Next VA RTE June 19, 1pm

[Zsebra]

It sounds like a lot of people are getting very testy. I think it would be good to step back a bit and take a breath. This weekend seems to be a very busy one for many people. That's just the way it is sometimes. I have had both days booked for a month. I am sure that most people would love to be riding, and from my experience so far, would enjoy riding with people from this group. It is just a busy week! This supposed to be fun, not an obligation. As I said, I have enjoyed the company of everyone that I have met and hope that there will be days in the future that we can get together and share our enthusiasm.

Wishing I could be riding right now,
Bill

[jkerechek]

Remember we have had many successes in the past. so don't give up. Plan what you want to do and thoes that can make it will and thoes that can't won't. But continue to plan and have fun.

Enjoy the ride

John

[JimVonBaden]

Remember we have had many successes in the past. so don't give up. Plan what you want to do and thoes that can make it will and thoes that can't won't. But continue to plan and have fun.

Enjoy the ride

John

You are absolutely right John!

While it would be nice to help clean the tent and gear from the SRR, there are 500 people in the club other than us, and I am sure he will get plenty of help.

With Sunday being Father's Day, I am going to go ahead and set the VA RTE for Saturday the 19th in Ruckersville, VA at Hog Heaven at 1:00 PM. Might be funny for a Harley sounding place to have a few BMW's for a change!

Here is the link Mike provided! http://www.charlottesville-dining.com/listings.php?id=26

I'll be there with my daughter, and anyone else who would like to show up is more than welcome!

Lastly, I want to appologize for being frustrated! It's been a hard week with work, my daughter and the rain that never showed messing up my plans. No doubt it will rain tonight as we try to go to the MD RTE!

Jim

[MrE]

Yeah, Jon, don't get discouraged. Also, don't burn yourself out here either. I would hate to lose you in the first couple of months of your activities because you spent too much time organizing things. I want you around for a long time. You would make a good Rides chair, events chair, membership chair, tech chair, etc etc etc. While I am on the topic, if anyone wants to serve the club in an official capacity, ping me offline. I'll get you hooked in. Or get the hooks into you.

[jkerechek]

Hey Jim,

Isn't Hog Heaven dangerously close to your favorite road US 33?

John

[JimVonBaden]

Yeah, Jon, don't get discouraged. Also, don't burn yourself out here either. I would hate to lose you in the first couple of months of your activities because you spent too much time organizing things. I want you around for a long time. You would make a good Rides chair, events chair, membership chair, tech chair, etc etc etc. While I am on the topic, if anyone wants to serve the club in an official capacity, ping me offline. I'll get you hooked in. Or get the hooks into you.

Are you talkin to me?

Yes it is John! Luckily the weather sucks as usual so I will be caging it tonight to the RTE. I would ride, but my daughter doesn't have any rain gear!

Jim

[MrE]

Are you talkin to me?

Jon/Jim whatever. Close enough.

markout...

[JimVonBaden]

Are you talkin to me?

Jon/Jim whatever. Close enough.

markout...

No "Mark",

You missed the tone! Are YOU talkin to ME?

Jim

LOL Just kidding!

[Anton]

So close, and I won't be there! I think we'll have headed out to Blue Grass by then... but if we haven't, we'll stop by.

[JimVonBaden]

The weater is looking very good for this!

Time to join in!

The people in the Woodbridge area are meeting at my place near Occoquan. If you would like directions, please PM me!

Jim

[Zsebra]

I am feeling like I am really missing out by not being able to make any of these events lately. If my appointment tomorrow is over quickly (which I do not expect), I will try to stop by Hog Heaven to see if you are still there. While I am at Mortons I am going to set up my 6000 mile appointment on a date I am sure there will be nothing going on. I am sending in my registration now for Monterey and Canaan. Have a good time tomorrow.

Bill

[JimVonBaden]

I am feeling like I am really missing out by not being able to make any of these events lately. If my appointment tomorrow is over quickly (which I do not expect), I will try to stop by Hog Heaven to see if you are still there. While I am at Mortons I am going to set up my 6000 mile appointment on a date I am sure there will be nothing going on. I am sending in my registration now for Monterey and Canaan. Have a good time tomorrow.

Bill

Bill,

If we aren't there, a couple of us are heading over to Montecello. You are welcome to come with!

Jim

[MrE]

Well, back from the RTE. It was a good time. Jim, Kielley (sp?), Bill and myself were the ones who made it. This was the first day in a long time that I have been for a long ride just for fun. Seems like all my riding this year has been either commuting to work or going to meetings/events.

