I plan on heading out to the rally on Thursday the 21st from Princeton WV. A good route seems to be rte 220 for most of the ride. Anyone from my neck of the woods interested?
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I plan on heading out to the rally on Thursday the 21st from Princeton WV. A good route seems to be rte 220 for most of the ride. Anyone from my neck of the woods interested?
Three of us are planning on leaving Marion, Va on Thursday morning and heading up I-81. It is 465 miles per Mapquest so we will stay on the slab most of the way. We are planning on meeting another rider from near Roanoke and having lunch at Mrs. Rowes in Staunton ([url]http://www.mrsrowes.com/index.html[/url]). You are welcome to join us. Our rides include a R1200GS (2), R1200RT, and R1200CLC. We are either semi-retired, formerly retired or totally retired.
You should also join us in Marion on August 20th for Back of the Dragon Day ([url]http://backofthedragon.com/?page_id=186[/url]). If you haven't ridden Rt 16 between Tazewell and Marion recently, you will find the road in excellent condition with Walker Mountain recently repaved.
Ken
[QUOTE=osbornk;691294]Three of us are planning on leaving Marion, Va on Thursday morning and heading up I-81. It is 465 miles per Mapquest so we will stay on the slab most of the way. We are planning on meeting another rider from near Roanoke and having lunch at Mrs. Rowes in Staunton ([url]http://www.mrsrowes.com/index.html[/url]). You are welcome to join us. Our rides include a R1200GS (2), R1200RT, and R1200CLC. We are either semi-retired, formerly retired or totally retired.
You should also join us in Marion on August 20th for Back of the Dragon Day ([url]http://backofthedragon.com/?page_id=186[/url]). If you haven't ridden Rt 16 between Tazewell and Marion recently, you will find the road in excellent condition with Walker Mountain recently repaved.
Ken[/QUOTE]
I may just take you up on that if no one wants to go through the woods. I rode up from Marion awhile back, it must have been before the fresh pavement since I don't remember it. What are your thoughts on the hype for 16? I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I know the economy could sure use a boost from lots of riders, but on the other hand I'd hate to see it evolve into something like Deals Gap has become.
[QUOTE=MildBill;691458]I may just take you up on that if no one wants to go through the woods. I rode up from Marion awhile back, it must have been before the fresh pavement since I don't remember it. What are your thoughts on the hype for 16? I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I know the economy could sure use a boost from lots of riders, but on the other hand I'd hate to see it evolve into something like Deals Gap has become.[/QUOTE]
That would be great. We could meet a Wytheville and proceed from there.
I've been helping with the hype on Rt 16. The hype got the section of Rt 16 repaved rather than the planned patching (and it was done quickly). I don't want another Deals Gap either but we need to do something to increase the visitors to our area so we can attract motels, restaurants and similar businesses. As you know, we have a bunch of other rides around here as good or better than Rt 16. Smyth County Tourism is publishing a brochure and is opening a website in the next week or two with maps of other good roads in the area. I know at least seven of them are good rides because a friend and I mapped them out. We hope folks will come for the "Back of the Dragon" and stay a few days and ride other good local roads.
A big aside here :)
Last time I passed through Princeton I ran across this beautiful old house (I have a thing for cool old houses) and was wondering if you could tell me anything about it?
Here is the house:
[IMG]http://www.verrill.com/misc/princetonhouse.jpg[/IMG]
And here is the location:
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.370132,-81.100967&spn=0.001914,0.003283&z=18&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.370132,-81.100967&spn=0.001914,0.003283&z=18&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>
[QUOTE=osbornk;691464]That would be great. We could meet a Wytheville and proceed from there.
I've been helping with the hype on Rt 16. The hype got the section of Rt 16 repaved rather than the planned patching (and it was done quickly). I don't want another Deals Gap either but we need to do something to increase the visitors to our area so we can attract motels, restaurants and similar businesses. As you know, we have a bunch of other rides around here as good or better than Rt 16. Smyth County Tourism is publishing a brochure and is opening a website in the next week or two with maps of other good roads in the area. I know at least seven of them are good rides because a friend and I mapped them out. We hope folks will come for the "Back of the Dragon" and stay a few days and ride other good local roads.[/QUOTE]
I agree with you 100% on the tourism potential for Smyth and Tazewell Counties. Don't you think for the route to really take off someone with the financial ability will have to invest in a stopping place for the folks who are riding through. Something like the store/restaurant at Shady Valley, or a good motorcycle only campground.
