Rick's Rendezvous

Rick\'s Rendezvous

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in North Carolina

The weekend of May 17-19, 2013 was Rick's Rendezvous.  This event was formerly called the Eastern Rendezvous but since Rick's death last year Silke and Hunter have taken on the task of keeping the Rendezvous going.

This year the Rendezvous was held near Hampton, TN and the weather proved to be a problem.  There was rain and more rain, hence no photos from this trip.  The cameras remained loaded on the bike and I never removed them from their cases.  The food and the camaraderie were outstanding.  The sun came out after the tent was packed and the ride home was uneventful.

This will be a short riding season for me because of my trip to Europe beginning in August, but stay tuned to see what else happens on two wheels this year!

ADV Old School Spring Fling

April 26 - 28, 2013 was the ADV Old School Spring Fling held at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC.  Our weather pattern for the last few weeks had been perfect camping weather Monday through Thursday and then a cold front would come through bringing rain for the weekend.  This week proved no different.  Many folks came despite the rain and some even came from as far away as Canada!  Those are some hardy boys up there!  As I mentioned there was a lot of rain so I left my camera equipment in the bags for the most part.  I did manage to get a few shots, however.

This was my first trip in my new tent and the tent held up well.  Despite three inches of rain over the weekend it kept me dry!  As you can see I also rode my airhead since this was an "Old School" rally.

One of our Canadian friends had starter troubles on the way down.  He had a new starter Fed-Exed to the campground and installed it Saturday morning.

We kept an eye on the Pigeon River as it kept creeping up!

On Sunday I rode home in pouring rain.  The bike was ridden hard and put up wet.  No problem with the equipment and the bike ran like a dream.  Hopefully the weather will get better next month!

International Motorcycle Show

On Saturday, February 23, 2013 I traveled to Charlotte, NC to attend the 2013 International Motorcycle Show at the Charlotte Convention Center.  I have been to this event before and there was really nothing new to see.  The usual booths selling leather and jewelry to the Harley crowd and a smattering of new bikes from some of the manufacturers.  I took the frau with me and she opted to read the German newspapers on her iPad in a local coffee shop while I browsed the show.  All in all I spent roughly 45 minutes at the show.

Moto GP Umbrella Girl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My kind of bike!!

 

 

Not my kind of bike!!

After the show we went to the Light Factory and saw an exhibit of photographs dealing with social media.  It was very interesting.

Afterwards we went to the Levine Museum of the New South and viewed different historical exhibits about Charlotte and the surrounding area.

The season should be picking up in the next month or so and there will be more posts.  Come on spring!!!!

Airhead Ride in January!

Airhead ride in January at EveryTrail


We had some freakishly good warm weather this weekend and I took my R80RT out for a little 100 mile ride.  The R80 was grateful as she has been a hangar queen for the last year.  She was getting a bit jealous of the R12GS getting to spend time in Mexico and out west.  She did protest just a little by having a coil wire come loose in the middle of Nowhere, NC.  But, as always, she got me home!

ADV Old School Fall Rally

I spent the weekend of October 19-21 in Tellico Plains, TN attending the ADV Old School Fall Rally.  This is usually the last overnight camping trip of my season.  For some reason most of my photos did not come out very well.  This may be because I did not shoot that many at the campground.  I was too busy catching up with old friends that I see only twice a year.  Some of these folks I had not seen in a year because I was in Mexico during the Spring Rally.

On Saturday I did ride to my old home of Maryville and rode the Foothills Parkway.  The fall colors were spectacular.

As I am writing this the weather is turning colder and I think, as I mentioned above, this will probably be my last camping trip of the year.

It has been a great riding season from Mexico, Texas, California, the Overland Expo and the entire southwest!  Ther may be a few posts during the winter if I get in a few "maintenance rides".  I don't really "winterize" my bikes and if I get a warm weekend in the winter I normally take the bikes out for a twenty mile jaunt just to keep the engine internals coated with oil.

So, check back ever so often to see what is up!

Weekend at Cruso

I spent this weekend at Cruso at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground.  On Saturday I rode to Sevierville, TN to go to the Smoky Mountain Knife Works to pick up a few things.  It was a great weekend and the weather was perfect.  Saturday night got down to 44F but I have very good camping equipment and I was quite toasty in my sleeping bag.

