Ride to FOF and overnight at Big Meadows

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Ride to FOF and overnight at Big Meadows

Postby RocketMan » Mon Jul 04, 2016 12:09 pm

Got in a nice few day ride over Father's Day, spent the first night at one of my favorite places on Skyline Drive in Virginia called the Big Meadows Lodge, built during the days of CCC from all local materials and sits at about 3300 Feet on the western edge of the Blue Ridge overlooking the Valley below. Had a big storm come thru the night I was up there and lots of really dense fog the next morning. Tried to take a pic of the bike in the fog but it was so thick all you could see was, well fog! Finally left around 10 as that was check out time, and it was a bit hairy at first, 15 MPH with high beam on (for approaching cars) but after a mile or two it cleared out some as I descended down a bit. Ran into the same conditions crossing over the next two mountains on my way west to Seneca Rocks W.Va. but the rest of the weekend was very nice, clear and not overly warm.
Moving the turn signals back to the rear tail light housing made the side bags fit much better, higher up and bit further back so I wasn't sitting on the straps across the seat. I did notice on the first day that I needed to tighten the straps a bit so they sat a bit higher and a bit further forward so as as not to rub on the tire when hitting bumps which can be seen in last bike shot in the fog. Once I get the side racks and tail rack from Omega Racer should be a nice set-up for travelling and will prevent any further issues with the bags rubbing the tire or the shocks.I will Just have to figure out if I can still use the little tail pack, perhaps mounting horizontally under the rack if it will fit. Now with over 500 miles with the front Shinko 110-90 gotta say the Shinko does seem to make the front feel more planted, have the rear on order going with the 120-90.
Turned over 14K just into the ride, now have nearly 15K and still loving this machine more and more. What an absolute Hoot to ride!
A few pics of the ride..

on the ride up
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mountain wild flowers
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Morning sun before the clouds and fog rolled up the mountain
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In the fog, taken in the less dense areas along Skyline
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Crossing the Shenandoah mountain on 33
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Last mountain crossing on 33 looking into the Germany Valley
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RM
Fromerly MR. MonkeyButt now Mr. Breezy-Butt!
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