DATE: 16 Aug 2008, 1:37 pm / MOOD: Satisfied

Off I go again...I left out of the house for Johnson City to do some work at the library.  Got it done in an hour and twenty mins. and realized, it was still early.  So I head back toward Elizibethton and jump on 91 North.  This road will take you through the little borough of Stony Creek and beyond.  God, I can't remember all the little unincorporated little towns you pass...but after about 12 miles, you come into the hills and the Cherokee National Forest. 

 

91 winds up the hills with the cool twists and turns, switchbacks, steep drops to the edge of the road...and forest all around.  It's late in the year for the greenery of the forests, the trees are wearing their finery, but it is becoming faded and worn.  Ahhh but the aromas of the forest is still fresh and new, with honey suckle and other late blooming vines and flowers wafting their fragrance past my nose.  It's a nice ride through the Cherokee National Forest.

 

Up to the pinnacle of the little mountain...back down once more into the valley...it's another three miles or so to Shady Valley General Store, and US421 and onto the section of The Snake.

 

Stopping at the General Store, I order a burger and onion rings, a Mountain Dew...and watch the parade of bikers going in and out...some watching me as I watch them...yes, we bikers are generally a watchful bunch.  

Finishing my meal, I go out to the bike...light a smoke, drag on that till it's to the butt, then knock the cherry off it and deposit the butt in my pocket.  Insert the key, hit the switch and she jumps alive once more.  Leaving out of the parking lot...turning west toward Mountain City, I'm off.

 

Before I left, a large group of riders pulled out.  I gave them about five minutes before heading out, as I knew they would be moving a tad bit slower than I like to ride.  I guess, I didn't give them enough time, because I came upon them in about ten minutes time.  Sigh...so I ride behind the group...and yawn...brake and yawn...I have never taken The Snake on the weekend...and I won't again.  Too much traffic, and while I am not a knee dragger...I do enjoy just a little more speed than I got behind the bagger draggers!  (No, I'm not giving you guys a bunch of shit...I like baggers, and if I was riding one on the Snake...I would be slowing down a bit too...)

 

On the other side of the Mountain, the state troopers were in action, they had pulled over a speed junkie from the group who left just before my bagger dragger group had...guess the little metric biker didn't know where the trooper Sits...he's there often, at any day of the week...Everyone slows down at that turn...sigh, bet he knows now!

 

Getting into Mountain City I decide to take US 421 toward Boone.  The Bagger Draggers were from VA. and turned North onto CR 167 from US421...that is when I decided "heck, time to get lost again."  I make a left, south onto CR167.  This turned out to be a real good thing.  I followed the Doe River to and fro...up and down little hills around rock bluffs, and down this holler and up that dale...it was a very good road.  CR 167 dumps out right into SR 67 and Watuga Lake.  The lake is up from the last time I saw it, but not enough for it to look beautiful.  That would take another twenty feet of bank to give it the natural beauty of a healthy lake.  But all the same at the altitude of this lake...it's amazing it holds any water at all, dam or no dam.

 

Now that I am on SR 67...I am back in familiar territory...it junctions into SR 321 and home to Elizibethton.  It was a three hour ride, and only fifty five miles.  But again, it was a good meandering path...used to take my mind away from the crap of daily living.
Another good day down.
Chessie

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DATE: 16 Aug 2008, 3:39 am / MOOD: Satisfied

I had another good day on the bike yesterday.  I really like the fact, here in NE TN. I can ride for years and not discover all the cool little roads leading to nowhere, but eventually will take me home again.

 

Yesterday, while riding a favorite route, and knowing I had less than an hour to get home, I decided to take a side road that looked promising.  It was.  Coming off of US 107, heading north on a road whose name escapes me, but one that I have ridden many times before...I decide I still  have time to do some slight exploring.  I see a few roads that look inviting, but I was actually traveling too fast to take advantage of them.  So I slow down, and say to myself... "The next road to the right is gonna be the one." 

