On the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway - North Carolina - living the dream ....

In the Smokey Mountains....

Once again dear readers

God did it rain over night... Lots of thunder and lightning... Everything wet.... but it had to be packed....

Well what started out as being a short ride ended up as a long day...  I left the camp site at about 10am as three sets of campers came over to chat.. Mostly about the bike, and one chap was from Edgeware and is working in Altlanta - nice guy...  Once I was away I headed up to Sylva and then the Blue Mountain Parkway .. But as I had time on my hands I thought I would visit Cherokee... For the history etc ... Oh dear... Once passed Santa Land !!! It was not too good but it does have a huge casino ... WTF I thought.. And about turned... Back onto the Parkway and head for the camp site.... But that was closed...

By this time I was at 6000 feet the temperature was very cold... I stopped to add another layer...  Only to be trapped by a lady on a scooter and she just wanted to chat about how difficult it was the do slow turns with an auto clutch !...

I finally got off the mountain and tried to find a camp site - round and around and found two but they were full.. So I back tracked to Asheville and found a rugged site near Canton.... Arrived at about 6:30pm.  Nice view of Americans at play.. Loud, large and cooking hot dogs and burgers...

I am now cooking supper of pasta and Campbell's Chicken Marsala....  The temperature is dropping ( thanks God for the Dyer & Butler fleece ) and I am loosing the light..... I must take a walk up the hill to savour the delights of the showers etc....    Nite nite.

Odometer reading 69902..

Tallahassee Gorge State Park

Dear reader 

Welcome again to my blog.... Following my last short blog I head north again on the trusty old 441... And go totally soaked on the way the Dublin...  Had to stop near Milledville for a warning coffee, before hitting the road again and heading for Athens... But it still was a little early to stop.. The sun came out and so I started to dry a little... So I kept going untilTallulah Gorge State Park.. Just north of Toccoa Georgia.

Nice camp site but a little prices at $32 ,  but it has showers and a dryer...   Wait .... The man across the road from me has just brought over a very cold and welcome Hurricane beer... Delicious... Thank you man.

I though my boots were water tight --- wrong.... Ah well... They will dry..   It is Friday and the site is filling up ready for the weekend.....   I would like to stay two night just for the break from riding... But not a $32 per night... Even with OAP discount.....!!

Tomorrow I will be in North Carolina and the Smokey Mountains riding the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway... I only intend to do about 120 miles tomorrow and then stop... Then   Hopefully not ride on Sunday....

I am not sure how many miles I ride each day as I just can't be asses (CBA) to record it so I will try to note down the end reading on the odometer....   I think the mileage at the start was 69044 and the mileage today is 69671 you can do the "math" as they say here..

I met some nice people today and only one said " I just luuv your accent " are you Australian?  The funny thing has been that they all look at the number plate and the two Union Jack stickers and still ask 'where you from' !!!  Where you headed??? I just say Alaska and that shuts them up....

Right I am off the remove these wet socks..... And spray anti moz over my bod.... Washing now done.....  I think it is about to rain again.......  I have just returned from a walk around the site ... So many huge trailer campers.. TV aerials, Sat Dishes, floodlights and one even using a power washer on his already very clean pickup truck..  If it ain't a V8 pickup then you ain't hip......  The site is now foggy from the mass of open fires and BBQs... And the chap next door is endlessly whittling and chopping wood for his fire...   It is now 8:30pm and way passed my bedtime.  I will just finish this chapter of Motorcycle Therapy by Jeremy Kroeker... I think I hear thunder in the distance.....

Night y'awwwl

Georgia

Well I sat down and wrote a wonderful blog and then when I went to send it.... Tick tick tick then all gone - just can't find the Bugger... Never mind

Well Dave a I met and put the world to rights and then an early night....
The next morning - just like to day was many very boring miles of very straight roads... I rode up the General Coffee State Park and what appeared to be one of the quietest place on earth..... Until the middle of the night when in the distance I could hear endless trains running through town... With those lonesome whistles - very iconic.
Managed to get to a Walmart today and get some bug stray as there are a load of mozzies here.

This morning was a straight ride, heading for Dublin. Once there I will look for a camp site. I am now about 150 miles south of the Appalachian Mountains and hopefully the start of some better scenery and less straight roads. Still too much kit but can't decide what to dump... The bike is running ok but odd noises from the clutch/gearbox - but that maybe normal as I am running without earplugs at present...

Now sitting in a McD with a disgusting cup of coffee...

I see that Victoria Wood has died - such a shame, and Prince - formally know as idiot has died too - not loss to the world there!

