Monthly Archives: July 2009

Progress On The Virginia Maps

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Image – The work in progress

I’ve got the basic layout done on the first of at least three Virginia maps. At this point I’m only going as far north as the Blue Ridge Parkway. Even so, I’m discovering a wealth of great roads, far more than I expected.

One of the greatest challenges has been to reset my criteria for selecting and choosing which roads will be featured on the map as the best rides. The terrain changes as you move from North Carolina into southern Virginia. You leave the 6000 ft. peaks behind and enter the rolling hill country. There are still some dramatic overlooks and long range views, those always make the grade. Without huge mountain ranges to block passage, there are more roads to choose from.

Traffic load is always a factor. I’ve ruled out several squiggly lines on the map simply because I’ve yet to experience them without getting stuck behind commercial traffic or some doddering old codger creeping around the curves. While these are pretty roads to look at on a map, they are the only connection between towns so they get heavy use. It’s easy to eliminate them.

Others are nice rides once you’re out in the country until you approach the major towns. US 221 has portions I really like, but once you get in and around Galax it goes down the tubes. Routing around Galax has been a challenge. Roads like these will probably end up being labeled in blue instead of red – good connectors if needed, but not outstanding rides.

The other frustration has been the lack of progress north. This map still contains a good portion of North Carolina due to the way the mountains run and thusly the Blue Ridge Parkway. I failed to recognize previously how much of the parkway follows along the border in this region. Still, the discovery of some really great roads makes up for it.

I’ll spend the day working in the details, the road labels, gas stations, direction arrows, place names, and points of interest. Over the next several days I’ll lay out the route for what I hope will be the last visit to complete this map. It’s obvious I have a lot of area to cover both revisiting previous discoveries and exploring the few new roads I’ve identified as likely prospects. The challenge will be to try to do it in one day to keep down costs, though that is looking less and less likely. All it takes is one serendipitous discovery, something unplanned, a road which turns to gravel unexpectedly and slows progress to throw off the whole schedule. Still, those unplanned side trips revealed some fabulous rides on this last trip and are worth the effort.

I have come to realize one thing. All the planning must be done ahead of time. I’m typically on the road before 8 AM and don’t roll into the motel until after 9 PM. I find I’m so exhausted I have no energy to revise or create new plans. It’s all about the planning.

I’m looking forward to completing this map and moving on to the next. It will be centered on Roanoke, VA., and I expect the terrain will change again as I move north from the city. There are hints of some great roads close in, just as I found around Asheville, NC. No way to tell until I ride them. It’s also a section of the parkway I haven’t visited for some time. It will all be fresh and full of exciting new discoveries. If there are half as many good roads as I’ve found to the south, it will take more than one good trip.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com

Back Home & Back To Work

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Photo – It’s Good To Be Home

Came home Saturday evening. My niece was visiting Sunday so it was time to wrap things up. We spent the day whitewater rafting on the French Broad river north of Asheville near Hot Springs. It was the first time I’d been on that river. I look forward to returning in my kayak. The rapids are pretty challenging in a small boat, though they were fairly tame in a raft. There are bigger rapids further down the river, but the water is too low right now to raft them.

I got nearly all the mapping done, enough to do the initial layout. There is one small pocket I need to revisit and there is always one last trip to actually string together some loop rides. I found some really great roads, some in unexpected areas. There will be far more on this map than I’d planned.

I barely touched the second map, only one small corner explored. If the rest of it turns out half as good, there will be some fantastic rides on the next Virginia map as well. It’s surprising what you find if you really go looking for it.

I covered just shy of 1200 miles in the 3 days. My new Blackberry PDA worked fine. I have copious notes to digest. I spent most of the day rebuilding the office. The computers and printers are back up, the new battery power source is installed. I’m adjusting to a new desk and chair. Tomorrow I’ll get to the production area where I lay things out, storage, folding and packaging. I hauled out years worth of old junk and de-cluttered everything. I’m hoping to make things more efficient. We’ll see how it works out over the next few days. I am eager to discover how this new map lays out once I start plotting all the new roads. I think it’s going to be a really good one. Now, what to call it?

