8AM depart from Jacks...light rain, temp lo 50's....Jack and Margee up early to say goodbye. They've been great hosts both coming and going. "Thanks" to Jack and Margee.
route was 270S to 495S to 66W to 81S....100% interstates, in the rain, in the wind, in the traffic.
missed turn on I495...in the rain, in the traffic, early in the ride....way to go idiot. btw, the error took me a whole lot closer to DC than I intended. Massive idiot. Lets make a uTurn via the interstates...in WASHINGTON, DC ferchrissakes. Pulled it off somehow. Scared shitless. Through construction detours...Jack warned me. Somehow I found I-66 and made the transition. Rain, wind and getting colder. Settle in kiddo...this can't last all day. It doesn't last...but it disappears and then reappears. All day.
traffic numbers moderate...but ...super fast and aggressive...couple of 100MPH idiots, in the rain, in the traffic. I make peace with the notion that I'm going to have to ride in the 70-80 mph or be constantly caught in slower traffic. The trucks cruise at 70-75...passing one means a burst of speed to 80+ to punch past them. Then settle in at 75-77 until the next bunch appears ahead.
A word on trucks...god bless them- they do important work. But man do they disrupt some air. Sometimes I'd feel them ahead of me a from a long ways off. A couple of times I had a truck come up from behind when I wasn't aware they were back there (I know, I know) and it felt like someone was shoving my left side. The turbulence they create is amazing...feels like you are getting punched at first. Nervous as hell. But I eventually learned to take the beating and get over it.
trucks constant for 300 miles...just effing brutal. they travel in small convoys of 4-7 trucks...a real pleasure passing them...in the traffic, in the rain, in the wind. Don't want to get caught next to one for any longer than needed.
temp started dropping mid day and hit 43F.
noticed that Gerbing jacket and gloves were not working and thought I had a malfunction....Lights come on, but no heat...never thought to check my connections. Why would I?
left leg cramp while rolling at 75mph on I-81...jesus, I nearly jumped off.
wind was strong, gusty...really got slapped around...but not as bad as the trucks. did I mention the trucks?
longest day I've ever done...400....rode until my body said, "Hey asshole, that's it." This was a difficult day, to say the least, but it positions me toget home in three days. I need some recovery time and prep time for our British Columbia trip to visit Nick.
football traffic going to va tech for a football game was treacherous. 70 mph speed limit meant 75-80, with the trucks, in the cold, in the wind. I hope tech gets beaten by 75 points.
BTW, Aerostich gear rules. Stayed dry, wind blocked, felt secure and protected. Can't wait to see how the Roadcrafter suits does.
Saved the best for last: Forecast for snow tomorrow at elevations 3000'+...Abingdon sits at 2,000'. (EDIT: snow never happened. Typical TV news hysteria...sorry Jack)
Actually, this is the best: The Gerbing "malfunction" was pilot error...this nimrod connected it wrong. Won't make that mistake again.
Hampton Inn, nice hotel...room was comfortable, great bed sheets and pillows, nice bathroom, good TV and fast internet. They let me park the bike under the front canopy- lit up at night, protected.
No comments:
Post a Comment