Riding Back in Carolina (April 26, 2009)

Back to Concord this weekend, drove on Saturday morning April 25 down I-95/I-85. Lots of motorcycles out enjoying the upper 80 weather and bright cloudless skies. I got the honor of joining them Sunday April 26, when I rode around the Concord, NC area. Beautiful weather and a great ride. Took the time to visit some friends but also got out and enjoyed the open road. Being in Richmond is sometimes hard, but always wonderful to be back home and felt good to be on the motorcycle again. I also went by Speedway Harley-Davidson where I saw this Bobcat themed mototorcycle; liked it a great deal. Got out for some two and a half hours, and really, really enjoyed it. I needed that ride; its been a tough period here in Richmond, always good to be home!
Noted that the DMV now has license tags for motorcycles in North Carolina with a Blue Ridge Parkway theme. They look pretty neat and cost just a little more than the plain jane tags the state issues to motorcycles. Check them out at the NC DMV web site.
Besides that, big ride coming up next Saturday with the Classic Bike Show at the NC Transportation Museum in Spencer. Went last year and had a real good time. Looking forward to (weather permitting) doing that show again next Saturday May 2. Will have a glorious four days in Concord, look for my next post then!

West Viriginia Motorcycling

I spent a good Easter holiday weekend traveling via car (unfortunately) but with my wife Patty from Richmond, VA to Louisville, Kentucky. That is my original home town, and always good to be back. There was a fatal motorcycle crash in the Louisville area over the holiday, and also some in the Richmond, Virginia area as well. This time of year (and whenever you ride) be careful and watchout for those cars! Ditto for auto drivers; watch out for motorcycles especially this time of year.
While I am a few days away from my next ride on the Vulcan, while in West Virginia at a Visitor's Center got a great flier on "Motorcycle Riding in the Heart of West Virginia." I checked and it is on line, added that very fine site to my favorite links. Good to see a state promote motorcycling, and thought it was well put together. Got some good rides on there, and they also have a list (though nothing is listed right now) of upcoming motorcycle events in the state. You might enjoy checking it out.
Still looking for a great Virginia site with good motorcycle information, sure that will come up soon in my searches. Hope you all have good and safe rides!

Lawyers Road, Concord, NC (April 6,2009)

Saturday drove the car back from Richmond, VA to Concord, NC which is my home. Working in Richmond for the next few years, and Friday night we were running behind and worked over late. So on little sleep, went for a close to 300 mile drive in the car to Concord. I was worn out from the trip and the work, but did stop by RideNow just before going home for a few minutes to see the Open House. There, they were giving rides on the Victory line of motorcycles; had a big trailer and many bikes to ride such as this Victory Vision on the lift. Being pretty worn out, I passed on the rides, though would liked to have done that. Have heard many good things about those bikes.

RideNow was formerly Excel Motorsports. The dealership is located in what was formerly a Lowe's Home Improvement and has a lot of room as you can see. The bikes there are only a portion of what they have on hand. I purchased my Vulcan from them in 2005, they also did most of the work on my Honda 600 Shadow (which I purchased in Indiana, brought that to Concord with me during the move in 1998 from Indiana). The Vulcan being what it is has needed (knock on wood) no work from the dealership, but they have put tires on it. Have been very pleased with the work so far that I had them do.

On Sunday, rested and refreshed from the visit with my family, took a morning ride down NC601. That is the main road to the beach, but I did not ride so far. Turned down Lawyers Road, and visited Goose Creek Airport, a small private field there. The road is a very nice drive in and of itself, past some green fields, and some housing developments. I went to Albemarle Road, and then to Robinson Church Road. There I visited another airport (Wilgrove) which is another private field. Went for a ride down Robinson Church Road and then to Rocky River Road. A good 90 minute ride in the country on a quiet Sunday morning. Nice to be able to enjoy the beautiful weather, feel the sun and the wind on my face, the curves of the road, the rise and fall of the gentle hills.....nice to be alone with my thoughts in my helmet and to feel the feeling of being alive that a motorcycle can give you. Recharged and refreshed, I am back in Richmond, to deal with the days to come!