My campsite for the weekend

The Pigeon River right behind my tent

This season is slowly coming to a close.  The only other planned motorcycle trip I have for this year is the ADV Old School Rally in Tellico Plains, TN schedule for October 19.  I have a little maintenance to do on my old airhead to get it ready.  I noticed last Friday that the fork seals were leaking.

Remind me again why I like living and riding here!

Horizons Unlimited Traveller's Meeting 2012

I spent the weekend of September 7 - 9 at Iron Horse Motorcylce Lodge in Stecoah, NC attending the 9th annual USA East Horizons Unlimited Traveller's Meeting.  I did two presentations.  One on my 2008 trip to the Arctic Circle in Alaska and the second on my recently concluded trip to Mexico and the American southwest.  There many other presentation and a couple done by RTW (Round the World) riders.  There was also some very interesting bikes and packing systems on display.

Of course it's a KLR!

While some chose to stay in nearby hotels and other rented cabins the majority of us chose to camp in a tent city.  The weather was warm on Friday, but a front with rain moved through leaving Saturday night cool at that just right sleeping temperature.

It was an excellent meeting with over 100 travelers.  I saw some old friends, renewed some friendships and met a lot of new friends.  Due to illness Grant and Susan Johnson were not able to attend.  We are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers and look forward to seeing them at next year's meeting!

Kickstand Lodge

This past weekend, August 24 - 26, I took my airhead out for a weekend in the Nantahala National Forest.  She had been feeling neglected since I had ridden my hexhead GS on the trip to Mexico and the American west.  Friday afternoon I rode to Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC and set up camp.

On Saturday I took one of those rides to nowhere in particular.  You just ride and when you see a road you have never seen before you take it depending on the GPS to get you back to the campground.

We did have a strange rain event on Saturday evening.  All of a sudden there was a torrential downpour that lasted about thirty minutes, but the sun continued to shine the whole time.  It was the first time I ever worried about getting a sunburn and drowning at the same time!

Next week I am back in Stecoah at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Resort presenting at the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting.  Check back to see how it went!

35th Dan'l Boone BMW Rally

August 9-13 found me at the 35th annual Dan'l Boone Rally sponsored by the Tarheel Travelers BMW club out of Charlotte, NC.  This is a laid back little affair that I enjoy attending each year.  The location is only two to three hours from my home depending on the route I take.  The most direct way is ride the Blue Ridge Parkway from Asheville to Boone.

The first night I spent in my tent reading my Kindle (The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux) and listening to the rain.  There was heavy rain that night, but the NOAA weather reports promised a better day on Friday.  The NOAA weather report lied.  Friday evening we were treated to another round of rain.

My camp during a sunny period

Friends arrived from Athens, GA and we had a good reunion.  On Saturday I led them on a ride that included the original Mast General Store in Valley Cruces, NC, a ride down Highway 421 (the Snake) to Shady Valley, TN, through the shortest tunnel in the world to Damascus, VA, and then back to Boone.

The post office inside the Mast General Store, Valle Cruces, NC

Shady Valley Country Store, Shady Valley, TN

I do not consider myself a "rally rat" by rallies are a good destination to keep up with old friends and meet new ones.  I really don't have have any other rides planned for a while.  My next "appointment" is the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting (USA East) in Stecoah, NC in September.  There I will be presenting my trip to Mexico and the American West.  

Guzzis in the Blue Ridge Rally - 2012

No, I don't ride a Guzzi but their rallies are a lot of fun.  Spaghetti, lasagna and Chianti.  This rally is held the first week end August at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC.  Usually there are more BMWs at this rally than Moto Guzzis but this year may have been different.  There were more of these Italian steeds than I have ever seen in one place.

There was a little rain Friday and Saturday morning but eventually the weather cleared and the temperatures were perfect for camping.  Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground was crowded.

On Sunday I took the Blue Ridge Parkway back home to Asheville.  The is one of the views I was treated to.

Somebody remind me why I live in these mountains!

Next week I will be heading to Boone, NC for the annual BMW Dan'l Boone Rally.  Check back for a report next week!