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Fall Ride

Won't work out for us.
Long ride for just a weekend too.
Maybe something in the spring so the boys can schedule off work.

My spring trip is to Stecoah, NC the weekend prior to memorial weekend. Stay at the Kickstand lodge. Lots of good roads, including the Dragon if you must. Last year we spent time riding in north Georgia.
 
Put it on your calendar. This started as a Nighthawk rally, but has morphed into a bunch of old guys on various bikes, with a few spring chickens mixed in. I always have a good time, including the first year when I crashed.

The Adventures of an Old Fat White Guy: KSL Six

The Adventures of an Old Fat White Guy: KSL 4 - The Nighthawk Forums.com Smoky Mountain Rally - Part A

Maybe we should start our own thread.
My Brother has been to multiple Nighthawk events. I wonder...............
 
And you can win the 'comic of the week' award.;)

She's a babe but needs to find a boyfriend to have a chance of winning that cutest couple award!
 
I know that a bunch of you met at the Ironhorse and I hate I missed it, but I had a rousing time with some old buddies, while riding in Virginia

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I think I found a new playground...Southwest, Virginia.

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punkin field

The weekend began for most of us on Thursday afternoon. After a short three hour ride to Meadows of Dan, Virginia, I arrived at Willville Bike Camp with RobbieAG already camped, Tbante still on a warm bike, with Springator and MikeFooteUSA soon to follow. Willville is a secluded campground, with the bike camping area inaccessible by four wheeled vehicles. A stream burbles along the edges and tall trees rim an open field. RobbieAG wisely chose a spot near the creek, the bathhouse and the fire pit. Huzzah Robbie. After setting up camp, we zipped down to Jane's Country Cafe. Excellent place, we ended up there breakfast and supper for the weekend. After some fried chicken, pinto beans and mashed potatoes, followed by a healthy dose of blackberry pie, we mosied back to the campground to sit around the fire for a few hours. Other riders drifted in, so the conversation picked up a little diversity but there were no fights, stabbings or shootings.

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me Casa

Friday morning broke a little cloudy and we worried about the weather, so we ended up with a late start to the day. The Country Cafe provided breakfast and the camp proprietor, Will, gave us some guidance for a route. His advice was steller. He even gave us a decision point from which we might have to cut the route short in order to be home before dark. We finally hit the road around 10:30 and moved out to the west. The roads varied, but the scenery was usually good. Minor highlights of the ride out included a PoPo in Hillsville giving Springator the evil eye when his overly loud XT popped by and Mike getting "Nighthawked" by farmer Brown.

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Springators "quiet" XT.

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Mike being Nighthawked.

After Wytheville, we approached Big Walker Mountain. I-77 tunnels through this mount, but highway 52 clings to the sides in a twisty sort of way. We stopped at the top to visit a gift shop and to look at the fire tower and associated views. Robbie tried to sneak up the tower without paying his fee, but I think his conscious stopped him.

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Robbie on the "Bridge of Sighs"

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Mike chillin'

After a winding descent. we reached our decision point, the intersection with highway 42. We cut the route short, turning left and running down the valley beside Big Walker. This stretch presented us with bucolic farm scenes and no traffic, a FedEx truck being the only movement. The road meandered without technical turns, but was enjoyable just the same. About 30 miles of this connected us to Highway 16, known in motorcycle circles as the Back of the Dragon. This section climbs two separate ridges and we were in between them, so we turned left again and engaging the most southern section. The climb up the ridge was a challenge with many tight switchbacks and blind left turns. At the top, we were rewarded with a turn-out from which we could enjoy the views and take photos of the Hungry Mother State Park sign. The name for this park was not from a 60's hippy munchie attack, but from the story of a pioneer women who starved in the area.

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We continued down 16 in search of lunch. Will insisted that we stop at Sarah's place, other wise known as Fox Creek Country store. We finally pulled up in front of a plain brick structure. Walking to the back, we asked the women behind the counter if she were Sarah, she denied that fact and took our orders. (She was in fact Sarah, but was being a smart ***....which I like.) As to the order...Great Sandwich! I had the turkey rueben and it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had.

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Sarah's place.

After stuffing ourselves with a late lunch, we hopped onto highway 58 for a boring ride back to camp. Upon arrival, we found another Nighthawk which was accompanied by a BMW K1600. Interesting pair. Butch, the Nighthawk owner, saw my post on that other forum and decided to join us, bringing along several other riders. We all got to know each other around that evening's campfire.

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Rain blessed us during the night and the skies and weather radar did not look promising Saturday morning. We had breakfast, I received our route briefing from Will and we attempted to get organized and out. That organization part did not go too well. With me leading, we headed north on the parkway, stopping briefly at Mabry Mill, and then on to the first turn at Tuggles gap. As we rode, the fog, wind and rain continued to build. At times, visibility was only a few feet. It was quite spooky in the passes where there were no trees to give boundaries. By the time we hit the exit, the only bike behind me was the K1600. (are you leading if no one is following) We rode back a few miles to some pull offs and finding no one, we proceeded to Floyd, Virginia to check the conditions and maybe make a decision. While at Floyd, the determination was made that the weather sucked and our safest, although scariest route back to camp was on the BRP, so into the fog we rolled.

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Back at camp, folks were sitting around, attempting to come to grips with the day. Eventually, some riders, led by Robbie headed back out while we candy asses continued to sit around camp, eat snacks and watch the arrival of other riders.

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Supper at Jane's and another rousing campfire discussion closed out Saturday.

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Supper time or maybe breakfast.

Sunday broke with perfect riding weather. Temps in the 60's, cloudless blue skies and lots of pent up energy in the riders. Some of us thought about taking the long route home, but Robbie received a message while at breakfast that his mother was in the hospital, so I left with him. We did take a wonderful route down the mountain, Squirrel Run. It was a magnificent road. Tree lined sections, open fields, tight hairpins, rolling hills tickled our senses. That stretch had everything.

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Add your own caption. ____________________________

We bottomed out on 103 which wasn't bad and that ended at Highway 8, where Robbie and I split ways. I still had two hours home, but the day was beautiful and the traffic light. I enjoyed every minute.

This was a beautiful area which I've ridden briefly on two other occasions. The terrain is not as dramatic as that around KSL, but it is calmer, subtler, with light traffic and mellow meadows. With the guidance of Will, I think I will ride this area for years to come. A fall ride to Willville will be a tradition from now on.

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Tom's clean Nighthawk. The sound and smell of the exhaust made me wistful for my old 750.

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Gulliver, the camp dog. He's cool.

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Tom on the ridge.

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Nice write up and pics. Bad weather can sure ruin good motorcycle roads, but sounds like you got some good riding in!
Thanks for sharing
 
A little bit of poor video from the Willville trip.

[video=youtube_share;BZriCah06T4]https://youtu.be/BZriCah06T4[/video]
 
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