Beautiful day in the hood...Ride

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

The weather is just outstanding right now with temps in the mid 70's. Took off this morning with the Tennessee mountains on my mind. First picture is the now closed Honda/Suzuki dealership this is where I bought my Suzuki Bandit 1200S.





Just before I hit The Foothills Parkway I stopped to take this picture.





Next few shots are from Foothills Parkway I love this road.














Just before I made the last curve on Foothills Parkway I saw a bike on the side of the road and knew no one would park in a curve just to smell the roses. He was Pennsylvania and his Harley had shucked all the bolts out of the rear sprocket.



 We pushed it out of the curve as best we could he had no tools whatsoever and I did'nt have a allen wrench that big . I tryed to use vice-grips but the allen bolts was all bent and the sprocket was toast anyway.

 

A chick on a Harley stopped and said she would go down the road to find a cell signal or the Harley t-shirt shop on US 129 and find someone to help.

I've said it before I'd love to have a dime for every picture taken here...The over-look on US 129 The Dragon.



About mid-way through my run I passed Big Al going the other way with his friend Jeff. They turned around and met me at Deal Gap's in North Carolina we all made a nice evening ride back toward Clinton,TN with a stop at Hooters in Maryville for supper <---Thanks for buying supper Al  





" The Money Shot " taken on Foothiils Parkway this is the same over-look we found the young woman who had tryed to take her life on a cold December day in 2010.

[old2soon]

I have absolutely got to get some moola together and head on down there and ride with you. Thanks for the pix. Didja ever find out what happened to the harley dude with the sheared bolts?? RIDE SAFE.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I have absolutely got to get some moola together and head on down there and ride with you. Thanks for the pix. Didja ever find out what happened to the harley dude with the sheared bolts?? RIDE SAFE.

Big Al ,Jeff and I rode back down The Foothills Parkway on the way home and he was gone. I told him he should have it towed to Smoky Mountain Harley they will be able to get him rollin' again toot sweet.

[eric in md]

  thanks buddy

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

thanks buddy

See you in June " Little Buddy " 

[OverdueBill]

I ride a lot in central Tenn.  Sure do need to get over to the east side.  Thanks for sharing.

[BIG--T]

Joe Thanks for sharing. We just got back from the beach and after seeing those shots, we're going to have to head your way to "God's" country! Lol       

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Thanks Joe 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Thanks for the comments 

[wlgrice]

Hey joe I like the fairing you have put on the bike.

[DDT (12)]

Hey Joe,

Last time I was at the lookout on Deal's Gap, you and I were sitting on the rock wall watching half a dozen guys all in their Harley outfits walking around your yella Valk pointing at this and that but generally admiring the whole thing... remember? You said you really wished you had your camera out right then!!! Great ride, fabulous spot to stop and reflect, all made better by good company... Thanks for the memory... and the reminder.

DDT

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey joe I like the fairing you have put on the bike.

Probably goin' to take it off it funnels the wind right into my face    I love the wind and like ridin' without a shield in the summer heat but this fairing makes the wind extreme to say the least. My riding bud Gordon ( Lucky 13 ) made the mounting hardware out of polished stainless the fairing is a Bob Drone made by Arlen Ness for the Harley RoadKing its attached to the forks with Memphis Shade windshield hardware.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey Joe,

Last time I was at the lookout on Deal's Gap, you and I were sitting on the rock wall watching half a dozen guys all in their Harley outfits walking around your yella Valk pointing at this and that but generally admiring the whole thing... remember? You said you really wished you had your camera out right then!!! Great ride, fabulous spot to stop and reflect, all made better by good company... Thanks for the memory... and the reminder.

DDT

Always enjoy sharin' the wind with the legend    You are welcome in my world anytime Bruce. Lookin' forward to seeing you again in June....You gave any thought about making Britman's ride ?

[thumper]

Looks good Joe...as usual.

See you at Britman's if not sooner.

[hubcapsc]

Today (Saturday) has been a beautiful day on this end of the hood...

I headed out at 7:00AM to Grits and Groceries on my way to the Confederate
Memorial Day observation in Laurens. The ceremony on the square where the
Confederate Soldier monument is was over, and we were over in the city
cemetery replacing the flags on the soldier's graves when I looked at my
phone and saw that Stanley Steamer had tried to get me  to meet him
at Grits and Groceries around 10:00 or so, I called him back and told him
I had already been there... I had the same waitress that Britman ordered
"fritahs" from, and I ordered some fritahs, she laughed and they were dee-lish...

After we left the city cemetery, 50 or 75 folks gathered at Senator Danny Verdin's
parent's house for lunch and I helped Danny turn the crank on the ice cream churn...

I came home on 184, a road we used a little bit of on the Hutchinson House ride a few
weeks ago, a good Valkyrie road.

I only had three cups of coffee in me when I left at 7:00am, so I  forgot my camera. Had
to do a lot of deer dodging at that time of the morning on those back roads, so I woke up
quick.

-Mike

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Today (Saturday) has been a beautiful day on this end of the hood...

