Saturday May 8, Abingdon VA to Cumberland Falls KY
After the not so good day yesterday, I took a very slow morning and didn’t hit the road until well after 9. The first objective today was Cumberland Gap by way of US 58. Mary and were out this way a few years back, and looking at the maps, I can’t find any other way to get there. US 58 is a good ride, but the road is totally proved up and is wide and smooth having only wide sweepers. It’s almost I-State grade.
Wanting to bypass both Bristol and Kingsport, I headed North on US 19, another proved-up wide smooth road, after spotting a thin-line road, VA 802, that would get me back to US 58. Got to Holston and saw a local diner, the Holston Cafe. The owner’s name wasn’t part of the name, Road Cafe Rule Number 1, but the parking lot had lots of cars and trucks with local plates, Road Cafe Rule Number 2, so I pulled in. Hadn’t been on the road for much longer that 20 or 30 minutes. A real slow start today.
The owner was really nice and the food was great ( the Holston Cafe has grits ). The couple at a nearby table ride, but that Other Brand, so he struck up a conservation. A very nice and friendly couple. He’s a long-haul trucker and has cut back on his super-long trips. She rides with him on some hauling trips. And she has a cousin living in Saratoga Springs. Small world. He said he might take a little day putt-putt today. I chatted with them even tho my grits were constantly cooling whenever I was chatting and not eating. As I was putt-putting along later, I started to wonder if there shouldn’t be some kind of social protocol for this situation. Especially when it comes to ones grits getting cold.
Got back on the road. It’s a big-wind day and it’s also a little cool. Got to my thin-line road, VA 802, and was immediately surprised. The road is a disaster; very narrow, very rough, no markings, not even a center-line, and a deep gully for a shoulder. Not as bad as the worst parts of US 58 yesterday, but not good. Under these conditions, I always hug the far right side of my lane all the time. You never know when a local native is going to be barreling down the road and using all of it.
Luckily, after getting over the hills and into the first cove, the road became better. Then, when the road starts over the next hills to get into the next cove it gets bad again. I finally get into the valley that will lead to US 58 at Mendota and it’s smooth sailing, a real joy.
Make the run against the big headwind to the gap and into Middlesboro KY. Middlesboro is the hometown of somebody famous, but i’ve forgotten who ( or whom ). I pull into a service station to get some gas and a KY map. The only map available is one of those plastic-laminated jobbys and it’s $8.95 plus taxes and fees. Outrageous. I see the next twisty thin-line road that heads West, KY 74.
I notice that we’re in coal-mining country off on the right hand side. The road begins to deteriorate at about the same time. I start to have flashbacks from earlier today. I keep going and soon can spot one of those Mountain-Top-Removal coal mines up high. At about this time, the road is another disaster in the making. Soon, I notice ruts in the asphalt and the makings on the road disappear. I’m thinking this will be over as soon as I pass through this short mining section.
Well, it goes to hell in a hand-basket and continues for miles. No stones on the road, but the road almost becomes an un-improved mountain goat trail. And it goes up and over maybe three ridges and down into little coves under these conditions. Nasty. The road is so narrow that the trees block all the sunlight and I can’t sees any details about the road surface. It’s go slooooowww and be careful.
At the end of the nightmare, I cross the railroad three times and each time there are huge holes in the road and stones cover the tracks completely. Just as I cross the tracks for the last time I meet two crotch-rocket based road-runners. I think to myself that those boys are going to be very disappointed. Either that or I don’t know how to ride. The only other bikes I’ve met on this road.
But not 100 feet ( a few meters ) down the road I cross into Tennessee and the road becomes a marvel. Smooth and twisty and some wide sweepers. I have some fun to make up for the misery and do a little road running. And now I understand why the road-running crotch-rockets were on this road.
I’ve recently seen some additional Land of Small Houses. Tiny, square or rectangular houses. Many not in the best of condition. Lots of single-wides. And unlike on some of these roads deep in the boonies, I haven’t seen any normal-looking houses mixed in with these. These miners have a tough life, I think.