 

All righty then, here it comes... I make the turn, notice the name of the road and promptly forget it, as I wind my way down this small street with lots of gravel from washed out driveways.  I can feel my front wheel break from the road surface as I take some of the little twisties, and I'm not even going more than 35 mph.  As I continue down this road, it becomes more narrow, and less populated, but looking in my rear view mirror...I notice I have two vehicles behind me.  One is a mini van, and I wonder what the hell that thing is doing here on this road, as it is reminding more and more of some of the roads that will take you to your local still maker, than to the few homes that dotted the hills on both sides of the narrow little path that was still dubbed a road, as beneath all the gravel from washouts...it was still paved!

 

The mini van and it's companion car behind it turned off ...and I was left alone on this little back woods road to meander along side a little stream...and the wonderful woods all around me.  I still kept hearing  the banjo strumming...  da da dum dum dum dum dum dum dum, and the replying guitar picking right behind that damn banjo.  Damn my imagination anyway!  I was so far back in the hills and the woods, I actually came across a small family saw mill still in operation.  That was comforting...since the little stream was too small to actually hide a large body in...these people could now take my body to the saw mill and gut it up as fish bait...you never know...cuz there is "Stills in these Hills" folks!  Of course my imagination was working over time...the road went up and down lil paths that once were goat paths...or perhaps the occasional bull traversed this place at some time...LOL But it was a damn nice place of natural beauty...and it was only six miles long.  It looped right back onto the road I left...but sure made for an interesting jaunt with my imagination. 

Did I tell you?  I really like these small roads out here, they lead to nowhere, then back home again...leaving me feeling as if I had taken a 300 mile ride, when actually...it was only fifty!

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DATE: 30 Jul 2008, 8:07 am / MOOD: Elated

I went for a ride yesterday. Many of you already know, for me, getting out for a couple of hours to ride is now a luxury.  I hadn't intended to be gone 4 1/2 hours.  It was only gonna be around a 70 mile loop ride I discovered last year, and had only been on that one time. 

I left with good intentions this morning, to be the "good girl" and return home a little after the noon hour...still in plenty of time to fix lunch for my Mom, and spend some time with her working in the yard.  Ah well, the road is paved with good intentions!

 

Leaving out of the house this morning at 11.30 AM, my intention was to ride to the pinnacle of Roan Mountain, where the North Carolina and TN. state lines collide.  Ride down the NC side, into Bakersville, head east to Erin TN. and back home.  My sister and her new squeeze are riding...and I offered to show them some great roads.  Diane, is a widow of 9 months, and after some time searching, has found a man who is fun, interesting, active, splits his time between Florida and TN., works for himself and actually has investments, likes to flip properties...hell the list goes on.  My sister has never been on the back of a bike, and her squeeze went down to Florida, and brought back his motorcycle.  Diane went for her first ride last weekend and spent the day riding The Snake and spending time at the Shady Valley Country Store.  A huge gathering place for local bikers.  She loved it.

Anyway, I told her I wanted to show them this loop ride this coming weekend, and I thought I should refresh my memory of the road before taking them.  As I said, I had good intentions. 

 

Once arriving at Bakersville, I made the Westerly turn on another State Road, followed that...until I nearly T-boned a jackass who thought it feasible to make a turn in front of me at some town named "Loafers Den" or something like that...I'm sure I looked like Mr. Bill as I was standing on both brakes trying to avoid the collision.  In his defense though...he realized in time he had fucked up, readjusted his maneuver to avoid me...(bless the angel who was riding with me,)after that, I also realized it wasn't the same road I remembered from the first time.  Once that realization set in...I said to hell with it...take some good looking side roads!  I veered right onto a road named Jack's Creek Road.  I couldn't rightly say which direction I was headed in...once in the mountains, I get all topsy turvy with absolutely no sense of direction.  Jacks' Creek Road is a great little ride...about 25 miles (maybe more) of riding next to a creek with all the great views one encounters as they ride the hills of North Carolina next to a winding creek.  I spotted deer...(Three of em jumped into the road ahead of me...such fine looking animals! Long and sleek, graceful as they bounded across the road...two of them looking at me as they leaped...) Very cool.

