Knoxville Ride for Kids

On July 29th I rode in the Knoxville "Ride for Kids" to benefit the Pediatric Brain Tumor Association. I hadn't really thought about it, but I had never ridden in a large charity ride before. I had heard about this event from several people, and it sounded like a good time, and a fun way to support a great cause. It turns out that a bunch of people I know showed up to ride. It started and ended at Pellissippi State's main campus. The ride was a 36 mile loop that went through Hardin Valley, and looped back through Oak Ridge.
This event was extremely well organized, and went off without a hitch (at least that I could see). We even had a police escort that made sure we didn't have to stop, so the whole group was able to stay together. I have to admit, rolling through the red lights and intersections was pretty cool.
What was incredible about this ride was the finish. After lunch, before they acknowledged the donations and money raised from different clubs and individuals, they had several kids who have survived brain tumors, or who are currently going through treatment, take the stage. It was incredibly touching to hear them tell their own story about what they have endured, and how well they are doing, thanks to new treatments and research that rides such as this support. Some of the lucky kids got to be passengers on the back of someones bike or in one of the sidecar rigs.

 

This is one event that I will definitely put on my calender for next year. It was a fun day that  made you appreciate all you have in life, and want to do more to help others who have some real challenges.

Product Test -CrossBar Mapcase from Cyco Active

This very simple map holder from Cyco Active is perfect for those times when you are making several turns in a short time period and don't want take the time to stop and dig out your map. It's easy to mount, water proof, and cheap ($15). It comes with small squeeze buckles that attach to your handlebars with Zip ties that are included. This set up worked fine on my dirt bike, and I'm sure it would work on any Dual Sport / Adventure bike with a regular handlebar.  I also sprung for the optional Velcro straps mounts ($6) that have the squeeze buckles sewn in so that I can move it from bike to bike easier. 

The clear plastic seems to be good quality and is easy to read through. It is actually clear on both sides, so you can unsnap it and flip it over to read more of your map. The size of the clear part is just right, ( 5 1/2" X 8 1/2") Big enough to show a decent size section of the map, but not so big to be in the way.

I gave this the official field test at the Volunteer Riders Royal Blue ride, and after a hard day of some serious off road riding which included lots of rocks, mud, and also some higher speed gravel roads, the case never moved.  You can find it at www.cycoactive.com under maps and map cases.

Volunteer Riders 2012 Club Banquet

The Volunteer Riders dirt bike club had their annual Club Banquet this past Saturday night and it was very well attended. Held at the Bearden Banquet Hall on Kingston Pike, over 50 club members and spouses were in attendance for a great time, good food, and a lot of door prizes provided by the club and donated by some of the very generous local shops and suppliers who continue to support the club year after year.

Current club President Greg Thomas won the 2011 Club Points Championship, and the healthy gift certificate that comes with it. Greg also presided over the evenings events with the help of new Vice President- David Scraggs , Secretary-Patrick Klepper , and Club Treasurer Jason Edwards. When Greg named off all of the rides and events the club has hosted or been involved with over the past year it was really impressive. The truth is there aren't many clubs of any kind that are more active than the Volunteer Riders. The most important thing, it's just a good group of people. I've been in the club for nearly 20 years, and can't tell you all of the friends I've made and good times I've had.

If you are a dirt bike rider and you would like to make some new friends and meet new people to ride with, you owe it to yourself to check out the Volunteer Riders club in Knoxville. The club always has a ride or event planned,  and is the reason that many of the motorcycle only trails in this area exist. The club meets the Third Thursday of each month, but someone is riding every weekend. Check out the website, www.volunteerriders.com, and check them out on facebook.

TWO Creeks Campground - Del Rio TN.

If you are looking for your own private campground to hold an event, and you want it to be smack dab in the middle of great riding of all kinds (Street and Dual Sport) you need to look at reserving TWO Creeks Campground in Del Rio. 

