Deals Gap in 4 Days May4-May7 Anyone keen?

[dirtbag]

The Gap is approx 1200km from my home near London.
The plan is to leave early Friday morning and pack on 900??km ... Find a low budget hotel. Saturday an easy 300? km lands us at Deals Gap by early afternoon. Ride Gap, repeat, etc. Another fleabag motel made palatable with cheap beer and the knowledge nothing's broken. Rise, ride Gap, repeat and head north by about noon for another cheap hotel. Monday should be an easy 500-600km before sleeping in your own bed.

This is all super slab / droning to the Gap with an afternoon and morning actually spent there. Yes it's a trip worthy of more time but I'm not sure when I'll have that time.
I like to travel light, quick and cheap. Everything I need for this trip will fit in my tank bag with the exception of my sleeping bag, there just in case the title "fleabag" lives up to it's name.

Anyone one in?

[mototrek]

Things to consider:
1. This is rainy season and rain in the hills makes the ride miserable
2. This is a very pleasant ride - save it for when you have the time.
3. Best times to ride 129 is early morning and early evening. You'll have the road to yourself - you don't want to be stuck behind some jerk in a trailer and you don't want sporties zooming by you when you are trying to enjoy the ride. You also don't want the cops lining you up for their Policeman's Ball!!


Best time for dry weather is late July - August. Again, unlike a teenager's 1st lay, you want time with this ride. Sometimes, you gotta just take the time if they don't give it to you.

[GSXMAER]

sounds like alot o work......it ACTUALLY takes 24hr to get down there..with gas stops and motels..
you will be road weary....could you enjoy the ride?....you have to be your best for the DRAGON...
I was just down there.....the rain as described by a local was a "monsoon" at times
I did great with my new ROAD 3's.....hope your tires are NEW

[infernobuster]

sounds like alot o work......it ACTUALLY takes 24hr to get down there..with gas stops and motels..
you will be road weary....could you enjoy the ride?....you have to be your best for the DRAGON...
I was just down there.....the rain as described by a local was a "monsoon" at times
I did great with my new ROAD 3's.....hope your tires are NEW

It takes less than 14 hours straight through ..

[GSXMAER]

he said he's stopping

as normal...you cant do math.........1 Motel sleep = 8-9hrs stop..............drive with gas lunch and dinner stops=15hrs.........equals....wait for it.........24hrs

in true GTAM fashion....its a race...is it?

[infernobuster]

he said he's stopping

as normal...you cant do math.........1 Motel sleep = 8-9hrs stop..............drive with gas lunch and dinner stops=15hrs.........equals....wait for it.........24hrs

in true GTAM fashion....its a race...is it?

WOW. I just stated that .. Someone need a hug?

[vkhamphi]

I've done it on the bike coming back in one shot twice and with fuel, rest breaks and no motel it was still 18-19hrs from Fontana Village to Markham. Once I was off the bike I fell asleep for 8hrs.

[dirtbag]

Mototrek - Rain? I have good gear and it wouldn't be the first or last wet ride. I'm planning 3 weeks to Newfoundland on the Wing this summer so Deals Gap is a sprint down and back or wait another year. According to my plan I can ride 129 one evening and then early again the next day, so that works well.

As I stated I'm planning on a day and half (ish) each way for the trip down. So That works.

The Battleaxes arn't brand new but they'll make the trip.

I should mention that I'll be riding my 06 FZ6 on this trip.

Again, anyone in?

[omnivore]

Horizon XP, A-Rob, and Twostroke all rode their bikes back from Deals Gap last may. We were 14 hrs in the truck to Hamilton....they had arrived back in the GTA already and txt me, so they were basically an hr ahead by time they got home, even though they must have stopped at least 4-5 times for fuel etc.

[dirtbag]

Thanks OV

My take away... Enjoy day 3 at the Gap , head out late and Ironbutt it home on Monday.

[rick123]

Sorry, but I don't get it. You're riding 1200km for 30km of Deals Gap (in a trafic) and missing at the same time the best part of about 900km (no trafic) on Blue Ridge Parkway...

[kiley]

May 4 - 6
Thunder in the Smokies Motorcycle Rally
Enjoy the sh!tshow

[dirtbag]

You're right of course Rick. This is a rather stupid trip plan but I have heard that they plan to straighten part of the dragon and I want to ride it before that happens. I'm already planning a 3 week trip to the Rock this summer so again if Deal Gap is on it has to be a sprint. I would like to ride the Blueridge & Shanandoa valley but not this year.

[mototrek]

Mototrek - Rain? I have good gear and it wouldn't be the first or last wet ride. ...

Again, anyone in?

I can hardly hear the cheers - they all have their wet suits too... but still, resounding silence.


Hmmm... wonder why?

[oomis]

You're right of course Rick. This is a rather stupid trip plan but I have heard that they plan to straighten part of the dragon and I want to ride it before that happens. I'm already planning a 3 week trip to the Rock this summer so again if Deal Gap is on it has to be a sprint. I would like to ride the Blueridge & Shanandoa valley but not this year.

Where'd you hear that they're looking to straighten Deal's Gap? Having spent some quality time there, I really can't see that happening. That area draws in too many tourists, and from an engineering standpoint, they'd have to spend a lot of money blowing up mountains.

I wouldn't worry about Deal's Gap being straightened...unless, of course, you can link to a credible source?

[infernobuster]

Every year theres a rumour they are going to close it, re construct it, demolish it, shut it down or allow aliens to land on it.

I believe it when i see it.

[boooya]

They will never straighten the dragon out. The amount of revenue it generates to the area from all the thrill seekers out there alone would keep it the way it is.