Subject: WV Rally trip - long
Author: Charles D. Mullendore
Date: May 28, 2003, 1:35 PM
Post ID: 1713170918
Hi All,
Had a great time on my trip to the WV Rally this past weekend. All last
week I just couldn't get excited about the idea of riding most of the
weekend in the rain with untested riding gear. Up until I turned the key
and hit the starter button, doubts filled my mind - would the bike do
okay? would my new jacket leak? did I give myself enough chance to "get
back in the groove" after the long winter layoff? As soon as the engine
fired my mind was filled with nothing else but the determination to ride
rain or no rain!
It was 4:30pm and raining lightly when I left Friday. After a quick stop
at the ATM, I pointed the old Ambo westward. Once out on I-68 heading
towards Cumberland, MD confidence in myself and the bike returned. All
was going well, traffic was brisk but not too heavy and the rain was
intermittent. But, just outside of Cumberland the traffic billboard
warned "I-68 Closed at Exit 39" and nothing more. No problem, I thought,
we'll just snake through downtown and out old US40 bypassing the
problem. No dice - took me and hour to get through Cumberland and two to
get to the point were traffic started to pick up again. The bike was
very hot from all of the stop-and-not-much-go and the prospect of
traveling a one lane road over mountain ridges in the fog with a bunch
of upset cage drivers didn't appeal to me. Then I'd have to ride another
three hours to reach the Super8 I was to stay at. Time for plan "B"!
Turned around and went back east aways and got myself a cheap motel
room, ordered in pizza and planned the next days escape. Turns out that
it was a 100 car pile-up with three fatalities that closed I-68 and it
was doubtful the road would be open until noon on Saturday.
Saturday, after a rather restless night, I fired up the Ambo and rode
through a light drizzle north up US220 to Bedford, had a MickyD
breakfast, then headed west once again. Near Latrobe, PA the sun came
out! Further west more sun and less clouds. By the time I reached
Washington, PA it was blue sky as far as I could see. Made it to the
rally by 2:00 pm after enjoying some delightful PA backroads I had never
ridden before. Nice to see old friends and meet a few guys from the list
(Dennis,Roberto and Fred), have a nice ham dinner and just generally
relax and kick back. Tired from the previous nights lack of sleep, I
headed back to the Super8 around 9 pm.
Sunday dawned bright and sunny with a few wispy clouds in the sky. The
forecast was for possible showers late in the day where I was headed,
but these never appeared. After another fast-food joint breakfast, I
headed south along the river on OH7, crossing over the Ohio River just
south of Hannibal where I picked up WV20 south in New Martinsville,WV.
WV20 is a very enjoyable road for most of the part I was on, going
through small towns and rolling hills with lots of twisties. From WV20 I
picked up US33 at Buckhannon and headed east to Elkins to US250/US219
south. All great motorcycle roads (except 33 which was four-lane), but
traffic was increasing and the fun factor was decreasing. My destination
was "Boyer's Station Motel & Restaurant" in Arbovale where the BMW rally
was in progress. I booked a room then headed out for a little pre-supper
site-seeing ride over to Cass and Green Bank. Lots of BMWs around and
more than a few in the backs of pickups and on trailers. After a
relaxing spin I was ready a good meal and nights rest. There's not much
going on after 8pm on a Sunday so it was early to bed and early to rise
for me.
First thing Monday morning I checked the weather channel so I could
plan what to wear and it looked kind of spotty. Early sun giving way to
increasing clouds with showers and thunderstorms possible. But I lucked
out once again and didn't get rained on all day, just a drop or two
along the way. From Arbovale I took 219 north then WV28 towards Seneca
Rocks and on to Moorefield and WV55. On 55 near Wardensville I arrived
just after a real frog strangler. There was standing water everywhere,
but except for my lower legs, I didn't get wet. County 600 off of 55 is
one of my favorite "connector roads" and took me to just outside
Martinsburg. A short half-hour later, home came into view and I wheeled
the old Ambo through the grass that needs mowing, past the shed that
needs siding to the back of the shop where all the projects bikes sat
awaiting attention. A little mental calculation showed I'd gone 770
miles and as usual the Ambo has been totally trouble-free. Suddenly sad
that the trip was over and that the reality of day-to-day life was once
again taking hold, I remind myself that WNY is only two weeks away.
Yippee! See y'all soon!
Charlie