Don't think you're lost when you turn onto Catnip Road. It's gravel, and by the time you pass the second house, you're sure you're on a driveway.  Don't despair, the campground is at the very end. The T.W.O. can stand for the 2 mountain streams which flow along both sides of the campground, or it could also stand for Two Wheels Only, since this campground was built with motorcycle riders in mind.   


Owned by Jerry and Cindy Dobrianski, (long time members and officers of the Knoxville BMW club) Two creeks is not the place to bring your 40' RV. Two Creeks is a quaint little campground, primarily catering to those who ride bikes, camp in tents, or have a small camper. (they do have 4 sites with 20amp electric). There are indoor (and outdoor) showers, a cool little clubhouse overlooking the water, huge trees, and plenty of well groomed places to pitch tents along the creek. 

The campground sits on a 4+ acre pie shape piece of land and has two large creeks flowing along both sides. These creeks come together at the end of the campground. Jerry said that the State of Tenn. stocks the creeks with trout, so bring your fishing rod.  There are also Beaver and River Otters splashing around. Speaking of splashing, there is one deep spot nicknamed "The Holy Hole" that a local church used for Baptisms. (I'm not sure if Jerry does Baptisms or not, but I would ask. He's very accommodating)

Jerry said that when they bought the place 4 years ago it was completely overgrown and overrun by kudzu. I honestly can't imaging how much work they've put into it, but it sure paid off. It's a beautiful setting and a great change from the" pack as many as you can in to a gravel lot" campgrounds that you usually find.

TWO Creeks isn't really open everyday, unless you need it to be. It's sort of camping with appointment. If you want to come camp, or reserve it for a group of any kind,  call Jerry or Cindy.   They have various groups coming in throughout the year, the biggest event being the BMW-ROK Rally, Sept 8-11th. which will pull people from around the country.  

TWO Creeks is located in Del Rio Tenn, which is about halfway between Newport TN. and Hot Springs N.C.  Directions: (25/70 toward Hot Springs/ right on 107/ right on Old Fifteenth / right on Catnip)  For more pictures you can go to  twocreekstn@aol.com , or you can link to it through  http://BMWROK.org      Phone 423-587-1718

Jim's Motorcycles - Weekly Vintage Display

Jim's Motorcycle Sales in downtown Johnson City Tenn (1209 W. Main Street), is doing something that I have never heard of before, displaying a different vintage motorcycle each week for the entire year of 2011! That is just unheard of. I was able to catch the owner, Ken Hayes, last week and talk to him a for a bit. Ken and his family have a long history of not only selling bikes, but racing everything from flat track, to enduros, and even roadracing at Daytona and Laconia. His collection is going to be something to see.

The bike on display last week was an immaculate 1971 Kawasaki 500 Triple, that shows 1,059 original miles on the odometer. Besides just showing the bike in the "Classic Corner", Ken has some info about the bike. For this one he had a copy of some of the original literature on the bike,  showing that it made a whopping 60Hp @ 8,000 rpm (still very respectable for 500cc's) and sold new for $995. Ken told me, "It's the BS behind these old bikes that makes them interesting", and I have to agree. It's always fun to hear who bought it, where they found it, and who previously owned it. When I asked if he bought the bike new he said no. "This bike sat in the guys living room for 25 years before I got it", Ken said.
If you are in Johnson City, you need to make a trip by Jim's Motorcycle sales just to see what he's showing. A different bike is put out each Monday.

Christmas Gift Idea #2 - Motorcycle Consumer News

10 Days till Christmas!  Have you got anything yet? O.K. Here is another idea. A subscription to Motorcycle Consumer News.  Now I know what you're thinking, "He's / She's got all kinds of motorcycle magazines."  Ahhh,,,, not so fast Grasshopper. This one is different.
#1, you can't get it on the newstands. #2, It has no advertising. It is entirely 100% reader supported. What that means is you get 100% un-biased reporting on bikes and products,since they don't have to worry about ticking off Harleykawasukionda and losing their advertising $. Also, twice a year it gives you a used bike price guide, and a performance guide. They cover cruisers, sportbikes, and everything street oriented. Good Stuff.
Another great point is that it cost more than any other magazine....uhhh wait.. that's not a plus is it. But it is better than just about every other mag out there. I guess there is a price for honesty. Hey, somebody has to make up for the lack of shiny advertising. You can get 1 year for $34. Go to MCNews.com/holiday