Left the house about 9:15. Filled up the tank in Purcellville and when doing so, let about 2-3 tablespoons of water run into the tank from around the filler cap. The drain was stopped up again. So another stop at an automotive shop for some gas dry just to be on the safe side. Headed west on Rt 7. Turned left on Rt 621 and followed the river south. This is a great road that is part paved and part gravel. Somehow I ended up on 651 and it dumped me off on 255. Followed 255 south, crossed Rt 50 and the road became 624. Took 624 all the way down into Front Royal. This was another good country road. No centerline on most of it. Farms and fields.

In Front Royal, I got behind a herd of Harleys saving lives and decided not to continue down my intended route of Rt340. Took 522S instead and then on to Rt211 W. Made a quick detour through Washington to see the famous Inn at Little Washington. Didn't look like that much from the street. Guess you have to go inside and eat for it to really be worth it.

Back on 211 and continued west. Being that it was still very early and I had lots of time to get down to Ruckersville, I decided to ride 211 across the mountains and then head south down to Rt33 and back across. 211 is a great road with high speed sweepers and great views. Stayed on 211 through Luray and then turned left on 616 down through Leaksville. A right turn on 340 Business and a quick left on to 650. 650 runs down along the South Fork and then dumps back onto 340S. At Elkton, I jumped on Rt33 East and headed back up and over the mountain. 33 is almost as good as 211. Maybe better since it has less traffic.

Rode 33 down to Stanardsville and turned left on 230. Continuing my trend of keeping off the main roads, I turned right on Rt 619, then left on 609. Finally out of time, I headed south on Rt29 the remaining few miles to meet up with the gang at Hog Heaven.

After a good meal of pulled pork, ribs and the fixings, I headed back north and Jim, Bill, and Kielley headed to Monticello. On the return trip, I headed north on 29 to 231. 231 to Sperryville then on to 211 E. I finally got to one of my favorite roads. Rt 688 runs from 211 all the way up to Rt17. It is a kickass country road. I raod it quickly enough to make myself a little motion sick. Woohoo.

Finished the trip by riding 601, Mt Weather rd back up to Rt7 and then home.

It was a great day for riding. The weather was great, the food was good and it was great to see friends, both old and new.

Got to love the message boards. What a great way to connect with other folks that love riding and barbeque as much as I do. If you have never made it to an RTE, you have no idea what you are missing.

[JimVonBaden]

Just a couple lines and pictures.

As Mike said, it was just the four of us, but quantity doesn't always equal quality.

We had a great ride over to Hog Heaven. The weather was cool and the sun was out. It was a fine time to take a ride.

Bill, myself and Kielley headed out the back way through the roads around the Occoquan River and Reservoir. These are some of my favorite, and have beautiful canopies covering nearly perfect roads with nothing but curves for miles.

We met at Hog Heaven, which had no hogs, and wasn't really Heaven. Heck, there weren't even any Harley's.

Here is Mike trying to look dashing.



After our meal, we went off to Montecello, minus Mike who needed to run. I think it was the BBQ!

Our guide at Montecello was, um, eccentric?



A little wine? From all the dust, looks like it's been here since Jefferson's time!



Finally, a picture of Kielley, my lovely and talented daughter.



Like I said, it was a small group, but we had fun anyhow. Despite the rain that wasn't supposed to come.

Jim

[MrE]

I was planning on uploading the couple of pics I took but when I got to work, my camera battery is dead. I think it turned itself on during the ride. Will get them tomorrow.

I forgot to tell the funniest thing to happen on Saturday: Was running very low on gas and had been for a good portion of the way up 231. I finally made it to Sperryville and spotted a Shell station on the left. Whipped in and sputtered to a stop by the pump. Gassed up and decided I needed some more water for the camel back so I pulled into a space in front of the store. As I took my helmet off and ear plugs out, I realized three little boys, all in the 8-10 year old range, were yelling at me from the back seat of a minivan.
"Mister, Mister, can we have your autograph?" "Please mister, we want your autograph." "You are so cool". (I am not making this up either)

Well, this being the first time I have been asked for my autograph, I was to say the least speechless. So the lady of the car found some napkins and the boys had a pen so I ended up signing 3 napkins for these kids. Wasn't sure what to put, so I signed it 'MotoMan Mike'. Yes, its lame as hell but they are kids. What the hell was I supposed to write?

Anyway, that provided several miles of smiles and chuckles.

Hmmm... I wonder if they knew me from all these posts?