Anybody go for ride today? Got Pictures?

[DeadEye]

Cause all the "Men" have to stand outside

[Bernie]

Today’s picture from the road. 

[MikeB60]

[lawnchairboy]

Brian T's  GS has officially gone somewhere other than starbucks.   @BrianT

 

https://www.smugmug.com/app/library/recent?imageKey=N7dVgtt

[Bernie]

On my way home, we stopped in Tazewell, VA for lunch. @MikeB60

@Rockosmith , @BamaJohn

 

 

Stopped in Boone, NC for the night. 
PS: we also stopped at Barnwood Builders and looked around. No, we did not buy anything. 

[Rockosmith]

No shortage of deer in WV.

Spoiler

 

 

[Hosstage]

1 hour ago, Rockosmith said:

No shortage of deer in WV.

  Hide contents

 

 

Evil on 4 feet

[BrianT]

5 hours ago, lawnchairboy said:

Brian T's  GS has officially gone somewhere other than starbucks.   @BrianT

 

https://www.smugmug.com/app/library/recent?imageKey=N7dVgtt

I don’t have a smug mug account. 

[roadscholar]

This may be what Chris was linking, either way nice road.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/UNRALLY2022/i-N7dVgtt/A

 

While there I came across an oldie of us riding some singletrack in Colorado.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/SALIDA-2015/i-VDXwPMB/A

 

[lawnchairboy]

6 hours ago, roadscholar said:

This may be what Chris was linking, either way nice road.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/UNRALLY2022/i-N7dVgtt/A

 

While there I came across an oldie of us riding some singletrack in Colorado.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/SALIDA-2015/i-VDXwPMB/A

 

Thanks Bill.  I have been struggling with SmugMug of late.

[BrianT]

7 hours ago, roadscholar said:

This may be what Chris was linking, either way nice road.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/UNRALLY2022/i-N7dVgtt/A

 

THANK YOU!  That worked. And thank you @lawnchairboy for posting this up so quick. A pleasure riding with you. 

[lawnchairboy]

and you sir.

[Bernie]

Found this at a Starbucks, after crossing into the south. Poor fellow couldn’t afford the coffee and had to leave with no product. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[MikeB60]

On the Cherohala

[wbw6cos]

On Tuesday (06/28) @Indy Dave posted some photos in Right Now showing a tractor trailer blocking a twisty road in Tucker County during an UnRally ride.   The pictures showed the view from in front of the truck, inluding the wrecker.  This video will give you a different perspective:

 

(sorry for the sloppy editing; I am no TEWKS when it comes to this and no dirt rider when it comes to graphics on pics)  

 

First sign:

 

 

2nd & 3rd signs:   (please note the yellow sign is Advisory and the black and white one is Regulatory)  There are 2 more signs just ahead stating curvy road (yellow diamond) and NoTruck Turnaround (rectangle B&W)

 

 

Now for the video:

 

 

 

 

I forgot to include commentary about the that "truck driver story" comment I made as we rode away.   During the ride leading up to this blockage, the conversation between Joel and I included a joke (punchline) that I had made in reference to truck driver stories.  How appropriate, as we encountered circumstances present for that particular truck driver to tell his version of that incident.

 

What is the difference between a fairy tale and a truck driver story?

 

Spoiler

The truck driver story starts off with "you ain't gonna believe this s**t!"

 

 

[Hosstage]

But his gps said it was a shortcut.

Nimrod.

[BamaJohn]

14 hours ago, MikeB60 said:

On the Cherohala

The dynamic duo.....

[dba]

Took a little lunchtime ride to Lake Alpine on July 1.  Was very surprised that my brother and I were the only ones eating at the restaurant.  A lot of the camping areas were also not full.  Hwy 4 is a wonderful ride.  

 

[Redman]

Went on morning ride, expected to go on a hundred mile route that  have gone before. Since I know the route, I didnt take GPS, but dont really know the surrounding area.

Got part way there, turned at an intercetion, and then was road closed signs.....

 

......and they meant road closed, bridge completely gone, not getting past that.

 

SO I headed off in a direction I was completely unfamiliar with. After couple miles I saw signs for "blah blah street detour", which I had no idea what or where that was, but went that way any way.

