NC/Virginia Ride- 5.22.08 (Perfect Ride)

[nicene]

So my day ended up turning out much different than it started. Got up this morning, took my speedy, at work by 8. Work 1hr or so, then go to my 9:20am dentist appt. Found out I really need to floss. ****in' cavity. I'm getting tired of being nickeled and dimed to death because I'm too lazy to brush properly. Anyhow, get back to work by 10:30. Damn it was pretty outside. Got back to my office, and bitched to my co-worker about how nice it was outside for riding. He convinced me to just take a day off from work for riding. Within 1/2hr, I had planned out a rough itinerary. I would head north to the mountains!

I left from Smithfield,NC at 11:15 this morning and made a quick stop by my house to let the dog out again and feed him something since I figured that I'd be getting back late. Didn't even change clothes.

I took I-40 all the way through Winston-Salem and picked up 421 heading towards boone. Not a cloud in the bluest goddam sky you've ever seen. I hopped off Hwy421 and onto I-77N. I breezed by and got off at Hwy21N. This led me to Roaring Gap.

This 5 mile twisty is the tits. Fresh asphalt with little to no gravel in the corners. Ran it cautiously, taking time to take a pic at the overlook. Finished the gap, and approached a proshop with 3 bikes outside-- all red. Two ducatis. One a monster, the other a 748. The third a suzuki.

Took a look, turned around and ran the gap again, this time at a more committed pace. There was hardly a bit of traffic both times. Turned around, and came back the gap a third time. This time I charged up the first half, and blew through the downslope. Man, this bike sounds badass with that decel pop.

Anyhow, I continued on Hwy21 and hopped on the Blue Ridge parkway. I ran it at a brisk pace, looking around and ducking down small roads with names like Scenic Valley Dr. And let me tell you, it was damn gorgeous out there. I stopped at several overlooks and chatted with a cruiser rider at one stop. I ran the Blue Ridge Parkway north until the Hwy 52/Fancy Gap exit.

Fancy gap is another 5-6 mile stretch with some gorgeous sweepers. Ran this gap several times as well. Man, it's great being able to muscle through the curves in 4th/5th gear and the rear wheel biting into the smooth asphalt. I started back home via Hwy52--passing through Mt. Airy. As I made it to Mt. Pilot, I decided on a detour. I've always wanted to take the road up the mountain.

The road up the mountain, once you enter the State Park area, is an incredibly tight and twisty path. The speed limit is 25, but it was more fun at a slightly faster pace . It had no guardrails and the pavement was not entirely smooth, but it was great fun. I hung out at the summit for a bit--taking time to cheese it up in a picture or two.

After making it back down the mountain, I knew it was getting time to head home. It was nearly 6pm and I was still over 2 1/2hrs away from home. I hightailed my ass back, via Hwy52 and I-40. I made it back to the house at 8:40. Nearly 9 1/2hrs later and 488 miles of seat time. Man, what a great day!

Pics to follow.

[nicene]

http://picasaweb.google.com/william....ey=8WmbJRxBwkc

[SleepyDog]

Sounds like a great ride!

[trippeee]

Sweet! I did almost the same thing a couple weeks ago. Took off from work planning on doing Skyline Drive. Got to the park and they are doing road work to Skyline from the 211 entrance to Big Meadows (about 35 miles), all gravel.

Just kept on going. There are a few really nice twisty gaps in this ride as well. I did each gap about half a dozen times. I kept on hitting light rain in the gaps, just enough to slick the roads. So I would go to the next gap I knew of, getting farther and farther from home. :P

Ended up getting home a couple hours after dark, wearing a smoked wind screen and freezing (in the 40s when I got home), to a pissed off wife. Well over 500 miles. I'm ready to do it all again!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...4,1.636963&z=9

[nicene]

Oh yeah, and always wear a decent pair of boxers. I threw on my shitty pair of boxers (that I save for the last day before doing laundry) that morning before heading to work. They were constantly riding up, and my asshole felt like it was rubbed raw by time I got home.

[kartstar]

I can't believe I'm going to post this, but on long ride days, I prefer the boxer-briefs. Speedy's seat is way too soft and will give that wedgie no matter what boxers you're wearing. Seriously...try it.

[crashmasterd]

Buy some compression shorts. You'll wonder how you ever lived without them while riding.

http://www.underarmour.com/shop/mens...rt/1000025-001

And use the Gold-Bond powder or something like it.