Later

Georgia on my Mind

Good morning America

Wednesday Day 3

Dear reader,

After another restless night in the motel and despite a 5 mile walk to the local Mall (locals pronounce that Mawwwwwwl).  I managed to get a local SIM card for those just in case moments.   Back to the motel and so hot I just could not face a big meal... And so to bed and try to choose from hundreds of channel with mostly adverts, God, or rubbish chat shows....

I set off this morning about 8am and just headed north on the 441 and then stopped for a long cool drink and my first cheeseburger at a McDonalds...  I was just getting back on the bike and ended up speaking to 3 separate people in the car park - all wanting to know who, why, where and when.... It's those UK plates that does it....  About 10 mile up the road I found a motorcycle dealership and got some chain oil etc as I was unable to ship some from the UK.  When asked what I was riding, 3 or the staff followed my out to the parking lot to see a genuine Honda Africa Twin....  Good bunch of lads.....

I checked the KOA (Kampsites of America) website and found a "Kampsite" at Oklawaha Lake.   one the tent was pitch I then had to ride back 5 miles to the local store for some supplies.... I am sure I could banjos playing in the back room..... !!!!

Then back to to site to get wash, doing to laundry... and meet up with Dave who arrived at my tent... He to is a biker and will be returning this evening to talk about bikes and trips etc....  I have managed to lay in a few Budweiser sleep aids for the event....

I am now sitting in the peaceful surroundings of the site clubhouse - and it's so quite here.....  And free wifi...  Now back to the maps and punch in a destination for tomorrow.....  I did about 150 miles today which is going to be about the norm for the trip.  Most of the way the speed limits were between 35 and 45 and further of of town upto 55.. Which suit me just fine....

By for now.... 

Nigel

Nigel.Grace@btinternet.com

http://www.nigel-grace.blogspot.com/

Mobile again....

Dear reader,
Picking up and unpacking the bike was easy thanks to the staff at AGI Florida and an electric screw driver..... All now sorted and refuelled and manage to get back to the motel. I had fun swapping over the packing - I am still carrying too much but have a lot of time to decide what goes and what stays...

Tomorrow I will be heading North - not too far but enough to clear the Orlando area..

Nigel

Arrived safe and well...

Dear readers,

The flight was fine and managed to watch 3 films before having to run around the plane to sort out my back....

Now at the Motel drinking Diet Coke and waiting for a hotdog and chips... Then off the bed..  It is 7.30pm Florida time but to me is 2am tomorrow... Long day.....

I have a plan to collect the bike tomorrow early... Then I just have to ride it back to the Motel......  and avoid getting on a toll road...

More tomorrow when I am awake...

Days Mileage 0

So far - so good....

Day 1

The bike has arrived in Orlando and I have arrived at Gatwick.... The only event was when the coach took a sharp turn while I was standing up in the toilet... A close one there !! Note to self : always sit....

I am off to get some lunch .....

The Nigel Grace School of packing for a trip ........ Tomorrow !!! Yippee ... Less the dog!

3 Days and counting ......

On its way the USA....

.... Madiba is on its way tomorrow

Well if it ain't packed it ain't going... Top box or soft bag ? Too late now ..... bugger.. Gas or petrol stove... Too late Bugger ..

Bugger ......

Two weeks before the bike ships out and I thought I would have the bike "checked out"... Bugger the pin holding the rear brake pads in is stuck, the front wheel retaining clamp has a buggered thread, and the rear wheel bearings are shot - or in Honda's opinion the rear wheel hub is buggered....

I will have to swap the wheels off Herman the German for the trip.... And get the rear wheel rebuilt...   The only good news is that the wheels off of Herman are tubeless.   Just what I needed now.... But better than it all going tits-up in the middle of nowhere (if there is such a place in the USA!!! )

Bugger again....

Ace Cafe - Adventure Bike Day

On a very cold Sunday morning we set off to the Ace Cafe in London... By the time we arrived I was chilled to the bone..  So lots of hot mugs of tea.   I met with lots of old faces and friends - it is so good meet them.  Had a good look around and only purchased one book.  Picture below to prove I was there and that Colin still has a bike !!! David was on the other side of the camera.

 I met up with the guys from Motofreight that are moving Madiba to the USA and back.... Slight change of plans - it is flying out and then coming back via a ship from Houston TX.....  Money saved there.  Will need to look at the map again and plan accordingly.... Looks like I will either hire a car to get from Houston to Orlando or even take an internal flight (cheaper option).

I also met with fiends that are going to be at the HU Event in Virginia in late April and others that are going to be at the Adventure Expo in Flagstaff Arizona in May...  

I have now got the paperwork to temporarily import the bike into the US and also the instructions on what I can and cannot include in the bike panniers etc...  Unpack and repack .... Again

Still planning to spend a week of so the in the area of Flagstaff and then travel up to Montana and turn right.... Maybe even getting into Canada early and going over the lakes towards Montreal etc etc....

