| Author | Message | ||
     Racerboy |
Carlos...V2WIN and I spent a week touring in WVA last year...Great roads (when they were not under water) and people...Only covered bridge still in service on a US highway, mummies, mountain wildflowers, Hatfields and McCoys, "Devil" Anse Hatfield's grave, John Henry, bears in the camp at 3 a.m., THE GORGE, mine wars and Mother Jones and Sid Hatfield and Gen Billy Mitchell bombing American citizens...I'll put a list of the books I used to research our ride on later this evening...And to top it off Hwy 16 from Marion VA in the south to Frog Level (yep, that's the name) in the north is, along with Deal's Gap, one of the best sport bike rides in the east...And you get to join the Frog Level Yacht Club... John, join in here... So, I take it you're not doing the CA BRAG Tour?... See Ya! Bob | ||
| Jrock |
Racerboy... 215 and 276 are a well travelled loop with my crowd. 215 is the best kept secret. Excellent start to the day when staying in Cruso. I plan to make this trip to Deals Gap. I missed the last one. I crashed my '99 S3T on the way there (pure stupidity). Keep me posted! Carlost... know what you mean about underwater in W Va. Got caught in that flood last year and had to take the bikes through some friendly neighbors back yards (and fences) to get out of the campground. What a mess. | ||
| Racerboy |
Jrock...I guess you've found the Deal's Gap thread on the quick board...If not, check it out... Ok Carlos, here goes: VA 16 from Marion VA N to Frog Level US 250 from Staunton VA NW to Huttonsville WVA US 33 from Elkins WVA SE to Harrisonburg VA US 219 from Lewisburg WVA N to US 50 US 50 from US 219 W to Fellowsville WVA WVA 39 from Belva WVA E to Mill PointWVA WVA 16 from Gauley Bridge WVA N to St Marys WVA WVA 10 from US 19 N to WVA 97 to to US 52 to WVA 152 to Huntington WVA 16 from Bishop to Welch, S on WVA 103, S on WVA 161 back to Bishop WVA 17 from Stollings to Madison, S on WVA 85 to Oceana WVA 7 E from US 250, WVA 20 SE to US 19 These are all "extreme" rides taken from "Extreme Twisties of the Southeastern US" available from Whitehorse Press WVA 150 from US 219 W to WVA 55 to Richwood (Highland Highway) Not to be missed are the two runs through the George Washington National Forest, the Highland Highway, the run to Frog Level...The Hatfield and McCoy feud was centered in Williamson (also a house made of coal)...A lot of the mine war was centered around Matewan...Sid Hatfield was the sheriff and was assassinated on the courthouse steps in Welch by mine detectives hired by the mine owners...Hatfield cemetery in Sarah Ann...The mummies and the covered bridge are in Philippi (you'll love the museum guide)...John Henry statue is on WVA 3 W of Talcott... Two of the worst storms John and I have ever ridden in were in WVA...Two years ago we road in the rain all night to get to his mother's farm in NE KY (with coal trucks on mountain roads) and last year they declared the entire SW part of the state a disaster area the first full day we were in WVA...You'll notice a lot of poor but proud people, especially in the SW...The first guy to break the sound barrier was from WVA and if you've seen Gen Chuck Yaeger, he kind of personafies a lot of West Virginians...They call the state West "By God" Virginia and it's the only state made so by presidential declaration (Honest Abe did it)...Have fun and John and I wish you fair weather... See Ya! Bob | ||
| Carlost |
Thanks for the great loops guys. Is the end of April a good time for WV mountain riding? | ||
| V2win |
Take your rain suits and fog lights. | ||
| Carlost |
That sucks. For real? Cold is OK. Cold and wet blows! | ||
| Racerboy |
For real...Take a look at the percipitation data by month for Huntington WVA...John's not trying to tell you guys what to do but we did WVA in the middle of summer and we still got rained on both times but at least we weren't cold...In April you're likely to be both...Hope this helps...Remember, John grew up right across the Big Sandy River in KY... One more thing I forgot to mention is that in case any of you are off-roaders or dual sport types, there is the new Hatfield-McCoy trails area in the SW part of the state...We had lunch in Matewan and ran into several taking advantage of the new system and they were loving it...Also, in camp one night we spoke to two F650GS riders doing the dual sport thing and they raved about WVA... Are any of you left coasters planning on doing Deal's Gap this September?... See Ya! Bob | ||
| Carlost |
NC Riders: The lodging for the WV ride has been set at Snowshoe Mountain from Tuesday 4/30 through Saturday 5/4 checking out Sunday 5/5. Please check your calendar and let me know if you can make this ride. Thanks for the tips. Carlos | ||
| Jrock |
buckinfubba: how about that BRAG chapter? Really need some group rides around here. Charlotte H/D never really got one going. The Speedway H/D doesn't either. Looking at you guys to come through. Give me a shout. | ||
| Racerboy |
Carlos...I assumed that you were from the left coast due to the SACBORG url in your first post...John says this may not be so...Where are you guys based? See Ya! Bob | ||
| Carlost |
Nope I'm a Right Coaster right outside of Philly. The other guys are coming out of Charlotte NC and vicinity so far. We have a total of 3 Beemers and 1 Buell but you never know I might bring out the M2, one of the Charlotte dudes might bring out the Triumph 955i and the other might bring out the R6. | ||
| Carlost |
Where is Frog Level? | ||
| Racerboy |
Carlos, find Bristol TN on I 81 and go northeast to Marion VA...Take VA 16 north from Marion...As you leave Marion on 16 Hungry Mother State Park will be on your right...Frog Level is at the intersection of VA 16 and US 19 (no, I'm not making up these names)...The marina and Frog Level Yacht Club will be on your left as you ride north...John, jump in here but it seems to me that the road was good to fair condition when we rode this...I seem to remember that we had to be careful of gravel in the apex of right benders caused by vehicles running off the road on the inside...From Marion to Frog Level is 32 miles...Betcha when you get there you'll want to turn around and do it again... See Ya! Bob | ||
| V2win |
Its several miles of 1st to 3rd gear stuff with lots of 180s. Not cambered like Deals Gap. More difficult to ride, I think. A lot more braking to make those 1st and 2nd gear turns. You will want to stop in the middle to rest your arms. But those V twins will thunder out all over the valleys below. What a beutiful sound. Don't expect andy boats or water for that matter at the Yacht club. | ||
| V2win |
nevermind. I double posted. Listening to Chuck Berry playing Johnny Be Good. | ||
| Carlost |
So any of you dudes interested incoming out to show us? | ||
| V2win |
Your timing is not good for me. Racerboy and I will be leaving May 14th for the California Brag Rally. 6,000+ miles of fun. Sorry. | ||
| Pangalactic |
Dude.... I step away from the internet for a few days and the posts just rack up! What gives?  | ||
| Buckinfubba |
goddang it looks like some some ridin is comin my way....try to catch up with ya'll somewhere on the road....stuck in the backroom at tilleys on saturdays til about 3 o clock but we'll see seesya bubba | ||
| Spike |
Well, I finally made it to Michael's for breakfast this morning. Too bad it was 50 degrees and raining. There were a few other riders there, but not many. Needless to say I was the only one on a Buell. Oh well, had good breakfast anyhow. Hope to see more of you guys next time. Mike L. '99 Cyclone |
