| Author | Message | ||
     Hooper |
I'd been itching to take a road trip for a long time, and when I get that feeling, I usually map a part of the country or the world that is about as adventurous as possible. Then I rent a bike that is very different from the one I own (like an Electra Glide or a K1200GT). This time, it was just a smack in the forehead: I have a couple bikes! Why don’t I get on one of them (the Uly) and go somewhere for a few hundred miles in a weekend? Well, it helped that my girlfriend was out of town, so there were no obligations. Living in the Washington, DC area and reading some of the threads on BadWeB, I decided I lived too close to West Virginia not to investigate some of the roads I’d been hipped to: www.wvmountainrider.com http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/377579.html?1216562788 It was time. I rode to work today with the full Uly luggage, loaded with my work stuff (wingtips, laptop, comb, sport coat (business casual), and hairspray [I suffer from helmet hair) but also a pile of sockets, wrenches, tape, pliers, Allen keys, etc. I also added a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and some moccasins – I thought I’d be eating casual. No, that’s not my style. I was in a training session all day on Friday, so I only had an hour or so in the evening to map out where I’d be going. I took what I’d learned from the sites and posts, jotted down the road numbers and compass directions, and created a virtual road trip in VA and WV. I’ll tell you what happens, but I know that it will start from Winchester, VA. I rode easily from Reston, VA to Winchester on scenic Route 50 – what I thought would be a straight run, except I saw a Harley dealer right before Winchester. This was Grove’s Winchester H-D/Buell. Never heard of it, but I had to stop. They had a couple 1125Rs out front. As always, I enjoy pulling up in full ATGATT next a couple in t-shirts on a Road King. I have a Harley, and I sometimes wear a half-helmet and jeans, but I always wear boots, jeans, gloves, and a jacket. Inside, I was sad to only see a red XT (MAN those things are low! I’m going to stick with the X when mine gets stolen later tonight!) and a Blast. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find a display with no less than five styles of Buell hats, t-shirts (alas, mostly small and medium), and jackets. MAN was I tempted by a nylon Buell riding jacket, armored in all the right places, but I just can’t wear that many logos. Heck, when I go riding, I avoid wearing a hat or t-shirt of the same brand bike that I’m riding. What I left with was a black hat with red lettering and three Buell reflective stickers (two small and one large). Other customers and employees looked at me strangely because of the ATGATT. It was like a reminder to them: “I really need to suit up before I ride.” Winchester brought me to the only and best hotel in town: The George Washington Hotel, a historic building that has only been renovated and recreated this year, and it felt like it. The rooms ($109 for a king bed, flat screen, massive shower, and free Internet) were fantastic. I was able to park my Uly in a tenuous half-spot in the hotel lot, near a construction site. Fine with me. Dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, The Dancing Goat (not the best name, however), was outstanding – I had beef Carpaccio and a lamb sirloin, along with a cheap Martini and some expensive glasses of red wine. The kitchen is wide open, there’s outdoor seating, and the staff knows the menu and drink list – this is a place trying to cater to the people who live and vacation in rural Virginia’s hunt country – those who want a good place to eat. Beyond a great dinner, the best part of my road trip evening was sitting at the upstairs bar, listening to a piano jazz trio (think Bill Evans), sipping a nightcap, and watching the procession of nations at the Olympics on the TV. This is my theory: each country’s hottest citizens are essentially the ones paraded out at the Olympics. It can be one of the most destitute and desperate countries in the world, but they’ll march a few of the hottest and most attractive women (and men) out there. It’s just amplified with countries that are known for their beautiful people: watch Denmark, Czech Republic, Italy, Baltic Republic (or whatever country that is), Cypress, Turkey, India, and Brazil: full on hotness. Anyway, my trip begins tomorrow. Nothing fancy, but on a personal level, it’s huge. I needed this. I took recommendations from fellow Buell riders about WV roads, mapped them out using Google satellite to ensure that I was taking a road that was embedded enough in green, twisty, mountains, and I can’t wait to just poke around. I have no idea where I’m going to end up tomorrow night – I thought about staying somewhere deep in WV, but I may also make the run back into DC, stay at my girlfriends’ place downtown (while she’s out of town, because I have annoying guests staying at MY house), smoke a cigar, and enjoy the weekend. We shall see. More later… | ||
| Conchop |
I think you'll find the Uly is the ideal WV bike. I live here and have rode the roads for years. I hope you enjoy it. I sure do. 219 - Blue Bend - Snowshoe - Cass - Shepherdstown - Hawksnest - Fayetteville - and a swim at Summersville - the list goes on. You will find that bikes OWN the roads around here and 4 wheeelers own the Hatfield and McCoy trail heads. WV is a well kept secret for riding. |
