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FJR Gary

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
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Location
McLean, VA
I left home about 8:00 am Sat. morning heading for the meeting point in Waynesboro, VA. The temperature heading down Rt. 29S towards Charlottsville varied between 36 and 40 degrees and finally edged up to the mid 40s by the time I reached Charlottsville. I was glad I had installed my Cee Baileys +2, +2 a couple of weeks earlier. I then headed on to I-64 to Waynesboro. Heidi (luvtoride) and I arrived simultaneously at the gas station at 10:30 am. She made good time from Norfolk, getting there in 3 hours. Glen (ONE MORE BIKE0 and his wife Cheryl arrived shortly thereafter.

Here are our bikes at the meeting place. Glen was on the Goldwing.

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We waited a while for JimLor and his wife Lorie to arrive, and then headed out Rt. 250W towards Monterey, VA. Jim and Lorie left the group at that point and headed back home. We stopped briefly in Durbin, WV looking for a place to eat lunch. Saw this neat steam train there:

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We continued on west and finally found a Subway about 3:30. Temps were in the mid to high 40s most of the afternoon. We arrived in Summersville, WV at 6:00 where we checked into the Sleep Inn, them walked across the street to Applebys and had a few adult beverages before turning in for the night.

We awoke to a frosty 27 degrees Sun. morning. I've never had to scrape frost off my bike before:

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Here's the view east from the motel parking lot at sunrise:

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By the time we rolled out of the parking lot at about 9:15 it had warmed all the way up to 36 degrees. We headed S on Rt. 19 to see the New River Gorge bridge about 25 miles away. Here we are in the visitor center parking lot. From l-r are Cheryl, Heidi, Glen and Jim Meadows (spklbuk), our native WV "tour guide"

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Here's a pic of the bridge from the visitor center overlook. This is the longest steel arch bridge in the world and the second highest bridge in the US. The main span is 1700 feet long.

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We rode the one-way road down to the bottom of the gorge. It had a couple of really "hairy" hair-pin turns. The bridge from the bottom of the gorge and the bridge across the river at the bottom:

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We then headed back up Rt. 19 to Rt. 60E. Since this is Jim Meadow's back yard, he took us on some really great roads including highways 60, 39, 20 and 55. Jim said we had to ride Hwy 150, also known as the Highland Scenic Highway. He was not wrong. We stopped at several overlooks and took in the great views:

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From there we continued on Rt. 219 and 39 to Warm Springs, VA where we parted company.

I headed N on Rt 220 to 55, then I-81 to I-66 and arrived home just before 9:00 Sun. night. Rode 731 wonderful miles on this trip. Met some great new folks and had a fantistic time. Sat. night Glen (who is from Spring Hill, FL) said that the next time he talks to God, he's going to ask him to move part of WV to FL so he can have some twisty roads to ride :D And a big thanks to Jim Meadows for being our tour guide.

 
Great pix - nice report - I think West VA is a great place to ride. I am planning on getting back there soon.

Allen

 
Yes, I think WV would be a great place for EOM next year :)
Yes, agreed Gary. WV is a fine, fine location f/ an EOM. Let's see how it plays out.

Good ride report, my friend. Boy, you sure were up early on Sunday morning, weren't you? You missed my frosty bike in that picture. Hahaha!!! Now, I know why I want that Gerbings heated liner that's on its way to me. Mr. UPS man! You got a delivery for meeeeee???

You've got some beautimous pics there. Hands down, had one of the best rides of my short but memorable mountain carving career. I'm hoping to do it again in the future. Look, that ride inspired a ride story! VERY, VERY cool!

Heidi

 
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awesome snaps, great ride report, and a lot of jealous folks that couldn't make it. wish more of us could have gone along -- looks like it was just primo!

thanks very much for the post!

ps: mercy, I've ridden in cold before... but I've never had to scrape ice of the bike... I bow to the masters!! High marks all around.

 
Great report Gary.

I've riden that one lane road below NRG bridge, "Hairy" is an understatement!

Glad your group had a great ride, sorry I missed it.

I hope to get back to WV in the spring.

Tom

 
Thanks to Gary, Heidi and Glen and Cheryl for heading over to WV and for the great comradarie. It was much good to finally ride with like bikes. Here's to new friends and riding buddies. Great report. Y'all come back now, ya hear.

 
Hey Gary,

I have already put in my request to rearrange the topography awaiting a definite response.

May happen with the next big earthquake. LOL :clapping:

Glen

 
Glen, I take it that you & Cheryl are home safely? Good! Tell the little lady that I said "hello".

Heidi

PS... good lil' story Gary came up with, huh?

 
I witnessed the gang while they were going westbound on 250 I beleive.

I can say they were hauling the mail.

BTW as we had to stop a few times long the way...several squid types stopped and offered assistance. Got to see some rather crazy pieces..and damn they were riding the hell out of those bikes. Good gang of riders out there.

geo

 
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luvtoride,

Yes made it home safely after hammering it from 1200 to 2100 and only two stops. Rained from Greenville SC to Madisson GA.

Don't forget my next invitation to ride with you guys. Need only one day to get from Florida to NC.

Wife still recovering from the long stretches of 85 mph on the slab. Don't think she can ever handle the fjr passenger position for long stretches.

Yes good story

Take care.

glen

 
luvtoride,
Yes made it home safely after hammering it from 1200 to 2100 and only two stops. Rained from Greenville SC to Madisson GA.

Don't forget my next invitation to ride with you guys. Need only one day to get from Florida to NC.

Wife still recovering from the long stretches of 85 mph on the slab. Don't think she can ever handle the fjr passenger position for long stretches.

Yes good story

Take care.

glen
Glen, we wont forget your invitation to ride. I'm hoping to get down into NC early next year. I don't see it happening b4 then... but we'll definitely be riding together again.

BTW... you hammered it fr/ 12:00 to 21:00 w/ only 2 stops? Good lord! Giving that fuel cell & the wife some working time, huh?

Heidi

 
Here is a picture that my daughter took last May going down that single lane road to the bottom of the gorge. I was slow for us because we had to wait for a bus to work it's way around the corners.

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Ahhh yes... switchback hell! How many people on bikes do you think have lost in the very first two switchbacks on that road thru the gorge?

 
Ahhh yes... switchback hell! How many people on bikes do you think have lost in the very first two switchbacks on that road thru the gorge?
Switchback Heaven!! :p No drops here even in the rain and w/ 35 mile/hr wind gusts up on the Plateau. I keep tellin' ya, get a dirt bike, ride the crap out it on those days you just don't want to FJR (yes, I know that would be one day a year fer ya), and those turns will just become 2nd nature on your Feejer However, I agree, not a road w/ which to tangle, if you're in the mood to play instead of gawk, prolly should ride elsewhere (Rt 60E to Rt 20 N early Sun morning for instance).

 
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