FOund some interesting roads, that makes me want to figure out where I was, and maybe incorporate that into a regular route. Followed the detour and ended up just on other side of that same bridge. Was interesting to walk around the bridge construction site.

 

As I have found before, "Road Closed" signs means will be about no traffic. So continued on with about no traffic.

 

Made it to Newaygo.

Since I took longer than expected, I took a more direct route back.

[DeadEye]

A beautiful evening for a ride…

 

This Old Tractor…

 

 

17 cents a Gallon , but no High test !!!

 

[Redman]

1 hour ago, DeadEye said:

A beautiful evening for a ride…

 

This Old Tractor…

 

 

17 cents a Gallon , but no High test !!!

 

Thanks for adding to the thread.

 

WHere is this ?

[DeadEye]

1 hour ago, Redman said:

Thanks for adding to the thread.

 

WHere is this ?

Outside of Ottawa, Ontario Canada

( not To be confused with Ontario California  )

[Scott9999]

Well, um, nobody beat me up about this, cause this WASN'T a motorcycle ride.  However, I did snap something that might be familiar to at least one member on this forum.  (I even waved a little bit at Pat as I passed by.)

 

 

The whole story is "TMI", but short story long (Oh, now, here he goes again! 🙄), today was the drive from hell, Maine to Harrisburg, PA, in "only" 15 hours, routed through NYC and NJ by a combination of three GPS devices (i.e. computerized "women", arguing among themselves, each with different opinions on the correct route), plus ... oh yeah, the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts, renumbering virtually every freakin' exit number, and NONE of the three GPS ladies keeping up to date with the changes.   I ended up being routed though NYC and NJ during rush hour, and then the traffic jam from hell.  I missed at least four recommended turns (e.g. I can turn at "A", or "B", or route "C", and it tells me "Turn at exit Z223496 ... TURN NOW!".  Or,  "stay in the left lane", and as soon as I make that turn, it directs me across four lanes of rush hour traffic within a 100 feet of travel, to the far RIGHT lane to make the next turn).  OMG, it was "rant" "RANT", "F**KIN' RANT!" from me,... uh...well, ya know what I mean.😔🤦‍♂️.  I think my wife has PTSD.  

 

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention, I was TOWING a 6000 lb vehicle on a Uhaul vehicle carrier, which bounced like a freakin' basketball on New England's "finest" roads, most of the way through.   Just as I passed the last service center for 15 miles, before entering a one horse-and-buggy lane with concrete barriers on either side, and just before we merged from two lanes to one, I noticed one of the front tire retaining straps was blowing in the breeze.  At the same time, a guy in a pickup pulls up next to me with a panicked look on his face, motioning like a guy bouncing a 7' high basketball.  The left front strap on the trailer had broken free due to all the bouncing, and only the right strap and safety chains were holding the car down.

 

Anyhow, it was supposed to be a fun day for me and the wife, revisiting where we spent our first year of marriage, seeing some of New England that we had never seen before, while doing my sister a favor,  but it didn't work out that way.  As for my wife and the PTSD, rest assured, she'll be just fine.  (However, I did hide all the sharp things in our hotel room, just in case she ... ah ... reconsiders our marital arrangements after 37 years of bliss plus one day of hell with me.)

 

When I finally get back to Idaho, I hope I can contribute a REAL ride report (i.e. Beemer style), but this is all I've got for now.   On to Knoxville (TN) and Alabama after that.   Have some sympathy, though, and go have a fun tomorrow ride for me!👍🍻

 

[roadscholar]

Two words, Rand McNally : )

[Scott9999]

44 minutes ago, roadscholar said:

Two words, Rand McNally : )

Who is he?😲

 

