Florida folks & all others

[trosco]

Hey, how about we plan a week long trip trip up and back to the 2010 rally? If we did that we could avoid a 800 miles on I-95 or I-75 & I-85 and see some of the best riding in the southeast on the way to, while at and on the way home from the rally. I'd suggest that we even camp on way up, while there and on way back! With 3 days to get there and 3 days to get home we should be able to do it the relaxed and fun way? Compared to pounding the super slab there and back!!!

[coacha]

Mike, Natalie, Tammy and I are planning just such a trip Ross. We are going to wait till spring to pick our route up and back so we can see the sights along the way. We figured to leave on Saturday morning and get back to home on the following Sunday morning.

Mike and I thought that would give us about 275-325 mile days which are low, low mile days with plenty of time to stop and sniff the flowers or whatever. I'm sure I'll have to buy an additional memory card for my camera.

[mrfuni]

Sounds like a great idea. I was considering trailering my bike if it was 500+ miles a day on the interstate, but I like your idea....Except....I don't enjoy sleeping on the floor without air conditioning in June ??? , so if a hotel option is available near the camp site, I'm there.. Give me that soft bed and a hot shower... :)

[coacha]

Joe, come on man, your a tough, biker dude...doo rag, tye-died shirts, black boots...rough it brother. Shower, who needs 'em? Just let the rain rinse you off. ;)

[mrfuni]

Been there done that, hey, I'm getting old man, need a little of the luxuries in life at my age.... Rain ?... Who said anything about rain? ;)

[coacha]

Luxuries? You can buy bottled wine instead of the stuff in a box...how bout that? And I will have Taminator bring special dark chocolate for the s'mores.

[MikeInFla]

Got to this conversation a little late...

Sounds like Trosco has been reading our mind. ;) Trosco, we did 500+ miles to get to NC last time and we we're pretty tired when we got there. Your more than welcome to join us on the trip.

Joe, SERIOUSLY? a comfy bed, air conditioning, little mint on your pillow????? Should we find a hotel that has a valet service for the bike. Do you want us to have it washed and waxed for you too?

Come on, hang with the big boys & girls. You don't want to miss Taminators breakfast incase your concierge forgets to wake you up in time.

You can leave to box of wine with us.

[mrfuni]

OK Mike, you got me..sleeping on the floor it is :-/

[tammyallan2000]

Woohoo! French toast and s'mores for all!

[Kawhead]

Woohoo! French toast and s'mores for all!
French toast carries you 'til lunch. Especially a a half a loaf and a bottle of syrup! http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif AAAnd a pot of coffee. http://s2.images.proboards.com/cheesy.gif

[goose]

Hey you guys going to pick up any stragglers on the way? Say around Ga. Tn. state line? Would love to join in on this.

[dkdixie]

Careful Goose, them Floridian Flatlander Yankees don't like Southern Dixiecrats.
But I'm with 'ya bro

[coacha]

Careful Goose, them Floridian Flatlander Yankees don't like Southern Dixiecrats.
But I'm with 'ya bro

Hey now. I hung with the Cleveland Crew a couple weeks ago for an evening and lived to tell about it.

[dkdixie]

Careful Goose, them Floridian Flatlander Yankees don't like Southern Dixiecrats.
But I'm with 'ya bro

Hey now. I hung with the Cleveland Crew a couple weeks ago for an evening and lived to tell about it.

Did you need a passport to get into Ohio?

[MikeInFla]

Careful Goose, them Floridian Flatlander Yankees don't like Southern Dixiecrats.
But I'm with 'ya bro

We like everyone as long as they have beer money.

[coacha]

Hey now. I hung with the Cleveland Crew a couple weeks ago for an evening and lived to tell about it.

Did you need a passport to get into Ohio?

LOL...nope but I needed outriggers to stay between all of the dang highway barriers. I swear we had construction from Cincy to north of Dayton and it was a mess.

[dkdixie]

Did you need a passport to get into Ohio?

LOL...nope but I needed outriggers to stay between all of the dang highway barriers. I swear we had construction from Cincy to north of Dayton and it was a mess.

