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Solo trip West Virginia/Tail of the Dragon
Hello,
Last two summers that I was motorcycling I would normally take off for 2-3 days at the end of the school year and 2-3 days before school starts. This year because of commitments I wasn't able to get away either weekend. Actually the only time this summer I could put a few days together without plans was August 10-13. I told my wife I wanted to go on a solo trip for the four days and she said I could.
Day 1:
I had a show the night before (I play guitar and sing in a band) and I didn't get away as early as I wanted to, I woke up late and had to help my wife get ready for the baby shower I was skipping to go on a trip. By the time I got on the road it was 1pm. I stopped and bought a new rain suit that I spotted earlier but wanted to try on with my full gear hit the USA border and was on my way. I took highway 219 stopped for a gas/coffee break and headed to Pennsylvania to see if the Pizza at Pizza Napoli in Bradford was as good as I remember. It was!!! I was there last year on my trip to Alleghany with my friend on the BMW adventure bike, but this year he couldn't get away so I was solo. I press on the 219 for a while and it's starting to get dark. I get stopped in the middle of nowhere with a firetruck blocking the road, I'm about two or three cars back and I'm trying to figure out what is going on. I look and see some food/beer tent type thing and it appears to be a celebration of some sort but I have no idea what's going on. Then BOOM! Fireworks and I've got a front row seat! They must have gone on for 1/2 hour or so. Every time I thought it was the grand finally there would be another flurry. In Canada our fireworks aren't nearly as loud and being in the Mountains hearing the sound swirl and reverberate was incredible. I asked a gentleman what was going on and he simply said "It's Cherry Tree day." Which was the name of the town I was wondering through. Even though it was very late I was determined to get to Morganstown. I arrive and downtown looks like Mardi-Gras. The hotel I had googled had no vacancy and I had to settle for a roach motel on the outskirts of town. I had no idea that it was move-in day for University of West Virginia and every single hotel was full. Once I saw my room I tried for 40 minutes to find a hotel with vacancy within a half hour ride, but no luck... Between the roaches, and the yelling from other rooms and my skin crawling I tried to catch a few winks. I put all my stuff in the hard bags and left them locked water tight on top of the desk.
Day 2:
Other than that Motel West Virginia was beautiful. I rode for 2 hours from Morganstown then grabbed some breakfast in Aurora. Everyone seemed to know everyone. A trucker sat with me and after figuring out what I was doing there he made some route suggestions. I rode all over the state park having the roads practically to myself. Late in the afternoon after riding highway 33, 219, 220, 250 and seeing some picturesque vistas I looked at my map and had to make a decision. It would be a lot of miles to the Tail of the Dragon and I was already half way through my allotted time, but I figured if I didn't go now, I wouldn't see it for at least another year so I decided to go for it. Jumped on the interstate and had to make use of that rain suit I bought a few times. I was trying to get to Knoxville, I figured there would be a good amount of restaurants and hotels and it is pretty close to the tail I could hit it in the morning and start to make my way back to Canada. I started to get pretty tired and Knoxville was still over an hour away and I saw a Holiday Inn I just couldn't resist. Compared to where I stayed the night before it was a palace! New, clean, great bed and sheets, a good tv with lots of channels and no roaches! Heaven!
Day 3: Since it was a Monday I figured there would probably be some kind of rush hour traffic heading into Knoxville so I decided to change my route. I just happened onto the 441 by chance and it looked like an amazing road to ride through the Smokey Mountains and catch highway 19 to 129 and go North to the TOTD. I go through Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Cherokee all very neat little towns that I would like to come back and spend some time in some day. Maybe with family and the CB towed behind the van! I finally get to 129 and I was pretty impressed and I wasn't even at the tail yet! I got some souvenirs and gas and after a picture with the dragon I headed out on the road. It was pretty incredible. I'm sure glad I took all the extra courses and track day experience because I needed all of it on this road. If I just did the MSF course and jumped on that road I might be on the tree of shame or worse. I made quite good time there, a group of Harleys that I passed early on I saw on the website were 5 minutes behind me on one of the photo guys time stamped websites. Maybe they stopped for something, but I doubt it. The only close call I had on the whole trip happened on the tail, some a** in a yellow ferrari was half in my lane from a down hill corner executed poorly and I had to go to the outside tire track to avoid him. I bought another souvenir from my dad from the HD store they have there because that's his thing and I was heading for home. Having 3 days to play on the best roads I could find was great but I was missing my wife and boys and I had to be back in Hamilton for Tuesday night. I pressed on for another few hours and wound up stopping in Lexington Kentucky for the night. Days Inn, better than the Roach Motel, but not quite a brand new Holiday Inn express. Had a good meal and a couple beers in the jacuzzi while watching some lame Adam Sandler movie.
Day 4:
Blacktop day, constant i75 back to Detroit and then 401 403 back to Hamilton. The breakfast at the Days Inn was pretty good. The only other notable thing was I stopped in Ohio for a little reprieve and someone came up and asked me if my motorcycle was a nighthawk. I told him no it's a 2013 CB1100 and he immediately knew all about it. I asked him if he worked for the airline because of his uniform white shirt, blue tie, blue pants, some kind of wings on his chest and he replies, "No, US Army" . Then I look at his epilets and see TWO STARS. Holy moly, a GENERAL stopped to ask me about my motorcycle in a Tim Hortons in Ohio. My Dad will never believe this, so I got a picture. As I left and asked him for the picture he asked me another question which sparked another 40 minute conversation about motorcycles while he finished his lunch, we were still chatting when his captain informed him they had to get somewhere. 4 days - 4300 KM - 9 states - 3 chain adjustments and a lifelong memory.
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Solo trip West Virginia/Tail of the Dragon
