| Author | Message | ||
     Saintly |
I propose a ride to Deals Gap. A fellow badweb member who accompanied me to the Brag adventure this past fall was talking about doing it this spring, so here's what I propose: I have not determined a date yet, but I think that it should be in the later half of June or sometime in July. I'm open for suggestions from everyone (we may have a majority rule type of vote on the date) Another badweb member (mikexlr650) suggested that we dont try to plan on riding the dragon on a weekend due to the congestion that would be encountered on a weekend. I think that is a great point and so I would like to plan it for a weekday(s). I say it should be no sooner than June 20th because that will give folks enough time to make plans, and because Laconia Bike Week runs from the 10th till the 18th of June this year. I know that a lot of guys (myself included) like to attend the Laconia NH event. Anyway, it was suggested that we shoot for a Monday & Tuesday for riding, that would allow people who ride from far away(ex. new england), to take advantage of the weekend to "get" to the event. Also, those who cant stay as long could leave whenever they like. (ex. ride there on Sunday, "slay the dragon" on Monday, then return home on Tuesday) I also need suggestions for a common meeting place for all riders to meet on the night before/morning of the deals gap ride. I'd like to organize this fairly well, which is why I decided to post it here in Storm Fronts, as opposed to the X-board or Quickboard where threads get burried into archives daily (ie. 5/21 Bear Mtn. ride). I'll post links to this post on those boards though, so as to get the ball rolling over here. So let me know what dates are good, & any suggestions for making this succesfull. Thanks | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
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| Gentleman_jon |
Sounds like fun. Here is a good web site from the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort. http://www.dealsgap.com/ Probably Glitch and the 3%er's will know all about it. Looks like about 800 miles from New York. I am interested. | ||
| Whodom |
Best site for info is probably http://www.tailofthedragon.com I'm taking the family on vacation to the area (Fontana Lake) July 14-20. If you guys are there then, it would be cool to meet. BTW, the Honda Hoot is July 21-24 in nearby Knoxville, TN. Great if you'd like to attend (the Buell demo trailer will be there) but it will mean swarms of bikes at the Gap. | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
count me in! mid july would be perfect for me.i have been thinking about going there this summer anyway. but it would be much better with a bunch of buell's and fellow badwebber's  | ||
| Nutsosane |
I would like to jump on board. There are a few Badwebbers from Roanoke Virginia that have expressed interest in The Dragon already. I'll keep them informed of the proceedings. Are you New Englanders planning on taking the BRP all the way down? There is a motorcycle only resort in Souther Virginia around Wythville (I believe) that might be a good layover. Lets keep this thing going. NUTS  | ||
| Dbyrd3130 |
i am planning to go to road atlanta for the Petit Lemans at the end of september... sending my luggage for a week to my brother's house down there...riding to ft royal, va getting on the skyline drive and then the blue ridge pkwy all the way down...to the dragon! | ||
| Bartimus |
you may want to check here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=37&post=603287#POST60 3287 This ride through the BRP has been in the works for quite awhile... also, check the archives for the same thread. | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
saint, just left you the #. i've always wanted to ride that road, count me in. need to work on hammer and maybe even the tramp. | ||
| Kenny |
Im heading up there august 4-11. Me and my wife and my brother and his family have rented a cabin in Murphy its a town abouts 51 miles from the GAP. Wife loves the mountains and it get to have my fun to. | ||
| M2nc |
Man, I would love to go, but I will have to go on the weekend because all my vacation time is booked until August 12th. I am sure if we give it more time we can get C3 there. We are talking about a trip the western part of the state in October. | ||
| Saintly |
Ok, I just spoke with two guys about this ride and they both seem to prefer a July date. Jimduncan69 posted above that mid July would be good, so I'm going to suggest July 10th & 11th (Mon & Tues). This is still subject to change, so if anyone has a conflict with it or we get more people who want other dates we'll just work it out. Also, I'll be leaving from NY. Tentatively, I'd like to take I-81 to Front Royal VA. and then hop onto the skyline drive. That will become the Blue Ridge Pkwy. which should lead to Asheville NC. Both of which are KILLER roads! Any recomendations on which way from Asheville to the gap? Anyone else? Input needed please. | ||
| Nutsosane |
Saintly, I believe Skyline Drive is about $10 per vehicle and 35 mph. There are excellent roads that can get you to the same place in the same time without the Winnebago, Park Ranger, infrequent fuel stop fiasco's. Now the BRP on the weekdays can be a much different beast than on the weekends. I have "heard" of bikes in small numbers blasting through at 70mph. There is a semi-local section that is 14 miles of downhill;get it up to 65 mph and slap it into neutral. All you hear is the burble of the exhaust and the wind. Discuss..... NUTS | ||
