Sights From The Road – Alligator Rock

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The jaws of Alligator Rock loom ominously over the roadway on NC 215 not far from Rosman, NC., near the point where NC 215 makes a brief intersection with US 64. Beleive it or not, it’s easy to miss Alligator rock as you zip beneath it – this section of road is very tight and twisty and your attention is more likely to be on the pavement, not the scenery above.

This view is from the north side and there is little to warn you it’s about to appear as you round the bend. If you are approaching from the south side, look for the stone entrance sign that tells you that you are entering the Pisgah National Forest. Alligator rock is on the next bend in the road.

NC 215 is full of spectacular sights and it’s long and twising climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway then down again to approach Waynesville and Canton is one of my favorite rides. There are roadside waterfalls, some obvious, some hidden, inspiring long range views from the higher elevations, and some of the most fabulous serpentine motorcycle riding to be found in the mountains of North Carolina. This is another one of the great roads featured on America Rides Maps NC001 – The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park – EAST.

I’ve heard a rumor there is a possibility NC215 is going to be re-engineered sometime in the future. It would certainly be nice to see it get a fresh coat of pavement, there are sections that are really starting to show their age, particularly up high. Unfortuantely, it seems they may try to relax some of the curves a bit and Alligator Rock will be one of the casualties of the plan. I’m hoping the economy forces them to cut it back a bit and just freshen up the tarmac. Leave the curves just as they are, it’s close to perfection now.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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Sights From The Road – The Bear Barn

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– 5/7/2009
One of the greatest things about getting off the main roads is the secret sights revealed, some beautiful, some awe inspiring, others curious. The mountains are full of old barns, enough to keep any “old barn aficionado” busy with his camera for the rest of his days. This one was unique though as it was also the curing rack for these couple of bear skins. They hung there for quite some time though they finally came down.This photo was taken from one of the roads from America Rides Maps – NC017 “The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park – EAST”. It’s just 10 minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway, though you’d never know this hidden road was there looking down from above. That’s the beauty of my maps – they’ll lead you to sights and places few ever experience and put you on the most enjoyable roads found anywhere.

Wayne Busch - AMERICA RIDES MAPS

Wayne Busch – AMERICA RIDES MAPS

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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

Mountain Riding Tips #4 – Mastering the Curves – How to Loosen A Tight Turn

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Here’s another trick from the motorcycle racetrack which has applications on the street and will improve your ability to carve through the curves by slowing the whole process down and making the turn less sharp.

These are not pure racing lines. Save those more elliptical and aggressive paths for where they belong. This is a softened interpretation more appropriate to day-to-day riding which will still achieve similar results without all the other complicated factors which come into play in a racing situation.

These diagrams show a section of road with a 180 degree turn. The red line shows the path taken by a rider who maintains his position in the middle of the lane throughout the curve. The blue line shows the path taken by a rider who adjusts his position prior to starting the turn and uses more of the road.

The first diagram shows taking the curve in the outside lane. Coming onto the turn, the rider moves to the outside edge of the roadway. One immediate advantage from moving to the outside edge of the road is he can see deeper into the turn – he can see more of it, more of what lies around the bend, and has more warning of any hazards ahead.

The second thing to note, is the rider begins turning sooner. This means more time in the turn, it takes longer to complete it. As both riders end up at the same distance down the road when the turn is completed, making the curve longer in effect slows it down. The blue rider takes more time to complete the turn.

Another way to look at it is to note the distance travelled by both riders. The red line is much shorter than the blue line. The curve of the red line is much sharper than the curve of the blue line. Taking the longer blue line makes the curve bigger. It’s not as sharp.

Note the position of my bike on the road in the photo of me just leaving the apex of an outside curve (above). See how close I am to the double yellow lines in the road. I started the turn near the outside edge of the road. I’m now at the tightest point of the turn and ready to start accelerating out of it. Because I was over at the far edge of the road I was able to see deep enough into it to know it was clear of traffic. If I had suddenly seen a car ahead, particularly one which had come across the yellow line, I was already out of the way on the far edge of the road. I was done with all my braking entering the curve at a speed I was comfortable handling at a steady throttle. If something appears in my path as I approach the apex of the curve, I have the entire lane to my right to move over and avoid it.

