Smokehole road

I have been on smokehole road before. It was a few years back and it was still gravel. Today was my 1st trip back in a long time and I must say :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :clapping: . I had the entire road to myself. 1 car let me by on at the entrance and 3 cars passed by. Lane and 1/2 of the sweetest road ever put on this earth. I was doing a pre ride for a group ride in Oct. Had a great day today on some of WV finest back roads. Total mile 300+. My baby now has 2000 miles on her. Oh yea I scraped a peg for the first time in my riding live.

Bill

That's a really, really nice road... one of my all-time favorites. Rode it 3 or 4 times in the past year.

Have you tried Howards Lick Rd, yet? That's a good one, too.

It's south of Moorefield off of CR7. Hang a left onto CR12. THat is Howards Lick. It goes all the way through Lost River State Park & dumps out on Rte 259.

Try it you'll like it! The pavement is broken in a few areas... but not bad at all. Just be aware that it may be thataway... & you be good.

Heidi

We rode Smoke Hole last year during the WV ramble. My daughter Danielle was there on her SV650S. She still talks about how much she liked that road. She didn't scrape her pegs but the sides of her boots got some wear.

I followed some SQUID from Virginia down that road last year!

Can't wait to do it again.

Geezer I remember that road. Scenic, kinda, wasn't it?

Danielle get to MSF yet?

MartyA said:

Geezer I remember that road. Scenic, kinda, wasn't it?
Danielle get to MSF yet?

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Hi Marty, good to see you on the forum. Danielle had the MSF last year. She recently crashed her SV. She's OK, but the bike is toast and she is not in a hurry to get another bike. We'll see how that plays out.

My second daughter Deena just finished the MSF and bought herself a Ninja 250. Deena was my pillion last year at EOM and she plans on pillioning again this year so we'll see you there.

Geezer, what happened w/ Danielle?

I guess that she's ok... you don't sound panicked.

Please tell her that she's in good company.

I'll be seeing you guys in a couple of months.

Yeah give her our best!

luvtoride said:

Geezer, what happened w/ Danielle?I guess that she's ok... you don't sound panicked.

Please tell her that she's in good company.

I'll be seeing you guys in a couple of months.

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Well, I still don't really know what caused the problem. I just replaced her rear tire, installed a set of Convertibars, and went through her bike and made sure it was all in good order. She went about 20 miles and was having fun, enjoying the improved fit and new tire, and the next thing she knew she was sliding down the road off the bike. There were no tire marks on the road, so it wasn't from too much front brake. There were no hazards on the curve and she said she was not going too fast.

She slid about 60 feet and wound up in a soft muddy ditch at the base of some spruce boughs. One minor burn on her arm from the jacket heating up as it slid, and a bruise on her knee. Her pants wore through the knee to the pad and the jacket got scraped up on one sleeve. She would have been very badly injured if she hadn't been wearing that gear, especially the pants with padding on the knees. She is now an evangelist for ATGATT



The SV slid in a different path and hit a pole. It got a bent rim and cracked the frame where the rear suspension attaches, as well as a bunch of broken plastic and a bent handlebar. Everything was covered in mud. I haven't decided if I will try to repair the bike or sell the good parts and get her something else. Personally, I have been eyeing a DL1000, but that's just me.



She is going through the same trepidation that you dealt with. She has not ridden yet but I think she will in time.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

Take the time to heal mind and body, but don't let fear stop you from having fun!!!

Took out a deer with my last bike and it took awhile but it can be done.

Hope all is well as fast as can be.

