It Was a Dark and Stormtrucker2 Night!

[Bill Hagan]

I had planned to go to the Ohio rally this weekend. 

But Mechanicsville (Iowa) Matt -- Stormtrucker2 here -- called a few days ago.  We were "neighbors" during my two-year exile on the tundra in the Quad Cities, and he also now owns my beloved Ballabio among other Guzzis in his stable.  Matt -- a long-haul trucker -- was going to be in the Philadelphia area over the long weekend and wondered if we could get together.

So, I cancelled my motel reservations at the Zanesville Best Western and made plans to meet Matt at the Lincoln Diner in downtown Gettysburg, which is about halfway between Cross Junction and Philly.

But, Matt wasn't going to bobtail his tractor there.  Nope, kevm, lent Matt his (very nice, btw) Sporty 1200!   

Matt ran into some delays, so I took my literally sweet time getting to Gettysburg: Cross Junction, Va.; Glengarry, Inwood, & Kearneysville, W.V.; Boonsboro & Sharpsburg, Md.; Blue Ridge Summit, Mont Alto, Dickinson, and then back down to Gettysburg via those giant metropolises, Arendtsville and Wenksville!

Pennsylvania Route 233 from Mont Alto to Dickinson in Michaux State Forest is a hoot of a road.  Well paved (especially the new blacktop on the attack up South Mountain from Mont Alto), and little traffic, even on a long holiday weekend.  With its tunnel-like dark corridors between old and very tall evergreens, 233 seems more like a road in the shadow of the Cascades than in southern Pennsylvania.

Gettysburg was crowded when I got there at about 2:45, about 30 minutes ahead of Matt.  As I was looking around for a parking spot near the Lincoln Diner, I almost got squashed by some cagers who did not understand (or care) how the center-of-town roundabout was supposed to work.   

Then I almost fell off my Griso when an espresso e grappa Norge went by, in the company of a GS'er.  The Norgester was in a bright yellow Roadcrafter.  Anyone here?  Gave chase, but by time I escaped the alley I was turning into, missed 'em.

Matt showed up, and we ultimately headed down to the top of Virginia in a shorter version of my ride up. 

Matt can ride.  And that Sportster, properly handled, is more of a pavement predator than most would here might think.  Granted, never a Rossi, I've grown even more careful with my hide since that dismount two years ago, but Matt filled my rearview mirrors most of the way ... all on roads new to him. 

But, you say:

 

Sure.  Here are a few pix of that story, with a surprise Guest Guzzista, too. 

Best viewed in slideshow and full screen to see captions.

https://bill-and-kathi.smugmug.com/Stormtrucker2-Storms-Cross/n-GTB7PN/i-QKfWfCN

Bill

[Edited to fix url

[Kev m]

Glad to hear everyone had fun yesterday! I got out for a short ride to play with the V7 suspension and to run some errands (booze and work).

Also thanks for the kind words on the Sporty, I think a lot of Guzzisti and non-HD Faithful would probably be surprised how nice (and simple) and relatively capable they can be (though they'll never be a sportbike, unless maybe in Buell clothing).

Anyway, to address some points:



Hilarious that you noted that. The Sporty started life (in 2007) as Jenn's second Harley. We had an inside joke going on because every time she turned around I'd mess with her Harleys, changing something I felt needed to be upgraded when she just thought everything was fine as is. I'd change a seat, or upgrade the shocks (went through a couple of variations on them), eventually put on a different front end and the dual discs.

Each time I'd make a change I wouldn't tell her and wait to see how long it was till she noticed. You'd THINK that when I raised it up some more in the front end and put on the dual discs brakes she'd notice right? 

Anyway, early on I put those horribly gaudy blue valve stem caps on there to see if she'd notice... she didn't. When I finally pointed them out I told her it was because it needed more bling.

Jenn officially abandoned the Sporty in 2011 (when she took possession of the Duc she always wanted, while she was pregnant) with Fiona (who rode that bike 1000 miles before she was born):



The next long standing joke is how she's put some 7500 miles on that Duc now, MOSTLY wearing her old 3-season Harley Jacket (pictured). Though I partially remedied that this past x-mass with a Ducati leather jacket she loves, she still wears the Harley Jacket at times (cause it's mesh) and I think we both take a certain amount of delight in the second looks it causes (or how it tweaks the faithful).

Which leads me to this:



YUP, I've got a HB topcase mount on a detachable luggage rack for the Sporty. So I can throw on the 40L or 45L topboxes (that I used to use on my Jackal and B11, and still use on my V7). Again, it gives me a certain perverse pleasure to shun the brand loyalty when the faithful of either brand do a double-take.

[Lannis]

Matt can ride.  And that Sportster, properly handled, is more of a pavement predator than most would here might think.  Granted, never a Rossi, I've grown even more careful with my hide since that dismount two years ago, but Matt filled my rearview mirrors most of the way ... all on roads new to him. 
 