Christmas Gift Idea #1 - Vincent in the Barn

OK folks, it's less than three weeks till Christmas and you're still digging for a gift for that rider that has everything. If that rider you feel is worth a gift can read, and happens to be one of those of people who is always looking for a lost treasure, or if they just like to read about people who find it, I'll bet you they will like this book.
The Vincent in the Barn is a collection of short stories about men who have stumbled across, tracked down, or were just simply told of classic motorcycles that had been stored away and forgotten for years. Stories of how guys have found classic old bikes that were lost in barns, basements, and woodsheds around the country. Plus it has lots of cool pictures.
You'll never drive past an old barn again without wondering whats inside. 
You can even order it from the Amazon link on this website.

Dual Sport Touring - Good source for Good Stuff in Maryville Tn

Dual Sport Touring is located just outside of Maryville Tn on Hwy 321, and is a great source for the type of gear and equipment that most shops don't carry. As you may guess from the name, they specialize in the Dual Sport / Adventure Rider crowd, and they stock their shop accordingly. If you need something special for your GS, KLR, DR or any other Dual Sport /Adventure bike there is a good chance they have it, and if not they can get it fast. They also have a very good selection of High Quality riding gear from Rev'It, First Gear, and Scorpion, as well as Arai Helmets.

Francois and Megan St Laurent are the husband and wife team that own and operate this fine establishment, and are both avid riders with quite extensive riding resumes.  This picture of them was made in 2007 when they rode the Western Continental Divide from the Canadian border in Montana to Albuquerque N.M.and back to Knoxville, for total of 4500 miles (My guess is this picture was made early in their ride, judging from how happy they are!)


Their store sets back off of Hwy 321 about 100 yards, so its easy to ride past. If you're coming from Maryville, it is 5.5 miles from the 321 / 129 intersection (In front of Foothills Mall) .  Coming from Maryville, the store is on the left side of 321, before you get to the BP Station which is on the right. If you get lost give them a call at 865-995-9505, or you can link to their website (www.dualsporttouring.com) from the Cycleblend links page. They are open 10:00  till 6:00, Tuesday through Saturday

Places to Go - Wheels Through Time Museum, Maggie Valley N.C

If you are on this website, that means that you must have some interest in Motorcycles, and since you do, you owe it to yourself to visit the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, N.C. I rode over this past weekend for my third visit. There is just that much to see. Dale Walksler is the owner and curator of this collection of Motorcycle treasures, and has done an incredible job of not just collecting, but displaying these great old machines. Opened in 1993 the museum has all American Bikes and memorabilia dating back to the turn of the century (1900, not 2000). Most people don't realize how many different brands of motorcycles there where in the U.S. Besides Harley Davidson and Indian, you've got Crocker, Henderson, Excelsior and other brands that went away during the great depression. All are displayed in recreated scenes from the period they came from. Remakes of old garages, bike shops, and even a mountain of dirt which displays the Hill Climber exhibit. (Actually, the hill climb mountain is the background for this webpage. Thanks for letting me use that Dale!)

Advertised as the museum that runs, every bike in the place can be started, and they are happy to do so. It's amazing that not only do they start, but it seems like most of them start on the first or second kick, something my modern dirtbike seldom does.  The day I was there Dale fired up a 1940 Crocker for the crowd, and then proceeded to do a burnout down the aisle of the museum. Seeing that the floor looks like the starting line of your local dragstrip, this isn't a rare occurrence. Watching that, and hearing the sounds of that old V-Twin echo through the place just pegs the Cool meter in my books. Dales son Matt also helps with the musuem, and was happily starting up some old bikes for a group of fascinated kids. Got to make sure the next generation  gets the proper influences!