 

But as I kept going on Jack's Creek Road, I realized the miles were mounting, and no gas stops to be seen.  I was at the sixty, then seventy, (oh my God, there goes 80 miles) mile mark of my ride, and I was beginning to worry abit.  I hate knocking on the door of farmers, begging for a gallon of gas!  As it turns out, riding the roads of the mountains and hills, your not twisting the throttle as full open as you would (and do) on the straight highways and roads of the flat lands.  I can get about 90 miles to the tank and not hit reserve before I fill up.  That's exactly what happened this time as well.  at the end of Jack's Creek Road, I found US 19E.  I'm still in North Carolina, but I know if I head north on 19E, I will eventually end up on the other side of town from my home.  So I jump on 19E, go north for less than a mile, find a gas station and fill up. 1.83 gallons, and 94 miles on the odometer.  Whew...my angel again be praised!

 

Now I've never been this far south on 19E...and in fact I didn't even know where the heck I was. But 19E turned out to be a great road for motorcycling...including the rain clouds that popped up and bounced along side the mountain I was traversing.  The shower popped up, small drops at first, enlarging to pea size as I moved up the side of the mountain.  I was completely soaked in minutes, but it was all good.  Rain seems to wash the cares of the past from me.  I like it just fine, sometimes I liken the event to being scrubbed with sandpaper...at least the part of me that harbors all the evil shit that hides within...the places that even a good long ride can't get at! This rain shower did just that for me.  I did stop at a gas station/ auto repair station.  There I sat in the rain, next to another HD that had been parked near the turn in (I suspect the owner was a mech. who worked in the auto shop, because I could see him peering out at me as I switched my smokes and my cell from my bra to my purse.)  I'm sure he believed I was there to get out of the rain...must of surprised him as I just sat on my bike doing the transfer thing in the rain, then started her up again, and moved on out into the traffic and the rain. 

 

Shortly after that little stop, I arrived at the peak of the mountain, and started down the other side.  No rain here, and I began to dry out as I reached the lower elevations.  The road narrowed, became less dense with traffic, and soon became twisty...as I again started ascending in elevation, crossing another mountain.  I traveled on 19E for another 90 miles, before coming to Elizabethan TN.  and another five miles to home. 

 

Except for gas stops, two smoke breaks, and the rain stop...it was all riding.  It was only 164 miles, it took 4 1/2 hours, and when I returned home I had the best feeling of contentment I have had in a long time.  Mom...who rode for years before her health declined, understood.  She took care of herself, and I was damn happy to come home and find her exhausted from her own day!

I so love getting lost, I love the rain, and I love coming home again.
Chessie

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DATE: 19 Jun 2008, 3:29 am / MOOD: Satisfied

Wow, this was an awesome time this time around!
Weather was perfect, not too hot, not too wet...not too cold!
Day one of the journey concluded with 530 miles under the wheels, and my ass. That's a good ride on a Sportster. I landed in Anderson Indiana around 9.15 PM. I was to go directly to Kenny's house, but I had wind roar so bad in my ears, that getting directions there was damn near impossible. I had called for directions to Kenny's town from outside of Indie, and I thought I was talking to Kenny the whole time. I was cussing up a storm with the "F" word coming up frequently...only to find out, once I arrived in town and had taken a motel, that the person I was speaking to was Kenny's Grand dad! LOL I guess the ol gent got an ear full. I talked to him again the next morning on the phone...and he just laughed and laughed at my embarrassment...Kenny has one cool Grand-Dad...He's a very lucky man...in fact, I would say they both are lucky to have one another!

On my way to the Indie area, I crossed over many of the rivers that are swollen and over their banks, causing destruction and havoc all over the Mid West. The Kansas River, The Mo. River, The White river, the Ohio river...wow...I've not seen such high waters...ever. For those who are affected by the waters, I hope all is not lost, and that you can recover from FEMA the losses you have experienced and get your lives moving again.

Here's a funny sight I saw on my way to Kenny's....I was in the heart of farm country, and passing the corn fields, most of the land nearest to the roadsides were under water. I saw two Mallard ducks swimming in a corn field...not funny, but when the female went ass up with her head under water to fish....now that was funny. Fishing in a corn field! Life's better moments pass by without a camera handy!

I got lost coming into "Moon Cricket" as our dear Kenny calls his home town...and gave up the ghost at an Indian run cheap motel on the strip....the bed was firm, the room "smelled" clean...the water was hot, and the guy running the place told me I could ride my bike into the room! Now that was a first!