Chuck

Wow, I am glad I decided to check the board today! This past Friday and Saturday I went up to Petersburg, WV on 33/55 through Franklin and Seneca Rocks; rode Smoke Hole Road over to I think it was 220 and looped around back down to the junction of 33/55 at Seneca Rock again. What a outstanding ride! Another great ride is old 55 from Petersburg/Moorefield then to Strasburg, VA. I think I saw my ass end couple time near McCauley road intersection! They have also completed the 4 lane super slab from Wardensville over to Moorefield; all my maps and Gazetteers had that road under construction. Well, it's not. I had the dang road to my self except for one old farmer in a 79 Chevy pic'm up truck. I scared the crap out him when I passed him. I think he was a going 45 mph and I was a going 9.... well lets say I was haul'n ass! back to Petersburg. That my fellow FJR riders is a road to ride, even though it is a four laner; it's fast, smooth and on top of the mountains the whole way!

OK;though I haven't actually traveled this ride, I have ridden each of these road a couple of time now; would like to suggest this path:

WV 60 EAST > WV 92 IN WHITE SLUPHER SPRINGS

NORTH UP 92 TO BARTOW > WV 28

28 UP TO JUDY GAP

JUDY GAP could either head EAST over to Franklin, WV(1) or NORTH ON 33 TO SENECA ROCKS(2)

(2)FROM SENECA ROCKS TO SMOKE HOLE ROAD BACK OVER & DOWN TO 220 AND FRANKLIN OR

(1)FROM FRANKLIN TO UPPER TRACT- ON TO SMOKE HOLE ROAD - BACK DOWN 28/55 TO SENECA ROCKS

AT SENECA ROCKS TAKE 33/55 OVER TO ELKINS

ELKINS SOUTH ON 219 BACK TO LEWISBURG

(2) FROM FRANKLIN TAKE 220 SOUTH DOWN TO COVINGTON, VA

COVINGTON, VA WEST ON 64 BACK TO LEWISBURG, WV

Now I know I am just a FNG, but take a look at your maps, great roads, though we'll be missing old 55, this would be a great all day ride with plenty to see and stop and eat places.

Just my $.02

Violione said:

WV 60 EAST > WV 92 IN WHITE SLUPHER SPRINGSNORTH UP 92 TO BARTOW > WV 28

28 UP TO JUDY GAP

JUDY GAP could either head EAST over to Franklin, WV(1) or NORTH ON 33 TO SENECA ROCKS(2)

(2)FROM SENECA ROCKS TO SMOKE HOLE ROAD BACK OVER & DOWN TO 220 AND FRANKLIN OR

(1)FROM FRANKLIN TO UPPER TRACT- ON TO SMOKE HOLE ROAD - BACK DOWN 28/55 TO SENECA ROCKS

AT SENECA ROCKS TAKE 33/55 OVER TO ELKINS

ELKINS SOUTH ON 219 BACK TO LEWISBURG

(2) FROM FRANKLIN TAKE 220 SOUTH DOWN TO COVINGTON, VA

COVINGTON, VA WEST ON 64 BACK TO LEWISBURG, WV

Now I know I am just a FNG, but take a look at your maps, great roads, though we'll be missing old 55, this would be a great all day ride with plenty to see and stop and eat places.

Just my $.02

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Check out our ride this past weekend;

Ride planing

Ride report

We had a blast, hope to hookup with everyone at EOM.

Chuck

Slow Ride,

DAG, I must have been chasing you all around all day and didn't even know it! I should read the board more often! :huh:

Violione said:

Slow Ride,
DAG, I must have been chasing you all around all day and didn't even know it! I should read the board more often! :huh:

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Hi Jay, glad to see that you're still around. Welcome back.

Heidi

Violione said:

Slow Ride,
DAG, I must have been chasing you all around all day and didn't even know it! I should read the board more often! :huh:

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Actually, you just didnt see us Wavin at you :yahoo:

Kevin,

LOL, yep, that's probably true!