I get to the next road, US 25W heading North. I’ve got two other thin-line roads in mind that head West. But based on today’s experience I’m thinking I should take the shorter of the two. Soon, I see signs about this place where I stopped today. It’s another of the State of KY State Parks that have rooms and food. This one at Cumberland Falls State Park. Mary and I have stayed at a couple of these and some in WV, too, and have found them to be really nice. It so happens that the place is on the short road West. I get to the road, KY 90, and it’s a joy; smooth and twisty. And the place is nice, too.
I have my first sit-down at a table supper in three or four days. My usual veggies supplemented with high-value protein. In this case some of the protein is supplied by frog legs. I haven’t had frog legs since I stopped going to The Bay Area, as they call it. These aren’t prepared the same way as those out there. These are deep-fried in a big olde pan of oil, not gently sauté in butter and garlic and presented on a bed of rice or pasta.
Low temperature in the high 30s tonight. I’m thinking that it’ll be another slow morning tomorrow. I’ll have some extra coffee and take in the beauty here.
Friday May 7, Erwin TN to Abingdon VA
Took care of my laundry last night.
I stopped at this motel because there are two restaurants right across the street. Last night I discovered that both have been closed for over a year. That’s not a big problem because I almost always carry pre-prepared foods, but I was looking forward to a real sit-down at a table supper. I have a wide variety of most excellent pre-prepared foods, all basically high-grade protein based. Some are better appreciated if nuked up in a microwave, but can nonetheless be equally enjoyed even when not heated. I can easily make up a three-course meal from several entrees and associated accompaniments, hot or cold, or mixed. The presentation is primitive, but colorful given all the writing and pictures on the cans. Mary does a very much better job at this than I do. And she doesn’t yet fully appreciate my selections of entrees. But with three cans of entrees, with or without heating, I can whip up a pretty good supper of high-grade protein.
I left Erwin on TN 107 with two objectives; Roan Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Following those I planned to pick up US 58 to head Westward. TN 106 was a joy, but way too short. Beautiful coves and high ridges.
At US 19E I had a short hop down to TN 143 which becomes NC 261 at the top of the pass at the state line. TN 143 has been re-surfaced since we were last here and is very smooth and well marked. Fortunately, cutting and filling and straightening was not a part of the upgrade.
Zipped up to the pass and stopped to take in the beauty. Richard from the Bronx was also taking a break. He’s walking the Appalachian Trail from end to end all at one time making about 10 to 15 miles per day. Richard has a friend living in Saratoga Springs. Small world. From Roan Mountain he has a little over 1800 miles to make by about mid-October at which time the Northern end of the Trail is closed.
The NC side of the road hasn’t been re-surfaced yet, but it’s in good shape. It’s a long ride down and a ride up from this side is more fun than up the TN side.
NC 226 will take me right to the Parkway and when I get there I see signs that the Parkway is closed a few miles North. Since the road is not blocked off here I suspect that the closure is just past the exit to US 221, so I putt-putt up that way. A beautiful ride up here on the Parkway today. Nice and cool, lots of Dogwood budding out, lots of very long mountain views because the leafs are not out yet, and no other traffic. Wonderful. Especially enjoy the coolness because it’s getting really hot down off the mountains.
I take the US 221 detour and get back on at Grandfather Mountain and enjoy the ride up to the exit at US 21 to head North to US 58.
This part of US 58 turns out to be a work in progress. It’s nice and twisty as expected. But it’s also been neglected and there are loose stones on the road surface at almost every curve. I mean every curve, especially the very tight right curves. Stones all the way across the road. Stones from the other side of the road in my lane. Did I mention that the surface is in bad shape? Miles and miles of this stuff.
The road situation got much better somewhere East of Green Cove; the valley beneath Whitetop Mountain is very nice and then the road enters the Mount Rogers NRA and is a joy.
