Thanks very much!

[rktmanfj]

Well, I finally got home from the ECFR late on Sunday night, and have gotten maybe half of things unpacked, and many of the 'must-do upon return' things taken care of that one accumulates after being away for a couple of weeks...

My return marked the impending end of the long riding season, and the culmination of a long time goal of mine: to have attended all of the long standing US FJ rallies, in the same season.

Among the unpacking keeps popping up memories of all the good times I have had this year:

Boone:

• Plenty of Boone precip to go around... good times, right?
• Susan experiencing her first ECSR, and getting a taste of that Boone spring WX.
• Yet another big-ass ECSR campfire to dry out by, with good friends and beverage... of course, lit by The Dragon.
• The familiarity with many of the local routes (and the ability to thrill myself because of that), but still find a great new road every year.

Willits:

• The experience of the long but at times, very scenic drive across the country in my big mile-eater car, with the SAT radio and the FJ in the rear-view mirror for company.
• Rolling into the KOA a couple of days early, and watching the WCR come together from scratch.
• Getting reacquainted with a few familiar faces, and meeting so many others after all this time.
• The rides through all the new (to me) scenery, the Redwoods, and the views along the PCH... wish I'd gotten more pics.
• Sitting around the fire enjoying beverages with friends new and old, after the honor (two nights in a row!) of lighting it, with Thermite, no less!
• All in all, I got five full passes of CA20 from Willits to Ft. Bragg.  I could do 25 more, and never tire of it.
• The hot, but fun day around Lake Sonoma and Skaggs Springs Rd. (multiple passes... would one ever be enough), and lunch at the Stewart's Point Store.
• Clam chowder at Denny's

The Side Trip:

Thanks to some strategic advice from Pat and Paul L. on departure day from Willits, I was able to squeeze a lot of bang for the buck on the way to Ouray.  It seems that if one tells a National Park Ranger that one is terminally ill, one is granted a lifetime National Park pass. As a result, I got to blitz tour:

• Yosemite National Park.
• Zion National Park.
• Historic Panguitch, Utah
• Bryce Canyon National Park.
• Grand Staircase National Park.
• Capitol Reef National Park.
• Kodachrome Basin State Park (Utah)
• Petrified Forest State Park (Utah)

I also got to do something I'd always wanted to do... after driving out of Yosemite in the twilight, there's not much left in front but lots of Nevada desert, so I decided to try it.  I kept driving out into the desert, and every so often there's a set of tracks out into the high desert scrub brush. When I got tired, I decided to try a set.  About a half mile or so in, I found a large graveled in area, perhaps used to offload ATVs or horses, or something.  Perfect. It was a low 70s, almost cloudless evening, almost a full moon, with a light breeze, also perfect. Kill the engine, windows 1/3 way down, grab a comforter and pillow from the back seat, and tip that big leather seat back, yes, perfect.  Just like I'd imagined. I woke up at 0630 to brilliant sunshine, with a beautiful mountain backdrop to miles of surrounding desert... perfect!


Ouray:

It didn't take too long, having been in and out of high elevations for a couple of days that Ouray might not agree with me, and unfortunately, it didn't. But, as they say, Misery Loves Company, and soon my buddy Ducati(less) Dave showed up nursing a major toothache. Fortunately we found a lot to do, just hanging about camp and trips into town. We did find a window to get a couple hundred miles on the bikes, despite all. We also made a run up to Grand Junction to pick up Susan, who had taken the Amtrak out to meet me in Colorado (having suffered bronchitis ever since her wet, rainy ride in Boone).  Having the car at our disposal, some otherwise impossible touring was done:

• Silverton, with lunch in Durango, then on to Four Corners.
• Telluride, and the herd of deer and the grazing antelope on the way back.
• Hang time at Al's Bar and Grill
• As promised, Ouray is small, but packed full of mom-and-pop eateries and microbreweries.
• Coming down the Million Dollar Highway on the FJ, with rain-slicked pavement and fading rear brakes.

Bryson City:

• The open arms of DucatiBike(less) Dave and his wife Sarah, welcoming me into the spaciousness of the big Farmhouse.
• Finding Bryson City to be a great little town with an abundance of places to eat good food.
• Finding Bryson City to be very close to some of the routes that used be fun, but pretty remote from Tellico Plains.
• Spending Tuesday night with a big porch full of friends
• Finding a Givi box, spinning like a top in my lane in the entrance to a left-hander on the Cherohala Skyway.
• Walking into Jimmy Mac's one night, surprised to find a large party of FJers already there (and had an open chair for me)
• Finding freshly shucked oysters on Jimmy Mac's menu (and they were awesome) and no, they weren't mountain oysters, either.
• On a day not best suited for riding, Dave, Sarah and I found our way over to Wheels of Time Museum in Maggie Valley (a bucket list visit for me). I was surprised on the way out to be sought out by Dale Walksler and Bob White, the Curator and Historian, who brought me some very nice parting gifts and had a nice long chat with me. After having viewed WTT in person, it was very meaningful for me to be able to express my gratitude in person for the work they do there.

The long way home:

Ducati Dave and Sarah invited me over their place to visit for a few days, so I accepted their (very) generous southern hospitality on the way home... to more impending medical treatment.  I hope they ended up enjoying the time as much as I did.


And speaking of gratitude, I owe all of you who got out to a US rally (and supported me from home) this season a world of it for making this such a landmark summer for me.  To mention one person here would leave out many, many others.

I also got a lot of support from home, which was indispensable, as well.

Thanks very much for everything you did to make it a reality!

[PaulG]

My return marked the impending end of the long riding season, and the culmination of a long time goal of mine: to have attended all of the long standing US FJ rallies, in the same season.

Wonderful feat.     Having the time to do that and share it also, is a blessing in itself.

Well, we may not be longstanding, but you are welcome next year to come to Ontario for a 3rd (?) annual South Eastern Ontario FJ Rally.  Only 668 miles from Indianapolis.  In fact an open invitation is extended to any of our American friends if they want to saunter over the border next summer or fall.  We will always have room.

I am uploading my first video of the weekend as I write this, so check it out in the Trips & Travel Reports Southeastern Ontario Campnride '16 within the next day.   

[DR.GTS.DUCATI.FAZER Dave]

Randy, I enjoyed suffering in Ouray, Toothache, Sinus Infection and Ear Infection kicked my butt and found me working to keep up with you.

As for Bryson, We loved having you, Kevin (Cavin to most) and Bill/Andrew in the Farmhouse.

At the house for the week, well, We loved having you and the good food is always available.

As we are planning on the West Coast Rally with you, I will speak with you many times between now and then.

Sarahs smile while you sat on the couch showed how much wwe enjoyed your company.

Our best wishes on this new round and look forward to seeing you again.

The Porsche served us well in Bryson.

Love Dave and Sarah