| Author | Message | ||
     Okc99 |
I'm 8 hours in to one of those trips that you swore was cursed from the get go. I pulled out of my abode in DC, and 100 yards out of my driveway I saw the I95 ramp closed down with 10 cop cars. Screw! I went the back way to the only other entrance 3 miles away and it was backed up for 45 mins. Long story long...it took me 1 hr to get on the highway that I can see from my apartment! Finally get on I-95 and within 5 mins past the gridlock it starts pouring (on a day that rain had a 20% chance). It rained for the next 2 hours through Hwy 70 W. The last two times I attempted to drive through PA I got violent weather surprises and had to turn home (both were in the form of Canadian Ice Monkeys flying though the air that the National Weather Service failed to predict). So I thought with 2 failed starts earlier in the year the 3rd would surely be blessed by the V-twin Gods. After my second hour of dense fog, unseasonable cold and rain, I was losing faith. 2 people in some podunk town actually gave me a "speech" about how I shouldn't be riding in the rain. I mean a good 2 mins speech, not a passing comment. (NOTE: This happened at a Hardees). ....more to come, losing battery power! | ||
| Crusty |
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| Paralegalpete |
Sounds like an adventure. Flying Canadian Ice Monkeys? Never heard of them. Hope things improve for the rest of your trip | ||
| Ourdee |
 Hi crusty. | ||
| Jpl9sx |
A few years back I ended up getting caught in some very cold weather (18 degrees) at the beginning of a trip. I was stopped at rest stop warming up. A man came up to me and called me crazy. I tried to explain that I was heading south toward warmer weather and I should be enjoying 30 degrees plus by noon but he just shook his head and walked away. When I got back on the highway I noticed a motorcycle heading north into the colder weather and I muttered to myself now he is crazy. | ||
| Mnrider |
 Hey guys,mind if I sit here. | ||
| Crusty |
Hey Ourdee; where'd you get the soda? Okc99; we're into the It Sucked part, now what's the It Rocked part?? Having had a disastrous trip in the past month, I can fully sympathize. | ||
| Sekalilgai |
Yeah crappy elements in the trip ....like riding for hours in the rain, coming up behind a livestock truck full of pigs and to have the bike die two seconds after this realization (while you're covered in poop)...sucks getting her fixed so that you're not driving a thousand miles home in a rent-a-truck...rocks hope your trip gets betta! | ||
| Hooper |
Yo man, is this the trip to (the place you should go to) Vermont? So jealous...so jealous...why did I get married? | ||
| Mnrider |
Man these beers are going down fast,I hope I'm not to drunk to hear the rest of the story. | ||
| Snub13 |
2 people in some podunk town actually gave me a "speech" about how I shouldn't be riding in the rain. I mean a good 2 mins speech, not a passing comment. (NOTE: This happened at a Hardees). I can't believe you listened for two minutes.....but then again, I'm not a people person Hope your trip gets better, if you need anything while in W. PA, give me a call. 412-953-0860 | ||
| Okc99 |
:Volume II: Still Day 1 So it finally stopped raining. But then it started fogging. Apparently PA is 2nd only to Washington for the least amount of sunny days per year. I felt like I was in Wales...not the US. 5 hours into the trip I started to approach Indiana, PA (which is nice because I'm from Indiana state). At first I was insulted they stole the name. Then later, I was flattered. Anyway, as I rode into this town things started clearing up and it actually started looking very nice. It's a college town and definitely looks the part. It reminded me of a lesser Bloomington, IN (home of IU, my alma mater). Nothing can compare to IU's campus but this was a nice town for PA. I stayed there overnight just to witness the only sunset I was ever going to see in PA. Checked in at the Holiday Inn, and negotiated with the Russian mistress for a cheaper rate. You get to Pick-your-perk (copyrighted phrase). So you get to have a free cocktail or breakfast. I choose to save it for breakfast. Anyway, at this time I started to itch. I mean really itch. I looked at my right hand and it was 5 shades more red than my left. I went to the mirror and saw something horrible. I was breaking out in a rash! My whole upper torso felt like it was on fire. I put my hand to my cheek and could actually feel it was "hot". But nothing from my left hand??? I was starving so on the way to dinner I stopped at the pharmacy to get Benadryl. If it was an allergy this would take care of it. (Allergic to rain and fog?) I ate dinner at Benjamin's, a fairly swanky outdoor restaurant and winery. Coming from DC, I have to say that this place was by far the best restaurant I have been to in the last year. Everything was lit dimly, with outdoor pergalas (sp?) , climbing ivy, etc. After a tasty meal the Benadryl must have worked because the itching and heat stopped. I went to bed, woke up and what did I find?????? .....now my left hand was on fire! It was hot, and throwing off heat like the right side of a Uly! I popped a few more Benydryl had my free breakfast and hit the rode. Can you guess what the weather was like? Ok, I did actually see the sun when I started off. But how long did it last? About 8 mins. Then, as I approached Ground Hog country (Punxitawny Kitane) I decended into the movie: The House of Sand and Fog (but without the Sand). I've never seen this much fog so late in the day. Like at 10am. I didn't see any groundhogs, but I did see ---To be continued when more battery power-- | ||
