Pretty much my longest ride today on the SR400
Got out for a nice long ride yesterday to go play in the mountains of WV. Did a total of 264 miles The day started out on the cool, grey overcast side with some intermittent light rain, just the kind of weather an air-cooled machine really enjoys. After running some local two lane roads on the way out I hopped on the interstate in order to avoid a town that is always a PITA to get thru. At one point I decided to push thumpr to the limit on a nice long flat open stretch of road. First time I hit red-line I only got her up to 85 indicated and thought it was odd that it red-lined so soon. Then I realized I was only in forth! After pulling over to take some pics, tried again, this time hitting the rev limiter in the first four gears then dropping into fifth, got the speedo up to 5 MPH shy of the top line at 100 MPH with the bike still slightly below red line when a car pulled in front on me which prevented me from hitting the 100 mark. GPS recorded the speed as 86.8. What a hoot, 86 on 360 LB machine is quite the thrill!
A few pics outbound on RT 55 while still gray and overcast
Then as I was flying down the interstate I saw clear blue skies ahead, a pano of the point of transition
and several shots right where the sky started to open up, Looking back the way I had come
right at the point of transition
Looking ahead to clear blue skies
A funky old motel in Wardensville, don't know why but I've always had a hankering stay here some time and then spend the next morning sitting out front enjoying some coffee and just watching the traffic go by.
Then it was time to get into the real fun so I took Trout Run Road out of Wardensville which eventually dumped me on to Back Road which It took back to 81 pretty much right where I had gotten off on my way out at RT 55. Trout Run is an awesome road that wind thru several narrow gorges following lovely streams and then climbs over some mountains in the GW forest. Road starts out nice and smooth, well marked then changes its character, becoming narrow and pretty rough around the edges, as well as the middle as it climbs into the forest and then crests along an open stretch before descending once again down the other side of the mountains.
a pano taken at the top with a nice view of the next range to the east which for some reason doesn't seem to display properly unless you zoom way out in your browser (or at least in Firefox on a Ubuntu system)
then back down
an old work shop, not quite sure if its still open but had an interesting collection of items on the front porch, I've always liked country houses with all the interesting, odd items or junked out lots, pretty much anything goes when you get away from the city!
I really liked the "face" thing in the middle of the window and was temped to se it the place was in operation or just snatch the dulcimer looking thing on the table...
Final shot showing the stats for the ride
and link to the map of the route as recorded by MotionX app on my old iPhone.
http://gps.motionx.com/maps/2ceb6cde53e7337eff482e95bbac2535
RM