April Trip South

I have to go to Randleman NC. on business, so , since I took the bike, I planned a more scenic route than just taking the expressway.

So far I rode down to Mobile, had a wonderful shrimp dinner at the Original Oyster House and Steamer in Mobile, on the Hwy 90 causeway, then over to Panama City, up to Rt 84, which is where I am at now in Valdosta Ga.

I have been riding not taking many pictures, but here are a few. ( I will be uploading to this folder as I go along ), so check back.



Tomorrow, I will be taking Rt 84 through the Okefenokee Swamp on the way to Savannah GA. I have never been this way before , so as with all new adventure , it is great.

Sunday, 5/22/07

The trip from Valdosta Ga to Myrtle Beach along US 84 was interrupted by a forest fire just SW of Waycross GA. Detour was probably 50 miles around it.

Myrtle Beach SC is rather an interesting place. The Dells, Branson, MO are on the same order of tackiness , but MB seems to be a little more blatant in the locals wish to relive you of your hard earned cash.

From MB I headed up to Randleman NC along NC 211. Wonderful journey through time in the North Carolina back country. The weather was as perfect as it could be, high 70's sunny and still air.

When I was finished with my job there, I headed to Fancy Gap VA where I-77 crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway. Today, I think I will head North on the Parkway, as I don't have to be to my next appointment in Ashland OH till Tuesday morning.

A note on traffic. It seems that people driving while using cell phones has gotten totally out of hand. I usually try to make eye contact with the drivers around me to get them to notice me and my bike. This is becoming impossible because everyone seems to be engrossed in some world changing cell conversion and not paying attention to the road. It doesn't matter if they have the phone up to their head or if they have a Spock ear thing. ( Those do NOT make driving and talking safer ).

It really makes you wonder, and for motorcycle riders, it is far more dangerous.

I have no answer, other than treating them as if they were the enemy in a video game that will at any moment try to kill you. To bad the bike doesnt have blasters.

Sunday night ...

Well , the job I have to do in Ashland is more complicated than I thought, so I did not do the Blue Ridge Parkway , I'll save that for another day , I just rode up here.

Well , 1st ride of the year, to here anyway , not home yet, so far has been 3478 miles in 6 days.

I should be done here Wednesday morning

More to come...

IBMWR Blitz To Branson

Well, I am going.

The Internet BMW Riders have put on the Blitz To Branson for 11 years. I have been to 2 of these, and this year am going again.

Here is the link to the IBMWR info:

http://www.ibmwr.org/events/2007/07_blitz2branson.htm

I 1st went in 1998 on my old 97 R1100RT, then again in 2001 on my 2000 R1150GS.

These folks are a great bunch and this has grown to be the unofficial kick off to the yearly riding season.

I was thinking of not going again, thinking of business, and the like.

But , nope, this is what life is about.

I am going.

Cheers

UPDATE! It was Great.

From Blitz to Bran...

Here are some Branson pics

VoniPics

Corporate Parody

Did you ever see that commercial, " We don't make anything you buy, we make things you buy better, so buy our stock"?

I just remembered a movie from the 70's called "The Groove Tube" that although a comedy then, is so ........ real now.

Here is a clip from The Groove tube, think of this next time you are watching seemingly mindless corporate babble commercials on TV.



Cheers

UPDATE I found another clip from "The Groove Tube" Click for Groove Tube clip - Heritage Loaf

Spring is Coming

It was such a beautiful today, the kid and I moved the bikes from the shop to home.



Our neighbors think we are a little off, considering the number of motorcycles / scooters we have for just two people.

I however do not. I don't think we have enough.

The Kid's main bike is the white Suzuki S40 (650 Savage), and the little orange Honda Metropolitan, is her around town scooter. The 2006 BMW K1200GT is my main bike, and the Camouflage Honda Ruckus is my around town scooter. The orange Honda Big Ruckus ( 250cc ) is a spare / medium range ride for either of us, and is handy when one of the main bikes is in for service.

I really can't see how we could get along with any less.

BMW K1200GT Movie

I found this short film clip about the BMW K1200GT, and thought I would share.



I have been riding motorcycles since I was a kid, and have never ridden anything close to the K12GT.

Cheers

Trip to CA

Desert 07

I just took a business trip to California, and took a few pics.

Thinking of Riding

This time of year I really start longing for riding the bike. I have some trips planned for 2007, and besides these , I am sure to come up with more, but so far:

1) US RT 83 from the Canadian border to Brownsville TX. US 83 is an interesting road because it is one of the longest US routes, 1885 miles. It also is unique that it does not pass through any major cities. One of the few roads that still gives you a feeling that rural America still exists.

2) Gaspe Peninsula Quebec, and the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia. I did start the Gaspe Peninsula coast road last summer on my old 04 R1150RT, but had to cut it short because of a bad tire. This time, Ill do it all , and the Fabulous Cabot Trail as well.

3) Ride around the pond. I have done this every year ( at least once ) since, well for a long time.

4) Blitz to Branson. This is always a great time.

5) Annual shrimp ride. Another ride I have been doing forever, from Joliet, down to Mobile Al. The Original Oyster House and Steamer on US 90 causway.

I was thinking of the 4 Corners Ride. The only states in the continental US that I have not been to are, WA, ME, and RI. Doing the 4 Corners ride will let me hit all of those. The long way. I don't think I will do this one in 2007 though. 21 days in addition to the other rides may just be too much.

I am sure I will come up with others, and would love some suggestions. Click the 'Comment' link directly beneath this post if you have some suggestions.

In any case, I plan to use up as many sets of tires on the new BMW K1200GT as I can.