Kenny came over and we shot the shit for a few hours, then he headed home and I headed for the showers....with plans to ride the next day. I forgot, Jeff was to be in Atlanta for a three day business meeting...

home again part 2

So with Jeff's admonition in mind, I called Kenny and told his Grand Dad...I had to get the hell outta Dodge...That's when I found out what a real ladies man the senior Kenny was! LOL, I should have made the three mile ride over to their home to meet this guy! He is quite the card to be sure! Day two of the ride home was also quite uneventful...EXCEPT... I have a new phone...Verizon Navigator....I decided to use it to get my ass outta of Moon Cricket USA. I hadn't really used it yet...and did all the settings, expecting it to make my route for me...which it did...unfortunetly...while I was exploring all the options, I had reset the thing to route me the shortest distance...using less than 50 miles of Interstate at a stretch! LOL...Kenny...I bet I know more about how to get around your state through the cornfields and county roads than you do! This thing took me on roads that were large enough of a cow to pass unmolested by a pedestrian...but if there were two vehicles on the same road...one had to go off road to get by! I saw places I never knew I would or could see in Indiana...and still get out alive! I loved it, but it did take 2 hours to cover less than fifty miles! I wasn't bored though! (And I don't think I even got out of the county "Moon Cricket" resided in! When I finally hit US 27 South...I grabbed it, and put the damn Navigator away! I rode US 27 South through detours around washed out bridges from the flooding...and no GAS STATIONS....for about sixty miles. When a gas station did finally appear, I put 1.89 gallons into a two gallon tank. I was sweating the small stuff by then! A few miles down the road from the station, I hit Ohio...then the by pass around Cinci...and then onto I-75. I was done exploring, stick a fork in me...I'm sticking to the Interstate for a long while home! Gettin around Cinci was fun...no, I am not kidding you at all! It's been a while since I had ridden around a large city...Kansas City not included...this one reminded me more of getting around Miami...and was quite good, except for the buckled road portions where it was like hitting a speed bump at 70 miles per hour...guess that's why they have the speed limit at 55? Once onto 75 South...everything went smoothly. No problems with traffic, drivers, or cows! I got down around the KY TN boarder and took US 25E south to I-81. Another good road I just love! (US 25E...not I-81.) I pulled into the driveway at 8.25 PM...sat and smoked a cig. looking at the bike...noticed a drip coming from the carb...yeah newly rebuilt carb...and it didn't last the trip. Have to take it back to the shop and have them check it out and repair...I wondered why my gas mileage had dropped down from 50 miles to the gallon to 35. I blamed it on the speeds of 75-90 mph while on the Interstates...by the way...Weds was a day of lots of cops...on every road, secondary and Interstate...the silver bell on my bike must of saved me a ticket or two! Done for now folks...after 2200 miles, and a really good tan on my face and arms...I'm a happy camper! Chessie

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DATE: 17 Jun 2008, 4:18 am / MOOD: Tired

It's been a long ten days or so here at my daughter's home.  Spending a week plus with my daughter and her family has been terrific.  BUt she has made me promise to get back her sooner than the three years it took me to visit her this time...sigh....well, I must admit, I had a great deal of fun and happiness this time around!

So heading out this morning, expect to be in Indie by this evening...see a friend or two there and head south for KY and TN...ah...home....my own bed, and my man....not to mention my dog...miss them both....

I'll write more regarding the ride later,

Chessie

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DATE: 15 Jun 2008, 11:31 am / MOOD: Happy

NOOOO, I don't mean it sucks....I just mean there is a lot of wind around here!
My son in law took his bike out, got my grandson dressed in his gear, and the two of them rode the Buel, while I rode the Sportster.  The skies were clear, temps were startin' to cook, and this was to be my grandson's first "long distance" ride!  We headed north out of KC up towards Leavenworth into KS.  But as we rode further north...the clouds became dark and menacing, lots of lighting and just wasn't one of those great "cool us down and go away" type of showers.  Fact is, the front of the system coming towards us had high headers....and it was black as coal and was moving very quickly. 

