Pete on that Sep. 29, 2017 date. Pete and Marty at White Top Food and Gas. We had stopped to get gas and hydrate just before noon.

I guess I had not seen Petey in a while, but he sure looks a whole lot thinner in that picture than last time I did. I mean, he was never a Klydesdale, but he looks like a scarecrow in the photo above.

Does anyone know if he had something going on (medically) that might have affected his weight?

 

[airboss]

Thought you all would like to see this. This is the last photo of Pete on that Sep. 29, 2017 date. Pete and Marty at White Top Food and Gas. We had stopped to get gas and hydrate just before noon.

Gleefully stolen and filed.

Thank You sir.

 

[08FJR4ME]

All I can say is he had a good run and I hope I make it that long and can still ride at his age. I think I need to make the next EOM and get back on some of those southern roads again.

Dave

 

[majicmaker]

Beth at the Maggie Valley Inn says hello and 9/22/18 is open right now...
I'll get that discussion started soon in it's own thread.

w

Maggie Valley or Lewisburg sounds fine to me. I’ll take either one. :yes:

That works for me too! :yes:

 

[luvtoride]

Been 3 EOM's there over the years. I could be wrong but doubt that'll happen anytime soon. That is a hard to beat location, though. Spent many, many nights @ that hotel outside of the EOM event.

Lewisburg was a nice venue. I could see visiting there again.

 

[blufjr]

Thought you all would like to see this. This is the last photo of Pete on that Sep. 29, 2017 date. Pete and Marty at White Top Food and Gas. We had stopped to get gas and hydrate just before noon.

I guess I had not seen Petey in a while, but he sure looks a whole lot thinner in that picture than last time I did. I mean, he was never a Klydesdale, but he looks like a scarecrow in the photo above.

Does anyone know if he had something going on (medically) that might have affected his weight?

While stopped at this stop I was talking to Pete about what I had been going through over the last year, and that I had lost 15 lbs, but was steady at 150. Pete responded that he too has had issues and had lost weight, a little more than me. I can't remember what issues he mentioned but think one was stints in arteries, but don't quote me on that. He noted that this has been an ongoing issue and through the last few years found the FJR was just getting too heavy and that is why he went to the R1200RS as it was 150 lbs lighter. I pretty much did the same by going to the FJ-09. It was obvious that we tend to loose weight as we get older, and if you aren't packing fat, that weight loss may be coming from muscle mass (my case). Pete was never on the plump side so much of that weight loss was coming off in the form of muscle. I like to look at it as dealing with life in a rational way; if the bike is too heavy get a lighter one. He said he was on an exercise program, and indicated that he felt very fit.

 

[blufjr]

Due to my experience on Hwy 34, US421, I wrote the State DOT regarding a couple items. Below is my letter and TNDOT email response. Please join in to help solve these issues. As I said to them, it may stop the accidents on this curve and stop deaths.

Oct. 22, 2017

Jennifer Lloyd, Director,

[email protected]

Tennessee Department of Transportation

James K Polk Building, Suite 1300
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243

RE: Problem spot on US 421N, TN34. Latitude: 36.533150, Longitude: -81.940080

My Accident Report No: 101778410

To Whom it may concern,

On September 29th I had an accident on the above noted highway. It most likely was driver/rider error. If I had just ridden off the road and back on to the paved surface, I wouldn't have thought anything about it, but more happened than me just leaving the paved surface. The rider in front of me left the road surface too and died.

I managed to hit a reflector pole, where the solid metal foundation came in contact with my tires and thus caused the steering to be erratic and the bike became impossible to control. I ended up back on the asphalt with the motorcycle on top of me. I broke my ankle and therefore needed transportation to a medical facility. I was picked up by the Johnson City EMS, out of Mountain City. The two paramedics were: J. R. Reece and Michelle Blevins. I received excellent attention from these two and we had a discussion on the way to the hospital in Johnson City. This is what I learned: First, that they had been to this exact site many times, and second, that the property owner where the crash occurred was antagonist to all the emergency workers. I can verify that the property owner was being rude, but I was trying to focus on the paramedics rather than his rant so I can't speak to the content.

Just the fact that the paramedics had been to this exact bend in the road more than a few times tells me that something can be done to help prevent or eliminate this ever happening again. The situation is that this bend in the road is what is called a decreasing radius turn. The rider/driver cant see the change due to the road going slightly up hill and therefore has to all of sudden make a sharper turn. Here is my suggestion: Install a Yellow/Orange Cautionary XX MPH sign before the sharpening curve. I could not find any while driving Google Earth. This alone would most likely stop these accidents from occurring so often at this location.

