BRP Introduction

[Frank Cloud]

Introduction to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP)

 

In order to begin the journey, I feel it necessary to tell you where the journey really began. Bear with me as I give you a brief introduction to my story.

 

Four and one half years ago, I was re-introduced to the motorcycling world. At the age of 33, it was my time to rediscover a long forgotten passion that I had some twenty years earlier. At the ripe old age of thirteen, I had given up horseback riding and begged dear old dad into purchasing a motorcycle for my use. Dad was not a stranger to the sport (riding Husky dirt bikes in earlier days) and finally agreed after what seemed like months of relentless begging. To this day I have never figured out how he conned my Mom into allowing this purchase. Perhaps he just used the old “better to ask for forgiveness routine”

 

He brought it home and thus began the addiction. It was a used 1975 Honda XL-100. What a great thumper it turned out to be. As my friends’ faster two strokes systematically broke down for one reason or another, the old Honda just kept on thumping. This bike carried me through two years of power-line and trail riding without a hitch until the BIG Con. At fifteen, I was told that my first car would be given to me if I agreed to sell the bike. That marked the end of my motorcycling career, or so everyone thought. The bug persisted over the years, occasionally sneaking rides on friends’ bikes, I vowed to own one again.

 

Fast forward to the year 1997. Years of college, then marriage and temporarily made me forget the bug. Then a strange thing happened as family members began purchasing bikes. First, my sister married a biker and began riding her own bike. Then my uncle, his son and daughter-in-law each purchased bikes and began riding. Finally, my wife’s brothers both purchased bikes and began riding. This was the final straw, and I had to have a bike. In early 1998, my brother-in-law made me a great deal on a 1992 K75 and it was off to the races. The first years of riding only netted 3500 miles, but it was enough to make me want more.

 

One year later I traded in the K75 on a brand new 1999 R1100RT and started the year by doubling the mileage of my previous year. There was no turning back at this point. Often at family dinner, we all talked of one day riding the BRP and this is where the story begins. I must note that since that time period, my sister rides only two up and the uncle, his son and daughter-in-law have sold their bikes and given up the sport. It was up to me to make the dream a reality so the plan was set in motion. One of my wife’s brothers decided to join me and with little to no planning, we were off.

 

Next entry: Day one of the BRP

 

 

 

[SageRider]

In reply to:

---

Next entry: Day one of the BRP

---

Neat! A serial! How many episodes? Daily? Weekly?

Great bike choice.