RTE&L, July 2016

[rbentnail]

The Master Plan is in motion! Bwahahaha!! Today is the last day of work this week, yard mowed, etc. Tomorrow is pack my stuff and welcome Rob the Kaw Guy into town.

Bwahahaha! Phase 1 of The Master Plan is nearly complete! Rob the Kaw guy left PennsyTucky yesterday for the 650 mile leisurely ride to my place. Currently coming up on Clifton Forge, VA heading south. Been in contact this morning with Steve and Ken the HD Guys today, both are itchin' to hit the road tomorrow morning. My bike windshield and headlights are clean, packing is nearly done, ready to go go go!!

 

[Uncle Hud]

Safe trips, y'all! Hydrate.

 

[rbentnail]

Thanks Unc, we'll be careful.

Phase 1 complete, Rob the Kaw Guy arrived safe and sound yesterday afternoon. He's on a Yami/Star 1900 something-or-other. Nice bike.

So begins phase 2! Steve the HD Guy will be along in a couple hrs and off we'll be to meet with Ken. Then ride to the west NC mtns for bbq, all the while broiling in our own juices in this glorious Carolina sun and humidity.

See ya's on the road!!

 

[griff]

Guys - I have decided to bail from this trip - primarily for the heat I would encounter. Yeah, call me a wuss if you want, but I just don't think I would enjoy it with this much heat. Sorry for bailing Russ. Another time.

Eric - I'll get you your brake pads and pressure gauge somehow or another!

 

[ericboutin]

Whoa and then there were two!! Me and Kyle the Bandit guy will still be meeting at the Raceway, 10:30 am.....!! A little birdie did tell me that we still may be honored with Mr. Griff's presence at the meetup but not for the ride itself. Well you and Unc will surely be missed!

Just about got stuff packed up and ready to go. Installed a power port on Kyle's Bandit earlier so his phone will stay good and charged. And got the water bladder things ready.....It is definitely gonna be hot as hades!

Looking forward to meeting whoever is still left and hasn't melted in the morning!! Hopefully we won't regret not following Mr. Griff's wisdom!!

 

[Uncle Hud]

photos?

 

[rbentnail]

photos?

Having an extremely difficult time getting them to photobucket

 

[rbentnail]

We came, we saw, we ate!

Meetup with Ken the HD Guy. That's him nearest, Rob behind. In order, the bikes are Steve the HD Guy, me, Rob & Ken.

Rode the route as described to Black Mountain, NC. Had some excellent good ol' North Carolina barbecue.

 

[rbentnail]

Next morning rode the route as described. Met up with a few in Spartanburg, SC. Originally 5 or 6 were going to join us but in the end it was just two, ericb. and Kyle the Bandit Guy.

Hot ride! Like 93-95*F hot. And sticky humid. Quick random zip left for lunch, nice little buffet.

 

[rbentnail]

We persevered all the way to the coast. Big ol' Club sammich for me for supper.

We lost sight of eric and kyle on the way to supper but there was a huge thunderstorm rolling in and since they were staying somewhere else we assumed they hightailed it to there. Like a moron, I didn't get either of their phone #'s so I had no way of confirming this. Lesson learned, if I can remember next time that I learned it this time. Steve the HD Guy had to beat feet Monday morning to meet with a contractor, he texted me later that he ran up on the two of them on the highway before he headed more northerly. I hope all is well with them.

Ken, Steve and I all made it home safe. Rob had a couple days to kill so he was in no hurry. I think he should be getting home sometime today- his plan was to meander some of western MD and PA for a while.

Other than hot, it was fine trip. Like I said up front we didn't get in any hurry stopping once an hr or so to hydrate. No problems there. I must confess tho- we did cheat a little based on Uncle Hud's recon report. But the time we got to Lancaster, SC it was already way too hot to not be moving so we took the bypass routes around towns from there on. I know, a wussy thing to do but WTH, no use in suffering more. It was instant sweat whenever we stopped.

 

[rbentnail]

Rob is home safe, just texted me.

 

[Uncle Hud]

rbentnail posted: I must confess tho - we did cheat a little based on Uncle Hud's recon report. But the time we got to Lancaster, SC it was already way too hot to not be moving so we took the bypass routes around towns from there on. I know, a wussy thing to do but WTH, no use in suffering more. It was instant sweat whenever we stopped.

Not cheating, and not wussy; it's using the advanced brainpower that has lead us to be the dominant species on the planet. ("Us" = FJR riders.)

Food looks yummy, especially at Phil's BBQ joint.

 

[rbentnail]

rbentnail posted: I must confess tho - we did cheat a little based on Uncle Hud's recon report. But the time we got to Lancaster, SC it was already way too hot to not be moving so we took the bypass routes around towns from there on. I know, a wussy thing to do but WTH, no use in suffering more. It was instant sweat whenever we stopped.

Not cheating, and not wussy; it's using the advanced brainpower that has lead us to be the dominant species on the planet. ("Us" = FJR riders.)

Food looks yummy, especially at Phil's BBQ joint.

Oh yeah, Phil's was excellent! The last pic in that post is the deluxe sampler: dry rub ribs, sliced brisket, chopped brisket, chopped pork and chopped chicken. You get to pick your sides. Luckily we stayed .2 miles away so we didn't have to ride after consumption.

 

[rbentnail]

Next up? Other than "local" RTE's- - - Steve, Ken and Rob have never done the Cass, WV railroad.

 

[ericboutin]

Sorry so late to post, been a crazy week but we too made it home safe. What a ride back home though! We got caught in several down pours and at one point I knew a twister was gonna touch down right in front of us! As we were passing through Richburg we felt like the wicked witch of the west was gonna be peddling by us on her basket bicycle at any moment! Gotta give a huge shout out to the firemen at Richburg Fire House who waved us into the bays just as Armageddon was starting up!! We hung out with those folks for quite awhile until they told us the coast was clear to continue NW to home.

Overall a great ride with a lot of cool towns to cruise through and the heat wasn't really that bad. Yep we did get separated in the midst of all the beach traffic so we headed for the beach real quick and made a beeline for our accommodations. Still got caught in that massive thunder boomer too! LOL.....A lot of riding in the rain practice for sure!

Overexposure in this first shot but at one point visibility was about like looking out the bay of the firehouse here in this pic!

 

[rbentnail]

Good to see you again eric, glad you guys made it home safe. Other than riding in the little spritz between the major storm waves at the beach we hit zero rain

.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Firemen = seriously good people. Cool that they let you into their firehouse.