 

We got to Leavenworth, pulled over to discuss our course of action...and my grandson is watching the storm system come at us...he's not real  happy with the prospect of getting wet...and was starting to get real unhappy about us sitting there discussing the weather instead of trying to get out ahead of it.  I Could see, there would be no out running it, and suggested we at least wait till the front passed over...I, am not a fond lover of the high winds that I experienced coming into KC when I got here a week ago.  Turns out to have been a very good and wise choice.  The winds were very turbulent...and even after waiting front of the clouds to pass, going back over the MO. River still sucked...cross winds were heavy, and the rain was coming down large as marbles. 

 

Now of course, every one else had jackets and full helmets with face shields.  Me with my pipes not heat shielded elected not to bring rain gear, I don't wear but a  1/2 helmet...actually less than a 1/2...and I didn't wear a jacket because it got blown off the bike somewhere in Indiana, and got picked up by a semi that was on my ass...I let him keep it on his grill...figured he would need it in case he hit freezing weather once he got to ID. or something....

 

So these huge arsed rain drops are bustin down around me, I have my t shirt up around my nose and cheeks, my son in law on his fricken Buel is riding at sixty mph on these two lane roads with pot holes as large as a taxi....and I am lost as hell...no idea of what direction I'm heading in as the sun is obliterated by the storm....I just keep on keepin on...

 

It was a really good ride for my grandson to experience the kind of weather and what to expect or not expect when it comes to the elements and motorcycle riding...we got around the worst of the weather...and pulled into the garage at the home twenty just as the heavy stuff started coming down...we all were laughing and having a great time...pulling off our clothes in the garage...as my son in law is a real pain in the ass about allowing drippage and such on his carpets...LOL anyway...it was a good ride all the same...didn't get the couple of hours in as we wanted...but my grandson got to experience motorcycling at it's finest...and he loved it!
Chessie

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DATE: 10 Jun 2008, 6:06 am / MOOD: Other

The Ride..so far...