Seriously, I haven't seen a mapbook in maybe 15 years.  Used to live by them.   A GPS  ~~IS~~ quicker, simplier, and generally provides information that is generally more timely, in depth, and complete than a printed map or map book, even if you bought a new one every time it was published.   I don't necessarily fault the GPS computers.  It's GIGO (garbage in, garbage out).   In my experience, my Ford GPS (circa 2014; the vehicle I was driving today was a borrowed 2016), has the best interface and graphics, but their data is 4 to 8 years out of date, even if you buy their most recent upgrade chip.  The Garmins are OK, middle of the road usability, and are generally better updated, but far from perfect.  Of course, the Garmins live or die by GPS satellite, which means they provide the best data when internet is unreliable.   Of course, Google's large investment in GIS and Satellite technology, plus actual on the ground mapping, appears to make them the most current and accurate.   Google's downside is two fold: (a) Their interface plain sucks.  It seems like the most recent version(s) target the tablet market, because they have added banners and displays that obscure the actual map near total on a 7" Android phone, diminishing, obviously, their usefulness.  (b) Google's focus on ad revenue skews nearly any query.  What is mapping reality, and what is Google directing you to a sponsor?

 

So, I know of no perfect solution.  The tool is only as good as it's data, and the data changes routinely, by public agencies who appear to have little regard for the end users of the infrastructure they support.   That appeared to be the case for those New England roads.   The GPS systems couldn't give me an accurate route, because the infrastructure on major highways had recently (and extensively) changed.

 

But whatever, I was just relaying both frustration and interesting (maybe even funny) things that happened to me, while traveling in Pat's neck of the woods.  Off topic  a bit for this thread, but I hope I haven't offended anyone or done any harm.

[roadscholar]

1 hour ago, Scott9999 said:

A GPS  ~~IS~~ quicker, simplier, and generally provides information that is generally more timely, in depth, and complete than a printed map or map book, even if you bought a new one every time it was published.   I don't necessarily fault the GPS

 

1 hour ago, Scott9999 said:

So, I know of no perfect solution.  The tool is only as good as it's data, and the data changes routinely, by public agencies who appear to have little regard for the end users of the infrastructure they support.   That appeared to be the case for those New England roads.   The GPS systems couldn't give me an accurate route, because the infrastructure on major highways had recently (and extensively) changed.

 

Except that it sent you through NYC on 95 at rush hour taking 15 hours instead of Interstate 84 and 81 from Tewksbury to Harrisburg which takes 6.5 hours. It's possible to get from Tewksbury to Knoxville in 15 hours : )

[Hosstage]

Sorry to hear of your exciting adventure Scott, hopefully next legs go a little smoother.

When traveling I tend to get an overview of where I'm going before I set out, so hopefully I can avoid the issues you got to have fun with. But think of all the extra quality time you got to spend with your wife! What doesn't kill you makes you stronger ....

[DeadEye]

Out for a ride with my Son,

 

 

[TEWKS]

22 hours ago, Scott9999 said:

Well, um, nobody beat me up about this, cause this WASN'T a motorcycle ride.  However, I did snap something that might be familiar to at least one member on this forum.  (I even waved a little bit at Pat as I passed by.)

 

 

The whole story is "TMI", but short story long (Oh, now, here he goes again! 🙄), today was the drive from hell, Maine to Harrisburg, PA, in "only" 15 hours, routed through NYC and NJ by a combination of three GPS devices (i.e. computerized "women", arguing among themselves, each with different opinions on the correct route), plus ... oh yeah, the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts, renumbering virtually every freakin' exit number, and NONE of the three GPS ladies keeping up to date with the changes.   I ended up being routed though NYC and NJ during rush hour, and then the traffic jam from hell.  I missed at least four recommended turns (e.g. I can turn at "A", or "B", or route "C", and it tells me "Turn at exit Z223496 ... TURN NOW!".  Or,  "stay in the left lane", and as soon as I make that turn, it directs me across four lanes of rush hour traffic within a 100 feet of travel, to the far RIGHT lane to make the next turn).  OMG, it was "rant" "RANT", "F**KIN' RANT!" from me,... uh...well, ya know what I mean.😔🤦‍♂️.  I think my wife has PTSD.  

 

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention, I was TOWING a 6000 lb vehicle on a Uhaul vehicle carrier, which bounced like a freakin' basketball on New England's "finest" roads, most of the way through.   Just as I passed the last service center for 15 miles, before entering a one horse-and-buggy lane with concrete barriers on either side, and just before we merged from two lanes to one, I noticed one of the front tire retaining straps was blowing in the breeze.  At the same time, a guy in a pickup pulls up next to me with a panicked look on his face, motioning like a guy bouncing a 7' high basketball.  The left front strap on the trailer had broken free due to all the bouncing, and only the right strap and safety chains were holding the car down.