As it stands now, it looks like I'll take you up on your offer to tag along with your group. No one seems interested in taking the back road up there. I'll work out the details with you as we get closer to the rally for the time and specific place to meet. I ride a 2005 1200GS. It's new to me, I traded an 1100RT for her last fall. I'm not retired yet, still have one daughter in college and another in her last year of high school. Are you guys camping or moteling?
[QUOTE=Ted;691488]A big aside here :)
Last time I passed through Princeton I ran across this beautiful old house (I have a thing for cool old houses) and was wondering if you could tell me anything about it?
Here is the house:
[IMG]http://www.verrill.com/misc/princetonhouse.jpg[/IMG]
And here is the location:
<iframe width="425" height="350" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.370132,-81.100967&spn=0.001914,0.003283&z=18&output=embed"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=37.370132,-81.100967&spn=0.001914,0.003283&z=18&source=embed" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>[/QUOTE]
It is a beautiful home. It's the Eskridge house. I think it was built in 1912 for Mrs. Eskridge by her father who was a timber baron. I believe Mr. and Mrs. Eskridge were both chemical engineers at the Celanese plant down the road in Narrows Virginia. The house is quite ornate, and I think even has an elevator. If I run across any more info on the history of the home I'll pass it on to you.
Since you have a thing for cool old houses, have you been to Bramwell WV.? It's a small town about fifteen miles from Princeton, and back when coal was king around here it had the most millionaires per capita in the nation. So, needless to say, the town has lots of cool old houses. The town has an Octoberfest every year with lots of good music and all the microbreweries from the area. A good day in the mountains!
[QUOTE=MildBill;691989]I agree with you 100% on the tourism potential for Smyth and Tazewell Counties. Don't you think for the route to really take off someone with the financial ability will have to invest in a stopping place for the folks who are riding through. Something like the store/restaurant at Shady Valley, or a good motorcycle only campground.
As it stands now, it looks like I'll take you up on your offer to tag along with your group. No one seems interested in taking the back road up there. I'll work out the details with you as we get closer to the rally for the time and specific place to meet. I ride a 2005 1200GS. It's new to me, I traded an 1100RT for her last fall. I'm not retired yet, still have one daughter in college and another in her last year of high school. Are you guys camping or moteling?[/QUOTE]
I do think someone needs to step up and open or change a place for motorcycles to gather and maybe camp. Several people who have come to the meetings have the means but not the desire.
Three of us have plans to stay in a room in one of the four bedroom dorms. I don't know what the other one plans to do.
I plan on camping. You guys going home on Saturday or Sunday?
[QUOTE=MildBill;691994]have you been to Bramwell WV.?[/QUOTE]
You bet - got tons of photos from there! Was thinking of heading back towards Philipi and Webster Springs this weekend to poke around, it has been a few years since I have been there and I remember there being some neat houses there.
[QUOTE=MildBill;692019]I plan on camping. You guys going home on Saturday or Sunday?[/QUOTE]
Sunday. I really like the closing ceremonies.
If anyone is heading up on Friday, I'm rolling out of central VA early and should be on 81 at Staunton around 8:30. Meeting another rider along 81 in Winchester, and another one just north of Hagerstown. Come along if you want.
I am riding up from Grundy Va...wanting to meet up with other riders for the trip....I am going to be camping at the rally..I had thought about leaving on Wednesday or Thursday.....
CHANGE OF PLANS: Our little group from Marion, Va will be heading to the rally on Wednesday morning rather than Thursday. The person who made the reservations made the reservations for Wed. through Saturday morning. and we just found out. We hope to stay somewhere on Saturday night to see the closing ceremonies but time will tell.
Cratliff and Mildbill, you could ride up 460 and meet us in Christiansburg or take I-77 at Bluefield and meet us in Wytheville.
Let us know if you want to join us.
That sounds great....what time are you leaving??? I could shoot across 16 and meet you in Marion...or get up with you in Christainsburg or Roanoke....