The last diagram shows taking the same curve in the inside lane. In this case, it is a much tighter turn, and effects are more dramatic and apparent. Note how much longer the blue line is than the red one, how much more time is spent between the start and end of the turn.The same advantages come into play here.

Don’t get locked into riding the center of your lane. Use all the road which is available and you’ll ride better, smoother, faster, and safer.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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

Mountain Riding Tips #3

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Mastering the Curves – Move Your Ass To Save It

It’s the classic mountain motorcycle demise. You’re clipping along, feeling your oats, enjoying the rock and roll through a series of curves feeling like you’ve got this stretch of road dialed in when suddenly the next curve throws something at you that wasn’t expected. Maybe it shuts down and gets tighter than you expected. Perhaps you grabbed a little more throttle than you should have coming out of the last one. Could be there’s a huge patch of gravel in the path you’d chosen. Whatever the reason, you’re coming in too fast and your sphincter seizes up.

The result too often goes like this – rider tenses up and sits bolt upright to react. Next he focuses all his attention on the problem – the patch of gravel, or most likely the edge of the road where he knows he’s going to go off. Taking your eyes off what’s ahead is a sure way to blow a turn. In desperation he grabs a handful of brake to try to kill his speed. The hesitation brings him too far into the turn and by the time he feels he’s got to lean the bike over it’s too late. Once that front tire rolls off the pavement it’s all over.

The more experienced rider may try to dive into the corner harder. Laying on the brakes, the bike is hesitant to pitch over, but he wrestles it down. Braking causes weight to transfer onto the front wheel and the back end gets light just as he’s really stomping on the rear brake. The rear wheel starts to slide. The bike pitches further on its side and something makes contact – a floorboard, foot peg, exhaust pipe, center stand, frame, whatever, and the rear tire lifts off the ground. The result is inevitable.

Admittedly, there is a point at which the speed you are coming into the turn is just plain too fast and there’s nothing even Casey Stoner can do to save it (he’s one of those racer guys for those of you that don’t recognize the name). But take a lesson from Casey, there is something you can do that will make a huge difference – move your ass.

For most of us, the idea of hanging off a bike with your knee and sometimes elbow sliding on the pavement, face only inches above the tarmac at 150 mph is sheer lunacy. It should be. That’s hardly “safe” even on a race track. There’s no place for it on the street. But there’s a reason those guys do it. By shifting their weight down low and inside on the curve, the bike can be kept more upright. More upright means better contact between the road and the tires. If the tires do break contact, the bike tends to slide and drift sideways instead of going down, at least most times.

There’s no need to start stitching knee sliders into your leathers, that’s not where this is going. But you can take a lesson from the pros that may save your ass from meeting the road. Learn to shift your weight in a turn.

It’s all about the center of gravity and relative mass. No wait, that’s a little too much out of the physics textbook. Put the calculator away. It’s so much easier to just go out and try it yourself. Shifting your weight, even just a few inches, has a dramatic effect when going through a curve. I’m not talking about hanging off the bike like a monkey. Just sliding your butt cheeks over to get one off the edge of the seat and lower your torso while dropping it to the inside of the turn will produce remarkable results.

It works on a bicycle. It works on a full dressed Harley. Try it. When the road tightens up, get in the habit of moving around a bit. Once you’ve made that initial adjustment, it’s easy to slide a little further if needed. You’ll have more control and better traction. While it’s a little more effort, that little effort could keep you out of the hospital, the repair shop, or worse when a curve throws more at you than expected.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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

Mountain Riding Tips #2

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Mastering the Curves – The Most Critical Factor

I’ve heard it said many times, “I’m not going to Deal’s Gap, that ‘Tail of the Dragon’ is too dangerous, I’m not experienced enough to handle the curves”. Truth be told, it takes more riding skill to navigate the crowded parking lot at the Deals Gap store than it does to ride the 318 curves in 11 miles that give the Dragon it’s toothy reputation.