Sounds like a lot of fun; meeting up like that always is.   My computer is currently crippled by a new operating system that needs more memory than my system has ... so until the memory shows up in the mail, no slide shows or videos for me.   

But just a note.   If you and I were riding on roads that you knew and I didn't, and I was riding in front, you'd be saying "That Lannis, what a slug he is, tiptoeing around turns, his bike must be broke .... "

Whereas if YOU were riding in front on those same roads, you MIGHT be saying "Wow, it's hard to lose that Lannis, he took every turn right behind me, he's pretty good ... " (Maybe, I don't insist on it).

The reason for that is that the speed that I ride on a curvy road has 5% to do with how skillful I am in handling my motorcycle, braking and leaning and accelerating and such, and 95% to do with making sure I can stop in time if there's a rockfall or a gravel wash or a stalled vehicle or a tree trunk or an aluminum ladder or sinkhole or drunk or ... or ... anything in the road in front of me that I can't see.   

If YOU'RE in front of me, however, I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't pitch your bike into a turn hard if there is a 180 degree downhill switchback RIGHT AFTER the turn so I'll go in the same speed you do.   Also, if I see smoke, tires, oil sumps, plastic, dust, and a stray glove ahead of me in the turn instead of the tail of an upright motorcycle, I have an extra second-and-a-half that YOU didn't have to see that 6" wash of pea gravel from the new driveway up the mountain, or that half a pine tree that came down in the storm just now, and I have a chance to react..... 

So, as they say, I'll be right behind you!!       

Lannis

[Kev m]

Yeah , I forgot to warn Kev re Matt's , er , well... spirited riding habits  Probably won't be an issue , he only crashes on Triumph Tiggers  Is Matt wearing a doo rag ?

  Dusty

After he picked the Sporty to borrow from the stable, I told him "well, if you'd picked the V7 I was going to have to warn you that it might be my favorite bike of all time so be careful, but since you picked the Sporty I'll just say that should you crash, don't feel the need to throw your body under the bike, they made another 50,000 or so of them that year."

[Waltr]

   How are ya bill. The Mahogany Norge most likely was the bike that was at our shop when you stopped by. We sold it. The owner lives in Summit Point and stopped by Saturday to pick up a set of bag liners he ordered when he bought the bike, was wearing a yellow one piece Stich and his wife was on a 1000 VStrom wearing a gray Darien set.  You are not going to believe this but another fellow I sold a Grey Griso to sent me a picture of his bike parked next to a red Griso next to a white Sportster in the parking lot of the Lincoln Diner.  Small World.

[normzone]

" The bourbon and scotch were quite fine, but this illegal stuff won "Best of Show."

Gotta love a bottle who's label you can't read, who's current contents taste better than what came in it.

[Kev m]

You are not going to believe this but another fellow I sold a Grey Griso to sent me a picture of his bike parked next to a red Griso next to a white Sportster in the parking lot of the Lincoln Diner.  Small World.

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks for that.. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

   How are ya bill. The Mahogany Norge most likely was the bike that was at our shop when you stopped by. We sold it. The owner lives in Summit Point and stopped by Saturday to pick up a set of bag liners he ordered when he bought the bike, was wearing a yellow one piece Stich and his wife was on a 1000 VStrom wearing a gray Darien set.  You are not going to believe this but another fellow I sold a Grey Griso to sent me a picture of his bike parked next to a red Griso next to a white Sportster in the parking lot of the Lincoln Diner.  Small World.

That makes at least 3 Guzzis in Summit Point (unless Bob M. traded up to a new one?). Bob M. has a red Norge and I sold my basketcase Ambo to a gentleman named Tim that lives there. 

The gent on the grey Griso (forget his name) was at our last MD/DC breakfast. 

[rboe]

  You guys had a rally, but didn't even have t-shirts. At least you had a slide show! 

[Perazzimx14]

You guys were riding in my back yard.

[Kev m]

I mentioned to Matt that there were a crapload of Guzzisti between Philly and Gettysburg.

I mentioned Jay and Lauri specifically, but yeah there's Peraz, Waltr, Blueborh, Charlie Avv, Froggy...

Who am I forgetting?


He said he'll most likely be back out this way with work.

[Stormtruck2]

As I sit here at Romano's Macaroni Grill, having finished my run for the day, which involved traversing NYC  twice, I have time to reply. Brattleboro isn't that far mile wise, but it is 13 1/2 hour turn time wise.

First off, a debt of gratitude and appreciation to Kev m, who supplied me a pristine, almost virginal in condition HD Sporty to ride almost 500 miles in just over 24 hours.  Your kindness and trust in me is humbling.  Please give the princess a tickle, the moose a hug, for me. Please thank Jen for all she did for me while I was at your lovely abode. Also thank her for what she does after all those years of working to get to where she is. Kev, thank you for the book. It means a great deal to me.

