Motorcycle Travel - Pack Light!

"Everything I need for the week is packed on my bike, or it's not coming" Many a rider, BMW MOA Forum.

If I were traveling alone, and staying in a hotel, I might be able to agree with this quote. But as a I drop off 30 lbs of gear with UPS I can only laugh at the idea of being away from home for a week, traveling two up and being able to carry everything I need. Need? Did I say need? What do two people need for a week away from home? Well if those people are me and my kiddo...here is what we shipped to the rally site:

• queen size air mattress, and pump


• blanket and sheet


• two bath towels, two hand towels


• a tarp for the afternoon thundershowers


• clothes for 2 - shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, sandles


• rain poncho


• flash light, bug spray


• box-o-wine


• tent stakes


• Tiki Wine Cup

Here is what what we'll take on the bike:

• two full sized folding chairs, with drink holders. Sure some people would leave these home, but there is only so much roughing it we can take!


• 2 person tent (technically 4 person)


• DSLR camera - 1 lens (no room for the big camera bag)


• We each have a point & shoot camera


• My new 10.1 Acer netbook - the full sized laptop was out of the question, but the little netbook, has a little case for it too.


• rain gear - jacket/pants, boots, rubber gloves for two, that's half a bag.


• spare faceshield


• extra gloves


• a few bottles of water


• power supplies for 3 cameras & two cell phones.


• sun screen


• an overnight bag for the stop in Harrisburg


• Garmin


• an atlas


• bunch of other stuff in the tank bag

So much for traveling light...I need a trailer!

Thank you so much for the kind souls who have hit the paypal button and helped us out with gas for the trip!

Give us a wave if you see us!

Take a Motorcycle Ride in North East Tennessee

Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet.

Marilyn Elmore, aka Chessie made a comment on my recent post about heading to the BMW MOA National Rally in Johnson City, TN. Chessie, is a local rider. I asked her if she'd be willing to write a guest blog about a ride for all of my BMW buds that will be descending on the area in two weeks; and she was kind enough to agree.

Download a PDF copy of the Google Map & Direction ;print it out and bring it with you.

Chessie's Favorite Local Ride in Northeast Tennessee

This particular circle is one of my favorite "local" rides here in NE TN. It's about 122 miles...and Google says it will take almost 4 hours to ride...and that's true as long as you don't slow down to see the beauty that is both Tennessee and Western North Carolina. I, on the other hand prefer to stop along the way to photograph the blue hues of our local mountain ranges. The sparkling sunlit rays bouncing off our flowing streams and rivers...the abundant wildlife and wild flowers that are standing on the edges of our roadways...waiting for you to notice...Northeastern TN and Western North Carolina are wonders of color and beauty that can leave you awe struck...if you just slow down to see what's there!


Go To Google Map

Most of you will be starting from Gray TN. or Johnson City... this part of the ride is unremarkable...you can take the suggested route to Elizabethton, TN. or just take I-26 to the Elizabethton Exit Route 91. Take Route 91 into Elizabethton until you arrive at Route 19E, which is a southbound road, leading you out into the foothills of our Mountains...up...up...up into our tallest mountain in the state of TN...Roan Mountain. I like this part of the ride...it's where you will start to find the troubles and the tensions of the world slipping off your back...dripping away from your thoughts, lightening your load to the point you realize you have tears of gratitude stinging your eyes...you will fight the urge to raise your hands into the air and whoop as loud as you can...maybe you will win the fight, but let me urge you to just let go...and do it...it is the pure simple joy of your childhood...and you haven't done that for such a long time...just do it!



Before long you will be in the town of Roan Mountain...and will be coming to your next turnoff... you will be turning into Roan Mountain State Park...into Cherokee State Park....it will have many names as you ride this road...but stay of good heart...you will not be leaving the main roadway....you will be on Route 143, NC 261...oh you will be overjoyed at the ride up Roan Mountain to the pinnacle...how wonderful...how beautiful...how craggy...how woodsy it all is. Your mind will empty of the daily crap...and fill with the healing sights and aromas of nature. Your ready to cross the state line now...heading down the other side of our mountain... you’re now in North Carolina...oh...it's just as different on this side of the mountain...you will begin to notice subtle differences...the road surface, the homes, the rock faces of the mountain...ahhh it is just amazing the amount of emotions your going to faze into...and out of...