 

Anyhow, it was supposed to be a fun day for me and the wife, revisiting where we spent our first year of marriage, seeing some of New England that we had never seen before, while doing my sister a favor,  but it didn't work out that way.  As for my wife and the PTSD, rest assured, she'll be just fine.  (However, I did hide all the sharp things in our hotel room, just in case she ... ah ... reconsiders our marital arrangements after 37 years of bliss plus one day of hell with me.)

 

When I finally get back to Idaho, I hope I can contribute a REAL ride report (i.e. Beemer style), but this is all I've got for now.   On to Knoxville (TN) and Alabama after that.   Have some sympathy, though, and go have a fun tomorrow ride for me!👍🍻

 

Oh man, you should of mentioned you were coming through town. Could of stopped for a coffee and a short conversation. Granted, you’d still be on the Mass Pike right about now….  Kidding, I only wish I could lay my thoughts out on a keyboard like you can. 

[Scott9999]

1 hour ago, TEWKS said:

Oh man, you should of mentioned you were coming through town. Could of stopped for a coffee and a short conversation. Granted, you’d still be on the Mass Pike right about now….  Kidding, I only wish I could lay my thoughts out on a keyboard like you can. 

Verbose writing is kind of like a disease no one wants to get, rather than being a desirable skill.   Be thankful for the REAL blessings ya have.😁

 

I'd have loved buying you a cup of coffee, if not something stronger.  (I definitely could have used something stronger about then.)  However, I was busy getting lost multiple times.  (Note for other members.  If I ever show up at a group ride, put me near the back and NO WHERE near the lead.  If I lead, you're all lost.  If I'm following the lead bike, my bad juju will rub off and HE'LL get lost.  If I suggest "lets turn left", ALL go right.🙄  Anyhow, definite rain check if I can get back up there on two wheels.

 

Wasn't a total loss, though.  We stopped by Westford, MA, where I parked my family for a year during a client engagement in Boston 28 years ago, and found the house we had rented.  NOTHING looks the same in Westford, including the house, lol   (It was a 100 year old, single story farmhouse.  Now it's a 4000 sq ft two story, with modern updates.  However, I got a picture of my smiling wife standing in front (right next to the Orkin man doing his thing), and we sent pix to our kids who were 5 and 6 years old back then.  I even found the tree my angry young son almost cut down while I was packing up the moving fan, to leave.  (He asked about that one.)

 

It was a much better day today.  We drove only drove 13 hours to cover 8.5, and made Knoxville only about six hours behind my originally planned schedule.  A combination of causes: the1+ hour delay 'cause they closed the whole freakin' westbound I81 mid-day Thursday so that they could scrap grass off the median.  (Unbelievable!)   There was some pretty heavy storms, could barely make out the traffic lane lines (no problem though; the big rigs defined the lines; everyone else just moved to wherever they weren't, out of self-preservation, I suppose.)   Ohh... plus, yeah, we were so wiped out from Wednesday, that we (my wife reminds me, the word should be "I") got up late, and we left late.   But, anyhow, it's beautiful country out there (PA-MD-WV-VA-TN), in any weather.   Even with the construction delays and weather, sitting amongst cornfields and dodging big rigs beats skyscrapers, concrete, and dodging New York drivers any day.😏

 

Tomorrow and Saturday we scout around, to see if this area of Tennessee feels like "home".

 

Enough B.S. about the trip, though.  Bill had it nailed with "Rand McNally".   No, I still won't break down and buy a map book.  However, the problems were all on me (except for the nasty traffic, all the undocumented route sign renumbering, and the construction).  I looked over the route, looked at some alternatives, told myself I knew the area well enough, had 3 GPS's working with me, it was good enough.   Should have had that route plan nailed, printed out, as a reserve reference.   GPS is great, but nothing replaces human knowledge of the geography, and intuition (i.e. given three route alternatives with no clear instructions, AT LEAST know which one goes N, which one E, which one W, South, and the direction you INTENDED to go, etc.)🙄.   Really, just being mentally lazy caused me the grief and lost time.  

