Club Ride - Ozello Trail - December 28, 2013

Gunny, Mr. Sarcasm and I rolled out after breakfast at Snellgroves and headed north toward Ozello in the usual circuitous fashion. After an hour-and-a-half of twisting through the countryside, we made our first stop at the Hess gas station in Brooksville to download some coffee.

Gunny and Mr. Sarcasm in the Hess parking lot:

Leaving the Hess station, we headed into downtown Brooksville before turning north again toward CR 491. The weather was overcast, but that didn't hurt the quality of the riding one bit:

Gunny looped us all through the woods around Booksville until we ended up on US 19 at US 98, where we headed due north on the direct line to the Ozello Trail. On US 19 I got a chance to shoot a few shots of the guys astride their steeds. Here is Gunny rolling up the highway on his Triumph Trophy SE:

Mr. Sarcasm was riding his V-Strom again today:

We rode the Ozello Trail to its terminus at the water's edge. We stopped for a quick look around and Gunny took advantage of the opportunity to take a picture of me taking a picture of him:

Here's a close-up shot of my Triumph Trophy SE. It is a well-established fact that the silver ones are the fastest, best balanced, and best looking of the Trophy line:

Back on the bikes we doubled-back to Perk's Old Port Cove Seafood Restaurant for a tasty lunch. This is a shot of Gunny and Mr. Sarcasm delicately turning into the motorcycle-treacherous gravel parking lot:

We got a pretty good parking spot right near the restaurant and the water:

They've dressed the place up a bit since our last visit:

Out in the parking lot Mr. Sarcasm was the epitome of cool:

We elected to dine on the deck overlooking the water:

I did mention that the food at Perk's is tasty, right? We all chose the crab-stuffed grouper topped with two gigantic shrimp and served with fries, coleslaw, and hush puppies. Yes, it was delicious!:

They have fresh blue crabs at Perk's, too. How fresh, you ask? This fresh:

The best thing about riding out to the end of the Ozello Trail is that you have to retrace your route to leave. Since the Ozello Trail is referred to by some as the twistiest road in Florida it's a good time in both directions:

Leaving the Ozello Trail we headed south on US 19 all the way down to Spring Hill so that Mr. Sarcasm could check out a new KTM dual-sport bike that caught his attention. This shop sells KTM, Triumph, and even Royal Enfield bikes:

The outside appearance of the shop belies the sea of top-notch bikes on display inside:

I like the look and retro design of the Royal Enfields, but they are just too small to be practical for me:

This is the KTM that Mr. Sarcasm came to see. As usual, his taste in motorcycles is impeccable:

Gunny kept getting in the way of my great photographs, so I asked him to move out of the way. This is what Gunny getting out of the way looks like:

Here's another shot of the KTM that Mr. Sarcasm is contemplating adding to his stable of bikes:

Mr. Sarcasm even looked reasonably comfortable sitting on it:

We did luck up and found a motorcycle that was perfectly sized for Gunny:

Mr. Sarcasm told us to get him out of that shop while he still had money in his pocket, but he just had to take one last look at that KTM on the way to the door:

Leaving Spring Hill we made for home via the indirect, country roads route. I split off from the other guys in San Antonio where they turned east toward Polk County while I continued south toward Hillsborough County. I ran into some rain showers in Zephyrhills and continued to ride in and out of rain the rest of the way home:

I arrived home at about 4:10 p.m., with 210 miles showing for the day's riding. Despite the overcast and the late rain showers, this was a great day of riding. I feel sorry for my northern two-wheel brothers who are snowbound this time of year. They were dreaming of their springtime rides to come while I was out riding in t-shirt weather. Ya gotta love Florida!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Club Ride - DeLand Airport - December 7, 2012

A few of us rode over to the airport in DeLand for a MSTA meet-up, where we enjoyed fellowship with other riders, a tasty lunch, and plenty of skydiving action. Here's a short video I put together on the skydiving. My advance apologies if the titles aren't formatted correctly! I'm having an issue with iMovie on my iPad:

 

Posted with Blogsy

Fall Ride 2013 - Day One - Saturday, 10/19/2013

In absolutely uncommon-for-me fashion, I arose at four o'clock in the morning to pull off a 6 a.m. meet-up with my fellow travelers so we could begin our day-long sojourn to the mountains of northern Georgia.

 

Keeping to the agreed upon schedule, I arrived at the rendezvous point about ten minutes early, gassed up the Triumph Trophy SE, and then waited for the others to arrive.

 

Sitting out in the cool morning air of the McDonald's parking lot I was feeling pretty smug about being the first one to arrive. This was a real accomplishment for me as I'm usually pushing the schedule to the last second...and sometimes beyond. So, it was truly satisfying to be sitting there as the first-to-arrive, the trailblazer, the trendsetter, the man who...and that's when I looked inside the McDonald's and saw Mr. Sarcasm in there calmly sipping coffee and reading a newspaper, the crumpled remains of McDonald's food wrappers littering the table before him. Oh, well, maybe next time!