Reaching the end of Route 261... you’re in Bakersville...outside of Bakersville you’re going to hook up with Route 226 South...it's a nice gentle road...with streams and beauty running along side your route...but your getting antsy for something with a little more skill level...your ready for some twists...it's coming my friends...a little warm up for you is when you hit Route 1170 South...still gentle curves, but in faster frequency...raising your expectations a couple of notches higher...your prepping yourself for Route 19W....it's God's country up there...you will love it, I promise.





After a while, you’re on 19E...not such a nice road at this time. They are blasting and making it larger...what for I don't know, my guess? Pork Barrel work...it really isn't needed from my perspective... but...it's the only way to get to 19W...and this is what your here for...this road...nothing will prepare you for it's beauty, for it's aggressive sweeps, switchbacks, and the beautiful French Broad River....This is what you have been riding all day for...it's wonderful...it's magic...sweeping up this mountain from North Carolina...and into Tennessee...you will so enjoy the buildings here, the rustic atmosphere of our mountains...you will soon come down into Erwin...and realize...it's almost over...but you will want to do 19W again...and again...and again...there is too much to see...too much to feel, too much to experience...waterfalls, suspension walk bridges...ah my...your coming back to ride this one again...I promise...

Making Plans to Travel

To plan or not to plan that is the question. Or is it?
How much to plan...that's more like it.
Lisa and I are heading to the BMW MOA Rally in Johnson City, TN in a couple of weeks. I've finally gotten around to planning for it.

I'd love to just hop on the bike and head southwest and meander to the Rally. But as seems to always happen, I just don't have the luxury of time and money to do that. If I had the money I could find the time, but I'm on a tight budget this year due to my lack of outside employment. I'm working hard to get my business up and running; going to the Rally will be an excellent opportunity to meet with potential clients, so I can justify going for that reason alone.


I've decided to split 1,100 miles up in two days, which means 2 long days in the saddle. I booked a hotel in Harrisburg, PA for the trip down; I’ll be able to wing it a little more heading home. In the coming week I’ll be plotting the course in Garmin. I just as soon turn Garmin off, until I get lost, but again, I’m on the clock, and the days are long as it is.



We'll be coming out of the gate cold; except for my trip to Acadia I've not had much long day prep. More of a concern is our lack of acclimation to the heat. I hear from my colleagues that it's 90 degrees with high humidity. Here in New Hampshire we've been stuck for weeks with cool misty wet days in the 60's. I don't want to fall victim to optimistic packing disease. You know what I mean? You pack for where you are, not where you're going? I do that a lot early in the summer. But I'm keeping that in mind.

In the past we've really enjoyed Sherpa Ted's services. The joy of having a tent set up waiting for you, a clean towel everyday, and coffee brewing the morning. And while his service is reasonably priced, it's an expense I had to cut this year. I’ll be shipping the camping gear and accessories ahead. My gear is just too bulky for the bike when we travel two up. It's nice that the Rally offers a shipping/receiving option.

Are you making plans for the summer?

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Ride Report: Acadia National Park

Prior to last weekend, I had never ridden in Acadia National Park.
I guess I thought there would be too much tourist traffic
Or that it always rains when I go to Maine
Or it just wasn't going to be worth taking the extra day off.
Boy was I wrong, on all counts!



We left Friday AM in thick clouds, but never saw rain.


We camped at Seawall Campground, Southwest Harbor, one of two park camps. A bargain at $20/night, all the wood you can burn...but no showers on site.
There is a "camp store" down the way that has a sign for hot showers. But they didn't seem open very much. In fact, it seems that we missing the big opening by a week. This was not a plan but worked out in our favor :thumb
We had the place to ourselves...maybe 25% occupancy.

We were not familiar with the one way section of the Loop Road, and its not obvious on the map, it is one way toward Sand Beach, that means you have a glorious 2 lane (freshly paved I might add) winding road all to yourself, pass cars and bicyclists as needed.



Late afternoon sun at a bay near Pretty Marsh. hard to say exactly, I was leading...and getting us...misplaced.


Top of Cadillac Mt. on a sunny day


This was the top of the Mt. during the first part of the day, cloudy, cold and misty.


Sand Beach




Not much traffic...


Dinner, sweet potatoes and russet potatoes cooked on the coals, served with bubbling hot chili over the them.


This is a summary of our camping at Seawall Campsite...everything except the Maine State bird (mosquito)


Acadia is already on next years list! Hope you are getting out and finding new favorite spots!