Thanks everybody for your friendly remarks...
Here's the last installment...
Part 3 (EOM)
Friday Evening, 9/14
Well, it was a damp afternoon and evening as we met others at EOM Central…however the dampness did not lessen in anyway the excitement of meeting FJR rider friends –old and new- from the Forum. As I met the Ohio riders, the Missouri riders/Hooterville gang, the New York riders, the Canadian riders, the southern riders…it was fun as they all rolled in from everywhere…some from a single day’s riding, some from many day’s riding.
One of the problems of a great event like EOM is trying to decide who amongst all your friends do you ride with. I have enjoyed riding with many from the FJR Forum…but just decided to ride with my roommate petey and the guys from the Hooterville, MO. I have ridden with them a few times…it’s a small fun group and I respect how each of them ride. I hated not to ride with yamaholic ‘cuz I’ve had a blast every time I’ve ridden with him as well. I’m sure it was no big deal to yamaholic…
As the afternoon rolled on I got set up in the room…splitting rooms with petey…man that guy can ride. Eventually I needed to get some supper as this bluegrass concert was coming up soon. I ambled over to the closest restaurant and got some supper. I then whiled away some time as I got ready for the concert…someone called on the phone and I lost track of time and used too much of it. Tom Cale agreed to ride over to Carnegie Hall with me…now he was sorry as I was holding him up-grrr-. Should I bring raingear or not? It was only drizzling now and putting on my already wet rain gear on now would take even more time. With about 15 minutes until the concert is scheduled to start, I finally get the bike out of the parking lot. Of course, waiting for the left turn light going onto US 219 south took about five minutes of the remaining fifteen…so now we were down to 10 minutes…of course the rain from the gas tank is rolling down into the crotch area of my formerly dry jeans-*&%#-
Now as we get closer to the concert hall we see all the parked cars, parking cars, people walking into the hall, and NO SPOTS left…then the RAIN starts -*&^%$#@! – so now my riding jacket and jeans are getting soaked as I circle the block. I finally find a questionable parking spot right behind a big pickup truck as the downpour continues. I run into the hall with my wet clothes and whew…at least the concert hasn’t started yet. As it turns out…nobody is sitting next to me so I don’t have to drip over anybody. Mr Tom Cale- you know…the guy that owns the lake, golf courses, private race course, and boat hoist is right behind me for the concert and is nice enough not to rib me about my wet clothes or making him almost late. He plays the “nice” Canadian act and doesn’t yell out for more songs about hockey or back bacon…
Seriously, the Seldom Scene concert was great. I was able to put the pre-concert problems aside and enjoy the music. I enjoy many different types of music…but being a violin/fiddle/mandolin player…I enjoy bluegrass with its unique sound and harmonies as much as any if it is done well. Seldom Scene is not a hokey hee-haw band…and they are a very longstanding popular folk/bluegrass band for one reason…they are GOOD. Excellent concert…one that I’ll remember. Thanks again to spklbk for the heads up…it was great.
Saturday, 9/15
Woke up about 6am or so to get ready for the day’s riding…had some breakfast that the Brier set up. There was a short rider’s meeting and route maps were handed out. We decided on the EOM Route #2 - the ominous sounding “Puckered Sphincter” route. All in all it was a great route of twisties. Our group started out with Petey, Smitty, KSFJR/Chester, STL FJR/Steve and me. Chester hit some coal gravel he couldn’t see in the shadows on US Rt. 60 which turned him a little sideways. He decided that for that ride he couldn’t see the gravel enough to continue and enjoy the ride, so turned back and he did his own separate ride that day. We continued on and ended up picking up two other riders –Jay and his friend on the FZ6. They later might have questioned their decision to tag on with us ;-)…as we had some fairly unique turns that day ;-) Some of my favorites for the day were rt 19 south, rt 16 north, and Bolt Mtn road!
After we got back…all the bikes were lined up for the group bike shot.
After the bike shot, some of us relaxed a little bit before the big dinner…(L-R)OHFJR, STL FJR, petey, Smitty141
...the dinner where FJRFencer got his “special” present…and some gal “packed light”.
The next day, because of petey’s bike troubles…it was just Smitty, Steve, and I. Smitty, KSFJR/Chester, IndianaTom, and I waited out the fog at a local restaurant. When things lightened up a bit, Steve led us out on EOM Route #4 – the New River Gorge Special, I was #2 and Smitty rode sweep. We stopped of at the overlook and met a few riders there, then we wound our way to the bottom and back up, then continued west again on US 60. I managed to get Smitty upset with some of my questionable passes...but he says he forgives me for being such an idiot. I promise to do better.
It was great riding weather both days. My favorites for this route were US 60, RT 150 the Highland Scenic Highway (WOW) and US rt 219.
We also enjoyed the views from Snowshoe Mtn…
That afternoon and evening we touched base with the others, chatted with other new friends, then headed out to Ruby Tuesday’s for the informal farewell dinner…(L-R) petey, STL FJR/Steve, KSFJR/Chester, Wheaton, zzzzip/Skip, & Smitty
Coda:
It was fun finally attending my first EOM, meeting many new friends – though they seemed like old friends already having “conversed” with them on the Forum. In fact everyone I’ve met has been through the FJR online community. We’ve got some great folks to ride with…that’s for sure!
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