The ability to carve through the curves on a motorcycle is a skill comprised of many complex factors. It takes experience. It takes practice. It takes familiarity and awareness of the capabilities and limitations of both the rider and the bike involved. Most of all it takes judgment. Of all the things that come into play, there is one critical factor that determines how everything else in a curve plays out – entry speed. Master that, and you master the curves.

So long as you come into a curve at a speed you’re comfortable with, lean angle, taking the correct line, throttle and brake control, weight shifting, all the other factors that can come into play are easy. So long as the speed is relaxed you will have ample room and time to adjust all the other factors and react to the unexpected. It is far better to hit a corner a little slow and accelerate through it than to come in too hot and fast, try to dump speed with the brakes, readjust your line, over-extend your lean, cross over the center line or worse.

Judging entry speed is the most important factor in riding the curves. The goal is to enter the curve at the speed that is optimal for your skills, maintain that speed through the apex of the turn, then accelerate out of the turn as the bike comes more upright.

It’s best to break the process of going through a curve up into parts so you focus on each of them independently. Judging the correct entry speed is the first step. Focus on it.

Evaluate the curve before you get to it estimating how tight it is and the speed at which you’ll feel comfortable handling it. Begin to adjust your speed with the brake or throttle before you start to tip the bike over for the lean. You should be done with braking before you begin the turn.

As you get closer to the curve scan the road and evaluate your entry point, the point at which you begin the line you plan to take through the curve. If your ideal spot has a pothole or a bump or there is loose gravel, you’ll need to change your line and adjust your speed even more. Be sure to give yourself time to make corrections not only for the hazards you see entering the curve, but in case something like loose gravel or a rock appears midway through it.

Position yourself so you can shift your weight quickly if needed. Get your feet on the pegs or floorboards and be aware if any movement of them will be needed to touch the brake. If you’re planning to shift your weight to the inside of the curve through the corner, go ahead and start before you get there. Be in a riding stance where you can adjust quickly if needed.

Once in the turn control the speed of the bike with the throttle. No throttle and the engine will continue to slow the bike. Steady throttle maintains your speed. Don’t get on the throttle until you have reached the apex and can see through the turn to know what’s around the bend.

Judging your entrance speed takes experience. The more you ride the curves, the better you will become a judging them. Even so you’ll occasionally get caught off guard, but if you always give yourself a margin for error, it will be there for you when you need it most. Remember to finish your braking before you get to the turn. Once you get this first step right, the ones that follow will come easy.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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

Mountain Riding Tips #1

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Engine Braking – Finding the Sweet Spot

A while back I took two guys from the flat lands out for a day of “spirited” riding on some of my secret mountain back roads. They were on some pretty hot machines and were looking to put them to the test. After ripping through one of my favorite stretches of twisty two lane, I pulled into a gas station for a break to see how they were liking the roads so far. “Thank God you stopped” said one, “My rear brake is about gone”. Sure enough, he’d cooked it to the point of fading and we waited a while for it to cool down again before heading back out. It was hard to understand – I’d barely hit the brakes at all that morning and I’d been the one setting the pace.

This article is not about how to use your brakes properly. That’s another subject. I’m going to explain how to ride at the pace you want and hardly use your brakes at all. This isn’t to say I never use my brakes, or that when you are really pushing it aggressive but controlled braking isn’t necessary. But in most normal riding you can use the resisting force of your bikes engine to not only control your speed, but have more power available and better control of your bike. The key is to find the sweet spot and maintain it.

