A few First last weekend

Last Wednesday I headed out on my first overnighter on the GRiSO, well actually 4 nights and 5 days.  I was headed to Tennessee for a COG rally.  Wednesday I meet up with a couple of buddies about halfway to our first nights stop.  First leg was 140 miles on I16.  Bike performed beautifully at 75-80 mph.  After lunch we did back roads to TWoS  http://twowheelsofsuches.com/  a great motorcycle only campground.  I have been going there for 18 years and the best riding in Georgia is in any direction from their place.  We rode Blood mountain then on to Wolf Pen Gap road (twistiest road in Georgia) before settling in for the night.  Met up with another buddy and we stayed in the lodge.

Thursday looked to be a wet cold day of riding. I had laid out a 200 mile route through some great roads but 45° F and steady rain made me change the route to 140 miles, but still included a great ride.WE got to Fall Creek Falls State Park in TN about 11:30 and it rained until midnight.  We sat around the lodge there with a fire and 30 friends drinking and telling lies.

Friday - Sunday was some of the best weather you could ask for.  Lows in the 50's highs in the 70's and sunny all day.  Friday and Saturday I had laid out some great looking roads, one turned out to be a patch work that was miserable.  Oh well at least I was riding.  Saturday was a great ride and Sunday headed home, 430 miles away.  We had 53 people show up for the rally and we had a great time.

Some of my first on the GRiSO:

1st overnighter
1st time I saw the snowflake on the dash as it was 35° when I left Sunday morning.  Thank goodness for heated gear so it wasn't bad riding.
1st time I dropped the GRiSO     Rookie mistake on my part.  Coming to a stop sign that I had been to 100 times, I was going to do a touch and run as I had never seen many cars coming.  Well just as I was getting to make my turn, handlebars already turned to the right as I was only going probably 2 mph I looked left and here comes a car.  Damnit, I hit the front brake hard, bike fell to the right and nothing I could do since I was loaded down with saddlebags and trunk and another bag behind me.  Fell on my right side, bruised my ribs, shoulder and elbow.  Still hurts today.  The guy coming stopped and helped me pick the bike up.  No damage at all since I put on the engine guards and the saddle bags held up the rear.  I got sorted out and made it home about 4pm
1st time in the rain with the bike, and the big windshield helped keep the rain off my, but also was wearing my Klim waterproof gear and TCX boots so I was able to keep dry.
1st time in the twisties.  Very impressed with the GRiSO, both loaded down and nekkid.  

I did 1,335 miles on the trip so I finally got to get some miles on the bike.  I will be headed out next week for a rally outside of Boone NC at High Country MC campground    http://www.highcountrymotorcyclecamp.com/   This is a Poverty Riders International rally, mostly airhead BMW and Guzzi's so I will finally "fit" in with them.  I think the average age of these old coots is 65  

I will be hauling my bike on a trailer for that one.  I know, poser  LOL  call me what you want, too old for 400 mile days

I know, pics or it didn't happen.  Only pictures I have are inside in the lunch room, no motorcycles.  Damn, I use to take 100's of pictures on a trip. I am getting old

Well, here is a picture I stole from a fellow COGger. My bike isn't in it though

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Sounds like you had a great time, i am off in a couple of weeks, camping in Wales and then off to the south of France :-)

I still think it is time you Yanks ditched Imperial measurements.

Enjoyed the write up.

Papa Lazarou wrote:

I still think it is time you Yanks ditched Imperial measurements.

Enjoyed the write up.

Thanks

I wish we would too. After being a purchasing manager for a large machine shop we did a lot of work for companies overseas so I had to learn to convert from US to metric.

Sounds like a great trip, Jerry, thanks for posting.

I too, wish we had switched to metric back in the 70's. It's a shame we're so resistant to change.