From Macon Georgia I rode up to a friend’s in Cleveland Georgia yesterday. It was 40•, roads were dry. Beautiful, glorious day for a fall ride. He let me stay in his guest house last night. There were snow flurries there early this morning. When I finally pulled out on the Silverwing it was bright sunny day, not a cloud in the sky, and a balmy 39•. Highs for today’s leg of my trip were forecast in the 40s. I was fairly well prepared for cold weather riding. I met another old friend from podiatry school and his wife in Dahlonega Georgia for lunch. We hadn’t seen each other in 30 years, so lots of catching up to do. I finally hit the road and journeyed up to Black Mountain Georgia, just northeast of Asheville. I have my Waze gps app set to avoid freeways since I’m pulling this trailer. As I came into Asheville this evening at dusk, it was getting pretty cold and my hands and feet were getting numb. The next turn popped up on the Waze app - turn right onto the blue Ridge Parkway for the quickest non freeway route. No way in hades was I going back on the Blue Ridge Parkway at dusk, after hitting a deer on the Blue Ridge Parkway at dusk, on my way south to Florida a week ago! (No damage fortunately.) So I reprogrammed my Waze app and pulled into my hotel in Black Mountain NC at 6:15. A quick glance at my weather app showed why it felt so cold the last hour of riding. It was 31• when I pulled in. That’s cold to be riding for several hours on a motorcycle, even with the “proper” gear. I have two more days of riding, then I’ll be home to Strasburg VA Thursday evening; approximately 2600 miles down, 400 to go. The views from my guest house porch this morning:
Beautiful! You should have those heated gloves and socks. I think now you can get them wired up to use a Dewalt (or similar) battery pack.
I will, if I ever ride this far this late in the season again. I’m going to try to avoid doing so again in the future. (Although someone just asked me if I want to join him for his next ride to Anchorage Alaska!)
My cut-off is 40. Has to be 40 something to ride. Duc has heated grips that practically burn your hands if set on high. I have all the gear to keep me warm enough in those temps except boots. Takes a good while to get my feet too cold though. It’s bitter cold here in PA right now. I have about 26. A slight warm up is on the way. Predicting 50 by Thursday.
It got down into the low teens last night in Black Mountain NC where I stayed. It was 16• when I got up. After breakfast I got on my Silverwing, started it up, and it wouldn’t move! The throttle was seized up, I couldn’t budge it and didn’t have any idea why. So I thought for minute - I rode through six hours of pouring rain on Sunday, and it got down into the low teens here last night. The throttle cable must be froze up! So I just let it idle and warm up for a minute, and the throttle started moving again freely. I stopped in Hillvalle VA to meet Steve this afternoon. He has a new Facebook group called Maxi Scooters Blue Ridge Parkway and asked to meet me. We had a nice lunch together and a great time chatting! What I thought would be a quick stop turned into three enjoyable hours. We plan on riding at least part of the Blue Ridge Parkway together this spring. Steve took photos and video and I strung them together here: I’m spending the night in Christianburg VA just off Interstate 81. All this trip I’ve avoided towing my trailer with my Silverwing on interstates due to anxiety over interstate speeds and big trucks. All day today I was on interstates, namely 40, 77 and 81. The bike ran great and the trailer caused no problems, even at interstate speeds with passing big rigs. I’ve ridden 2850 miles this trip, and have 180 miles to go tomorrow to be back home. The trip has been awesome, the Honda Silverwing performed flawlessly and it was no trouble towing this trailer. Next summer I plan to ride up to east Canada, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton and Nova Scotia.
Home again, home again, jiggity jig! I arrived home safely at 2:45 this afternoon. I rode my Honda Silverwing 600, towing an improvised camper trailer, 3015 miles over the course of twelve days, with a five day stay with friends in Florida in between. What an adventure! I can’t wait to do it again! Next major trip - Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island, Canada, September 2024.
Glad you had a safe trip Brother!! Now we have to figure out how to get you to a GTG to see if I like you or TurboDiesel better...just a heads up, I do love Tim! Lol
I managed to travel 3,000 miles over 17 days, and other than a brush with a juvenile deer, I had no major mishaps. I arrived home Thursday and parked my rig right where I had it for days preparing for the trip before I left. Yesterday and last night it rained a good bit. Apparently that softened up the dirt enough for the Silverwing’s kickstand to sink into the dirt. This is what I woke up to this morning. Fortunately I was able to get it upright and no damage was done. At least I know the diy Heims swivel hitch on the trailer tongue works as designed. The trailer didn’t budge.
Motobecane gran premio Reynolds steel frame with ultegra8000 11spd. Rode avg 150 miles a week for several years when I lived in town. Stopped riding two years ago when we moved to the homestead and woodcutting has become my main hobby since. Enjoying your ride reports and pics, BrianK! I never learned to ride myself but my late father became a very avid rider in his later years. I loved seeing the joy it brought him and we did a fair amount of road tripping together with me on the bitch seat. Laugh
Not looking good for our new years day ride. Supposed to have a pretty good chance of snow flurries tomorrow.
No, but I was close to the house of a guy I work with, thanks for asking. I parked it out back and wife gave me a ride home. I came back yesterday and picked it up.
BrianK I'm impressed by your trip. Very awesome! I went to OH last summer, a big trip for me as I had not done one of that magnitude on a motorcycle. Glad you made it safe and sound. I do hope you make more trips like that, I'd love to read about them as they happen! SCA