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com

Notes From The Road – Virginia – 7/17/09

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Photo – Virginia Road

Surprisingly productive day. I didn’t expect to find so many great roads in this area, but they’re here.

I covered about 332 miles in a 12 hour day. That’s not a lot of miles but it is a testament to the quality of the roads. The majority of the rides were on isolated back roads, many so remote they are devoid of any markings – no center line, just pavement. The area is full of them. It took a lot of riding to identify the best.

Photo – Virginia Road

The rain that moved through last night continued to follow me on and off through the day. I got my first good soaking around 9:30 AM. It came down hard and heavy for a while, then eased off to spit on and off until almost mid-day. As I moved south I moved out of it.

For a while the sun came out and the heat came on. Things were going well until around 4:30. I was headed south from Radford, VA. on a particularly nice stretch of road when all hell broke loose. I saw it coming, but didn’t realize how severe it was until it was on me. The TV is talking about a potential tornado touchdown in the area. It was a least one of those “micro-bursts”.

Photo – Parked along a scenic riverside on one of the routes.

The wind picked up enough to blow me around the road, huge branches were crashing down in the road and I was concerned a tree might fall on me. I ran over several large branches and as soon as I broke free of the tree cover the rain got so heavy I couldn’t see 15 feet in front of me. I caught a glimpse of an abandoned country store at the roadside, circled back, and pulled the front end of the bike up under the porch until things settled down. In 15 minutes the sun was shining again.

A lot the time was spent south of the border – in North Carolina. I found little there as the mountains have veered north and you’re getting out into the Piedmont. There are still a few isolated outcroppings such as Pilot Mountain and the area around Hanging Rock State Park is very good. There are also some interesting areas still further east, but they are off the map so I’ll have to come back and visit them on my own time.

Photo – Dam!

While the mountains which run through this section of Virginia are not as high and impressive as those found further north and south, the entire area is very hilly. It’s the roads which thread through these hilly portions that hold some real gems. Some of them are amazingly tight and technical, when you get up on a hilltop you get views that rival the Blue Ridge Parkway, and there are numerous streams and rivers to add to the scenery.

It’s a lot different from North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia and I’ve had to adjust to it. Still, you know a good road when you ride it, and you know a great road from a good road. I think I’ve found several I can recommend.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com/

Notes From The Road – Virginia – 7/16/09

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The Hardware Co. Restaurant, Hillsville, VA.

I’ve returned to familiar ground. It was getting late, I hadn’t eaten all day, and I’d planned for this eventuality. I laid out my routes so I’d make a couple passes through Hillsville, VA. It was one of the places I stayed previously on my scouting trips. I knew I’d get a good meal, go back to the same motel, and I’m ready to crash for the evening.

394 miles today. Not all that impressive. A little under 100 were spent on highway or major roads. I did spend some time on gravel roads which slow progress considerably. Easier to go on through than route around them.

More of the day was spent in North Carolina than expected. Due to the reconfiguring of the maps, more of North Carolina is included as I criss-cross the border. I didn’t expect to find as many good roads as I did. Those I thought wouldn’t be suitable proved true. Nonetheless, got to check them all. I still need to revisit some more of North Carolina to compare the roads I’ve discovered to the roads I already know. I should wrap that up in the morning then spend the rest of the time in Virginia. The only fair way to compare them is to ride them all and judge them fresh.

Amazingly, the predicted rain held off. It’s now supposed to move through tonight. That would work out well. It’s a lot hotter than I expected. Should have packed the mesh gear. Hard to relate to the lower altitudes when you live up high. Coming down a couple thousand feet has a big effect.

With luck, I’ll reach Roanoke by tomorrow evening. I’m pretty tired. I’ll get this first map finished up by mid-day and should knock out a good portion of the next. While it would be nice to finish two, I’m not so convinced it’s going to happen. If I get inspired, I brought along the third. For now, I’m sure I’ll get only one.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com

Virginia Won – Wayne Zero

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I thought I had things planned out. The roads told me different. That’s what I get for trying to rush things along.