The second issue I must bring up is very important. My friend died due to striking a mail box post. Now this may seam unlikely, but it is true. I was informed by the tow truck driver that the owner of that piece of property, had installed a utility pole as his mail box posts because he got tired of motorcycles taking out his mail box. Whether true or not doesn't matter as the death was caused by blunt force trauma and the mailbox posts was what was struck. I know it is common practice to keep fixed immovable objects out of the Right A Way, and if they must exist to install cushions to help eliminate fatalities. I would like to see the State take action to have those two + or - 12” round utility pole/mailbox post removed.

Thank you for your consideration. Taking action on either of these suggestions could save a life, both will surely save another life.

Sincerely,

Kenneth R. Hattan, [email protected]

TDOT Response:

Dear Mr. Hattan:

Thank you for your email concerning State Route 34. Your e-mail has been forwarded to the TDOT Region 1 Office in Knoxville for review and a response.

The location on State Route 34 you referenced in your e-mail, is within the limits of a Road Safety Audit Review (RSAR) project currently scheduled for a spring 2018 construction letting. This project’s proposed improvements include pavement appurtenances, signing, pavement markings, and guardrail. The signage you requested is included in this project as well. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact Mr. Eric Wilson, the Project Development Manager for this area, at (865)594-0742 or [email protected].

The Regional Traffic Office and District Operations Office will review this route for potential safety and sign improvements prior to the letting of the RSAR project. The safety of the motoring public is of the utmost importance and is our number one concern. For additional information, you may contact the Regional Traffic Office at (865) 594-2456 or the District Operations Office at (865) 594-2408 for additional information.

Sincerely,

Steven M. Borden, P.E.

Director/Assistant Chief Engineer

TDOT – Region 1

 

[chivvalry]

No comment about the mailbox post.

 

[08FJR4ME]

The Flag Code specifies that any future changes to the pledge would have to be with the consent of the president.<br /><br />The Pledge of Allegiance now reads:<br /><br />I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America<br />and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation<br />under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

 

[chivvalry]

The Flag Code specifies that any future changes to the pledge would have to be with the consent of the president.<br /><br />The Pledge of Allegiance now reads:<br /><br />I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America<br />and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation<br />under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Yeah. I prefer the original, non-prayer version. More inclusive.

 

[08FJR4ME]

To each there own I guess,

Anyway, I hate to say it but telephone poles for mail boxes can be common up here in New England. Maybe not so much down south. We also have a lot of granite post for mail boxes. Mostly because of the snow plows taking them out. People get tired of replacing them after a hard winter. I would put more of the blame on the road conditions. All our exit ramps here in Mass seem to have a reducing corner just before you enter the highway. I don't know why they do it like that. We have these clover leaf exits everywhere. When you get just before the end of the ramp the turn tightens up quickly. It sucks but I expect it now living here so long.

Dave

 

[creg-ny-baa]

@blufjr: Nicely worded. I think that's as measured a response as is humanly possible under the circumstances.

 

[sullivan]

 

[blufjr]

Not happy with Ramada's handling of the bill. I checked out Saturday night and was given a bill, which wasn't enough, and paid it. I told the girl that it should be more dollars. She indicated that the rest was paid by my roommate. I asked her to total the bill and divide by two and tell me difference so I could reimburse my roommate. She gave me a number and I paid my roommate. About a month later I get my credit card statement and Ramada charged me an additional $68 ten days after I checked out. I called to clear this up and left two messages. They have not called back.

Did anybody else have any issues?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Not happy with Ramada's handling of the bill. I checked out Saturday night and was given a bill, which wasn't enough, and paid it. I told the girl that it should be more dollars. She indicated that the rest was paid by my roommate. I asked her to total the bill and divide by two and tell me difference so I could reimburse my roommate. She gave me a number and I paid my roommate. About a month later I get my credit card statement and Ramada charged me an additional $68 ten days after I checked out. I called to clear this up and left two messages. They have not called back.
Did anybody else have any issues?

Ken, Have you tried taking it up with your credit card company...I would dispute the extra charge. Good luck, hope the ankle is doing better, and hope to see you in Maggie Valley in 2018

 

[blufjr]

I formally protested with the credit card co.

 

[Powerman]

Never got a receipt because the printer quit.

Promised email never came.