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Kickstand Number 9 in the Land of the Dragon

I finally cleared things and I’m set to join the group. I plan to arrive at the Kickstand Lodge on Tuesday (trailering from Wisconsin) for some riding before the weekend. I need to leave early on Saturday.

I arrive in the general area, but not Kickstand, on Sunday night. Maybe we can coordinate something when you arrive Tuesday, or on Wednesday. I’m pretty familiar with the area. If you’re not, I can be a guide.
 
Thanks...
I did the full Skyline - Blue Ridge - Dragon route on my way to an Atlanta conference last summer. And I had purchased some detailed maps of preferred rides in the area. I intend to start with a southern Blue Ridge - Dragon “loop” and then explore other preferred rides in the area. I’m sure we’ll connect at some point as we head into the weekend.
 
Every time I go there’s a chance of showers. It usually does rain one or two days. I don’t worry about it. Hot, humid, sunny weather would be worse than rain, in my opinion.
 
The Eastern Vstrom Rally is this same weekend.........always between Mom's Day and Mem Day Weekend.........and it ALWAYS Rains at the rally at least one day. Last year it was beautiful until Sunday, when everyone had to pack up and ride home in the pouring rain. Couple of years ago, we had sleet during the rally up on top of the CherryCola Skyway. Just to say........be prepped for just about any kind of weather.
We had a local TV weatherman come to the Plant last year and give a spill on Tornado season. He stated that knowledgable weathermen can predict the weather (with any sort of accuracy) only 3 days out.......anything past 3 days is just a Guess. Don't be surprised if next Wednesday is hot and dry...........
 
Throw a few mountains in the mix and even a three day foreguess is out the window. Rain on one side, dry as a bone over the next ridge.
 
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its amazing how many storms go around the Kickstand lodge.

B-b-but we don't want to stay at the lodge.
Not that it is not a nice place and all.............

But the tropical wave that will move northward is going to add a lot of wet stuff to the normal moist mix. IMO.

Will know lots more on Tuesday of course.
 
I am looking at the area forecasts. Same stuff for all four of the days I planned to ride (Tues to Fri, returning home Saturday.) I don’t mind rain but this looks discouraging in light of driving 1,800 miles with my trailer to get there and back. I will let go of this year’s event. (And, I guess, I will need to now be responsible and attend the required conference on Friday and Saturday that I was trying to skip.)
Ah well, I hope things turn out nicer for you than the forecasts seem. Maybe I’ll convert my plan to a ride into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a few days. Looks decent up here for a while.
 
I’m camped over by the Cherohala and doing some riding today. It is sunny and hot which, seriously, I hate. I’ll need to quit mid day to avoid overheating. I will welcome some clouds and rain later in the week over at KSL. Anyway, the roads and the scenery are great!
 
I’ll move to KSL Thursday morning.

I decided to ride to Suches today since I’d never been there.
 
I’ll move to KSL Thursday morning.

I decided to ride to Suches today since I’d never been there.
I often stay at a friend's place about 7 miles south of Suches. I like N GA as it's 100 miles closer to my home and yet roads as far north as the Cherohala are an easy day ride.
 
I’m out. My doctor put me on a round of antibiotics today for an upper respiratory infection and quite specifically told me to take it easy through the weekend. He didn’t seem to think that a few days camping and riding the NC met the take it easy criteria.
 
Arriving at kickstand just after noon Thursday.

I’ve ridden 700 miles in the area since Monday. However, the clutch I nearly fried trying to get out of the mud last fall shows signs of giving up the ghost soon. We’ll just have to ride gently and see how it goes.
 
Having a great time at KSL! The weather is treating us well. Widely scattering showers in the afternoon, but that’s about it. I rode almost 200 miles today and had a brief, 10 minute refreshing rain. 7 of us from the group made it; 5 of them are NCs. Plus a sixth NC popped in for a visit from over at Iron Horse.

Here’a a pic of 5 NCs taking a break on Wayah Road.

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Wrapping up a successful KSL9. The weather, roads, riding, and companionship were great. Today’s ride to go both ways on Wayah Road saw no rain, and temps in the mid 70s F. We did a side trip up to Wayah Bald, and even the ST1100 in the group zipped up the twisty 3.5 mile gravel road.

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Theres already talk of KSL10 or even KSL 9.5, so stay tuned. We found a secret freshly paved super twisty road that we probably rode 6 times. We can’t tell you where it’s at unless you join the group for the next outing!
 
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