I pull into a cheap-looking motel in Abingdon and it turns out to indeed be cheap. I think I’m sharing my room with mosquitoes, flies, and spiders.
Thursday May 6, Townsend TN to Erwin TN
Another day of natural beauty plus tons of joy on man made machines. Wonderful !!
Another beautiful evening, too.
Roads rode today. NC 73 ( the Pigeon Forge bypass ) to Cade’s Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park GSMNP, and then to US 441 across the Park. Wonderful old-growth forest, cool fresh air, sparkling steam beside the road. Beauty. The road to Cade’s Cove and the cove itself are marvels. Over 700 people lived in the cove in 1850. US 441 across the Park is wonderful, too.
The Blue Ridge Parkway to NC 215. The Parkway was beautiful up high above the Springline and the Dogwood just beginning to blossom along the sides of the mountains. Rode 215 to Canton to pick up NC 209 off US 23. NC 209 was a wonder and a trip back in time. I’ve never seen so many genuine log structures or so many abandoned houses and barns. The road surface is in very bad shape, but well worth the effort to ride. Not a single wide sweeper on this un-proved up narrow two-laner. Rode through Luck, Trust, Spring Creek to Hot Springs.
Picked up NC 208 and NC 212 which became TN 352. Unlike NC 209, these are smooth surfaced and gave some wide sweepers mixed up with the twisties. Another beauty. Can be taken a few MPH above the posted limit.
Putt-putted into Erwin on a short stretch of I-State 26.
Met Walt in GSMNP. Walt is from Princeton MA and was ridding a Beemer, the GS model. He’s on his way to attend his son’s graduation from Clemson. We spent several minutes discussing the extraordinary intelligence of people who chose Clemson to continue their education. We also noted the other outstanding characteristics of these people. His wife will fly into Greenville for the graduation and then back home and Walt will make a fast destination run back to MA.
Met Bruce from Greensboro NC in Hot Springs. Bruce was also riding a GS. Fully accessorized to the max. Bruce knows Saratoga Springs because he’s a horsy farmer. The horsy farmers in Greensboro buy hay from Upstate NY because it’s very clean. The local NC stuff has lots of weeds and dirt in it. The truck drivers taking furniture up to Yankee Land and have empty trucks after unloading their loads. A hay broker will find the hay to be hauled back down NC.
Met a guy here at the motel just as I pulled in. He’s riding one of those Other Brands you usually don’t see actually on the road. He was taking his cleaning materials out of the side cases and proceeded to polish up his chrome. He had his ‘Tude turned up high and was not really engaged in chatting. And, only because I knew his ‘Tude was high, I continued to chat. It’s fun to do that.
I can’t begin to describe the natural beauty and wonders that I saw and experienced today. Beautiful mountains, beautiful trees, beautiful flowers, deep blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and sparkling streams along every road. Priceless.
Bypassing both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg while experiencing NC 73, triple priceless !!
later
Wednesday May 5, Blue Ridge GA to Townsend TN
More of the same; wonderful roads, beautiful mountains, blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Today I traveled from Blue Ridge GA to Townsend TN almost exclusively on narrow twisty two-laners with smooth surfaces. Not completely, because it’s getting difficult to bypass those places where we’re forced onto the proved-up versions on the good roads. If you’re a local and know all the back roads you can skip those.
Left Blue Ridge on GA 60 Northward into NC to pick up US 64 / 74 to head into the high mountains. Then US 74 to Andrews at which point the road becomes US 74 / 19 / 129. Rode US 129 into Robbinsville. The objective road was NC 143 out of Robbinsville, also known as the Cherohala Skyway. US 64 has been basically ruined for hundreds of miles across TN; a highly proved-up four-laner and US 74 is the same until about Andrews where it becomes a proved- up two-laner. US 74 frommabout Murphy NC to Andrews runs through a wide beautiful valley. And, a river runs through it; Valley River. US 129, on the other hand remains a narrow twisty two-laner; very narrow, very twisty.