[roadscholar]

It was a bit tongue in cheek Scott but at the same time an admission to being somewhat old skool when it comes to travel. For me the planning (viewing options, studying, and sometimes memorizing maps) can be almost as much fun as the trip. And there's one thing us Easterners have learned, unless your destination is in there somewhere it's best to avoid I-95 like the plague between Richmond and Boston, it is no fun pretty much any time of day.  

[Rougarou]

20 hours ago, roadscholar said:

 unless your destination is in there somewhere it's best to avoid I-95 like the plague between Richmond and Boston, it is no fun pretty much any time of day.  

 

Tru dat!!  When I have to go to NOVA, I always take US29

[TEWKS]

Beemer meet Bimmer.  

[wbw6cos]

What?   Are you on the RT-P, or something?   

 

Aren't there laws concerning stalking observing?

 

 

[TEWKS]

Stalking is caring.   Hey I only followed for about three miles then yeah, it started getting weird.  No, I was actually going to make a short video of my local adventure ride area but, my camera was aimed too low. Useless vid.  I cut these two and the other from the vid.

 

 

[TEWKS]

On 6/30/2022 at 11:51 PM, roadscholar said:

 

 

While there I came across an oldie of us riding some singletrack in Colorado.

 

https://lawnchairboy.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/SALIDA-2015/i-VDXwPMB/A

 

Where abouts was that Bill?  Very cool! 

[roadscholar]

3 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Where abouts was that Bill?  Very cool! 

 

Rainbow Trail Pat, a 100 mile hiking/biking trail that's open to motos. It starts west of US285 near Poncha Springs then runs down the length of the Sangre de Cristo range. We did a short section from Methodist Mtn to Bear Creek that day,, one of the easier ones. I tried to take dirt riding visitors on it whenever they were in town, I'm sorry you didn't get to but if I remember we had a pretty full schedule while you were there, if you do make it back though...

 

https://trails.colorado.gov/map/@38.471338,-106.013411,12.00z

 

We started with 3 but the other **Chris'** bike had a problem at the start so he headed back down (it could've been the wrong color : ).

 

 

Then there were 2, team Zuki.

 

 

 

 

 

From a different year in June, downed trees are common early in the season before the locals (Ramz on Adv) get out with their chain saws. We had to lift my bike over this one and as you can see from the missing bark others just rode over it (Caleb is contemplating the odds and in the end managed but not w/o some excitement : )

 

 

 

[TEWKS]

Looks like an awesome ride, Bill!  Thanks! 

[Mellow]

Near Pampa, TX

 

[Mellow]

[DeadEye]

Dirt day…

 

[Brodiepunker18]

Night ride. The moon was huge, full and orange-red…

 

[bendbill]

A day in the Cascades of Oregon: lakes, mountains, trees, volcanic vistas.  Even the Airbnb shower has a view:

 

[DeadEye]

33 minutes ago, BendBill said:

A day in the Cascades of Oregon: lakes, mountains, trees, volcanic vistas.  Even the Airbnb shower has a view:

 

 

 

Nice pictures !

St. Helens ...
How many Car Years equivalent of " Chemicals" did that put in the air...
They Should Outlaw those things OR Tax them !!!
Levy a Carbon tax against Volcanoes !

[Dennis Andress]

 

[LBump]

2 hours ago, Dennis Andress said:

 

 

Route 12 Escalante...?  Burr Trail...? 

Whatever, it's great to see

[Dennis Andress]

28 minutes ago, LBump said:

 

Route 12 Escalante...?  Burr Trail...? 

Whatever, it's great to see

 

Zion at dawn. 

[DeadEye]

1 hour ago, Dennis Andress said:

Zion at dawn. 

A couple of years ago we did a 1000 miles from Vegas doing the southern canyon loop up north to Monument valley and back through Zion on last day ish.

Best trip So far… the scenery just kept changing !

[Dennis Andress]

Damn that was fun!

 

 

The last 30 miles not so much…

[BrianT]

At 108F, that cooling vest must be working.