On more run?? Skyline Drive next week looking good

[MacDoc]

In the sows ear to silk purse - this will do

https://goo.gl/maps/nfM6Nr1rx2L2



http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/wv_us33.html

Got caught out without any internet access - no McDs!!!!

Coming down Interstate 64 - I thought the 401 moved fast Damn - reminded me of South Dakota.
Finally got off on the west side of Richmond VA later than I like tho the ride down the Skyline and BRP was lovely.
Decent motel for $52 all in and I can see the bike from the bed.
Day was a bit longer than I like....got in to McDs finally at 7.30 and the 15 minutes to a motel,
Was getting pretty saddle sore on 64 - took a short break at a rest stop - I could see just a few deer carcasses and figured at the speed the traffic was flowing any trepidatious deer would be mince meat.
Even the trucks were wailing along 75 mph + - just tucked in a bunch and stayed in touch. Bloody empty stretch of highway.

Can't hear the audio book well at that speed on the CBF ....need to get that Madstad,

A nice ride coming up to Petersburg WV via 33 which will take in a sweet route back up and over the mountains and hopefully hook up with Kiley.

22 and clear tomorrow .....- got to 26 today after coming down off the BRP.
Head home on Saturday. Might get some showers.

 

[MacDoc]

Had just a terrific day yesterday - warm arm, blue skies and fabulous colors. Did not bother with the camera ...just a day to enjoy the scenery and a warm autumn gone from Ontario.

Chilly final hour to get to Altoona - did not put on long johns in the morning and regretted - was tired and poor choice of motel but it worked out. Yucky internet and other deficiencies....Sheetz next door was the saving grace and being an hour north in the morning a big plus.

It was a superb ride up near Blue Knob park and colors just plain breathtaking in the unusually clear air.
But the minute the sun dropped so did the temps big time.

Motel room was ice cold but warmed up quick enough.

Today is payment for those lovely warm days to the south ....hoping it's just cold to come not wet. At least it's getting warmer as the day goes on. 11 am in the PA highlands.

Came way too close to running out gas......gauge is somewhat obscured. 4.6 gallons to fill on a 5 gal tank. At least I know now....needle was pegged when I noticed but was right at a fuel pull off.

 

[MacDoc]

surprised myself..was closer to home than I thought

soggy boy

started right at the border and rained the whole way home but not a lot - just steady …

would not have wanted much more of it….

did not use rain pants….everything else was fine ..hands and jacket etc…

Good ride to close the touring season for me.

That was a rather okay 470 km ....mix of slab and highway and even some nice byways. Went by quickly .....despite a crowded Ellicotville AGAIN!

What I used on this trip for gear.

Scott Distinct 2 gortex Jacket...pretty much an 8 month jacket....too warm above 27 and not enought below 7. Heated liner would fix that.
It is very waterproof if you do up the seals and the pocket set up is terrific.

UnWind neck warmer/bib. Absolutely essential.

Oxford silk balaclava . mostly to keep earpphones in place but a bit of warmth.

AFX55 helmet.

Powerlet heated glove liners. I quite often rode with these under my mesh armored shortl summer gloves as low as 12 degrees. The fabric and wrist seal was effective sealing the wind out of the Scott.
I think I prefer these to heated grips as they keep the back of my hands warm as well but they did hot spot a bit when used at setting 3 under other gloves.

Lower than that I wore them under my First Ascent mountain gloves, no armor but Gortex and they do keep you dry. They are full gauntlets.

Poly fishing shirt from Columbia,
Nike long sleevedry fit shirt under it.

Poly long johns ( no top )

What I could have used is my ColdPruf loose top that keeps me warm lower than Scott alone. I bought very large and it goes over all other stuff except the jacket.

501 Tactical pants with suspenders over Thor knee and shin armor. The 501s are water resistant and I did not need to put my rain pants on even tho continuous medium rain all the way from the border to Sauga.

The knee armor gives excellent additional wind protection and comes right down to my high boots.

Gaerne Trial boots....gortex, waterproof, no insulation. They are water proof they do get chilly.

Darn Tough over the calf socks ....amazing product.
http://darntough.com/men/mens-ski-ride

 

[kiley]

Mac tell me more about these 501 TP.
Currently in the cool weather I do jeans a chaps.
But I am liking this suspender idea

 

[Jayell]

Gaerne Trial boots....gortex, waterproof, no insulation. They are water proof they do get chilly.