US 129 and NC 143 are world-famous roads to Denizens of Biker Trash Land. US 129 is major twisty road and has been re-surfaced since Mary and I were last through here. It’s still very narrow and is one of those olde-timey hug the Earth’s surface roads.
Cherohala Skyway was completed in 1996 and so is a wide two-laner and unfortunately has mostly wide sweepers. This road could be ridden very rapidly, but the posted limit is mostly 35 MPH. A beautiful road that goes up high and runs along the ridges. Lots of long views of the mountains. It was very cool up there this morning and felt especially good.
The Skyway ends at Tellico Plains TN and I took a short break at the Biker Friendly service station on the outskirts of town. Not a lot of other bikers out yet so I didn’t get a chance to chat with other Denizens. Took TN 360 out of Tellicoa Plains with the next objective road being The Foothills Parkway. TN 360 is another beauty and intersects US 411 at Vonore. At 411 there were signs saying that US 129 was closed. I didn’t have to use 129 for too many miles to get to the Foothills Parkway, so I asked about where the road was closed. It was closed just beyond the entrance to the Parkway at the TN / NC line. So I rode TN 72 to 129 and then rode the Parkway to Walland TN. Yet another beauty through the mountains with lots of long views. Two full days of road riding and running.
From Walland I putt-putted here to Townsend near the West entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Tonight I’m in an EconoLodge that was previously a Comfort Inn. It’s a very nice place and the rate is very good, too. Last night I was in a Comfort Inn that was also very nice and reasonable. I suspect that these good rates will end as soon as school is out for the summer.
In addition to the most excellent road riding and touring and the nice and reasonable places to stay, I have additional very good news. I have found a road that bypasses both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. I plan to do exactly that and be on top of Clingmans Dome early tomorrow morning.
Tuesday May 4, Athens GA to Blue Ridge GA
Riding the North Georgia mountains on the two-lane twisty roads is about the best way to spend a day. Pure Biker Trash Paradise all the time. Nothing but three-star roads today.
Left Athens a little after 8 this morning and headed North. Decided that the flat and straight roads South of Athens and into Florida would not be any fun. Plus the extreme temperature and humidity have nothing to offer.
Less than 50 miles out of Athens the roads are already first class biker roads. I picked up GA 105 just South of Baldwin and the fun started. Then GA 184 to Boydville and GA 17 to hit GA 197 at Clarksville. And now the fun got much better and by the time I reached GA 2/US 76 just West of Clayton I was smiling and grinning from ear to ear. GA 197 is one of the better roads that I’ve ridden in a very long time. All these roads have very smooth surfaces, they are very narrow, and they are very twisty. The posted speed limit is 35 MPH and that can be a little disconcerting. It’s like a city speed limit and it takes some time to realize that The Law is not hidden away around the curves waiting to nab everyone. After working past those thoughts, the roads become even more fun, if you get my drift. Well, I took a break at the GA 2 intersection to let the joy sink in thinking that it’s going to be hard to beat this. But it was only the beginning.
Took GA 2 / US 76 West to Hiawassee to find a bank so I could replenish my gas-money supply. The bank had a TV on and there in huge red numbers was a summary of the action on the Dow. It was very very ugly and the trading day was only about half over. So much for wealth accumulation. Actually, I’m not into wealth accumulation, and with what’s been happening recently it’s just as well that I’m not. All I need is to keep my gas-money supply from hitting empty. Today that seems to be highly unlikely, but I’m going to burn it while I’ve got it.
Putt-putted back to GA 17 / GA 75 just outside Hiawassee with the objective road being GA 180. Ran down to Suches on miles and miles of three-star road to check out a legendary moto-only “resort”, named Two Wheels Only. The place has seen much better days and was not yet open for the season. Somewhat of a disappointment, but no big deal.
