Saddlesore 1000..... Maybe

[RDawson]

I had tentatively set aside some time to head out and do a loop through Mobile AL Friday and knock out an SS ride. Weatherman says high 80s and sunny there, not ideal conditions. My second route is to go through Nashville and Knoxville to Wytheville VA, up to Charleston WV, and back across KY to the house. Looking at 2 weather maps, one says great weather that way with sunny skies and temps in the 70s and the other says rain. This week is my best chance to do this before the dr cuts me loose to go back to work, with 5 months of being off the catch up will keep me hopping for a while.

Ill be running the slabs the whole way, anybody have any input on I81,77, and 64 in the Virginias?

[bpate4home]

I had tentatively set aside some time to head out and do a loop through Mobile AL Friday and knock out an SS ride. Weatherman says high 80s and sunny there, not ideal conditions. My second route is to go through Nashville and Knoxville to Wytheville VA, up to Charleston WV, and back across KY to the house. Looking at 2 weather maps, one says great weather that way with sunny skies and temps in the 70s and the other says rain. This week is my best chance to do this before the dr cuts me loose to go back to work, with 5 months of being off the catch up will keep me hopping for a while.

Ill be running the slabs the whole way, anybody have any input on I81,77, and 64 in the Virginias?

 

I used to ride the WV area a lot as a kid. Even been on 64 when it was called dead man's turnpike. Coming south out of Charleston I always preferred 60 slightly to the north towards hwy 19. You'll hit Chimney corner, Hawks Nest and a few other spots and if I remember right there is a corner on 60 we used to call 'Kiss Me Ass curve'. It goes to the right with a drop but its not a blind corner. It used to be banked pretty well. My mom was from Beckwith and my dad from Oakhill so we would jump off on 16 south but I would stay on 60 and go over to 19. You can take 19 south and it will run you across the New River Gorge Bridge back down to 64. I believe 64 also meets back up with 77 near Beckley. You be on great pavement the whole time and there are plenty of fuel and food stops along the way. Enjoy the ride WV is God's country and great for bikes.

[RDawson]

I used to ride the WV area a lot as a kid. Even been on 64 when it was called dead man's turnpike. Coming south out of Charleston I always preferred 60 slightly to the north towards hwy 19. You'll hit Chimney corner, Hawks Nest and a few other spots and if I remember right there is a corner on 60 we used to call 'Kiss Me Ass curve'. It goes to the right with a drop but its not a blind corner. It used to be banked pretty well. My mom was from Beckwith and my dad from Oakhill so we would jump off on 16 south but I would stay on 60 and go over to 19. You can take 19 south and it will run you across the New River Gorge Bridge back down to 64. I believe 64 also meets back up with 77 near Beckley. You be on great pavement the whole time and there are plenty of fuel and food stops along the way. Enjoy the ride WV is God's country and great for bikes.

 

Thanks. We're are also thinking we may come back through there a little slower and ride WV on the way back from Freebird's next month.

[bpate4home]

Thanks. We're are also thinking we may come back through there a little slower and ride WV on the way back from Freebird's next month.

 

Awesome, found out when I joined last month I grew up just north of where Freebird's at. Jump on http://www.MotorcycleRoads.com, it's a great FREE site to find rides pretty much anywhere and riders rate the roads for quality of road scenery and amenities. Bill Belei runs the site and is working on a revamp project (which I supported via GoFundMe since I use the site a lot). I found one of my old favorites was already marked on the site. It goes from near Clendon, WV to the New River Gorge Bridge following WV 4 and WV16 then along the Gauley. Right around the Hawks Nest area you catch WV 60 that I mentioned above. You then follow that over to 19 and then South to the Bridge. If you have time find WV 3. I don't remember how to get to it but I'd bet its on the site above. It was always a fun ride but back then the road left something to be desired.

[Condor]

Thanks for the link... Great site!!....

[RDawson]

[bpate4home]

I grabbed a few minutes at lunch and looked up the WV 3 route I mentioned. On the site it's called Marmet to Beckley via 94 and 3: http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/1532/West-Virginia/Marmet-to-Beckley-via-Routes-94--3.html#sthash.i50QJWQU.dpbs

[RDawson]

I grabbed a few minutes at lunch and looked up the WV 3 route I mentioned. On the site it's called Marmet to Beckley via 94 and 3: http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/1532/West-Virginia/Marmet-to-Beckley-via-Routes-94--3.html#sthash.i50QJWQU.dpbs

 

If I'm running on schedule for the SS that looks like a great detour. Thanks. Will definitely try to make the time.

[slowrollwv]

Ronnie they have been repaving 64 the last couple years so it should be in great shape. I81 is ok on the parts that I have been on and 60 it a good road at a little slower pace but a great ride.

[RDawson]

I grabbed a few minutes at lunch and looked up the WV 3 route I mentioned. On the site it's called Marmet to Beckley via 94 and 3: http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/1532/West-Virginia/Marmet-to-Beckley-via-Routes-94--3.html#sthash.i50QJWQU.dpbs

 

I talked to a friend today here in KY whose parents live just off this road. I just mentioned the area and he immediately said "you have to ride 19 on your way thru". He doesn't ride but knows the area well. Thanks again.