Riding from Johnson City Tn. to Kansas City MO. The ride was fairly uneventful, of course there are some Small adjustments that had to be made, but...after a thousand miles, I can honestly say I hadn't had any problems with inattentive drivers, or with drivers who just didn't give a rats ass. I rarely do though once on the road proper. In fact, it's rare I have problems with bad drivers....once in a blue moon. How often do they come around anyway? Jumping on I-81 and heading west towards Nashville....by the time I got to Knoxville I was bored out of my mind. I stopped and consulted the map for an alternate route north for my foray into KY. It was the interstate I-75 turn to bore me to death now....that continued until I got to the state line of KY. I pulled off the road into a truck stop in KY, sat down to consult the map once more, when I realized the weather channel was on TV. I heard them talking about Indiana. WHAT was that about FLOODING? OH yeah they were talking about the INDY area...that's where I was heading to get to 2-Guns and Clem and Peaches....I-70 Closed...I-65 closed...due to flooding. Both roads were instrumental to me getting to and away from the INDY area. I look at my cell phone, and there was a call from Peaches...yuppers, she verifies the storms in that area and suggests I try getting there another time...GOOD IDEA! I go to call 2GUNS, and realize, I must have had another blonde moment before I left, because when I programed his phone number into my phone, it didn't take...no 2Guns in my phone book. OPPS...sorry guy! SOOOO....I go back to the atlas...and check out other routes for Kansas City MO. I'm bored off my rocker with the Interstate systems...looking for some good local twisty roads that will get me off the four lanes and onto some good state and county maintained roads. I found em! I jumped on 25 North for about 18 miles until it intersected with KY-92 West. Cool move there slick...nice road, two lane, well maintained, a few nice twists...nothing drastic....it even came with a few farm tractors, taking to the road as they moved from one field to another...LOL I loved it! The ride part II Most all the farmers were out cutting hay that Sat. morning, and the smell of freshly cut grass, (much different than lawn mowing cut grass smell) was in the air...I loved the small farming towns I pass through, and in KY...it appears to be legal to smoke in some public buildings! LOL it was 94 digress out, I was dehydrating quickly...and I wanted a smoke and some Ice Tea....I was looking desperately for a bar...so I could smoke and enjoy my ice tea with air conditioning....none to be had in small town KY....so I stopped at a little country store that had a gas station went inside and my nostrils were assaulted with that ghastly smell of stale cigarette smoke! How wonderful? There was a small dining area there and there were ASHTRAYS at every table! YEAH! LOL so i got me a tall water from the coolers, paid for it and sat at a table lit up a smoke and watched a small Boy watch me. After a time, his Dad noticed and started talking to me...LOL good guy...not real talkative, but just enough to break up the boredom for both of us. I was wearing my leather chaps...they are oil soaked on the left leg....and bug encrusted on both legs...the kid was fascinated with the bugs...he kept telling me about this dragon fly or that small unidentifiable mess that was on this leg or the other...LOL I love traveling! Well time to move on....KY-92 eventually joined up with KY-90 West, and I moved on that road for about 15 miles until I found the Cumberland Highway...again heading west. This turned out to be another interstate type road, but....time was getting on and I needed to make some tracks towards I-65 North. It was all quite uneventful...nothing of particular interest to stop and photograph...so I just kept heading north from Bowling Green on I-65 until I hit Louisville in KY. There I picked up I-64 West...taking that into ST. LOUIS. I stopped and stayed the night after crossing into Indiana. I was beat up by the sun, the heat, and the road. It was 7.30 PM and I was just looking for that air conditioned comfort and a gallon of Ice Tea. I found both at the Super Eight that night...my room even had a Jacuzzi in it. I had a good night, and sleep fitfully until 2 am....where I wondered through the halls looking for the stupid snack machine...I found it on the main floor, in my PJ's....where one could buy a regular sized candy bar for 1.50 cents....YOUR SHITTIN me right? I needed a chocolate fix...I paid for the fricken candy bar...stupid! Finally fell asleep at five am...woke again at 7.30. Went down stairs for continental breakfast...went back upstairs and grabbed all my gear. Got packed and back on the road by 9.15. Another uneventful day on the road, I hit ST.LOUIS in a bored way...I couldn't believe it...there was no fricken traffic on the highway...none! It was heaven...if I wasn't;t on an interstate in ST. LOUIS....it runs through the poorest parts of that town, and ya really don't wanna stop there for a breakdown or anything...so keep on truckin though old girl...keep on trucking through. I've spent some time in ST.LOUIS before, so stopping there didn't quite blow my dress up...moving along the interstate 64 You can watch the great ARCH of the Gateway to the West come into sharp focus on your left...it's a true wonder of the modern world. I recommend stopping in to visit if you've never seen it up close before. Yes It's worth braving downtown ST. Louis for...better at night though! After leaving ST. Louis, the Interstate merges with I-70 west and you travel the rest of the trip into Kansas City in that Interstate...again moving along that road wasn't bad, light traffic all the way....and I could see the Missouri River flooding over it's banks as I passed above it and around it in several areas....as well as all the other local and smaller waterways...glad I don't live here...I hate floods. The ride part III I'm now 50 miles east of Kansas City, and I call my daughter for directions into her house. No I've never been here before. She hands the phone over to her husband...my daughter gets lost trying to get her hand out of a paper bag....good thing she has this good man to get her around KC. I get the directions, then I get a warning...more rain. Severe threats they say...I look in the general direction....I don't see nuthin....keep on moving on! OK in Kansas and the skies look real bad...nasty black roiling clouds above me, the temps have dipped a bit...just crossing fingers hoping I will get to my daughters house before the rain comes down.... NOPE...get on the 435 by pass and down comes the rain, the temps dropped even more...it was cold as shit. No problem...really, I like riding in the rain. Oh no....how come the winds, I'm riding on grooved cement....rain, wind, and grooved cement make for lethal combinations. I kept riding...then I came across a bridge...and the crosswinds were the nastiest things I have ever encountered...and I have encountered cross winds before....I could feel the tires of my bike losing contact with the slippery road surface as the bike and I drifted over towards the wall of the bridge...we drifted over a full lane and a half! 2 Feet from the wall...I was shitting myself by that time...couldn't wait to get off the bridge, and find an exit....whew...there''s one...hey, it says there are casinos here! Whoo hoo! I don't gamble, but I know they have good security in their garages, I can unpack my shit, call my daughter to come get me...lock the bike, and leave it there for the evening, which is what I did. I slept like a baby that night...felt good to lie down.... Now I wonder what's gonna happen next?