 

The others arrived, we knocked out the small talk and reviewed the ride plan in short order. We went kickstands up and rolled onto Interstate 4 just about six o'clock in the morning. Things were off to a good start.

 

3.2 miles up the road, Eddie called for our first break of the day. Okay, maybe it was more like 20 miles up the road -- it was Pasco County, afterall -- but it sure felt like less than that. Let's call it a luggage check. Yeah, that's it, a "luggage check"! This too-soon-in-coming break was, thankfully, kept to a minimal amount of time and we were soon winging our way northward once more.

 

The darkness still enveloped the land as we rode north on I-75 from the Tampa area. Our goal for the day was to make it to Blairsville, Georgia, and the Copperhead Lodge, where we were slated to spend several days exploring the area and experiencing a loop-ride that has been dubbed, “The Gauntlet”.

 

As the minutes and the miles ticked by, I saw the first signs of the rising sun off to my right; a thin sliver of light tracing the horizon and backlighting flat, featureless land east of the highway. Off to my left the mist of early morning ground fog was clinging to the bases of trees like cotton batting. Sunrise is never so beautiful as when seen from the saddle of a motorcycle.

 

By ten in the morning our little band of motorcycle travelers crossed the state line into Georgia. The trip was in full swing as we were officially out of Florida. My thoughts began to drift ahead to visions of twisty asphalt and scenic mountain vistas...what the hell?!? Another break??? Yep!

 

Just a few miles over the state line into Georgia, Eddie signaled another departure from the Interstate and a halt to forward progress. This time it was for a little exercise I like to call "smuggler's run". In homage to Dragnet, we'll skip the details so as to protect the not-so-innocent. They know who they are and they know what they did. And they know they killed my forward progress to do it, dammit!

Finally back on the road, my thoughts returned to the mountains and the days of great riding that lay ahead. Motorcycle riding may be about the journey, but this time it was the destination that beckoned to me like a siren’s song, calling me closer and closer to a place where my soul would be renewed by cool air and curvy roads.

 

There were other diversions along the way. We got stuck in downtown Atlanta post-crash traffic for every bit of an hour. We lost Mr. Sarcasm. Mr. Sarcasm found us. Or, perhaps, we found Mr. Sarcasm despite his best efforts to the contrary. We stopped for someone to eat brought-from-home, picnic chicken that was consumed in the parking lot of a Chic-fil-a restaurant. And, of course, we stopped for the periodic and necessary refills of our gas tanks.

 

Twelve hours and 566 miles later, we finally pulled into the parking lot of the Copperhead Lodge in Blairsville, Georgia. It was time for some much needed rest.

 

Thankfully, getting settled at the Copperhead Lodge was a non-event. We were greeted by friendly staff who were expecting us and they had everything ready for our arrival. Within minutes I had keys to a cabin, a map of “The Gauntlet”, and a full briefing on what was available for dinner in the Copperhead’s restaurant. I smiled to myself as I realized that we had arrived at a place where the people not only understand motorcyclists, they are motorcyclists, and they use that shared perspective to ensure their guests will have an enjoyable and satisfying stay.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Fall Ride 2013 - Day Two - Sunday, 10/20/2013

Rising early, as is our custom when on the road, we scarfed down a tasty breakfast at the Copperhead Lodge, before rolling out to challenge this route called “The Gauntlet” that we had heard so much about. It was a brisk and foggy 42-degree morning and I was really enjoying this taste of true fall weather.

Now, when it comes to riding mountain roads, my standards for what makes a good ride are pretty high. As most of you Dear Readers know, I make a semi-regular habit of this mountain-motorcycling thing. As a result of all those trips north I have experienced the best of what those verdant hills have to offer. I have slain the Dragon that stalks US 129 north of Robbinsville; I have traversed the above-the-clouds pathways of the Cherohala Skyway twisting toward Tellico Plains; I have challenged that not-yet-cooly-named stretch of NC 80 that rises up from Marion to the scenic heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway; I have braved the unforgiving undulations of NC 226A, a road so twisty legend says it makes NASCAR drivers squeal like little girls; and, I have repeatedly stomped upon “The Snake” that slithers across the mountaintops from Shady Valley to Mountain City. And it would be those experiences that would form my basis of comparison for this ride they have dubbed, “The Gauntlet”.

 

Within minutes of leaving the Copperhead Lodge we were riding southbound on GA 60 toward the community of Suches. The road between here and there is a tasty medley of mountain meadows, sweeping curves, and a nice sprinkling of twisty turns to hold your attention.

