2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby Maria V » Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:52 pm

Thanks for the cell reception info! I plan to head out Thursday, stay in Natural Bridge or Peaks of Otter area, then down to the rally on Friday. Saturday is ride-ride-ride, then blast home on Sunday.
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby eap » Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:54 am

Pics? Ride report(s)? Did it rain?
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby bdimon » Tue Sep 22, 2015 12:40 am

eap wrote:Pics? Ride report(s)? Did it rain?

Why would you ask if it rained? :lol:

I have never attended the Twin Valley Rally but apparently it has a reputation for precipitation. This year, the weather was perfect. It was so clear that I could see the Milky Way (faintly). It had been years since I had seen so many stars in the night sky. The Willville Motorcycle Camp http://www.willvillebikecamp.com/ is at 3,000 feet and above the haze that blankets the lower elevations. The facility is nice and well maintained. Three nice features of the rally, a live band, a selection of micro-brews on tap, and quality coffee roasted in the shop of one of the club members.
ImageDSCF0266 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

ImageDSCF0252 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

ImageDSCF0264 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

ImageDSCF0265 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

The food was good, chicken on Friday and pork on Saturday. They smoked it on site and it was delicious.
ImageDSCF0251 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

Saturday had field events and demo rides from Frontline Motorsports. However I wanted curves so, after breakfast at the VFW, I headed for the Back of the Dragon. I rode Route 16 from the Mouth of Wilson through Hungry Mother State Park and over three mountains to Tazewell. It's an excellent road. and not to be missed when you are nearby. Traffic was light and the locals pulled over to let me pass. Even a couple of Harley riders too. 8)

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I finally had a chance to ride through Burke's Garden which was as pretty as claimed. Looking around inside you are surrounded by a ring of mountains as if you were in the middle of a crater. Although it looks like an impact crater in a satellite photo, it is actually a mountain that collapsed when the cavern inside it grew too large. One paved road into the Garden wiggles over the broken mountainside into the flat farm land of the collapsed mountain.
ImageDSCF0257 by Bruce Dimon, on Flickr

Thanks to Ed for telling me about Route 738, Robinson Tract Road, northwest of Pulaski. On a day full of twisty roads, this was the tightest. It's only one lane wide and the switchbacks felt as tight as a U-Turn. Fortunately, I followed a pick-up truck who blocked any oncoming traffic from the entering the corner as I went through it.

Now that I was in the home stretch across the main valley to the Blue Ridge, I thought that the twisties were done for the day. Indian Valley Road was a nice surprise. Although it had a lot of driveways, there were few cars. The whole ride lasted about eight hours and only covered 275 miles.

Back at the rally site, I parked the bike and washed up for a delicious smoked pork dinner. After dinner, I continued my long-standing rally tradition of watching other people win door prizes. It's not as much fun as it seems. Then both the band and the campfire started up. I was so tired from the day's ride that I crawled into my tent after only an hour of telling tall tales. It was a long time since I slept that well in a tent.

That was the rally. The highlights were perfect weather, a great campground, and good food & beer. The Twin Rally Riders did a great job and I look forward to attending next year.
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby ERC Scott » Tue Sep 22, 2015 9:58 am

Since I'll have more free time next year, I've got this one on my list.
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby ChaseH » Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:28 am

I see the Milky Way every day.
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby bdimon » Tue Sep 22, 2015 1:42 pm

ChaseH wrote:I see the Milky Way every day.

In Clifton? I did not think it would be dark enough at night.

Candy bars don't count. :lol:
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Re: 2015 Twin Valley Ralley Sept 18-19

Postby ChaseH » Tue Sep 22, 2015 2:51 pm

bdimon wrote:
ChaseH wrote:I see the Milky Way every day.

In Clifton? I did not think it would be dark enough at night.

Candy bars don't count. :lol:


Any day of the week. Out my office window at the moment.

The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains our Solar System.
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