Anyone going to the rally from Southern WV or Southwest VA?

[QUOTE=cratliff;693936]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....[/QUOTE]

I'll have to check and let you know. I suspect we'll leave Marion between 8:30 and 9:00 because we planned on having lunch in Staunton at Mrs. Rowe's Restaurant ([url]http://www.mrsrowes.com/index.html[/url]) that is about 175 miles from Marion.

We'll be glad to have you go with us. How many other people do you know that ride BMWs in Buchanan County? I worked claims off and on in Buchanan and surrounding counties from the late 70s until about 10 years ago and I never ran across any locals that had a BMW.

We ride through the edge of Grundy 3 or 4 times a year (Slate Creek & 460 toward Big Rock) on our way between Tazewell and the Breaks. I haven't been through Grundy since they started moving the town to higher ground to get out of the flood zone.

I spoke with the master planner and we're going to leave earlier than I thought.

We are going to meet for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel at I-81 Exit 73 in Wytheville at 7:00AM on Wednesday morning. We will be riding a brown R1200CLC, a black R1200GS and a red R1200RT. If you see three short old codgers eating together, that will be us. Holler for Ken, CB or Ted. My cell is 276-759-2692.

Come and join us for the trip. It's a long way to ride alone.

Ken Osborne

Ken
If you dont mind I would like to ride with your group...I can be in Wytheville @ 7am..This is my first Rally and I am excited about getting to go...As for other BMW riders in Buchanan Co. ... I don't know of any....I have been riding with a friend from Tazewell Co. who has a new 2010 30th anniversary 1200GS...I have been riding RT16 alot lately...and enjoyed the Back of the Dragon event.. I have a 2010 black 1200 GS that I purchased new last fall...I do plan on camping at the Rally..Looking forward to meeting you..

[QUOTE=cratliff;694194]Ken
If you dont mind I would like to ride with your group...I can be in Wytheville @ 7am..This is my first Rally and I am excited about getting to go...As for other BMW riders in Buchanan Co. ... I don't know of any....I have been riding with a friend from Tazewell Co. who has a new 2010 30th anniversary 1200GS...I have been riding RT16 alot lately...and enjoyed the Back of the Dragon event.. I have a 2010 black 1200 GS that I purchased new last fall...I do plan on camping at the Rally..Looking forward to meeting you..[/QUOTE]

Great! Ted bought his first BMW last summer and this will also be his first Rally. Were you related to Smiley? The senior statesman (75) of our little group also has a black 2010 GS. He has ridden GSs since they came out in 80 but this is the first one he has had with low suspension to fit his 29" inseam.

Ken,
I was related to Smiley, though distant...I have a standard GS with electronic suspension adjustment and a lower height seat....I am not very tall either...
About 2 years ago I talked to a gentleman who was with a group of 3 riders, 2 on BMWs, and 1 on a Suzuki Dual Sport (DR):D on Route 83, that were stopped at some road work just out of Jolo WV headed up Bradshaw Mtn. going toward Grundy Va.. they told me that they where from Marion and they did that ride once a year...
I don't suppose you could have been one of these bikers???

[QUOTE=cratliff;694229]Ken,
I was related to Smiley, though distant...I have a standard GS with electronic suspension adjustment and a lower height seat....I am not very tall either...
About 2 years ago I talked to a gentleman who was with a group of 3 riders, 2 on BMWs, and 1 on a Suzuki Dual Sport (DR):D on Route 83, that were stopped at some road work just out of Jolo WV headed up Bradshaw Mtn. going toward Grundy Va.. they told me that they where from Marion and they did that ride once a year...
I don't suppose you could have been one of these bikers???[/QUOTE]

There is a good chance it was CB and me. We would have been making our "backwards" circle of our usual 200 mile route. The ride normally starts in Marion, down to Chilhowie, over to Saltville, past Tumbling to Hayters Gap where we ride Rt80 to the Breaks for lunch. When we leave, we hang a left, go by the golf course on our way to Grundy where we pick up 83 up Slate Creek and go through Bradshaw, War, Cucumber on to Bishop to Tazewell and then back home. There are five of us in Marion that normally ride BMWs. However, one is a recent convert and it could not have been him. If one was riding a black R80RT or brown R1200CLC, it was me. It it was a blue GS1150 (At the time), it was CB. If it was a blue R1200RT, it was Joe and if it was a blue K75RT, it was Marvin.

Ken,
That is all wonderful riding country...I think we have some of the best riding in SWVA as anywhere you can find...