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DATE: 04 Jun 2008, 5:43 am / MOOD: Hurt

Finally, I have enough money after getting my bike rebuilt, and Jeff's truck engine rebuilt...to make the long projected ride to MO.!

I will be traveling thorugh KY, and IL. on my way to Kansas City MO. to visit my daughter and grandson.  I plan to stop in IL. to visit with Clem and Peaches there, also in KY to say Hi to Dixie and her man...one more stop in ST. Louis to say howdy and ride with my friend Crazy there...then onto Kansas to ride with my daughter and son in law...for a few days before returning home.  Leaving on Sat.  Yes, this Sat.

Those of you who know me well enough...know that I rarely plan too far in advance, I got the go ahead on the trip today, and I am leaving, day after tomorrow...my heart is pounding...it's been a long time since I just got on and rode for hours and hours at a time!  Hoo-wee! I'm a happy camper now!

Chessie

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DATE: 09 Apr 2008, 3:05 am / MOOD: Happy

Another good day down!

04/08/08 OK now, I have finished the garden for Mom...another good deed down and dirty! Finished up yesterday at 1.30pm. Fixed lunch for Mom and me, then showered and changed clothes for a good ride! Put on 112 miles yesterday...face is kinda wind burned...but it does feel good! Headed up Hiway 91 north to Shady Valley...and Hiway 421. I have only been east on 421 from Shady Valley...the second have, (or first half, depending on which direction your coming from,) of "The Snake." A great local road that many say compares to "The Dragon." I must tell you, I like it better than The Dragon. Anyway, I headed west on 421 to compleate the 2nd half of The Snake, and found it a very pleasent ride indeed! Switchbacks, nice winding roads with somewhat interesting sceanery. I wasn't too happy with it's origins though...as the ride ends (when heading west) at Bristol TN. I really don't care for that town.... It was in my plan to follow 421 west through Bristol and into VA. then see where it leads from there, but what a pain in the arse...the road ends, then you pick it up after getting lost in a bad section of town a few miles later...at one point, I decided not to slow down for a stop sign...yeah, I'm not one to tempt evil demons when I don't have to. The section of town was that bad. Once I got out of town...421 disappeared again. Screw this...I pick another likely looking road to meander...and I am glad I did. I found a little two lane road Hiway 58, and headed west again. This put me in VA. and I am gonna tell ya...it's a differient country! This is farm land...with huge boulders buried under mounds of soil...with only their heads poking up from the ground, the cow paths pick their way around these "upcroppings" of stone...and the contrast between the white of the boulders, and the emerald green of the super moistened ground from all our recent rains was just damn breath taking. I wish there was a decent place to pull over and simply admire the view, take pictures and what not, but that was not to be...the side of the road featured sharp drop offs from the heavy rains....creating thier own gutters...very dangerous...not for the two wheeled motor conveyence what so ever! The only thing I would take off the road is a farm tractor! So there are no pictures of this VA. wonderland. Next time I go...I figure, I will slow down...and do a fine look out for an egress point...as well as a good re-entry point...I really want to get some pictures of what I saw here! eventully 58 will take you to a point where you will join up with Webb City...and that is where I had to turn off to return home. Jeff, (my lord and master,) was to be home around 4 pm, and I had promised to be home no later than 4.30 PM...he told me he would call out the troops to look for me if I wasn't home by 5.30! Lord that man knows me too well! I jumped on I-26 for about 5 miles, then got off at Kingsport, which is just north of Johnson City...and took Roan Ave. into the city. I kept her at 45mph and below until hit I-26...then took her up to 55 MPH for the five miles I was on 26. I was really a good girl...didn't get over zealous yet! I have discovered something else that really pissed me off. When I took the bike into the shop, I told them I wanted the breather rerouted. I insisted on it. When the bike was done, and I picked her up, I noticed there wasn't a charge for the rerouting kit, I inquried about it...and they said, with the work we have done with your bike, this should take care of the problem. I told em..."I have had this bike for four years, got it with 1200 miles on it. It blew oil out the air cleaner back then when it was almost fricken brand new...nothing you do will make this any better...I wanted this rerouted. They told me to take it home and try it anyway. Well, here we are at 180 miles into the break in...and the filter is clogged with oil, and is dripping down onto the cases and my leg...just like always. So, yeah, I'm pissed, cuz now I will have to pay AGAIN for them to take off the carb and install the damn rerouter...RAT BASTARDS! Now I like my mechanic, and it's not his fault it wasn't done. The service writer did not include that on the WO....and since they write all this shit in a computor now...and not on hard copy in front of you when you are there telling em what you want done...then it don't get done! Since this is the first time I have encountered a shop who don't write hard copies in front of ya...I didn't know any better. Well, I do now! The Rat Bastards. OK done for now... Chessie