Understand, according to article in Wall Street Journal some time back, that 50 mile stretch of I75 is the most patrolled in the U.S.

[trosco]

Mike in Fla (and all), I am with you on the no 500 mile days allowed approach. The 5oo-6oo mile days in the trip up to and back from Custer are something to talk about but not something to repeat if the objective is fun. The last 2 days on the way home in 102+ temps were grueling and WayneE had 2oo more miles to go when we split up at 8PM that Sunday night. Based on that being his first real long trip on a motorcycle I would not be surprised if he never did another one!

In my mind the trip should take us to NE Ga Sat evening, then SW VA Sunday evening and then to Home Base Monday evening. Sat and Sun's stopping points would both be convenient rendezvous points for other SENR's from GA/TN/SC/NC. If we traveled up to the rally along the east side of the mountains (basically the Blue Ridge Parkway) and then ride the Shenandoah Valley/Skyline/WV-VA border area (great roads and scenery!) making a point to see Seneca Rocks, the Railroad, and the Observatory during the rally then we could go west over the Mountains to central WV and ride south on some more great roads. Before living in VA, I lived in Charleston WV so am familiar with a lot of that area also.

I would offer that picking a location like Harrisonburg as the Home Base site appeals to me a lot more than staying on the Parkway or Skyline. It will offer many hotel and camping options and the other services like hardware stores, parts stores, grocery stores, restaurants and medical services that become necessary on these kinds of trips. Hwy 33 is excellent and gives you 30 minute access to the Skyline North or Skyline/Parkway South. You can also go west into the WV side of the WV/VA border and ride some great areas in no time at all.

I lived 15 miles from the North tip of Skyline Drive for 4 years and worked PT for 2 years with National Park Police on Skyline. I think the lodges are a great place to spend a night with a couple other friends or as a get away with a special someone.

But I don't think any of the lodges will be an acceptable home base. Most rooms won't have phones and cell service was almost non existent on Skyline when I was there. They usually don't have fridges or microwaves. They will be small and expensive and restrictive on their reservation and cancellation policies not allowing "blocking" of rooms when I worked with them. If you have access to a restaurant it will be small and expensive. Many are not air conditioned, don't offer ice machines and so on.
This may be a concern for some. Alcohol was not allowed in the Skyline Parks when I was there but the lodges may be exempt from that. However going to get a 12 pack or a bottle of wine (or any groceries) will be a 2 hour trip from Big Meadows.

If BM is the home base then it's likely that the overflow and those that want a alternative to BM will go to Luray. It's not physically that far from Big Meadows but at the 15-20 MPH average speed that you'll maintain it will be far enough that there will be little interaction between the folks there and the folks in Big Meadows.

Luray is home of the Luray Caverns which is a big tourist attraction so there are Hotels and Camping there. And there will be a convenience store or two and a few restaurants but it is not orientated to Motorcycle tourism like Custer was.

So that is my two cents worth and with that said, I can and will stay anywhere the group decides. And, Mr Funi, I will bring a quaint little red from a West Tx vineyard for you to try! And maybe that will help make the floor sleeping seem more appropriate?

[coacha]

NE GA would be 470 +/- miles from here, which is almost 1/2 way from our house to Luray area. I am going to play with the mapping of our trip after the first of the year. I would really like to stay off interstate as much as possible given that we have 3 days to go up.

[mrfuni]

Trosco thanks for your work and input, you seem to know the area very well..

[trosco]

I'm with ya on the no interstate thingie! Some where south of Athens GA then the first night, then up to Smokey Nat Park and onto the parkway with Sun nite somwhere between Boone NC and Roanoke VA and on to Luray VA for Monday night? It is about 900 miles total from Jax, 950 or so for central FL. A 250 mile day once we are on parkway type rodes is about what we should expect as it gets dark earlier on the east side of the mountain. So we might want to shoot for 350-400 the first and last day when we are in south GA and FL just so we more relaxed time for the rest of the days?
If the knee healing goes well, in Fall I will do a color tour. I will do a ride to visit Sister in far west SC. She's close by parkway. Then on to see friends in Smith Mountain Lake on the parkway in VA by Roanoke then up to Front Royal/Stephens City in VA (North end of Skyline) to visit friends. Will explore some of our choices and share! Can check out some campgrounds first hand if you ID any by then?

