Subject: Re: WV Rally trip - long
Author: Roberto Munoz
Date: May 28, 2003, 5:03 PM
Post ID: 1713173203
Charlie, it was good meeting you . I had Luck and only encounter rain friday
night going to the Hotel from the Rally, saturday was Great riding the
Parade and going to Eish's . Sunday I got rain going back home but I always
get rain coming home from WV.
This afternoon I spent a couple of hours changing brake shoes on The El do
to go to the Indiana Rally this weekend. Last time I rode it in the rain I
found the Eldo refusing to stop for red traffic Lights...That was a very "
Unforgettable experience "....
Roberto Munoz.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Mullendore" <Ambo-@netscape.net>
To: "Loop List" <Loopfram-@topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 4:31 PM
Subject: WV Rally trip - long
| 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 |