2010 PA BTK Forum Ride

[CTRider]

Originally Posted by ispeed77

i am what i am

Don't blame it on spinach....I think there's a chrome alloy chassis under that skin of yours...

[DebbieW]

Originally Posted by CTRider

That's a doable compromise for most people - quicker than a few would like, but a little more relaxed than some might do on their own.

You're probably not going to get a full night's sleep on Saturday night with all the goings-on, so leaving Monday Morning would be better than Sunday.

Also, planning to get out their Thursday evening gives you a buffer to take part of Friday to finish the trip if something causes a delay.

Likewise, a delay headed home still gives you that Sunday for buffer at the back end if you leave Monday morning and plan to roll in sometime Saturday.

So, you get the potential for 7 days, with the goal of 6 each way.

I am already recruiting people from my riding group. A few plan to ride to Alaska so they may join us for the ride out and then continue on.

[vulcancowboy]

So, have we made any decisions yet about the 2010 PA BTK ride?

[DebbieW]

I believe we decided on West Virginia with the official start still in Carlisle to keep the PA in the ride. Not sure if anything else was decided.

Maybe Mike can start the thread with the ride info as it becomes available and ask a moderator to make it a sticky.

[vulcancowboy]

Originally Posted by DebbieW

I believe we decided on West Virginia with the official start still in Carlisle to keep the PA in the ride. Not sure if anything else was decided.

Maybe Mike can start the thread with the ride info as it becomes available and ask a moderator to make it a sticky.

Did we pick dates? Also need to figure out where/when we will be staying so we can make our reservations.

[pat0021]

Originally Posted by DebbieW

I believe we decided on West Virginia with the official start still in Carlisle to keep the PA in the ride. Not sure if anything else was decided.

Maybe Mike can start the thread with the ride info as it becomes available and ask a moderator to make it a sticky.

Well if you do WV maybe I can hook up with the group for a day.

[The Vol-can]

Hello. I would love to meet up in WV with you folks next summer. Had been following this thread thinking that I might make it to a PA ride sometime. Even went so far as to change my mount from an 800 to a Connie to enable more long distance tripping. And here ya go bringing the ride south to me! It's all good.

[DebbieW]

Originally Posted by vulcancowboy

Did we pick dates? Also need to figure out where/when we will be staying so we can make our reservations.

I would assume the same dates. August 5th - 8th. Official start in Carlisle on the 5th. Some of us would stay in Carlisle or Harrisburg on the 4th. Maybe we can block some rooms in PA to bring down the cost.

[The Vol-can]

If you are looking for ride ideas, check out Dale Coyner's book on Motorcycle Journeys through the Appalachians. He uses Summersville, WV as a base for several of the rides he took through that state. I've used his stuff on another trip and found it to be spot on.

[DebbieW]

We should ride the New River Gorge and Greenbrier Valley. Maybe Joe and Julie have some suggestions. We can always go with the NCDave suggestion as well. Old Clark Inn -Affordable lodging alternative to hotels, motels, B&B�s -Marlinton WV

[vulcancowboy]

How 'bout we use the Old Clark Inn (or something close by) as a "base camp" and ride out from there? We could have a meet up at Carlisle on 8/8 and ride to Marlinton. Then do day trips and head for home on 8/8. What does everyone think?

[DebbieW]

I was thinking the same thing. I can call on Tuesday and block some rooms.

[mkelley]

I'd like to suggest only 2 nights down in Marlinton (Thursday, Friday) instead of 3 and have the Saturday ride end up somewhere in the eastern panhandle of WVa and stay there overnight (Saturday night at the racetrack?). This will reduce the mileage home Sunday for folks coming from the north. JukieF and Skip will have a long trek home from Marlinton. David of course would barely have the oil warmed up in his engine by that time.

Another option would just be to plan an optional Sunday ride stopping overnight for anyone that wasn't ready to head directly home nonstop on Sunday.