Bill and Kathi.  You'll not find two greater people than them. I believe all the weight that you seen I had lost was regained in my roughly 15 hours there. The food, and accommodations were spectacular.   As I was leaving I was grateful that the pipes were as quiet as they were.      Your home is testament to a life well lived and work well done by you two.  Lorraine and I will be out there soon, perhaps even this year. She desperately needs to get a way. Things are weighing her down, she needs a break.

As for the evening here is a full accounting. Upon returning from church and bible study, we have ice water with lemon and a long prayer session. Dang, that right, there are pictures. WOULD YOU BELIEVE.... probably not.    Suffice to say the pictures tell it better I can.  I had great time, at both Kev's and at Bill's.

You may meet the weirdest people on a Guzzi, but you meet the greatest people on Wildguzzi.com

[Stormtruck2]

I in fact was wearing a doo rag, and in fact almost filled it a couple of times on some of curves.  And contrary to popular opinion, sports can and do handle ferly well. I scraped the pegs on her, and Kev showed me the ones that Jen wore plum out.

[Perazzimx14]

When you get back in the area I have bikes, beer and BBQ if your interested. 5 miles from Michaux forest if you want to ride some nicely groomed fire roads or we can hit up some nice roads in western PA, VA and WV.  If your ever on the road and in the area and need a good meal, cold beer, hot shower and a warm couch to sleep on do not hesitate to ask. Located right off of PA I-81 exit 20. 

[Stormtruck2]

Wish I had known that Friday night.  I spent the night in Peach Glen off exit 47a  on PA I-81.

[Lannis]

When you get back in the area I have bikes, beer and BBQ if your interested. 5 miles from Michaux forest if you want to ride some nicely groomed fire roads or we can hit up some nice roads in western PA, VA and WV.  If your ever on the road and in the area and need a good meal, cold beer, hot shower and a warm couch to sleep on do not hesitate to ask. Located right off of PA I-81 exit 20.

No, NO, he's coming to MY house first!!   We've got better roads and more motorcycles in the shed!  And cookies!

You can go your whole life and not get a shout-out like that ....   

Lannis

[Stormtruck2]

Oooo Oooo cookies!  With nuts?   

[Lannis]

Oooo Oooo cookies!  With nuts?   

Just the two folks that are baking them .....

[Stormtruck2]

Just the two folks that are baking them .....

 

[Kev m]

Wish I had known that Friday night.  I spent the night in Peach Glen off exit 47a  on PA I-81.

I told you to post on the board that night cause I knew there were a bunch of locals.

[Stormtruck2]

I had no service. Peach Glen just got gravity and daylight next week.    Yes it is a bit isolated. I just slept in the peace and quiet anyway. Next trip will be different, with actual planning!   

[jdgretz]

Excellent, and with Mr. Nevada t-shirt in attendance as well.

I still have both of mine and wear them often.

jdg

[jas67]

I mentioned to Matt that there were a crapload of Guzzisti between Philly and Gettysburg.

I mentioned Jay and Lauri specifically, but yeah there's Peraz, Waltr, Blueborh, Charlie Avv, Froggy...

Who am I forgetting?


He said he'll most likely be back out this way with work.

Warren Wren (York, PA).

[jas67]

When you get back in the area I have bikes, beer and BBQ if your interested. 5 miles from Michaux forest if you want to ride some nicely groomed fire roads or we can hit up some nice roads in western PA, VA and WV.  If your ever on the road and in the area and need a good meal, cold beer, hot shower and a warm couch to sleep on do not hesitate to ask. Located right off of PA I-81 exit 20.

Keep me posted -- if I can break free from family obligations, I'd love to join you.

Matt -- Kev M. gave me a heads up that you were in town on Friday, but, I already had plans to meet another friend in from Pittsburgh.     

Keep us posted next time you're passing through.    I've got a garage full of motorcycles to choose from too.

[Stormtruck2]

Keep me posted -- if I can break free from family obligations, I'd love to join you.

Matt -- Kev M. gave me a heads up that you were in town on Friday, but, I already had plans to meet another friend in from Pittsburgh.     

Keep us posted next time you're passing through.    I've got a garage full of motorcycles to choose from too.

Riding season may be over before I get "sentenced" to another two weeks out there.  I'll definitely give a storm warning before I head that way.   I had a great time out there, so they may not send me back 

[jas67]

Riding season may be over before I get "sentenced" to another two weeks out there.  I'll definitely give a storm warning before I head that way.   I had a great time out there, so they may not send me back 

Well, even if riding season is over, let me know if you're in the area, if only to grab a dinner and/or beer, or if you need a place to sleep.

[Steve Scott]

Watch out for that wall next to the Lincoln Diner. I've parked there many times and have never actually seen it do anything... but for some reason I just don't trust it.