Sunday, June 8, 2014

Sunday, 8 June 2014 Ride Report

Time for another ride!

There were a few nearby bonus locations that needed to be finished, so they constituted today’s ride. A Grant County (WV) sign (for the Team Strange Airheads Presidential Grand Tour), the 10th Mountain Division memorial at Seneca Rocks (Tour of Honor), and the Edinburg, VA Post Office (for the Team Strange 30th Anniversary Grand Tour).

I’d wanted to take Connie along some of Old WV Route 55, so that was in the mix, also.

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The weather was perfect…it was in the mid-70’s when we left, and didn’t get above about 85 all day. The temperature dipped to the mid-60’s as we rode through areas affected by recent thunderstorm activity. We were rained on a bit in Petersburg, VA but a couple of stops under gas station awnings ensured we missed the worst of the downpours.

U.S. Route 48 is slowly straightening the route that old WV Route 55 still follows. The old road is quite twisty, so it’s a lot of fun on a motorcycle. Since we weren’t in any hurry to get to where we were going, it was a wonderful day to explore the old road.

We got fuel at the new Sheetz in Moorefield, then headed south to Petersburg. After a bit of a rain delay, we reached the Grant County (named for U.S. Grant) line, and got the needed photograph.

Our next stop was the Front Porch Restaurant at Seneca Rocks. We try to stop there every time we’re through the area. We had a nice, and somewhat extensive, discussion with the motorcyclists at the next table.

After lunch, we headed over to the 10th Mountain Division memorial at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center. It took a couple of tries to find the best access (with motorcycle parking available), but find it we did.

From Seneca Rocks, we headed south and east on U.S. 33 until nearly to Harrisonburg. We’d been on I-81 A LOT, so I wanted to find some back roads to take us home. We took routes 613 and 42 through some wonderful farm country, and along some amazing ridge views.

We got the needed Edinburg, VA Post Office photograph, then continued north through Woodstock and Toms Brook. We picked up I-66 where it intersects U.S. 340 (and where we got something chilly to drink), and headed for the barn.

Another great ride and a great day!

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