The Wheels Through Time Museum is smack dab in the middle of Maggie Valley, and just 4 miles off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. If you're making the 3-High Rides, it's a great stop between Mt Mitchell N.C. and Clingmans Dome TN. Admission is on $12, and they are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. There is too much going on over there to cover in here, but we have a link to their website in our links section.

Recommended - S100 Motorcycle Cleaner

When it's as hot as it's been the past few days, sometimes its better to get in some quality garage time, and figure out some way to combine motorcycles and water. A good way to do that is to take an afternoon off to wash and detail your bike.  If you haven't tried it before, S100 is a great bike cleaner. I was first turned on to S100 by a BMW riding friend of mine back in the 80's, so it's been around a long time.  What makes it so good to use is that it will actually remove brake dust and chain lube from your wheels, but won't harm your paint or plastic parts. Does a great job on those nasty bug splatters too. I've had the best luck by spraying it on a cooled off bike, mist the bike with water, wipe it off with a towel and then rinse. I usually use a soft brush to get the wheels after the S100 has loosened everything up. Most shops have it.

Recommended - Sniders Paint Guard

Here is product that doesn't cost much, is simple to use, and can really save some wear and tear on your scooter. The stuff is Snider's Paint Guard. It is a 7.5 mil thick clear plastic that attaches to your bike with static, no adhesive. As you can see in the picture, it's virtually invisible when you get it on. In this picture the top 1/3rd of the bags are covered.

All you do is cut a piece to fit, mist the part you want of cover with water, and then squeegee it dry. Sort of like when you use to put window tint on your car as a teenager, only easier.  It worked great on protecting the edge of my saddle bags that I kept hitting with my boots. You get 3, 11"x14" sheets to a $14 pack.

Appalachian Dual Sport - Post Ride Report

My first Appalachian Dual Sport (AKA Renfro Valley Dual Sport) ride turned out to be a very memorable one for several reasons. #1 the event is extremely well organized, #2 the trails were fun, #3 I rode more in the rain than I ever have before, #4 We had a really good time (mostly because of reasons 1 and 2)

The incoming weather system was the big talk, and during the riders meeting they told us that if it rained the advanced sections may be better left alone. Of course that just makes you want to see them out of curiosity! We left the KOA Campground under ominous skies, and raindrops started falling just as we got to the main road. 

The mix of trails was very good. Everything from perfect trail to slimy monsters that made you pray to see the next section of gravel road. In dry weather there would have been a few trails that were challenging, in the wet most of them were. The rain sort of came and went in the morning, but got pretty heavy later in the day.

One thing about riding in the rain, once you get totally soaked, it really doesn't matter anymore. I also realized that when you come out on a paved section, and its raining really hard, the faster you go the more mud it washes off!  Sort of a throttle adjustable pressure washer. The biggest trouble we had was fogging goggles and blurred vision,  that is until we go caught on one of the advanced sections and it started raining harder. We can't say we weren't warned.

Honestly, too much happened in one day to write about here, but I'll give you the condensed version: Around 250 riders,Great Trails, Muddy Trails, Slick Trails, Rocky trails, all connected by pavement and gravel roads. Great lunch, too many creek crossings to count, seeking out water puddles with the hope it will get some of the mud off your tires, getting so tired I sat down in the rain just to cool off, getting so lost that locals couldn't even tell us how to get back.

Our getting lost was our own fault. We tried to shortcut back and got off course. In fact I have never ridden in an event where the course (100+ miles on Saturday) was marked so well.  The level of effort to put this on must be incredible (this was it's14th year). We didn't ride on Sunday, but we'll ride it again next year. (hopefully the weather will be a little better). Congratulations and thanks to the 4Fun Trail Riders club for putting on a great event. They do a really fine job.

Book: Comprehensive Vintage Motorcycle Price Guide

The NADA/Blue Book of old bikes. Not really a “Book” so to speak, but I can spend hours looking through it. Gives prices according to condition, Rated from 1–6. From people I’ve talked to seems pretty accurate. It’s surprising to see what some stuff is worth, and what some stuff isn’t worth. You can get it through Amazon or Whitehorse press (Amazon has a better price).