I had an ambitious schedule. Spend three or four days on the motorcycle finding the best map candidates. The rejects are usually quickly noted. I was hoping to hit two, maybe three maps worth of roads. Find the promising areas not identified from home – there are always undiscovered treasures. Just riding along, pass a road not on the list, and circle back to check it out. Occasionally you find a gem. Most times, you quickly know why it was left off the route list. Serendipity is rare.

Believe it or not it takes up to a week to plan out a map before I do the rides. Even so, the plan changes once I actually experience them. The goal is efficiency but is never achieved. I know ahead of time the majority of the roads I choose to investigate as potential candidates to include on one of my America Rides Maps will be rejected. I’m very selective. Just because a road appears as a wiggly line on the map doesn’t mean it is good enough. There are lots of wiggly roads. Few of them meet my standards. I’m only looking for the best.

Of those few good ones, I need to plan to ride them at least twice. Once in each direction, and at different times of the day. The best roads often see up to four passes. If it’s that good, I like it enough to work it in to my travels again. Revisiting a road is the only way to determine the traffic load. Just because it was devoid of traffic at 11 AM doesn’t mean it stays that way.

Some roads are better in one direction but not the other. Views seen approaching and climbing the mountains are quite different from those leaving. The views are relative to others in the area. All these factors come into play.

Then there’s the arguments with the GPS. She says there are roads where none are visible. Submerged the bike in a river once following her advice. Good thing she’s waterproof. The trout were laughing with her that day. She-devil in a box.

Enough whining? Did I mention the rain that wasn’t supposed to be happening? Both days? Karma. I’ve already logged more than a thousand miles in Virginia and I’ve hardly begun to get a grip on it.

Time to get serious. Back to the drawing board. More time planning. I’ll return next week. This time with the precision of a military invasion. Focus on one small area at a time. Secure it and move on. No need to revisit. At least that’s my new plan. Slow and methodical. You don’t rush a masterpiece. I hope this is one when I’m done.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com/

Boston Bans Aftermarket Exhausts – Comments

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Photo: Is your bike next?

Discussion has been pretty widespread on the net re: the new law in Boston which bans aftermarket exhausts for motorcycles. Rising above the usual spew regarding such controversial issues I look for insight from within the industry. The issue has been posted on LinkedIn in the Motorcycle Industry Professionals group of which I am a member. http://www.linkedin.com/groupAnswers?viewQuestionAndAnswers&discussionID=4714375&gid=139818&commentID=4747099&trk=view_disc

I posted my opinion as follows which may or may not agree with yours.
It’s the handwriting on the wall guys, something brought upon us by a few who felt their “freedom” to enjoy loud pipes was more important than their freedom to ride in the first place. The city is taking the easy way out – easier and more effective than enforcing noise ordinances. I won’t be surprised to see more of it. Now it’s into the courts to spend the time and expense to try to reverse this before it spreads and comply with it in the mean time. More big brother telling you what you can and cannot do. That’s sad.

Living in a motorcycle tourist destination I deal with this issue first hand. While there are those who welcome the motorcycle tourist and recognize the benefit of them, there are those who despise them for disrupting their solitude. I’m at the Chamber of Commerce meetings as events are opposed and cancelled. I see the “noise ordinance enforced” signs with motorcycle icons on them going up in the small towns. Loud pipes close doors and windows as well as minds.

I realize this rant will followed by others from the “loud pipes save lives crowd”. It always is with all the examples and instances of prior escapes from catastrophe. Your bike already has an audible warning device – it’s the button with the little horn icon on it. If it’s not loud enough, upgrade. It’s cheaper than straight pipes. How long do you think you’d tolerate or be tolerated riding around holding down your horn button? To many, it would be just as annoying as your thumping or screaming exhaust notes.

You want respect? You gotta show respect. Freedom comes with the burden of responsibility. Act irresponsibly and suffer the consequences. We’re faced with a choice – we can either address this problem ourselves or others will impose their solutions on us. At this point the opposition has the upper hand. Choose wisely – your choice is affecting my freedom and impacting my wallet as well as yours.

How far are they from banning motorcycle traffic in the city when this fails? They do it with trucks, no “jake brakes”, routing them around towns, etc. now in many locations. People don’t want to hear them. You may be next.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com