| Hooper |
Gotta' be bedbugs! | ||
| Nevrenuf |
okc, my hearts out to ya. born and raised south of pittsburgh and there's nothing like those grey gloomy skies to make you wish you would have taken a different route. good luck to ya on your trip. are you heading for the g-20 in pitts. | ||
| Paralegalpete |
ok, get a new battery already, I'm hooked and want more | ||
| Okc99 |
....I was driving toward Punxytawnee(sp) in this thick gray fog and steady mist like the one at the produce section in your local supermarket. There were several nice bends, although no elevation changes in Groundhog Country. Unfortunately I didn't see Bill Murray either. I had my visor up and sunglasses on (more clear this way). Coming around a tight corner in the dense fog I saw everyone's favorite roadside animal: a big doe heading right toward the middle of the road. Unlike all the other dear encounters I've had, this one actually ran in front of me just before I would have hit it. Usually I see them on the side of the road and think they're going to jump in front of me, but they never do. This was the closest call I had on the trip and opens up a theme I'll talk about later. Luckily it all happened before I could squeeze the front brake because I would have laid it down for sure. Soon after my deer incident, after an hour of driving, it completely cleared up again and was sunny. PA weather is so unpredictable!!!! So I was heading into the Allegheny Forest and despite my research which stated that this Park would be fantastic, I actually found it quite underwhelming. It didn't look that much different than Punxy. In fact, some parts of Maryland are much prettier. Needless to say, I started feeling very down after all the weather I endured to get there. But that was before it rocked. Because once I got to the dam in the park, it was much better. I haven't seen many dams so I found this one rather impressive. I stopped at a cafe right past the dam and there was a great view of the entire reservoir. It wasn't Hoover Dam mind you, but it was the biggest one I had ever seen. The view from the Marina cafe was pretty serene. Next, I caught Hwy 6 and headed East. I was going to head West to Erie, but heard 6 would be better. I saw that I could also hit the PA Grand Canyon on my way to Wellsboro before heading back South to DC. On a previous winter car trip I experienced Hwy 6 from Wellsboro then East to the Poconos. I believe this is the more scenic half for those of us familiar with the Shenandoah. This Eastern half of Hwy 6 feels more unique as the Western half feels West Virginia-ish, but less extreme elevation changes. Still pretty though. Sidenote: I was amazed that my XM radio was receiving so well going through the mountains. When I have it in my car, it cuts out just going under a bridge. On this stretch of road I realized that sometimes my Drummer sounds LOUD and sometimes it sounds just right at hwy speeds. After 10k miles with it, I'm convinced it has everything to do with the road surface. It's not the environment, or wind, or temp. For example on I-95 it is the loudest regardless of the stretch of road, traffic, etc. There the drone is almost unbearable for > 20 mins. On roads like Hwy 6 it sounded as calm as Hooper's exhaust with a blanky wrapped around it....that is until you twist the throttle, then the burble pierces through your headphones just the right amount to let you know you're strapped on top of a beast that loves to pull you up steep grades. Roads like this make the Drummer feel like the perfect balances between low drone and big grin factor. As I was heading to Wellsboro, I started to think: what does this bike represent or stand for? What does it do for me, and what does it add to my life that my car can not do? When it comes to answers to these questions, mine is probably much different than most. Contrary to popular opinion, because of the complete control over the elements (temp, music, volume, and lack of background noise), I feel most in control when in my car and, therefore, I feel most satisfied/least perturbed or annoyed when in my car. On the flip side, sticking my head out in the wind for hundreds of miles per day with virtually no wind protection is the exact opposite. To me, it must much like flying. I