While the manufacturer may claim the boots are waterproof, they are not Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is a brand name.

Darn Tough over the calf socks ....amazing product. http://darntough.com/men/mens-ski-ride

What makes 'em amazing? Is it the merino wool?

 

[MacDoc]

They never lose their shape, I wander around in them on all sorts of surfaces including pavement and they show no signs of wear, no sign of losing shape or tension.
Must be the mix of fibres and the crazy tight weave. They fit to size as well.

GAERNE DRYTECH: A WATERPROOF AND BREATHABLE ALL WEATHER MEMBRANE, FITTED BETWEEN THE OUTER LEATHER AND THE LINING. THE GAERNE DRYTECH MEMBRANE ALLOWS PERSPIRATION TO PASS THROUGH, BUT WILL NOT ALLOW THE RAINDROPS TO PENETRATE, KEEPING THE WEARER WARM AND DRY.
GAERNE DRYTECH IS YOUR BEST GUARANTEE FOR WARM AND DRY FEET IN ALL WEATHER CONDITION.

Goretex is becoming like kleenex - a generic descriptor for waterproof and breathable..

And they are waterproof.

 

[MacDoc]

Of COURSE it stopped raining the minute I pulled in the driveway.

Very happy with the CBF1000. Needs the Madstad bracket to get thewind noise down but it's effortless power is a treat - especially in states with 75 mph speed limits where pulling into traffic requires some oomph.

Biggest annoyance is the awkward and "feels unstable" kickstand. Hard to find with your heel and steep angle forces you to park carefully as it shifts when the rear shock unloads.

Just realized late Sept and all of Oct 2015 was a lot of good riding.. Did the Triple Nickel in Ohio and some fine roads,
Algonquin Park for colours on a single long day, PA, Maryland West Virginia and Virginia area twice on mulit-day rides.
Lots of photos to sort through.

I sure played hooky a lot...not mention the marathon to pick up the CBF in Ottawa....THAT was the coldest ride of all.

A few follow up photos.

I finally got a chance at PA 144 south of Renovo after getting diverted to a very annoying, hot and unpleasant re-route last time.
This is uphill and fun ....perfect pavement - used to be broken up .....some very sharp corners in this section further on....

soem truly gorgeous mornings in the mountains.

some sections like this on HWY 6 were breath taking....

Friday the 23rd was perhaps the finest mix of riding for colour and scenery yet. Took very few photos....because I was headed west then north ..the sun was behind me or to the side and foliage illumination was ideal..just wallowed in it. Worth the chilly ride home.

 

[Joe Bass]

Of COURSE it stopped raining the minute I pulled in the driveway.

Very happy with the CBF1000. Needs the Madstad bracket to get thewind noise down but it's effortless power is a treat - especially in states with 75 mph speed limits where pulling into traffic requires some oomph.

Biggest annoyance is the awkward and "feels unstable" kickstand. Hard to find with your heel and steep angle forces you to park carefully as it shifts when the rear shock unloads.

From that angle she looks like she's about to fall over. You reach the ground ok? Isn't that a tall bike?

Sent from a Samsung Galaxy far, far away using Tapatalk

 

[MacDoc]

It's a very low bike...Honda has set up a system where you can change the seat height and unlike the ST1100 it is not wide at the tank.
It's remarkably small for a litre bike.
I'm flat foot and then some....to the point I might raise the seat a notch to unbend my knees a bit.
A bike I had never heard of .....rare in Canada, never sold in the US....a real treat and a true sports tourer. Best for solo tho....it is small.

Meant to mention between the risers, cramp busters and gip puppies my hand problems were non- existent.

Still need to figure out a better seat set up but did the last 470 km on the stock saddle and felt okay. If I break every so often ....even just to pull over and stretch ...there is no issue at all.

Windscreen needs to be taller but have Madstad brackets on the go which will fix that and allow tilt.

Except for being careful on the camber for parking due to the kickstand - the bike is super easy to maneuver - only 500 lb or so and weight low down.

The differences with the Vstrom are hilarious. Like both bikes tho the Biffer easier to ride and the roll on power is at total delight.