Picked up GA 60 at Suches and headed North back deep into the mountains. Another beauty. Three or four in a row. Reached an intersection at which I’ll have to make a decision about which road to take, so I decided to park here in Blue Ridge and put off the decision-making until tomorrow.
In addition to the most-excellent roads, the mountains are beautiful. And the skies are blue.
The roads today were all classic olde-timey twisty roads that hug the surface of the earth with decreasing-radius curves, reverse banking, Ss to the max and are void of cut and fills and wide sweepers. They are disappearing and already there are wide four-laner alternatives for all of them.
I’m already a little concerned about the thousands and thousands of miles of potential three-star roads that I would like to see this time out knowing that I can’t make them all. It’s a problem that I’ll have to deal with, I guess. We’ve got to ride these beautiful narrow two-laners while there some remaining. All too soon, there will be nothing left but wide sweepers and, shudder, wide proved up to the max four laners.
Riding on down into Georgia
A Tuesday April 27, Mars Hill NC to Clayton GA
Threatening weather again today; cold, wet, cloudy, and foggy at the higher elevations. We decide to simply give up on touring in the mountains and to head South and lower elevations to see what we could find. We left Mars Hill and headed across Asheville aiming for Pickens County in SC on SC 11. This is very familiar territory because I played here before I had to go seek Gainful Tax-Paying Employment. We took US 25 South of Asheville to pick up SC 11 at Jones Gap State Park.
At the intersection of the park road and SC 11 we stopped at what was formerly a gas station to get a bite to eat. There are several places like this around Pickens County. Gas stations converted to be convenience stores and restaurants, well so-called restaurants, but they serve food. This place like many others in these parts serve breakfast and lunch and then generally close up. We were here for breakfast, especially the grits. As usual, the food was great.
We putt-putted on out Westerly on SC 11 to Walhalla to get SC 183 West into Georgia and US 76. The weather was indeed much better down here and we saw blue skies and fluffy white clouds again. And the roads are great. Smooth surfaces, twisty with many wide sweepers. A world-famous moto biking area.
Later in the early afternoon, the threatening weather returned and the temperature was a balmy 46 F as we were kind of up in the mountains of North Georgia. So we parked again and not long afterwards the cold rains fell.
Wednesday April 28, Clayton GA to Athens GA
No rain today and the temperature is recovering very nicely. Today we’ll head down to Athens to visit Grandson Will, and his mom and dad, too.
Putt-putted around the North Georgia mountains under deep blue skies in the warming air. Everything has turned green here already and the scenes are beautiful. Almost all the two-lane roads around these parts are a joy to ride and run. We traveled on GA 17 and GA 15, and a couple of local roads. Great great riding. Finally picked up US 129 to ride into Athens.
A few words about the new road-running machine. It eats up the miles with ease and in very good comfort. Very nimble in the twisties, always on-demand torque for safe passing, smooth transmission. A joy to ride, and Mary agrees that is is the best bike we’ve ever owned and ridden. We did about 1400 miles ( x 1.6 for those other units ) for what is nominally a 1100 mile trip. Could have done much better if the weather had been more cooperative.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday April 29 – May 1 in Athens
Wonderful visit and doing stuff with Will and family. Beautiful weather. Will is as exceptionally smart as his Granddad and a joy to spend time with. He has a t-shirt that says he is as handsome as his dad, too.
Sunday May 2, Athens to Pickens to Greenville
We’ve borrowed a car to ride up to Pickens, SC to visit my brother and then ride over to the airport in Greenville so Mary can catch a flight home. I have not been successful in getting her to change her mind about this Moto Road Trip. We’ll hook up a time or two for some together touring.
Monday May 3, Greenville and Athens
Raining hard today all over the East. I made it back to Athens but I’m stuck here for the day. The good news is that Grandson Will will be here this pm also. The forecast is that the rain will move out over night and I’ll have clear sailing tomorrow.