[goose]

Man you guys got me all jacked-up about going already! Its going to be along wait.

[dkdixie]

I'm with ya on the no interstate thingie! Some where south of Athens GA then the first night, then up to Smokey Nat Park and onto the parkway with Sun nite somwhere between Boone NC and Roanoke VA and on to Luray VA for Monday night? It is about 900 miles total from Jax, 950 or so for central FL. A 250 mile day once we are on parkway type rodes is about what we should expect as it gets dark earlier on the east side of the mountain. So we might want to shoot for 350-400 the first and last day when we are in south GA and FL just so we more relaxed time for the rest of the days?
If the knee healing goes well, in Fall I will do a color tour. I will do a ride to visit Sister in far west SC. She's close by parkway. Then on to see friends in Smith Mountain Lake on the parkway in VA by Roanoke then up to Front Royal/Stephens City in VA (North end of Skyline) to visit friends. Will explore some of our choices and share! Can check out some campgrounds first hand if you ID any by then?


Might as well go another hour to Blairsville.
I know a guy that would have a garage full of malt beverage ready.

And I think I remember seeing a small bottle of wine around, or was that vinegar.

Be a handy place to do any maintainance if needed.

There's B&B and rental cabins real close by. Motels within 5 miles.

[coacha]

Hmmm...malted beverages, wrenches...Blairsville is sounding mighty inviting.

[coacha]

Man you guys got me all jacked-up about going already! Its going to be along wait.

Nah, it will be here before you know it.

[samkjr]

I agree with most allthat Trosco said about Location. Though I used less words, I intimated most of those thougt on the other thread.

[trosco]

hey all, how do i get one of them little flag thingies and a pic or two on my posts?

[Yellow Jacket]

hey all, how do i get one of them little flag thingies and a pic or two on my posts?

Check out this thread. It explains how to do a bunch of stuff.

http://www.vulcanbagger.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=5852&start=0

[trosco]

Hey yellow jacket, just to prove how inept I am. I followed the instructions and I now have a url ??? to my photobucket album that has the 3 images I want in my signature line???? More advice or help for the foolish old man is welcomed!

DkDixe: the blairseville thingie would be just about a perfect spot to rendevous either Friday night or Saturday Night. It's where you live, right? How lucky are you!!!
It would be a ways to come for the south Florida folks? It is not a bad ride at all from Jax. I was up in that area the week before my knee surgery at the SCRC GA rally. Left at 7AM from Cartersville and was home before 3PM.
I say it's up to the South Florida folks. If they are willing to come that far I am in! And if some one from way south needs it, they can come as far as Jax the day before and hang with me. I have a spare bedroom and secure parking.

[MikeInFla]

All this talk and planning... aw hell, lets just go already.

[Yellow Jacket]

Hey yellow jacket, just to prove how inept I am. I followed the instructions and I now have a url ??? to my photobucket album that has the 3 images I want in my signature line???? More advice or help for the foolish old man is welcomed!

Well, you're getting close. Go to your photobucket account and when you see your three pictures here's what you need to do.

Roll your cursor over your first picture. A drop down list will open. At the bottom of the list will be the words IMG Code with a box to the right of it. Click in that box and the box will turn blue. Hold down the Ctrl key and then press the C key. That will save the data in that box. Open some kind of word processor document such as Microsoft Word or Notepad. After that is open hold down the Ctrl key and press the V key. That will paste the data you just saved into the document. It should look like this for the picture of the corvette (except there will be no * between the letter G and the close bracket ]:

http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/P1020450.jpg[/IMG*]

Do the same thing for the other two pictures.

