The end of September, I started a two week trip from Dallas, TX to Richmond, VA. I started the trip with a Saddle Sore 1000, making it from Dallas to Sparta, NC.....just over 1100 miles that first day...over 4000 miles done over the period of the trip. I posted an accident report yesterday.....about hitting an 18 wheeler tire casing and it can be found here: https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31015 What a way to start, huh? The final run of the SS1000 was tough. The tire incident and then I had planned a route that included the Jeb Stewart byway(way more technical than the Dragon) for a late afternoon run....that didn't happen and I did the byway starting about midnight....very tough after 1000 miles. I took it very easy.
The trip got a lot better after that. I had many objectives for this trip. First the SS1000, then five days visiting friends in Richmond. My wife, Susan, flew to Richmond and we had a great time sight seeing in the Richmond/DC area. After the Richmond visit I wanted to do a great combo of the scenic byways/skyways www.byways.org on the way home. I completed the entire lenghts of the Blueridge Parkway www.blueridgeparkway.org, taking two days to do the parkway (ending at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park..and camped), I did the "famous" Tail of the Dragon (both ways) on US Hwy 129 in NC, I made the run across the Cherahola Skyway and then rolled into Chattanoogo, TN. One of my wife's cousins and her family have a lovely home on the top of Signal Mountain. Wow...what a view. I made a run down the "W road" on the back side of Stone Mountain (switchbacks NOT wide enough for two cars at the same time). I made a great run across TN to Nashville and spent several hours in the Country Music Hall of Fame. This was fun for me as I've performed in bands with several of the people in the Hall, including Ray Charles....and I almost married a woman who's father played fiddle with the Bob Will's band. The Natchez Trace's northern start point is Nashville. I started the trace with a plan to take two full days on the trace. It was perfect weather and the ride was perfect. Few cars, lots of wild life, including wild turkey, deer, eagles, hawks, bobcats (2)....and lots of other beasties. When I got to the end of the "Trace".....it was about 6 pm with light rain. I decided that instead of setting up a tent (nice State park in Natchez) and deal with the rain...that I'd make the run home. It would mean that the day would end up with about 750 miles on the bike. Not a problem as I felt great as I started out from Natchez...BUT...there are really lousy roads in Lousianna. Traffic was bad, rain, very dark....but I slugged it out to the interstate and the run from there was great. I got home about 2 AM.
So....I'll post images from the trip in this thread. I'll try to put up a short description of each image and short comment. I'll only be able to put out a few a day. The Dallas Opera season has started and time is at a premium. I play clarinet in the opera orchestra here in Dallas.
Best
Forest
It is really about the ride. So much to do and see in this country.....
Images
1 Start of SS1000 and trip
2 It was very foggy at the start
3 Sunset east of the Mississippi
4 Was going to camp upon arrival and end of SS1000...but did the hotel thing. It was late and I was tired.
5 Friends in Richmond lived here....nice park and pond with fountain just across the street. They live near the "FAN" area of Richmond (for those of you familar with the area)
6 Wife (on right) and friend point out the Sept 29 EVERY YEAR....is a free fee day at all US National monuments, parks, etc. We hit Historic Jamestown and Historic Yorktown...as well as Mt Vernon on this day. Mt. Vernon is owned and operated by a private foundation...so no free entry there...but wow...they had an enactment thing going on and it was fun.
7-10 Monticello pics. Jefferson had it together...big time....that's me in the last image.
11-15 All from Historic Jamestown....be sure to do the "Historic" National Park/Monument. There are other Jamestown "things"....and are mostly tourist traps. Active archeological activities are still an ongoing process at the site.
More to come.
The trip got a lot better after that. I had many objectives for this trip. First the SS1000, then five days visiting friends in Richmond. My wife, Susan, flew to Richmond and we had a great time sight seeing in the Richmond/DC area. After the Richmond visit I wanted to do a great combo of the scenic byways/skyways www.byways.org on the way home. I completed the entire lenghts of the Blueridge Parkway www.blueridgeparkway.org, taking two days to do the parkway (ending at the Great Smoky Mountain National Park..and camped), I did the "famous" Tail of the Dragon (both ways) on US Hwy 129 in NC, I made the run across the Cherahola Skyway and then rolled into Chattanoogo, TN. One of my wife's cousins and her family have a lovely home on the top of Signal Mountain. Wow...what a view. I made a run down the "W road" on the back side of Stone Mountain (switchbacks NOT wide enough for two cars at the same time). I made a great run across TN to Nashville and spent several hours in the Country Music Hall of Fame. This was fun for me as I've performed in bands with several of the people in the Hall, including Ray Charles....and I almost married a woman who's father played fiddle with the Bob Will's band. The Natchez Trace's northern start point is Nashville. I started the trace with a plan to take two full days on the trace. It was perfect weather and the ride was perfect. Few cars, lots of wild life, including wild turkey, deer, eagles, hawks, bobcats (2)....and lots of other beasties. When I got to the end of the "Trace".....it was about 6 pm with light rain. I decided that instead of setting up a tent (nice State park in Natchez) and deal with the rain...that I'd make the run home. It would mean that the day would end up with about 750 miles on the bike. Not a problem as I felt great as I started out from Natchez...BUT...there are really lousy roads in Lousianna. Traffic was bad, rain, very dark....but I slugged it out to the interstate and the run from there was great. I got home about 2 AM.
So....I'll post images from the trip in this thread. I'll try to put up a short description of each image and short comment. I'll only be able to put out a few a day. The Dallas Opera season has started and time is at a premium. I play clarinet in the opera orchestra here in Dallas.
Best
Forest
It is really about the ride. So much to do and see in this country.....
Images
1 Start of SS1000 and trip
2 It was very foggy at the start
3 Sunset east of the Mississippi
4 Was going to camp upon arrival and end of SS1000...but did the hotel thing. It was late and I was tired.
5 Friends in Richmond lived here....nice park and pond with fountain just across the street. They live near the "FAN" area of Richmond (for those of you familar with the area)
6 Wife (on right) and friend point out the Sept 29 EVERY YEAR....is a free fee day at all US National monuments, parks, etc. We hit Historic Jamestown and Historic Yorktown...as well as Mt Vernon on this day. Mt. Vernon is owned and operated by a private foundation...so no free entry there...but wow...they had an enactment thing going on and it was fun.
7-10 Monticello pics. Jefferson had it together...big time....that's me in the last image.
11-15 All from Historic Jamestown....be sure to do the "Historic" National Park/Monument. There are other Jamestown "things"....and are mostly tourist traps. Active archeological activities are still an ongoing process at the site.
More to come.
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seastofmississippi_at_sunset 07 088.jpg -
shotelinSparta 07 100.jpg -
sgrayshomeRichmond 07 239.jpg -
sfreefeedaySept29 07 289.jpg -
sMonticello 07 172.jpg -
sMonticello 07 189.jpg -
sbikeatMtVernon 07 231.jpg -
sMonticello 07 127.jpg -
shistoricJamestown 07 258.jpg -
sactivedighistoricJamestown 07 270.jpg -
sarcheologicalmuseumJamestown 07 286.jpg -
shistoricJamestown 07 262.jpg -
shistoricJamestown 07 276.jpg
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