I’m still trying to decide on the initial direction to take; South to Florida to score a new State, or North back into the Georgia mountains. I guess I’ll decide after I get the bike packed up tomorrow morning.
Moto Road Trip to Athens, Georgia: April 21 to May 4, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, Porter Corners to Sayre/Waverley
We got a late start from Plank Road due to chilly temps and other duties. But once off we made good time. We started up Rt 7 but decided to jump on I88 in Cobleskill to make some time. Not a fun ride but we did reach Sayre, just West of Binghamton after picking up US 17. Stayed at the same Inn where we had stayed during our first trip South together back in June 2003. We found that things had changed there in the last seven years. However, we both enjoyed the trip back in time.
Thursday, April 22, Sayre to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
We took US 220 out of Sayer and headed South. Picked up US 522 in Selinsgrove and rode it down to the end of PA. US 522 is a great ride. Tried to find motel in Hancock, MD, but there weren’t any. Went on down the road to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia and found a super froo-froo Spa type place that Mary said was wonderful.
While riding around the town looking for motels, we had spied a Real Bar-B-Que place, so we decided to try it out for supper. Worked out far better than expected; great ribs and great pulled-pork. While looking over the menu, we noticed that the place was also open for breakfast and that Fabulous Homemade Grits were were available. Decided to have breakfast the, too, and did. The grits were most excellent.
Friday April 23, Berkeley Springs to Covington, Virginia
Great, great roads today. Started out on WV 9 and picked up WV 29 just South of Paw Paw. Mary and I have ridden the roads in these parts several times. Rode WV 29 to pick up WV 259 at Baker. Putt-putted on down this fast road into Virginia and pulled into a run-down, used-to-be service station for a break. Now the corporate offices for Turner Hams, turnerhams.com is here in Fulks Corner. Also filled with tons o’ brick-a-brace. Mary loved the place.
One of the guys the recommended one of those local three-digit VA roads over to US 33 and then to US 220 south bound. Well, we must have ridden over three passes on these roads. Fast and twisty. Narrow two-laners without much of a shoulder. So far, the day has been nothing but Biker Trash Paradise. And yesterday wasn’t all that bad, either.
Putt-putted down US 220 into Covington and found a motel on the out skirts of town. Covington is a small industrial town with a really huge paper-making plant. We didn’t find anything of interest to us here. The ride on 220 was great.
Saturday April 24, Covington VA to Hillsville VA
We took VA 159 out of Covington to VA 311 to VA 42. Wonderful fast twisty roads again today, especially VA 42!! Then hit US 460 East bound to get to VA 8 heading for Floyd and maybe the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mary and I have been on these roads before, starting back in 2003 when we rode to Mountain City, and again in 2004 and maybe a couple or mor times since then. We strolled around Floyd thinking about stopping for the day but didn’t find a place. So we rode on down US 221 to Hillsville. US 221 is known as the little parkway and is a great biker ride.
And so ended another wonderful road-riding day.
Sunday April 25, Hillsville VA to Blowing Rock NC
We left Hillsville on US 221 aiming for VA 89 at Galax and the Blue Ridge Parkway. As we headed uphill toward the Parkway, the weather conditions started turning not so good; cool, cloudy, windy and very foggy. We could barely see the Parkway turn at the top of the ridge and so continued down the other side. Just barely moving in the deep, wet, and very cool fog. This would prove to be the first of several attempts to ride the Parkway over the next two days; none successful. We continued on VA 89 into Mount Airy, NC where we stopped to review our situation. The weather was threatening over on this side of the mountains, too, but it was dry for the time being.
We took US 601 out of Mount Airy, just kind of putt-putting along Southward. At NC 67 in Boonville we took a right off 601, looking for thinner lines on the Real Time Moto Road Trip Planner and heading back toward the mountains. Just as we made the turn Mary saw a real diner, so we found a parking place to check it out. The place, Tish’s Restaurant turned out to be a treasure of a find. The special of the day was the After-Service Sunday Buffet. We just made it through the line and got seated when we noticed the line backing up to the door of the place. While we enjoyed our really-home-cooked food, people constantly came into the place. A most-excellent food find.
