My GRiSO & "Tag-O-Rama" in Virginia

The following is an extract from ADVRider thread about the "Virginia Tag-O-Rama."  Assume you Ozians and others do something like that, i.e., have a riding game that involves going somewhere on your motorcycle, "dropping" a tag, and then others go "grab" it.  Pretty harmless entertainment and an excuse -- as if any of us really need that -- for a ride.

Anyway, I went after the most recent tag on the Skyline Drive.  I post this here because it involves my GRiSO.

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The drop is in the pix; I know you are smart enough to figure it out, especially as the captions say which one.

Had more excitement than I expected on this brief ride.

Started off with a low battery.  Suspect I'd better do a load test as periodic BT routine seems not to bring it up.  Seems to charge well enough while riding, but have been sidelined in BFE a few times over the years with such, and don’t need anymore experience of that sort.  Towing, hotels, etc., sure add up quick!

Anyway, back to the grab and drop story.

[Yes, I know, you only care about where to go to get it. Keep reading.]

The meteorologists — aka alchemists and astrologers — botched it (yet) again.  This time, the predicted clearing was delayed by hours.  Instead of high ceiling, sun, and dry roads, I started off in a cool and very wet misty rain.

Decided to stop in Middletown for a go/no-go (re)decision.

That was more interesting than I expected.  I had thought that only nearby Stephens City’s finest took unseemly pride in their 25 mph signs!

Oh, well, nothing a BBQ brisket sandwich won’t fix.

By this time — 2 p.m.-ish — I wicked it up (after clearing the Middletown city limits!) and launched for the tag at Hemlock Springs Overlook on Skyline Drive. Did that via Front Royal and Sperryville.  I go through the latter frequently en route to points south, but have not been up the mountain on U.S. 211 for years.  Even with those flattened rumble strips, that is a hoot of an approach to the top at Thornton Gap.  It’s even more fun when, as yesterday, there was near zero traffic.  I even managed to startle myself by touching down while rolling out of a tight right-hander.  :clap So fine and fun.

Showed my Old Flatulent pass at the gate and headed south to the tag.

I have done the SLD and BRP full lengths several times, solo and two-up with Kathi, my Perfect Pillion & Polish Princess, but except in the course of those, have seldom been on SLD's US 211-to-US 33 section.  If I had had more time yesterday, I might have gone on.  The air had dried, the sun had appeared, and temps on the valley floor had hit 70ºF when I started up the twisting ribbon at Sperryville. But it dropped 10 degrees on the SLD!

But, it was still such a fine albeit brief 10-or-so-mile romp over to the tag.  I like vistas in overcast as they seem to have more clarity and depth than those in the bright sunshine.

Anyway, on the way back up SLD, I had two pulse jumps.  The first was a NPS ranger who significantly crossed the centerline as he neared me!  I am not talking about a rearview mirror over the double yellow, but his SUV’s grill bisected the stripes!  I saw him approaching and knew I was doing the 35 and no more.  [i]

Anyway, as I watched ... he drifted straight at me!  No idea if he was asleep, texting, or what, but it was very clear that collision was imminent.  I moved WAY over to the right, blew the GRiSO’s horns, and "waved!”  :p3rry

He jerked backed into his lane, and we went on our ways, both no doubt grateful there wasn’t lots of paperwork or worse following that.  I thought about filing a complaint, but decided he was probably at least as shaken by that as I was, and let it go.

Ah, but then came the fourth (of five) little scares.  Not sure if [USER=474961]@Jipci[/USER] encountered this issue or if it was new wash after some rain, but there was a stretch of built up cinders in the tunnel just before the SLD/US 211 intersection.  It was not an issue southbound, but sure got my attention leaving as I was still excited about the near miss with the ranger.

OK, last whine.  The assault up from Sperryville was, as stated, grand.  The western descent much less so.  Without any signage whatever, VDOT had spread large patches of chip seal for the several miles of that long descent.  Happily, I did not have any downhill traffic to contend with, but it was dicey.  I kept checking with my foot to see if it was really granular or had bedded in.  The former.  I understand applying chip seal in warm weather as traffic will set it into the existing asphalt fairly quickly.  But in present low spring temps, that seems nuts, at least for two-wheeled traffic as chicken-livered as I am.

OK, enough.

I dropped the tag on the way back, filled up with 100% real gas in Winchester, and headed home.

So, the weekend doesn’t look like great riding for you working stiffs, but it’s better than the thunderstorm going on as I peck out this tag tale.

I’ve done my duty as an old retired guy.  Your turn now.  Have at it.

Oh, wait!  The tag?  

Here:  GRiSO Tag-O-Rama

Bill

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Great story, as always, Bill. Glad that Ranger woke up when he did or this tale would never be told.

Pete

Well done, Bill! An excellent adventure with GRiSO, despite the hazards.