 

This stretch of the Gauntlet also offered up some beautiful vistas of open fields giving way to mountains rising in the distance, farmland, and natural scenes that were as impressive as they were foreign to this born-and-raised flatlander.

 

No sooner did I find myself enjoying the scenery and the curves than a pair of useless forest rats (aka, deer) ran across the highway about a hundred yards ahead of me. Well, at least they had the decency to cross before I got to them! This little reminder that lots of forest rats call this part of the country home was all I needed to adjust my riding habits accordingly.

At the bottom of the hills we arrived in Suches, where we pulled off into a school parking lot to let the slower riders (Eddie!) catch up. In fairness to the slower riders (Eddie!), it's tough to sling Battlestar Galactica around those tight curves.

 

The next left turn put us onto Wolf Pen Gap Road and I knew from past experience that we were in for a nice stretch of challenging twisty bits over the course of the next few miles. Back in 2005, the same three riders traversed this road on our way to the Honda Hoot in Knoxville, TN. That brief encounter with this road some eight years ago had implanted lasting memories of serpentine goodness that I was eager to refresh.

 

The first few miles of Wolf Pen Gap Road are pretty sedate from this side of the run, but after a few miles and one really hard left turn onto a narrow bridge, you arrive at the gateway to motorcycling goodness. That bridge is located adjacent to Lake Winfield Scott, so we took a bit of time to stop for photos.

Back on the bike and rolling eastward once again, the curves tightened and the road began to demand more and more lean angle from me and my Triumph. Yes, my memories were honest ones; this is a challenging and enjoyable stretch of road. My riding buddy, Mr. Sarcasm, made the most of it as he rode his Triumph through these demanding curves with an ease and grace second only to mine. (Note to Mr. Sarcasm: Let it stand without rebuttal in consideration of that which happened next which goes unmentioned herein.)

 

All too soon Wolf Pen Gap Road came to an end as it intersected with US 129.

 

From Wolf Pen Gap Road, The Gauntlet turned south to follow US 129 down to GA 75A, which is used to pickup GA 348, also known as the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. The “scenic” in this highway’s name is accurate and this stretch of the Gauntlet would prove to be one of my favorites. Between the views, the sweepers and the twisty curves -- and some freshly laid asphalt -- GA 348 was motorcycling bliss.

 

At the end of GA 348, we followed The Gauntlet easterly onto another section of GA 180. This stretch of riding brought us to the entrance to Brasstown Bald, a national park that encompasses the highest point in all of Georgia.

 

We took the twisty, steep road up to the park, paid our $5 per person admission, and took the tram ride to the top.

 

At the top of the mountain sat a large complex that included a museum and a large observation deck affording 360-degree views of the mountains of northern Georgia. The views from atop Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 feet above sea level, are nothing short of spectacular. We were especially fortunate to visit on a clear day as we could see the skyline of Atlanta out on the horizon some 70 miles away!

Leaving Brasstown Bald we turned northerly from the terminus of GA 180 at GA 17/75 and continued our trek along The Gauntlet. On this leg of the route we enjoyed a mix of open country and more developed areas; every mile of it good riding in one way or another.

 

The final leg of the Gauntlet routed us around Nottely Lake on GA 325. Once again, the road and the scenery were topnotch. Catching a glimpse of the lake with mountains as the backdrop is always an inspiring sight, and there was no shortage of inspiration on this final section of The Gauntlet.

 

Very conveniently, the last leg of The Gauntlet returned us to the Copperhead Lodge where we dismounted after a full and satisfying day of riding. We had rolled out at eight o’clock in the morning to start a ride that returned us to our starting point at five o’clock in the afternoon, with 150 miles showing on the trip odometer.

 

Back at the Lodge, we sat down to a hot and tasty dinner of mushroom Swiss burgers and cold beers. We closed out day two of riding by enjoying dinner and conversation next to the fireplace in the Copperhead Lodge’s main dining room.

After dinner we strolled the short distance up the hill to our cabin where we all retired for a goodnight’s rest while dreaming of the roads we would challenge come sunrise.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Fall Ride 2013 - Day Three - Monday, 10/21/2013

We rolled out from the Copperhead Lodge at 8:05 a.m. It was a frigid 36 degrees and I was very thankful for modern riding gear and some hand-warmer pouches tucked inside my gloves. We were headed into Blairsville for breakfast at one of the local eateries because the Copperhead's restaurant is closed on Mondays. Later in the day we were scheduled to meet a local businessman who was going to give us a tour of more local roads.

 

Eddie's bike, Battlestar Galactica, had developed a starting issue late in the day on Sunday. As the day wore on the problem became more pronounced, to the point that push starts were required to get him underway. So, part of today's agenda included finding a shop where Eddie could get a new battery installed in his bike.