We continued along NC 67 aiming for the mountains. The weather was holding and the road was great. We picked up NC 268 in Elkin and run this narrow, smooth two-laner to US 321 South of Blowing Rock and ride up the mountain, the weather still holding. Mary loves Blowing Rock and we’ve stopped here several times. We find an adorable little room and settle in after walking the town streets. After our big lunch at Tish’s we get a sandwich to go from a froo-froo place that we’ve stopped at to get sandwiches to eat along the side of the Parkway.
Another road-running day on the small twisty roads in the mountains.
Monday April 26, Blowing Rock NC to Mars Hill NC
We left Blowing Rock on US 221 South with the objective to ride the Parkway. Well, our Fair Weather Crystal must have run out of mojo today. Cold, windy, foggy, rainy weather; far far from fair weather. The thermometer says it’s 50 F, so we cross the Parkway and headed down the mountain looking for warmer temperature. We’re for sure above the Springline up here and the tress don’t have many leaves out yet.
We continue along 221 heading South, but it doesn’t get much warmer. US 221 becomes a wide four-laner and I see a small-line road, NC 226A, that goes back up to the Parkway and over to Spruce Pines, another place that we’ve ridden several times. The ride up Roan Mountain is a world famous Biker Trash road and we’ve been over a few times. We stop at the side of the road just after getting onto 226A to chat about the weather and estimate the best way forward. We decide to give the Parkway another try.
NC 226A is a wonderful Biker Trash Road, and while we’re stopped several machines pass by heading up the mountain. It’s another wonderful ride up the mountain and we see a few places that we would stop and stay if the weather was more favorable. This time we have to zip on by.
We hit US 19E at Spruce Pine and head West. At Burnsville our Fair Weather Crystal hits empty and we have cold rain. We decide to try to make it to Asheville, and head off for our last attempt for the day. We landed here in Mars Hill.
Moto Trip Report: Part 2. An Interlude
The God of Motorcycle Wanderlust and the Goddess of Natural Wonders made me do it.
Picked up the new moto yesterday and put a few break-in miles on the odo. At the present time I’m on schedule to be off on the next moto road trip in a month ( +/- ) or so. Hope to be on the road for 4 or 5 months on the new machine. Mary will hook up with me a couple of times and that always means much more enjoyable road touring.
The new moto has a transversely-mounted in-line 4 motor and definitely falls into the go-fastest category. Seems to have unlimited torque and almost don’t need the first 4 gears. If all the conditions are right, maybe I can break my personal two-wheeled land speed record of 2 miles per minute. But to get to 2.5 would require that a long list of conditions be met. With governments at all levels from village to federal in bad need of cash, I’m seeing lots o’ pulled-over cars with flashing lights sitting behind them.
Nouns to Verbs: Verbizing Nouns
In a past life I worked for a company the president of which could change any noun into a verb by adding the -ize suffix. I was recently reminded of this when I ran across this brand new ( for me ) verbized noun; analogize.
We generalized ( hehe ) the concept and applied it to the case of someone appearing at your office door wanting to discuss work-related issues as follows; Come in and chairize yourself.
Testing Energy Balance and Budget
In this previous post, I mentioned the energy budget / balance for the Earth’s systems. Specifically, the fundamental hypothesis for AGW is that human activities have created an imbalance in the radiative-energy transport budget and that an increase in temperature will be obtained in order to return to some kind of, but practically undefined, equilibrium state. A true state of energy in-come = energy out-go is never attained for the Earth’s systems. The daily and yearly cyclic variations are observed easily by direct experience and instrumental means. Especially, neither the out-going infrared energy or the in-coming ultra-violet energy are constant, and are not monotonically increasing or decreasing.
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Models Methods Software 