Subject: A study of Loop dynamics in a liquid atmosphere - or my trip to NC (Long
Author: Charlie Mullendore
Date: Aug 5, 2003, 4:48 PM
Post ID: 1714051699
Hi All,
Returned last evening from what has to be the wettest trip I've ever
done, including the five days in the rain at Watkins Glen in '87. Didn't
do nearly as much backroad bombing as last year due to the liquid
sunshine, nearly half of the trip was on superslab.
Thursday started out overcast but relatively dry. Friends from VA
advised against the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway due to fog, so
I traveled US340 into Stephen City then US11 south until Roanoke. It was
Roanoke where the rain started and on I-77 outside of Galax before it
(and myself) quit for the day. A room at the Super8, meal at "Macadoos"
and a stroll around town and then off to sleep for the evening.
I hadn't gone more than five miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway Friday
morning, when the rain started coming down in buckets. At times the fog
took over making things miserable and then once in a while both
together. Just north of the Moses Cone Memorial Park, I passed by a
black Guzzi at an overlook and turned around to say hello. Turned out to
be Hubert Curran, longtime Eldo owner from Canada. Together we rode to
the Moses Cone mansion and there met up with Pat Galbraith and Joe Kenny
waiting the rain out. About an hour later we left in a brief outbreak of
sunshine, only to be drenched again several times before finally
reaching Cruso around five. Somehow nearly all the Loopers had cabins
next to one another - what a fine sight to see after a day of misery. I
parked amongst Ian's and Ed's Ambos and Roberto's Eldo with Pat's Ambo
and Joe's Eldo farther down. At the entrance was Fred and Dave's
excellent Eldos, nearby a yellow Loop (didn't get his name) and camping
down near the creek was Ken with his Ambo. After a surprisingly good
meal and some engaging conversation, it was off to sleep for tomorrow
was the highlight of the weekend.
Saturday at first looked iffy, but the fog soon lifted to reveal a
nearly cloud-free sky. Yes! Around nine the Loop Ride began to assemble
near the exit and NC Reps. Barb and Mark took a few shots of the group
(maybe we'll be in the Newsletter!). Great to see (and hear) a bunch of
Loops rolling along the countryside - doesn't get much better than this.
Except maybe when said group rounds a turn and is greeted by a line of
lovely young ladies waving and smiling as we pass! Maybe we should turn
around - they could be damsels in distress! After too many wonderful
rollercoster roads to remember we arrived in Maggies Valley and had a
nice lunch then went just up the road to the Wheels Through Time museum.
The main Guzzi group had just started the tour when we arrived, so we
joined in. Although it could use a little Italian flavoring, the museum
was thoroughly enjoyable. Luckily our tour guide was the owner himself,
Dale, so we got the inside poop on how he obtained some machines and
other interesting trivia. The highlights for me were the Harley powered
airplane ("If Harley Built A Plane Would You Fly In It" someone asked),
a Harley powered three wheeled car with a tubular steering wheel you sat
with your legs through, a beautiful Deusenberg and of course the Indian
warbike that looks like a Loop's long-lost grandpa. On the trip back a
rainshower had to dump on Ian, Ed and I briefly, making it a clean sweep
for the weekend so far. Later that evening after a meal of lukewarm
Baked Ziti with excellent Tiramisu for desert, the door prizes and
awards were handed out. Fred's Eldo took best Loopframe and Ian's Ambo
Honorable Mention - well deserved on both accounts. Would have liked
Dave's Eldo to be recognized in some way as well since I thought it to
be a really cool Loop. After the awards I finally met Stephen Brenton
and later that evening Rob Prinz - great to meet you both!
After such a wonderful day on Saturday, the weather gods decided we
should pay on Sunday. The rain started early and didn't quit for me
until I reached my destination for that evening, Beckley, WV. I wound
myself cautiously along local roads until outside of Asheville picked up
I-40 to (future) I-26 and headed north. It was on I-81 near Bristol that
the skys really opened up and the rain fell so heavily cars were pulling
over or traveling at only 30 mph. Fearing I would be run over from
behind I continued until an overpass came into sight. There was a father
and son duo already there waiting out the rain on a Harley and Kawasaki
Vulcan and they asked lots of questions about the Ambo and Guzzis in
general. Future converts possibly? Finally reaching the Super8 in
Beckley after a nice trip up I-77 the sky began to clear - I didn't even
take my raingear when I went out for supper - Wow!
Morning dawned with a mix of clouds and sun, but soon deteriorated to
all clouds. The rain started about two hours later while I was exploring
Babcock State Park and grew progressively heavier as I headed north on
WV41. It quit for a while in Webster Springs during lunch but started
again soon after. Muttering in my helmet about how much I wasn't
enjoying this didn't help, but made me feel better. Just outside of
Elkins the rain stopped, the sun came out and it began to get hot - very
hot. I decided against removing my raingear just yet and was glad later
when a brief shower drenched me yet again. Rounding a turn just outside
of Parsons I was startled by giants on the ridge ahead. Actually they
were "only" huge wind turbines, probably two dozen or more, built to
take advantage of the nearly constant breeze coming up through the
valley. Strange though that no construction was apparent when I came
through in May of '02. Once into Maryland near Frostburg, the heat was
unbearable with the raingear, so off and into the saddlebag it went. The
rest of the ride home was dry, pleasant and uneventful. The poor old
Ambo looks like a giant mudball but wears it as a badge of honor for a
job well done. In 1360 miles it used no oil (though the front main seal
is now leaking a bit), averaged just over 40 mpg and ran flawlessly
through rain that would have stopped the Mille GT I once owned. You
gotta' love these old Loops! Cheers,
Charlie