hate flying because I am at the mercy of the pilot. If he makes a mistake, "I" make a mistake. I hate not being able to control my own destiny. Yet, I don't see this view as a strength. Instead I see it as a limitation. So riding for me is, perhaps surprisingly, not about feeling cool or enjoying nature, achieving a Zen-like state, etc. Instead, it is almost entirely about giving up control to the elements on the road. I'm not going to move anything out of its way. Come deer, raccoon, Ford Explorer, or an old Granny pulling out in front of me in her Olds 88...I more or less have no control except for my ability to anticipate and the speed that I drive. And we all know that with speeds comes risk, and with risk comes enjoyment (unless you have kids?) Anyway, back to my trip. Wellsboro is awesome. It's the northern Michigan kind of town for those MidWesterns out there (too bad they don't have a Bell's brewery like in Kalamazoo). I had to yell at a group of teens that stayed in the room next to me because they were too loud. When I ate my nightly porterhouse steak and the best restaurant in town, the bartender told me I should head north to see the finger lakes of NY, about 60 miles due north. I really wanted to see these, but because the rain and fog slowed me down, I just couldn't make it. In hindsight, I wished I had headed due North and skipped the Allegany Forest. But such is life, and no trip should be a regret. On my way south from Wellsboro I had 2 other insights. One was about the people from PA and the other was about West Virginia. (to be continued) (Message edited by okc99 on September 20, 2009) | ||
| Etennuly |
Being from the Allegheny National Forest area there, I know what you mean. It is a beautiful place if you know where to look. The state motto was, and may still be, "You've got a friend in Pennsylvania". For me that is true, many friends as a matter of fact. When I lived in Florida, the motto of former fellow Pennsylvanian's became "Pennsylvania, a great place to be from". Odd how when going back home, everything seems so small and close, compared to the rest of the country. Not in a bad way, I am always comfortable there, except in fall, winter, and early spring. the older I get, the more I hate cold and damp. David, it is great to see you enjoying that bike on a somewhat tough trip. Hope your return is great and safe. Thanks for the write up, it's a good read! | ||
| Paralegalpete |
I'm planning a mid October trip from Ontario Canada to PA (meeting up with some folks) and then heading to Southern MD. Your trip info has been helpful | ||
| Pso |
A few comments. Indiana Pa is hometown of Jimmy Stewart. did you visit his Dads old drug store? also when folks tell me about the dangers of MC'ing. I tell them about several of my friends that were killed in Auto accisdents, how I had a neck fracture in an auto acident etc. and that perhaps they should not drive cars. Strange allergry reaction you had (unilateral). W/ the proper gear (which I always carry in my side bag)I sometimes like to ride in the rain. Sound like you have had an adventure. I find that the rides I remember the best are those that have had an adventureous component, like my friend sliding his brand new delux every otpion known to man Hardley off of a 75 ft. 80 degree embancment. Luckely no physical damage to him (perhaps psychological) but bike was about $27K damages. I also remember a deluge in Staunton several years ago, also another time parking the bikes on the front porch of a closed feed store for several hours (taking a nap on several bags of feed, waitng for a thunderstorm to pass over. Snow in Aug in Colorado etc. As they say if it is going to be funny in the future it is funny now. Enjoy the adventure. Keep the story coming, and how is the bike working? | ||
| Hooper |
This is a fun story - lots of interesting details and motorcycle philosophy. Sorry you had the deer scare...but at least it was just that. And my old rusty muffler-in-a-blanky appreciated the shout-out.  | ||
| Towpro |
This is all my fault. I think it was Okc99's bike I tried to buy from him 2 weeks ago, he changed his mind and decided to keep it. Less then one week later he takes it on a long trip! So last weekend I ended up buying an 07 out of NY that was owned by someone else on this site. Keep riding Okc99! | ||
| Johnboy777 |
I love the Allegheny National Forest area PA/NY, esp. along rt.66 in PA.. some cool trails there, as well: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/recreati on/atv_trails/marienville/map.pdf . | ||
| Etennuly |
I heard they closed the loop in the Warren/Grundeville/Hearts Content area a couple of years ago. Back in '75-'76 I was a charter member of PATRA where in we spent an entire summer marking those trails. Riding a '73 XL 250 with a Hooker header, I spent every evening out there learning to ride. I wasn't allowed to have a bike until I turned 18(dad had seen my WFO style early, I think I scared him  ). |