Heidi,

How are you? I've been reading about your get-off a couple of months ago! (yes, I have not been reading the board :glare: ) I read you are OK and your bike is coming along well! That's good! Mine had a joker to hop on it (I assume) in a parking lot back in April and tipped it over onto it's right side. Scratched the mirror and right saddle bag and put some dings in the faring and silencer. I didn't see it happen. I came out of the Dr. Office and found my bike on it's side. Man was I pissed! Got estimates, most every dealership wanted to replace the Tupperware to the tune of $1100, D & D wanted $500 to repair. I ended up ordering the paint from Color Rite (which by the way did not match the factory paint :angry: ) and did it myself. I think I did a good job except for the obvious mis-matched paint and saved $446.

[Off Topic alert] fftopic: I was over at Cycle World three weeks ago pitching the idea for them being a sponsor for EOM (no luck, those guy's are as tight as a ..... well...) and saw a '07 Black Cherry in the back that had been put through a fence and over a guard rail and into a pole, I think he said? It had less than 400 miles on it. One of the sales dudes said the rider hadn't ridden before, first bike and lost control of it. Well DUH! Don't dealerships have a moral or even a legal obligation not to sell someone with no experience on a bike that big and powerful? :greedy: :headbonk: [Rhetorical question] That's like selling a Maserati to Paris Hilton! Come on!

Violione said:

Kevin,

[Off Topic alert] fftopic: I was over at Cycle World three weeks ago pitching the idea for them being a sponsor for EOM (no luck, those guy's are as tight as a ..... well...) and saw a '07 Black Cherry in the back that had been put through a fence and over a guard rail and into a pole, I think he said? It had less than 400 miles on it. One of the sales dudes said the rider hadn't ridden before, first bike and lost control of it. Well DUH! Don't dealerships have a moral or even a legal obligation not to sell someone with no experience on a bike that big and powerful? :greedy: :headbonk: [Rhetorical question] That's like selling a Maserati to Paris Hilton! Come on!

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I bought my first bike from Cycle World in 1983. The salesman brought it to the front, put it in neutral and set it on the sidestand. I got on it and immediately killed it when I let the clutch out way too fast. At that point he asked if I had ever driven a motorcycle before (I hadn't). Had I been able to pull away without stalling, I probably would've been splattered all over Va Beach Blvd when I figgered out I didn't know how to stop the damn thing.

VB_FJR,

Sorry, I was on my soap box there. I just get insencensed when crap like that happens. I know there is alot of potiencialy dangerious "toys" that are sold to the public and that the general publibic SHOULD BE AWARE AND EDUCATED BEFORE THEY BUY, I just think that pushing the bigger, faster bikes to the newbies is just plain WRONG! Sell them a bike they can learn on, let them know why they shoud start small (engine displacement) and the customer would respect that and come back again, and again to the same dealership as they gained experience and skills to handle a bigger bike. I just see the "go for the killer sale" (litterialy) attitude way to much at motorcycle stealerships. Let me qualify that; motorcycle dealerships in the Hampton Roads, VA area! IMHO.

Violione said:

VB_FJR,
Sorry, I was on my soap box there. I just get insencensed when crap like that happens. I know there is alot of potiencialy dangerious "toys" that are sold to the public and that the general publibic SHOULD BE AWARE AND EDUCATED BEFORE THEY BUY, I just think that pushing the bigger, faster bikes to the newbies is just plain WRONG! Sell them a bike they can learn on, let them know why they shoud start small (engine displacement) and the customer would respect that and come back again, and again to the same dealership as they gained experience and skills to handle a bigger bike. I just see the "go for the killer sale" (litterialy) attitude way to much at motorcycle stealerships. Let me qualify that; motorcycle dealerships in the Hampton Roads, VA area! IMHO.

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I totally agree.......my first bike (the one I mentioned that I stalled out) was an 82 650 Heritage Special.......traded that in 6 months later on a Maxim 1100 (until the FJR the best bike ever made).......I still have a running 650 4 cyl in the garage......but it has been seriously neglected since I bought the FJR.......

Anyways, yes, the dealers are after that almighty dollar.......if they were held accountable for the casualties they create by selling too much bike to too little experienced riders, they might be a bit more careful.......