Art.. Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Plain and simple, I had a great time. I'm real busy at work right now, but I just wanted to post to say thanks to EVERYONE for a good time. Typical laid-back crowd, great roads, new faces, good times. More pics later...... Link to comment
Kitsap Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 I have to get to the right coast some time. Link to comment
ChrisNYC Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Nice pics Art. Looks like you avoided the interstates! Sorry I couldn't join you all. Anxiously awaiting to see more pictures and hear more tall tales ... ------------------ Chris (aka Tender Vittles ) Little '77 KZ400 in the Big Apple Black '99 RT for Everywhere Else, such as ... Link to comment
BPeterson Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 Art - good seeing you again. Mayhem this year was quite fun. As soon as I get back to town I'll upload some of the pics I took during the event. Good time had by all I hope. See you again next year. Link to comment
casticus Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Had a blast meeting all of you. Sorry we had to cut out and leave on Saturday morning but SO's MSW class schedule dictated it. Had an excellent time at dinner. I hope to hook up with all of you again in the future. We had a smooth ride back to Michigan and got back on Sunday evening. Thanks for the hospitality Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 Brian, good to see ya! Dave, nice to meet you, and your girlfriend is hardcore Here are a few more...... Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 In the clouds near Mt Mitchell on Saturday morning. Link to comment
ofccat Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Had a great time. I look forward to seeing everyone again. Maybe next time I will be on a bigger bike Link to comment
ofccat Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I had the F650ST. Casticus should be posting some picks soon that we took on our vacation. Link to comment
beamergirl Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Art, Looks like you had a good time as well. I really wanted to be able to spend just one day at Mayhem, just couldn't fit it all in. Next year will push further south for some rallies - would love to make TX. We danced with rain clouds on Friday, more road spray than anything, but at least the temps were warm Looking forward to your other pics and those from others that attended. Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Well, here is a quick summary of my trip. Day 1 - 400 miles Left home ( Hudson Valley, NY) around 10. Nice weather, decided to mosey down 209. Slabbed from Easton PA, stopping in Carlisle to visit a friend, then on to Staunton, Virginia. 400 miles of trucks I don't know how those iron butt guys do it, I'm toast. Day 2 - 380 miles Blue Ridge Parkway, baby. Weather was purrfect. Nice and cool. Met up with Jim ( my Harley riding friend) and we just motored. Stopped in Floyd, VA for lunch, stopped in Blowing Rock for gas, basically just motored on down to Asheville. Sun was tough coming into Asheville, bright sunshine, then tunnel , the blinding sunshine...etc,etc......by the time we got to Asheville I was ready for a straight road. We check in to the Best Western and Jim is looking kinda pale..........turns out he has some kind of stomach bug that will stick with him for the rest of the trip......... I head over to the Barley for a pizza and beer, and Voodoo calls to bust my stones.........Where the heck are ya MAN! Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Day 3 - 350 miles We decide to ride the Cherohala. I tell Jim it's going to be an easy day, so he decides to ride instead of staying in bed. His butt is hurting , something about his seat is giving him problems, plus he has the virus issue........ We're supposed to meet Casticus and crew at 10, but I get yapping on the phone with a customer and we finally leave at 10:30. We ride 74 at a good clip and actually meet up with Casticus and Ofccat (so sorry I don't remember your name) and their friends at a gas station. How'd we do that?! They're headed to the Dragon, so we take off up 143 towards Robbinsville. Lunch at the Mexican joint in Robbinsville, food is pretty good for NC Mexican. Outside, some guy has everything including the kitchen sink in his pickup bed...... The Cherohala is awesome. Perfect pavement, sweeping turns, views.......the RT is eating it up. No one is out here. At a rest stop, I meet a Scotsman from Alabama. He's on a new GS, and tells me he's riding to Brazil later this year.....through the Darien Gap Anybody know this guy??? Jim and I head on to Tellico Plains. The next day, apparently a log cabin has a little problem on this same stretch of road...... Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Question: Is it Tell-E-co Plains, or Telli-co Plains, like Telli-tubbies Either way, we're there, it's 2:00pm, and it's 200 miles back to Asheville. And Jim is hurting.........note the towel. Our easy day turned into 350 miles. 64 south to...I don't remember, maybe 123??. Then 74 back. We pull in just as Gregg and Candi arrive. Bill D is there, Boxxer Richard, Len, Jim McMains, who am I missing?? Dinner with Bill, Candi, Gregg. Good conversation, tired.....off to bed. Tomorrow we have a guide Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Day 4 - 300 miles Yup, a guide. My friend Barry is coming over from Charlotte to show us some roads. He says we're going to Brevard, Cashiers, Franklin.........if you say so We ride the BRP near Mt. Pisgah. I have got to get my bride up here Wow. Then 276 south in the Pisgah Forest. Monarch butterflys EVERYWHERE! What a beautiful road. The road twists down the mountain, eventually following a river through a tunnel of green leaves with rays of sun shining through. Just beautiful. Lunch in Cashiers at a barbeque place. I could get used to this. Then 64, past the waterfall where everyone rides their bike underneath (Hey, I read about this on the internet... ) We arrive in Franklin and jog to Wayah Road. Wayah Road was great. Barry can really ride, he's grinding the floorboards on the Electra Glide as I'm chasing him up the switchbacks. We arrive at a small lake and it starts to piss down rain. We ride on, passing fly fishermen and kayakers in the Nantahala Gorge. Then up onto the BRP again, where it really, really starts to rain.... Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Now we're having fun We follow the BRP all the way to Asheville. We get stuck in rush hour, and the rain starts coming down HARD. I need a hot shower to warm up, and then it's over to dinner with the crew at a nice Mexican place for Sinko-de Mayo. Good choice Jim, thanks for the cab ride! I sit next to Candi, which is an absolute treat because she is the nicest lady. Hopefully Brian will come through with some pics of dinner. Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Day 5 - 400 miles We leave early, our goal for the day is Staunton. We ride THROUGH the clouds near Mt. Mitchell. Visibility is nill, we're down to 15 mph. Later, it clears out, and the day is 'top ten'. I'm cruising about 10 over on the BRP, maybe 15 over, nice and easy, flowing turns......OH $#%&@, was that a COP??!! Yup. The park ranger yanks a U-ie in my mirror and I immediately pull over, Jim follows. Got us for 56 in a 45. Pulled me over because he saw my headlight dip, and he knew I had a detector. Luckily, we were polite, honest and respectful, because he let us off with a verbal warning. Everyone's so nice in the South We make Staunton around 7ish, and I'm plotting an early rise for the morning.......... Link to comment
Art.. Posted May 15, 2006 Author Share Posted May 15, 2006 Day 6 - 460 miles Up with the sun. I want to beat the trucks out onto I81. It's cold! 46 degrees, I crank up the Gerbings. I'm just riding............3 straight hours at about 72....I crank out 200 miles by 9:30. Fill my tank and repeat, I'm in Jersey by 12:30. So this is how those iron butt guys do it.......60 more miles and I'm home. 2290 miles - 6 days Thanks Mayhem Crew! Link to comment
Tom P Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Art...Great Pics! Haven't been to Mayhem since III and miss many of those views in your Pics. Got to find a way to do it next year. Link to comment
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