Two Weeks To Go!

This weekend I went to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Camp in Cruso, NC for the weekend. From now on you will just hear me refer to this campground as Cruso. On Saturday I rode to Tennessee just to ride. Notice my new Kermit chair in the photo. I think this is going to be a lifesaver on the trip. I guarantee that this chair is more comfortable than those picnic table benches after a long day in the saddle (of which there will be many on this trip). I took the R80RT to save the tires for the BIG trip. I will have a new front tire mounted on the GS this week. Next weekend I also plan to ride to Cruso and ride the GS just enough to get the front tire scuffed in. I will also use it as a shakedown tour to make one final check of all my equipment.
My wife, Tine, will be returning from Germany just days before I start my northern adventure. That is also adding a little excitement to this adventure. Stay tuned!

Three Weeks to Go!

I have three weeks to go before my big trip to Alaska! I am in the process of making my final plans and preparations. I had the bike serviced today at Touring Sport in Greenville, SC. All fluids changed and a general check up. She is ready to ride. But first my wife will be flying to Germany Tuesday and she will return just days before I leave. She will meet our son in London who is returning from Korea as I write this. As an elementary school teacher I have my busiest three weeks of the year ahead of me. I will have only two days between the last day of school and my departure.
The cost of this trip is starting to worry me. Gas prices have almost doubled since I began planning this thing! The cost of tires has also gone up. If they are expensive here, what do they cost "up there"? Oh well, I guess the object is not to die with a huge bank account, but to die broke with a lifetime of experiences! I will be posting not only to this blog but I will also be posting a ride report on the ADV rider site. It will be in the Ride Report section and I plan on calling the thread "Solo to the Circle". If you are an ADVer be sure to check it out. I will also be posting my photographs on my SmugMug site. Be sure to check www.kurtnugent.smugmug.com for what I hope are great photos.
I will be taking a couple of weekend trips starting next weekend. Nothing big, just camping at Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC. Check back often to see what is going on with "Solo to the Circle"!

Georgia Mountain Rally

I spent the first weekend in May at the Georgia Mountain Rally in Hiawassee, GA. I arrived on Friday and easily found a place to camp. Other years the campground has been packed, but the weather forecast kept several riders away this year. This rally is famous for rain. Some even call it the Georgia Mountain Regatta! Highlights this year were Hawk Hagebak (author of a series of motorcycle touring books), Walt Sweatt's seminar on vintage racing and of course the steak dinner on Saturday night. True to form, it did rain on Saturday, but the rally was not a washout. It was a good chance to meet some new people and renew some old acquaintances. The only down side was my allergies! Camping under the Georgia Pines during allergy season is not a good idea! As a matter of fact, I was so miserable on the way home and the next day that I may skip this rally next year.