Just two weeks before the bike get delivered and just 3 weeks before I fly... Oops.. Running out of time .... Good job I've retired lol

Nigel.Grace@btinternet.com

http://www.nigel-grace.blogspot.com/

.. And now the difficult bit.....

All on schedule... Just awaiting the temporary import documents from the US Customs.

I have had a preliminary pack of kit and I have exactly one quarter too much... Bugger which quarter....

I need the get it sorted in the next 3 weeks..... As I need to deliver the bike loaded to the freight company.. Also with my full riding gear on board - and that weighs a lot - jacket, pants, boots and helmet.  I will need to pack yet another bag that I am taking in the flight and hope that when put it all together at the other end that it all fits....  Plus I also need to leave room for all the stuff I have to buy in the US on arrival - food, water and possibly Gas canisters if I go gas instead of a petrol stove.... 

I have been looking photos of 'Packed' bikes on the interweb... he he

I am now retired from full time employment!!!! Just have to clear it with the Management ?

Just One more week....

With just one more week before I retire from the world of work and the planning steps up a pace - namely getting all my s*** together and trying to fit it all in, and which pannier / bag / backpack etc.... What fun...  This was the bike ready to ride to Morocco - far too much stuff - but what to leave out !!!   I think I used it all last time !!  Note the pristine panniers, they ended up a bit worse for wear when thrown at the landscape in the hills of Morocco....  

Itinerary is to get the bike to the freight company 4 Apr, I fly on the 18th and once I get the bike out on the road I head North to Virginia for a Horizons Unlimited Meeting..... 3 days there then over to Arizona..  Riding down some of the Blue Ridge Parkway to Chattanooga.    Then look at the map again........  

Adventure before dementia.... I think !

....and still counting down

Good morning - it's Monday and I have but 15 working days before I retire and finish my current employment.   What is even more important to me is that after a very long time I have now paid of the mortgage on my house. :-)

The USA trip is getting closer and most of the bookings (flights, bike, visa etc) are now in place.   Having recently read Nathan Millward's book on his recent trip to the USA, which h had some very good tips on places to see and roads to ride, I now look forward to my trip even more.   I am glad I chose to start in the South and ride up to the Horizons Unlimited event in Virginia at the end of April - it will be a great opportunity to meet the locals and gather insight into the next stage - the ride across the Arizona.

The next task will be to pack the panniers and sort out what to take and what the leave - I know that half the stuff I pack in probably not needed - but which half !!!  Minimal is the watch word.

The link to the Spot Nav will start in April and the link is : 

https://share.delorme.com/nigelgrace   

and the password is        Madiba

Photos I found on the www - big world - isn't it......

So true.....

The Route !!! Maybe - back roads and only Interstates if needed...

 

The plan is not to rush, to ride slower, take more photos, visit things and places and maybe even talk to people !!!  The reason for the initial route up to Virginia is to attend the Horizon Unlimited event at the end of April - then down the Blue Ridge Parkway to about Chattanooga before heading West and heading towards Arizona...... the rest is still in the thinking stage...  I have just joined a Couch surfing site so will see what happens there....

 

And we are off..... planning

All has now started to fall into place. Flights for me are Booked, Bike is booked in at MotoFreight.

The start point is going to be Orlando in Florida (I heard it was warmer there than Boston) - the plan is then to ride up to the Horizons Unlimited Meeting near Richmond Virginia for a few days in April May - then cut across to Shenandoah and the Appalachian Mountains and then follow the  road down and across to Chattanooga before heading West... endeavouring to go Clockwise over to the East Coast, Oregon, Boston and then South ending up back in Florida and a few stops in between.

 

 

I will be turning on the Spot Nav and I will add the link and the Password Later.........

67,000 miles - Bugger - total of 21,400 since I got it....

Writing home from Southern Spain before crossing into Morocco in May 2015

They said they would take cash !!! £11,500 only. !!!!

ALL DONE..... Bike now fully Road Legal, Taxed, MOT'd and Insured...

....and about time....  Number plate and then ride........

And I found this picture on the www and thought I would keep it just to remind me of how not to pack .....

.. I think we is getting there...

It sailed through the MOT today... Just got to get it through the DVLA process !!!!

Now what should I name it !!!  The other one is called Madiba - should I call this one Winny! or Herman the German!

Yippee - 66,000 miles and counting

Great day - Madiba clocked up 66,000 today - and a service confirmed that all is well at the front end of the bike after the tumble....  All I have to do now is get the other one through it's MOT and registered..... I am awaiting HMRC to get it's act together......    

6 Nov. ..... Yippee - those really nice people at HMRC have said that there is NO VAT to pay on the bike.........  Next is the DVLA and MOT......