[vulcancowboy]

Originally Posted by mkelley

I'd like to suggest only 2 nights down in Marlinton (Thursday, Friday) instead of 3 and have the Saturday ride end up somewhere in the eastern panhandle of WVa and stay there overnight (Saturday night at the racetrack?). This will reduce the mileage home Sunday for folks coming from the north. JukieF and Skip will have a long trek home from Marlinton. David of course would barely have the oil warmed up in his engine by that time.

Another option would just be to plan an optional Sunday ride stopping overnight for anyone that wasn't ready to head directly home nonstop on Sunday.

Sounds good to me. Maybe we should start a list of who is planning on going.

[DebbieW]

Originally Posted by mkelley

I'd like to suggest only 2 nights down in Marlinton (Thursday, Friday) instead of 3 and have the Saturday ride end up somewhere in the eastern panhandle of WVa and stay there overnight (Saturday night at the racetrack?). This will reduce the mileage home Sunday for folks coming from the north. JukieF and Skip will have a long trek home from Marlinton. David of course would barely have the oil warmed up in his engine by that time.

Another option would just be to plan an optional Sunday ride stopping overnight for anyone that wasn't ready to head directly home nonstop on Sunday.

Good idea. I originally planned on staying someplace on Sunday night but being closer to home is a great idea.

So should I block rooms for Thur and Fri then?

[DebbieW]

Originally Posted by mkelley

I'd like to suggest only 2 nights down in Marlinton (Thursday, Friday) instead of 3 and have the Saturday ride end up somewhere in the eastern panhandle of WVa and stay there overnight (Saturday night at the racetrack?).

What about Martinsburg? Just looking on a map and it looks like it's in the area you are talking about.

[DebbieW]

Had another idea. What if we stay in Front Royal VA on Saturday night. We could take Skyline Drive to get there. Then those further north could go on 81 back home.

For those really far north, I have a guest room with a queen size bed and another room with a sofa bed. Would be happy to play host on Sunday night. I even have a queen size air mattress that can be used in another bedroom as well. I would just need to get more sheets.

But you must be cat friendly. I have 4.

[DebbieW]

My ride today was canceled due to rain so I was looking into a few roads in WV for us to include. Here they are.

US 250 - "provides some very technically challenging switchbacks, tight corners, elevation changes etc. If you enjoy taking-on challenging roads - you will really love this one." "Monterey,VA at the intersection of US 250 and US 220) was labeled by Dale Coyner in his book Motorcycle Journeys Through the Appalachians as "the most rider friendly town" ". This would give us a place to stop and take a break. We could incorporate this with other roads to make it a great ride. from: US-250 N/W Virginia 92 N to: Monterey, Highland, Virginia - Google Maps

WV39 - "is just a fantastic motorcycle touring road! At various times you will ride along beautiful mountain streams, thick forest, and cranberry glades as you cruise along the valley and over the mountains. If there is a BETTER motorcycle touring road in WV - I am not aware of it!" from: Turnpike Rd/W Virginia 39 W to: US-219 N/W Virginia 39 E/W Virginia 55 E - Google Maps

US-33 - "The scenery can be anything from looking up from the valley floor to looking down from atop a mountain peak." "US Route 33 is, without a doubt, one of the best motorcycle roads in the US. I took the road west from VA all the way thorough WV. Amazing switchbacks, increasing radius turns with blind corners all over the place. The only thing I would tell you, is do not do this road in the rain." from: US-33 W to: Elkins, WV - Google Maps

[Mrzazz]

.

[mkelley]

How about a poll to see what the preferences are regarding 2 days at the same lodging vs. all 3 and it certainly affords us another day for a loop ride in a great area. Personally I'm good with 3 days in Marlinton (only 5-6 hrs home for me from there) and a ride Sunday with an overnite somewhere is also doable. Maybe a poll for a couple of weeks to give folks that might actually join us a chance to chime in.

Haven't heard from many people yet on preferences, so I started a poll here:
http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/fo...ning-poll.html

I PM'ed 18 forum members from last years ride thread to vote in the poll. I'm sure I forgot someone.