 

Breakfast was at a place right on the town square in Blairsville called "Hole-in-the-Wall". We had been steered here by some friendly locals working at the Copperhead. The recommendation was spot-on; the Hole-in-the-Wall proved to be a great place for breakfast. The fact that this restaurant served quality country ham, red eye gravy, and oven-fresh biscuits made Eddie especially happy. The restaurant was also located across the street from a historic courthouse with great architecture, so Mr. Sarcasm and I got to turn our breakfast stop into a nice photo op as well.

After breakfast and a quick push-start of Eddie's bike, we were off in search of that new battery. We got some recommendations on places to get a motorcycle battery, but chasing them down proved to be a series of dead ends. One of the last pieces of advice we got was to head up US 129 to a place called the Biker Barn, so we chased that lead as well.

 

Riding about seven miles north of town we found the Biker Barn without any trouble. I went in and asked the friendly guy at the counter if they had any batteries available and was told that he had just sold his last battery of the season the week prior. I thanked the guy for his time and turned to leave, but I guess the chagrined look on my face was too much for him. This guy told me about a place back in Blairsville -- Union Powersports -- that might be open and would be our best bet for finding a battery.

 

Taking the guy at Biker Barn's advice, we rode back into Blairsville and found Union Powersports, where Eddie was able to secure a new battery and installation services. Now, for those of you that don't know any better, buying a new battery is not just a matter of taking it off the shelf and bolting it in place of the old one. New batteries have to be conditioned and charged a certain way to make them ready for installation. In the case of Eddie's new battery it was going to be a two-hour job, so Mr. Sarcasm and I left Eddie at the shop while we continued to ride. Besides, we had a noon appointment to meet up with our tour guide back at the Copperhead Lodge.

 

Leaving Eddie at the shop, Mr. Sarcasm and I got in a bit of riding on some of the backroads south of Blairsville. We also managed to toss in another run on Wolf Pen Gap Road before winding our way back to our scheduled rendezvous.

 

Pulling into the parking area at the Copperhead Lodge I spotted a single motorcycle and rider parked under the canopy. Since the Copperhead was closed, it was a pretty good bet that this was our guy. But something about the man before me was strangely familiar. It seemed that I had seen this guy somewhere before. And that's when it hit me: this was the same guy I had talked to earlier in the morning up at the Biker Barn. And, yes, he was our tour guide for the day.

 

It turned out that this man was Brad Betters, owner of the Biker Barn and good friend of the owners of the Copperhead Lodge. Brad, as I soon learned, was also the architect of the route dubbed "The Gauntlet". Brad explained that Michelle Evans, co-owner of the Copperhead along with her husband, got worn out having to hand-draw routes and maps for visitors to the lodge. Michelle's desire to simplify the routing process for guests resulted in her teaming up with Brad to come up with a route that they could package, promote, and share with guests and visitors to the Copperhead and cooperating businesses such as the Biker Barn. So, Brad used his knowledge of the area to design the route and Michelle came up with the name, produced the maps, and started the promotional campaign for "The Gauntlet".

 

Before heading out for a guided ride with Brad, we checked in on Eddie and learned that the new battery had not solved his problem and the shop now suspected that it was a bad starter causing all of the problems. The shop was having a new starter overnighted for installation the next day and that meant that Eddie was off the riding circuit until that repair could be made. The great folks at Union Powersports had agreed to deliver Eddie back to the Copperhead where he would resign himself to a slow day of hanging out in the cabin.

 

With Eddie's status settled, Brad, Mr. Sarcasm, and I headed out for our ride.

 

Brad took us a bit farther north before turning us southward on GA 60 where we largely covered the same ground we had traversed the day before. At Suches we continued south on GA 60 down to where it intersects with US 19 at an old Indian grave site called the "Stone Pile". From there we made our way over to GA 348 where I got in some photo passes for an article I was tasked with writing for Born to Ride Magazine.

 

We ended the day with some more backroad riding south and east of Blairsville before calling it a day and saying farewell to Brad Betters. Parting company with Brad, Mr. Sarcasm and I headed into town to find the Walmart as we were under orders from Eddie to bring back vittles for grilling. And that's just what we did.

 

We arrived back at the cabin right at 5 p.m., with 183 miles of riding under our belts. Eddie took our groceries and converted them into a delicious grilled meal of country-style spare ribs and potatoes. Of course there was a smattering of beer and whiskey to wash it all down and to keep the conversation running.

Eddie brought us up to speed on his bike and let us know that the folks over at Union Powersports had promised to have the job done by 4 p.m. the next day. That information was a mix of good and bad news: on the good side, Eddie's bike would get fixed. On the bad side, Eddie was going to miss another day of riding. Such are the travails of motorcycle travel and there's not much to do except grin and bear it.

 

Posted with Blogsy