[QUOTE=cratliff;694302]Ken,
That is all wonderful riding country...I think we have some of the best riding in SWVA as anywhere you can find...[/QUOTE]

The Smyth County Tourism Association asked us to map out some rides to put in a brochure and website so people who visited to ride the Back of the Dragon would stay and enjoy other parts of our area. We mapped out seven additional rides and I think Wythe County sent in several (I have not seen them). The brochure should be out in time to take some to the Rally but I don't know the timeline of the web site. All of our rides originate at the McDonalds in Marion and most are between 100 and 200 miles in length. They include roads in Smyth, Tazewell, Wythe, Bland, Grayson, Buchanan, Carroll and Giles Counties as well as one, two or three counties each in WV, NC and TN. You could ride a week or two in the area and have a different and good ride each day.

I haven't been on here for a few days and was pleasantly surprised to see things coming together. My wife is fine with me going up a day early, but I'll have to see about getting the extra day off when I go in to work tomorrow. cratliff, I read your message and replied before I came to the thread, so please forgive all the questions that are already covered here. Looking forward to meeting all you fellers!

Great! Get us a [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyK1zbYV9BE[/url]

I posted this on another thread as well, but here goes.....

I can't arrive until Friday, but on the way home I have a tent cabin reserved at Lewis Mountain CG on Skyline Drive for Sunday night.

I have extra bunks available!

[QUOTE=HRbiker;694903]I posted this on another thread as well, but here goes.....

I can't arrive until Friday, but on the way home I have a tent cabin reserved at Lewis Mountain CG on Skyline Drive for Sunday night.

I have extra bunks available![/QUOTE]

Thanks for the offer, but I'll be riding straight through to the barn.

So, I took my 99 K1200RS out for a quick ride to get reacquainted after a tour in Iraq last Sunday. I went down a nice twisty, WV road between Grafton and Fairmont. 310 is a nice windy, hilly road. I had fun after pulling out the bike checking the lights, pumping up the tires, and disconnecting the battery tender. After a spirited 15 or so mile trip, I decided to take her down the highway. I was going to take 79 to 250 to get back to the house. As I rolled on the throttle going on the onramp the RPMs went up, but my speed went down. I was perplexed. I ended up having to pull over on the shoulder. I had to call my son to bring the pickup and some straps. It was the first time I ever had to put a BMW in the back of anything for transport. It sucked as all the other bikes and other folks were zipping by. I left it in the truck until we could get it to the shop in Pittsburgh today. That was a big bust. They were booked completely until mid August. The estimate for repair was $2500. So I brought the bike home, and she will sit for a while. The mechanic said the clutch must have gotten oil on it during its long sit in the garage. I was eyeing up an F800 they had on the floor and was tempted to see what kind of deal could be made on the broke down K12 for the F800, but I thought it over and I think I will come out cheaper fixing the one I have (eventually) rather than going into debt on a nicer newer bike. So bottom line, I was looking forward to attending the Rally in Pa, especially since I was at the BMW motorrad days in Garmisch last week. Oh well, maybe next time:brow

Bummer...............................................

[QUOTE=kjwrad;695313]So, I took my 99 K1200RS out for a quick ride to get reacquainted after a tour in Iraq last Sunday. I went down a nice twisty, WV road between Grafton and Fairmont. 310 is a nice windy, hilly road. I had fun after pulling out the bike checking the lights, pumping up the tires, and disconnecting the battery tender. After a spirited 15 or so mile trip, I decided to take her down the highway. I was going to take 79 to 250 to get back to the house. As I rolled on the throttle going on the onramp the RPMs went up, but my speed went down. I was perplexed. I ended up having to pull over on the shoulder. I had to call my son to bring the pickup and some straps. It was the first time I ever had to put a BMW in the back of anything for transport. It sucked as all the other bikes and other folks were zipping by. I left it in the truck until we could get it to the shop in Pittsburgh today. That was a big bust. They were booked completely until mid August. The estimate for repair was $2500. So I brought the bike home, and she will sit for a while. The mechanic said the clutch must have gotten oil on it during its long sit in the garage. I was eyeing up an F800 they had on the floor and was tempted to see what kind of deal could be made on the broke down K12 for the F800, but I thought it over and I think I will come out cheaper fixing the one I have (eventually) rather than going into debt on a nicer newer bike. So bottom line, I was looking forward to attending the Rally in Pa, especially since I was at the BMW motorrad days in Garmisch last week. Oh well, maybe next time:brow[/QUOTE]

Bummer 'bout the bike but.....

you don't [I][B]Have[/B][/I] to be on a bike to go, just jump in the 4 wheeler and go!

RM