Engine braking is something you’re already familiar with. Normally, your bikes engine drives the bike forward when you roll on the throttle. The engine pushes the bike. Engine braking is felt when you shut the throttle down. The energy of the bikes motion is now transferring to an engine which is no longer supplying power. Forward energy is being spent spinning the engine and is felt as resistance like a brake. The bike slows. The bike is pushing the engine.

Another example is commonly seen in the mountains, particularly on long downhill sections. About half way down the hill you start to smell it – brakes cooking. Looking ahead at the long line of cars and bikes I see a line of red tail lights. Everyone is riding the brakes to slow them on the downhill – except me. All I did was drop down a gear, sometimes two. Throttle closed, the engine is doing all the braking I need. When that opening in the traffic comes and I roll on the throttle to jump around and pass the line, I’m often right in the start of the power band for my engine and I zip on by.

It’s obvious to see how engine braking works on the hill. It can work just as well at controlling your speed as you carve through the curves. It’s one advantage to having all those gears to choose from. Master it, and you’ll have better control of your bike and save a ton on brake jobs.

One of the most useful places engine braking can come into play is on the Blue Ridge Parkway. With a set speed limit, relatively consistent curves and grades, it’s easy to find the one or two gears which match 80% of the conditions on the road. Top gear is rarely optimum. Seek the highest gear you can ride in that still slows you enough when you ease back on the throttle to enter a turn at the speed you’re comfortable with. Roll into the turn and gently maintain or increase the throttle as you carve through it for good control. Accelerate out of the last part of the turn, then as you approach the next, ease back on the throttle to set up for the next one. It won’t take long to find the sweet spot, and you’ll be amazed at the way the bike handles better than when you’re on the brakes.

It’s all about finding the right rhythm. As you become more adept at the skill, you’ll be more aware not only of your abilities, but how much more your bike is capable of when ridden well. Even when getting sporty, I always look for the sweet spot, just the right gear to carry into a turn so I don’t touch the brakes. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can go, feeling more in control of the bike, and how much more responsive it is. On the occasions where the brakes are needed you’ve got 100% of them in reserve.

Find your sweet spot and you’ll find more control of your motorcycle. Increase your safety and have more fun in riding it.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go to America rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com

Dogwood Winter Strikes

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A glance out the window the other day was rewarded with the sight of the buds on the dogwoods starting to swell and burst open. Soon, the mountainsides will be spotted with the white blooms of the wild trees while the remainder of the flora is just hinting at the first of the green rush to come. Right on time, at least according to natures calendar which does not fit in neat little boxes, dogwood winter has arrived. While most are well acquainted with “Indian summer”, that last burst of warmth that precedes fall, dogwood winter is the springtime mountain counterpart.

Just as the days start to warm and for the first time the mercury climbs to the 70’s in the heat of a nice day, dogwood winter signals a last spasm of the fading grip of winters fingers on the landscape. Right around Easter, along comes one last burst of cold often accompanied by snow. Sunny and in the 70’s one day, then a coat of white on the ground, one last reminder that winter does not go easily into slumbering retirement.

Dogwood winter is typically a mild event. It can also be a wicked slap to the fresh face of spring with it’s new blooms and emerging growth. Last year saw a couple inches of snow on Easter Sunday. The plastic eggs missed by children who ruined their Sunday shoes in the wet surprise were opened weeks later by the lawnmower or spotted still hiding amongst leaves in the garden. At it’s worst, dogwood winter can bring an ice storm which snaps the branches off the pear, apple, and cherry trees laden with blooms and foil the early plantings of the farmers with a freeze.

This rite of passage has come, a signal from nature that it’s calendar progresses according to it’s own whim. The fluffy flakes of today will be gone tomorrow and we can now move into spring with this behind us.

PS – good riddance. Time to ride.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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

More Blue Ridge Parkway Updates

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A few more updates on the Blue Ride Parkway to be aware of;

The Park Service is planning to repave and repair parking lots between milepost 359.7 and 375.1 through December 2010. The work includes the Craggy Gardens visitors center and the Craggy Gardens picnic area and six additional overlooks. There will be occasional closures of the overlooks and traffic will be reduced to one lane during some repairs.