[RDawson]

Looks like the stars have aligned and no major weather is forecast on the route. Gonna change the oil today and do a once over of pressures and fluid levels. Plan is to be rolling around 5 a.m. I'll do the WV detour and hopefully have time to meet my daughter in Lexington for a coffee on the way home.

[dogman]

Have fun and enjoy the sights.

[bpate4home]

Looks like the stars have aligned and no major weather is forecast on the route. Gonna change the oil today and do a once over of pressures and fluid levels. Plan is to be rolling around 5 a.m. I'll do the WV detour and hopefully have time to meet my daughter in Lexington for a coffee on the way home.

 

 

BTW: I forgot to mention that you can download a GPX (GPS file format 1.0) from the motorcycleroads.com site for most of the routes there. Once you get to the route directly you can see the download link for the route on the left side below the map.

[cowpuc]

Sounds like a lop eared varmint HOOT of time Corporal Newkirk!! Wishing you nothing but the best of the best journey and very little actual sore saddle time as seek to complete your endeavor!! Hopefully the tales you spin (with a pic or two for us lop eared wannabe biker varmints) after you complete your journey and report back in will nothing short of AWESOME!! Ride safe and have fun out there Daws,, ohh,, and say howdy to your daughter for us if you do get a chance to see her!!

[RDawson]

I pulled the trigger and pulled out at 5:00 a.m. yesterday. Running the slabs with light traffic I was making killer time averages. 150 miles per tank, pull over to fill up, fill coffee cup, deposit old coffee, and back on the road in 6 minutes. I was running a 68 mph overall average. Down by Bristol TN a trucker I was passing rolled down the window and hit the air horn with a big wave and thumbs up. Made me wonder if it was a Venture rider, a past or present member, or maybe even Brake Pad himself. In my glaring brilliance I never even thought about the cb since I never use it. Kicking myself. Things changed when I got into VA. I found the North Scenic Highway, 2 lanes of awesomeness. Took that up into WV and followed 19 and 3 up to End River Gorge. I spent about 3 hours playing on the back roads of West By God Yammer Dan territory. I pulled over and did a post search on Yammer's funeral, I had forgotten he wanted cremation, I was gonna hang a gremlin bell on his stone had there been a grave. Even I64 is an enjoyable ride in that area around the mountains. The puzzling thing to me was the number of cars with dented bumpers and trunk lids. That was before I got on those back roads. I'm fairly sure after seeing some of those curves they were rear ending themselves on those roads. I hit some pretty bad thunder storms around the WV-KY line and waited them out and lost 1 1/2 hours there. The run across KY was uneventful and I rolled in about 1:00 a.m here. 1096 gps miles in 20 hours, not a great speed average but that wasn't my goal. I will be going back to VA and WV, great riding over there. I don't know if I'll send in the IBA paperwork or not, I'm satisfied I did the ride with or without the patch. A couple shots at the VA WV border.

Edited May 18, 2019 by RDawson

[bongobobny]

There are a few members that are truckers, like IH Truck Guy and Walter from Missouri whose screen name I have forgotten who aren't active here any more, and I'm sure there are others...

[RDawson]

I finally got around to looking at the fuel receipts. 1096.7 miles-29.32 gallons of gas= 37.4 mpg. Mostly interstate around 80 mph with a few hours of two lanes in the mountains.

[RDawson]

[bpate4home]

I pulled the trigger and pulled out at 5:00 a.m. yesterday. Running the slabs with light traffic I was making killer time averages. 150 miles per tank, pull over to fill up, fill coffee cup, deposit old coffee, and back on the road in 6 minutes. I was running a 68 mph overall average. Down by Bristol TN a trucker I was passing rolled down the window and hit the air horn with a big wave and thumbs up. Made me wonder if it was a Venture rider, a past or present member, or maybe even Brake Pad himself. In my glaring brilliance I never even thought about the cb since I never use it. Kicking myself. Things changed when I got into VA. I found the North Scenic Highway, 2 lanes of awesomeness. Took that up into WV and followed 19 and 3 up to End River Gorge. I spent about 3 hours playing on the back roads of West By God Yammer Dan territory. I pulled over and did a post search on Yammer's funeral, I had forgotten he wanted cremation, I was gonna hang a gremlin bell on his stone had there been a grave. Even I64 is an enjoyable ride in that area around the mountains. The puzzling thing to me was the number of cars with dented bumpers and trunk lids. That was before I got on those back roads. I'm fairly sure after seeing some of those curves they were rear ending themselves on those roads. I hit some pretty bad thunder storms around the WV-KY line and waited them out and lost 1 1/2 hours there. The run across KY was uneventful and I rolled in about 1:00 a.m here. 1096 gps miles in 20 hours, not a great speed average but that wasn't my goal. I will be going back to VA and WV, great riding over there. I don't know if I'll send in the IBA paperwork or not, I'm satisfied I did the ride with or without the patch. A couple shots at the VA WV border.

 

Sounds like you had a great ride! Awesome.

[RDawson]

Sounds like you had a great ride! Awesome.

The roads are as good as you described. Awesome area.

[videoarizona]

I finally got around to looking at the fuel receipts. 1096.7 miles-29.32 gallons of gas= 37.4 mpg. Mostly interstate around 80 mph with a few hours of two lanes in the mountains.

 

Ronnie,

That's good mpg's for an RSV hovering around 80mph!

Glad you had a nice ride!