You should end up with this in your word document (without the * after the letter G and the ] bracket):

[IMG*]http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/P1020450.jpg[/IMG*]
[IMG*]http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/P1020429.jpg[/IMG*]
[IMG*]http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/VisitedStatesMap.jpg[/IMG*]

Now, go back to your profile and delete what you have in your signature block. (What you have there now is just the link to your photo album.) You need to have the image code of each of the three pictures in there. Just copy what you saved in your word document and paste it into the signature block.

If you put the image code from the three pictures in without hitting the Enter key after each one, the pictures will display side by side in a line. The size of these pictures if entered side by side will make the screen get wider to accommodate them. If you hit the Enter key after each line of image code the pictures will stack on top of each other.

You could put the first two side by side and stack the last one under the first two by just hitting the Enter key between the image code of the second and third picture.

The pictures would then display like this:

[img]http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/P1020450.jpghttp://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/P1020429.jpg
http://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af104/trosco1948/VisitedStatesMap.jpg

Hope this helps!

[trosco]

Yellow Jacket; dude, you are the man!!!! WooHoo!!!!
Pics in the sig line !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yellow Jacket]

I knew you could do it!

[rflnomad]

Nice C5 there, my man... http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

[MikeInFla]

I'm still trying to figure out which one looks better. They are both something to be proud of.

[trosco]

rflnomand and MikeinFla: thanks, I like them both a lot. I had two 69 vette's, a L-89/4speed Silver Convert that was a trailer queen and a big block coupe that was a SCCA GT class race car back in the day. I also had a 64 Triumph Bonni and 67 Harley FLH but have scaled back to just things I can drive when ever I want and work on only when I want too!
65 GTO's ain't bad at all either rflnomad!

[rschmidt]

Sounds like a great plan. I'd love to ride along and attend my first rally.

Schmidty

[trosco]

Schmidty, I sent you a PM and suggested you check out the Dec RTE that the south Florida gang has arranged in Sebring.

Jim Milucky, looks like he's your neighbor? Palm Bay and Malabar are next to each other aren't they?

[jmilucky]

Schmidty, I sent you a PM and suggested you check out the Dec RTE that the south Florida gang has arranged in Sebring.

Jim Milucky, looks like he's your neighbor? Palm Bay and Malabar are next to each other aren't they?

yep...

guess I need to do a personal man cave welcome!

[crabbypaddy]

This may be a dumb question but ........ do you Fla guys do anything for Bike week in Daytona? I'll be at bike week Feb 27th for a week or so ...... didn't know if you had a get together.... also i'll be in Tallahassee the week between xmas and new years.... I'm trailering down of course but plan to ride in the area and hopefully over to PCB ......

[trosco]

Paddy, I spend a couple days at Bikeweek each spring and fall. Am close enough to ride down, have fun all day and still leave for home before it get's too crazy. Have rendevous'd with others on those rides before. Post something when you know your plans better and you'll get some bites!

Oh, and what's PCB?

[bigsid1]

Panama City Beach http://s2.images.proboards.com/cool.gif

[crabbypaddy]

Ok thanks ....... I am staying on the northside of Orlando and riding from there. We are staying a week but plan on day trips from Orlando..... We are comming down to ride more than staying at Bike week. There are 5 of us ..... 4 street glides and me..... I'll post again closer to the time...... I will be in Tallahassee from Dec 27th to Jan 1st. I am trailering the bike but am bringing birddogs also. I will be hunting several days and hope to ride several days. I take my bike on most hunting trips now. When the dogs wear out I ride (most of the time I wear out before the dogs!)........

[trosco]

Paddy, I think CoachA (Ron) is planning a ride around North FL in the same area as you in the NewYears time frame and DaBull lives up there. PM them! I will watch for your Daytona/Bikeweek post and hope to see you then.

Oh and the "trosco" id is short for T Ross Company. My wife's idea as my name is Ross Chess.

[crabbypaddy]

OK thanks again...... My CrabbyPaddy is because my first name is Pat and of course being Irish I'm a Paddy. According to co-workers I'm always "crabby" thus CrabbyPaddy was born. My nickname was CrabbyPaddy long before sponge bob came along that of course just added fuel to the fire http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif It's all in fun! Look forward to bike week and meeting up with fellow nadders.