These closures are currently listed at the Blue Ridge Parkway web site:
http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm

Milepost 269.8 – 280.9 – Blowing Rock Area

Roadway fill repair at Milepost 270.3 will close the Parkway until November, 2009.
For southbound traffic, exit the Parkway at Phillips Gap (Milepost 269.8) to Phillips Gap Road (NC 1168) to Idlewild Road (NC 1003) to US 221 south to US 421 south back to the Parkway at Deep Gap (Milepost 276.4).

For northbound traffic, exit the Parkway at Parkway School (Milepost 280.9) to Old US 421 south to New US 421 south to US 221 north to Idlewild Road (NC 1003) to Phillips Gap Road (NC 1168) back to the Parkway at Phillips Gap (Milepost 269.8).

Milepost 285.5 to 291.8 – Blowing Rock Area

Goshen Creek Bridge repair has closed the Parkway between US Route 421 east of Boone, NC and US Route 321 south of Boone. The detour will begin for visitors traveling south at milepost 285.5, Bamboo Gap. Visitors will follow state road (SR) 1514 Bamboo Road to Deerfield Road, following the detour signs along US Route 321 south of Boone then connecting back to the Parkway at milepost 291.8.

Visitors traveling north will begin the detour at milepost 291.8, intersection US Route 321; follow the detour signs along US321 to state route 1514 Deerfield Road to Bamboo Road which will bring them back to the Parkway at milepost 285.5. The total detour is estimated to be approximately 8 miles. Bridge repair is anticipated to be complete by late spring 2009.

These closures have been posted for a while and are relatively short compared to the closure that detoured around the slide near Mt. Mitchell. I plan to revisit the area soon and will get first hand info on the detours. If there are better ways to go (there often are) I will suggest them.

Southern Section Blue Ridge Parkway Open

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The southern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville, NC, to it’s terminus at Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee opened this weekend ending the months long winter closure. Longer days and warmer temperatures have cleared the ice from the tunnels and the small rockslides which occur with winter freezing have been cleared from the roads. It is a welcome sign of the arrival of spring in the mountains.

Traffic was light for the most part, though the most popular sites, Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam Knob were filled with the first visitors and hikers of the season. While spring is evident at lower elevations and the first shoots of green and early blooms are appearing, the higher elevations of the parkway remain in brown winter slumber. Many of the wet cliff faces still build up an accumulation of ice each night which shears off in sunlight of day. It’s a good time to get a clear view of the waterfalls before the leaves are on the trees.

You may expect brief closures should we get another dumping of snow or a prolonged cold snap, but for the most part you can count on the road being available for travel. It’s still chilly at the high elevations so bundle up to enjoy your ride. This is one of the better times to enjoy the long range views before the summer humidity and haze returns from which the Smoky Mountains got their name. Wave when you pass me!

Wayne@americridesmaps.com

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

Blue Ridge Parkway – Open May 15

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After a nearly two year closure due to landslides near the highest mountain in the east, Mt. Mitchell, the park service has announced the expected opening of this closed section of the Blue Ridge Parkway on May 15 (subject to change). This section is located about 30 miles north of Asheville, NC.

The Craggy Gardens Visitor Center at milepost 364 which never opened last year will reopen as will one lane of the parkway. Visitors can expect delays as the traffic will alternate using the one open lane.

Weather could impact the opening date, and is always a factor in closing sections of the parkway. Locally, the highest section of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Cherokee continues to be closed for winter, though I expect it will open any day now. We’ve had a sustained period of warmer weather which should have allowed the ice to clear from the dozen or more tunnels that grace this rugged and beautiful southern portion of the road. It’s not so much the snow that’s a problem here, but the accumulation of ice which persists in the cool shade of the tunnels long after the days have warmed.

Barring any significant slides which need attention, the gates should be unlocked soon.

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

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