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DATE: 08 Apr 2008, 2:55 am / MOOD: Content

Finally, I got a chance to put the first 50 miles on the bike after the new top end was installed a week ago. 

After almost four days of solid rain, then a day of rest, which did not include rest, but a lot of garden work, I was able to throw a leg over the saddle, plop my ass down, turn the key, prime the carb and fire her to life for something more than a ride to the store and back.

This time after a top end, I am taking my mechanic's advice, and breaking her in easy.  Not hard here in the hills of NE TN.  All the back roads are hilly, curvy, and marked at 45 mph or less.  This makes for the "Don't drive at a constant, have the MPH and the RPMs up and down, allowing for the seating of the rings to go smoother for the first 50 miles."  OK, so I put 68 miles on the bike yesterday, all on the back roads, all at 45 MPH or less, until I hit the magic 50 miles.  Then I pumped her up to 55 MPH for a mile or two in between curves. 

While the ride was only about two hours long, I still had a great ride.  I took hiway 107...one of my favorite rides in the area and headed east for a while before jumping on a west bound road and heading for home. 

The roads were quiet, not much traffic coming or going, they were mostly clear of debris, except for where people had gravel driveways that headed up a grade...allowing for wash out gravel in the road...of course these were mostly on or going into and out of curves...but damn...it was good!

I'm not real happy with the performance of the bike at this juncture, at any time the bike is running under 2k RPMs, she dogs.  Real bad.  As soon as she hits the magic 2 grand or above...it's like riding a rocket.  Kinda sucks when that happens just before a curve or while whipping out of it.  So once I get the 250 miles of suggested break in for the engine...she goes back in for the dyna tune...They will know about it then.  Till that time, I will be aware of the "sling shot affect" and will react accordingly. 

The pipes are another small disappointment.  I didn't order the heat shields to go with em...it was an added expense, that while badly needed, were left for another time due to the expense of the total rebuild.  In other words, they were something I wanted, but could live without...for now.  I've learned to cock my boot away from the forward pipe while my foot is extended in the forward position, I have learned to make sure my leg is not resting near the pipe when the left leg is down at a stop...I have learned that I DO WANT HALF CHAPS!  (I can get them for half the price of the heat shields!)  But most of all, I learned that I really like heat shields.

Other than that, break in time was perfect.  The weather was perfect for the new cylinders, pistons and rings...low 70's...so the heat of the day was not overwhelming for them.  The roads, as I said earlier were empty, the rains had brought out the trees in fine young greens, or in their brilliant colors of whites, yellows, pinks, reds, and the rainbow of spring colors that simply make ya glad to be alive and experiencing it on a bike!  The air was crisp and clean, and the aromas of the day were vibrant and bursting all around me!  What an excellent day!

Gonna do it all again today....hoping to be done with the Garden of Good and Evil this morning...(That's what a friend of mine has decided to name the project I am building for my mom...a three tiered garden surrounding a 8x8 stone patio.) 

Today I add the cow shit to the soil I put in yesterday...and leave Mom to happily toil away at her new garden, adding tomato plants, potato's, onions, Cukes, and what ever else suits her...I'm very proud of the effort we (my man and I,) have made for Mom...it looks great, and she just loves it!

OK, done for the ride log now...I'll give more details of today's ride...tomorrow...maybe some pictures, that's if I don't get too eager to ride and take off without the camera again today!

Chessie

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