| Saintly |
I believe Skyline Drive is about $10 per vehicle and 35 mph Last year I travelled skyline and they charged me $6 for a daily ticket. Also I think I may have EXCEEDED the speed limit somewhat! | ||
| Bigdaddy |
You've got a way with words -- I'm going to the Gap. In fact,,,,I'm leaving in 10 minutes :-) G2 | ||
| Nutsosane |
G2 enjoy 129. NUTS | ||
| Trac95ker |
I can go in july. I'd rather go when the Honda hoot is not happening. I will be towing my bike down. I don't have a trailer but I'll try to arrange one that can carry multiple bikes. If someone has a trailer or wants to pitch in to rent one, I'll pull it. I'm going to do the chase vehicle thing. I can carry extra gear for people if needed. I would also like someone to ride down and to split the cost. What do you guys want to do about sleeping arrangements? I'd be up for camping or hotels. I'd like to camp. Preferably a place with a shower and a fire pit. I have ridden Skyline drive and the Blueridge parkway. You got to watch out for cops , deer, and slow or stopped cars.. Night time is cool. Less cops but deer are a factor. I don't think you are supposed to be on the ridge at night but we took are chances. A cop did ask us what we were doing. I was sleeping at 2 oclock in the morning and my buds were standing over me like I was a corpse. He was a little suspicious, he didn't ticket us but said the next cop might. | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
hey trac, still need that fascia and gutter? my offer still stands to help you out. | ||
| Trac95ker |
thanks mike, I took care of it. | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
has any body set any plans in motion yet? i am really interested in going. | ||
| Saintly |
has any body set any plans in motion yet? i am really interested in going. Surprisingly, no. I thought that there would be much more interest in this, but so far not a lick of input. Oh Well. I'm going, and a few that I know will go as well. | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
saint, about how many miles is it each way? i'm guessing 800-900?. | ||
| Saintly |
Yeah Mike, at least 900 each way. Maybe a bit less if we took I-81 all the way, but I'm not into that. Skyline drive is to kill for! I guess we need to figure out who's riding(and how far) and who's driving(truck/trailer). I'll be fine with riding the whole way(that's what I had planned on), but I'm also perfectly willing to trade off or share the driving with whoever needs to take a truck. Tracker said that he'd be towing, so maybe we can work out a rotation with him. That way each person can get in some riding on the way down! Plus it'll reduce fatigue on those who only bring their bike. Sound good? | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
sounds like a good idea. think i might need tires, 2,000 miles in three days would have me on cords. will call jeff today, idle adjuster cable, almost forgot. whats the furthest you've ever gone in one day, mine is just about 600 miles on the xr650. | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
trac, i've got a trailer that might work, 4x8 flat top. haven't pulled it in several years though. we'll have to check out the tires, bearings, and wiring (all simple and cheap). | ||
| Jimduncan69 |
Saintly when are you going? i will ride down and meet you guy's. i think my buddy will ride down with me on his duc. i might be able to get a couple more people to go but they wont be on buell's if that doesn't bother any body. | ||
| Trac95ker |
I'll drive the whole way down. I'm going to save my back for the fun stuff. Mike the trailer sounds good. Can the trailer carry three bikes? I'm thinking of extra room in case someone breaks down or gets a flat. if my bike is the only one on it, then it won't matter to much. | ||
| Saintly |
Mike, I did 800+ miles straight once about 4 years ago, but I'm not on any kind of iron butt challenge. I'd rather allow extra time so as not to wear myself out. Jimduncan, No one has suggested any dates so I'm tentatively going with the above mentioned dates of July 10 & 11(Mon & tues) so I'll probably leave NY on Sat or Sun(8th/9th). Also I am certainly not a Buell brand biggot. Whatever you or your friends want to ride is FINE by me! | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
trac, its a 4x8 flat bed tilt. the kind you see at home depot (bright red frame, 4x8 sheet of decking in between the frame rails). It could take three in a pinch but with a 1500# capacity we'd be right at the edge with three bikes. i haven't pulled it in three years so i'm sure it'll need tires and bearings. other than that it's pretty simple, only weighs about 350#. Maybe we should look into more than one support vehicle, plan on a mixture of riding/driving so as to still be able to enjoy it when we get there. my toyota pickup is a candidate, it does have 200k on it so there is always the possibility of it adding to the "adventure". of course a rental truck might be an idea, after all the fastest stunt vehicle yet devised is a rental! | ||
| Mikexlr650 |
another idea. my buddy lives in richmond virginia, roughly half way. we could trailer to his place and ride out and back from there. just an idea. |
