Ugh... nothing like failing in public.
A few things stand out:
-15 required stops is a challenge. It eats a lot of clock time unless the rider is running very low drag on the stops, if you know what I mean.
-DBR's can be had at some of the "dead" towns, depending on the time of day.
-36 hours is not as much time to do this as it first seems.
-Weather in WV is crazy and unpredictable.
-Everyone I met in WV was amazing. I can't say I've visited a more friendly state so far than WV.
-If stuck roadside, people WILL stop to help you.
-that Hillbilly ( I use the term with the absolute utmost respect) in a sh&t box covered in bondo and a deer partially hanging out the trunk is faster than you. The drivers little pickups are the fastest of them all. Formula 1 should be scouting in the hills of WV.
The states borders are formed by many rivers. Going counter-clockwise from Harpers Ferry, the Potomac River to Ridgeley, and after Ridgeley the North Branch Potomac until Thomas. Then it's land-lubbing until Chester. At Chester the border is the Ohio River until the Big Sandy River takes over the border. The next river forming the border as we get to the south-west border is the Tug Fork until the border takes off on it's own following along creeks in hollows between ridges but also up and down across the ridges in no apparent style besides trying to find good places to jump ridges. Personally, I think the surveyor was drinking or got into some wild mushrooms over the campfire.... but I digress.
The border from Bluefield, Lewisburg, Elkins, Frankin, Baker, and back to Harpers Ferry are more open.
The end result affects the timed LD rider greatly. The rivers made for widely varying micro climates and weather. Once again, my friend fog and mist played a part. I had treated two pair of riding eyewear, two pairs of reading glasses, and my helmet visor with Rain X Plastic on the outside and an anti-fog on the inside. It did no good. I ended up riding through very cold air in fog and mist, and also when my helmets venting could not keep up with my respiration.
I stopped in a Holiday Inn for a decent nap just south of the Mid-Ohio Valley Airport. At this point I had not been able to feel my toes for the last many hours and my fingers had gotten too cold to operate the controls any longer. I was using my left hand fingers like a hook pulling my hole arm to pull in the clutch instead of squeezing my fingers in, as I was not able to do that motion.
I soaked in the hottest water I could get out of the spigot and napped, dressed, ate and got on the road about five hours later. I had calculated that my dream of a RAWV Gold was out but I had a couple hours to spare for the 36 hours.
It was easy going until I got the flat. I had the flat plugged in about ten minutes or less, then discovered my air pump was missing the hose. I could not fill my tire. I called a tow truck, it would be at least an hour. Hmm, possibly doable. I made arrangements and three civilians stopped and were nice but could not help. A state safety truck stopped. His portable air tank was empty, but he took off to get it filled. and I canceled the tow. An hour and a half later he came back, but the tire would only to to 20psi. I gingerly backtracked to an exit which had a filling station with air. I had called ahead to be sure it worked... I poked along I 77 with my flashers on. Got air. Did the math.. not going to make it. The stop for the flat had taken three hours total. All because of an air hose, sitting at home.
Now, it seems that it WOULD have been possible but for a couple things:
1) I'm slow on my stops. I had layers of clothes on for the cold, and even just getting gloves on and off was laborious. To urinate I had three zippers to get through. I was bundled up like the kid brother on Christmas Story. Plus, evidently, I'm just kinda pokey. My stops MUST be quicker.
2) I'm here to have fun, and I paced my ride to not just hammer along the road and zip through towns and stops.. I met some super-awesome people, and, as you readers can tell, I like to talk
I like meeting people, and I'm here to tell you WV has some damn interesting people. The towns are amazing. Littleton, has an incredible history, and a fast DBR with a cup of coffee turned into :45 minutes of chit-chat with two born there, gonna die there residents that were a joy to talk to. I also first road through town taking pictures. In a couple of places I took pictures of things too good to pass up: The Worlds Largest Teacup in Ridgeley. Littleton. Nuke power plant on the Ohio R in the fog. etc. etc. Another DBR turned into an hour at Henderson. The little hooker was not there at that hour of the morning, but a tire shop was open. I went in to get a DBR and instead made two friends. The tire shop's owner and his wife were great, and a customer was intrigued by this idiot in a spacesuit on a Harley riding around in the fog. I gave them the link to my Spotwalla and will stay in touch. Of course they told me about he Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant across the river, so seemingly still fat on time, I took some pictures of that too.
After that, I got serious and my stops picked up pace and I stopped chit-chatting.
Then the flat.
One of my goals is to compete in rallies, and ultimately, hopefully in an IBR.
This ride around WV is great training! It's self-paced, easy for me to get onto (I live :45 away from Harpers Ferry), and with 15 mandatory stops, the rider better have their quick-stops down pat.
I have to say, after the Ride Around VA, and two Ride Around WV's on the Softail Deuce.. I may be done doing IBA rides on this bike. The carpel tunnel nerve on my throttle hand is sore, the middle finder on my right hand still hasn't gotten its feeling back and is numb ever since the first ride, and my right hand fingertips are still tingling as are the toes on my right foot....
A thought on my riding. I'm amazed at how proficient I've become with my riding. Slow speed handling, cornering, braking, u-turns. I feel more confident than ever. While trying to make up time, I over-cooked two corners that snuck up on me being sharper than they looked. I've never braked so hard to lock a front wheel, but on the first one, I locked up the front and modulated in and out of lock and on the second one about an hour later, I had the "feel" and kept the front wheel chattering a bit but not locked up stopping both times quicker than I've ever tried to stop that Deuce. I now have a better feel for the fronts traction than previously and I can take full-lock u-turns pretty quickly now.
I'll post up some pics later.
AirbusFlieger