I headed out at 7:00AM to Grits and Groceries on my way to the Confederate
Memorial Day observation in Laurens. The ceremony on the square where the
Confederate Soldier monument is was over, and we were over in the city
cemetery replacing the flags on the soldier's graves when I looked at my
phone and saw that Stanley Steamer had tried to get me  to meet him
at Grits and Groceries around 10:00 or so, I called him back and told him
I had already been there... I had the same waitress that Britman ordered
"fritahs" from, and I ordered some fritahs, she laughed and they were dee-lish...

After we left the city cemetery, 50 or 75 folks gathered at Senator Danny Verdin's
parent's house for lunch and I helped Danny turn the crank on the ice cream churn...

I came home on 184, a road we used a little bit of on the Hutchinson House ride a few
weeks ago, a good Valkyrie road.

I only had three cups of coffee in me when I left at 7:00am, so I  forgot my camera. Had
to do a lot of deer dodging at that time of the morning on those back roads, so I woke up
quick.

-Mike

Cool read Mike  Like a mini ride report inside a ride report 

[BigAl]

Today (Saturday) has been a beautiful day on this end of the hood...

I headed out at 7:00AM to Grits and Groceries on my way to the Confederate
Memorial Day observation in Laurens. The ceremony on the square where the
Confederate Soldier monument is was over, and we were over in the city
cemetery replacing the flags on the soldier's graves when I looked at my
phone and saw that Stanley Steamer had tried to get me  to meet him
at Grits and Groceries around 10:00 or so, I called him back and told him
I had already been there... I had the same waitress that Britman ordered
"fritahs" from, and I ordered some fritahs, she laughed and they were dee-lish...

After we left the city cemetery, 50 or 75 folks gathered at Senator Danny Verdin's
parent's house for lunch and I helped Danny turn the crank on the ice cream churn...

I came home on 184, a road we used a little bit of on the Hutchinson House ride a few
weeks ago, a good Valkyrie road.

I only had three cups of coffee in me when I left at 7:00am, so I  forgot my camera. Had
to do a lot of deer dodging at that time of the morning on those back roads, so I woke up
quick.

-Mike

Deer Dodging , now that sounds like no fun.

[hubcapsc]

Deer Dodging , now that sounds like no fun.

Hey Al...

One of the deer came out of the bushes at a country crossroads. I was stopped at the stop sign,
a car was coming from each direction. At the last second, the deer jumped out of
nowhere and managed run the gauntlet between the cars, but just barely. It was a real
show from my perspective... that one was pretty fun 

The others, that came out in front of me while I was moving along, yeah, you're right...

-Mike

[DDT (12)]

Joe,

Can't do it... again. Memorial Day weekend is always tough for me because of family doin's down in Florida each year... This year I have the added obligation of a grandson graduating from high school on May 29th... So, y'all have fun on Britman's Ride, and if ya think of it, hoist one in my direction when you're engaged in the usual parking lot tire-kickin' and critique session in the evenings... I'll hoist one back atcha from down yonder...

DDT

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe,

Can't do it... again. Memorial Day weekend is always tough for me because of family doin's down in Florida each year... This year I have the added obligation of a grandson graduating from high school on May 29th... So, y'all have fun on Britman's Ride, and if ya think of it, hoist one in my direction when you're engaged in the usual parking lot tire-kickin' and critique session in the evenings... I'll hoist one back atcha from down yonder...

DDT

I remember you telling me that now     Will do on the toast to the man with the most miles of any Valkyrie I know of 

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey joe I like the fairing you have put on the bike.

Probably goin' to take it off it funnels the wind right into my face    I love the wind and like ridin' without a shield in the summer heat but this fairing makes the wind extreme to say the least. My riding bud Gordon ( Lucky 13 ) made the mounting hardware out of polished stainless the fairing is a Bob Drone made by Arlen Ness for the Harley RoadKing its attached to the forks with Memphis Shade windshield hardware.

Joe, why not try a shield just a tad taller.......might get that jet stream over yer head

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Hey joe I like the fairing you have put on the bike.

Probably goin' to take it off it funnels the wind right into my face    I love the wind and like ridin' without a shield in the summer heat but this fairing makes the wind extreme to say the least. My riding bud Gordon ( Lucky 13 ) made the mounting hardware out of polished stainless the fairing is a Bob Drone made by Arlen Ness for the Harley RoadKing its attached to the forks with Memphis Shade windshield hardware.

Joe, why not try a shield just a tad taller.......might get that jet stream over yer head

As stated this is made for a Harley so you can bet I paid way too much for it. Arlen Ness charged me about $150.00 for that shield best I can remember....I've had that fairing for as many years as I've had the bike I bought from Duffy after the crash on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

[Tundra]

Nice shots

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Thanks for sharing Joe. 

[Dubsvalk]

Joe,  I helped a guy on a Harley with the same problem, bolts backing out of the sprocket.  He was lucky, they were just starting to rub the brake caliper.  We were close to my house so I had him follow me home.  I pulled the bolts out individually, put locktite on them and torqued each one.  He said he had just had a new rear tire installed at the dealer because he was going on a long ride in a week or so.  He was very lucky.
Dubs

[hubcapsc]

Joe,  I helped a guy on a Harley with the same problem, bolts backing out of the sprocket.  He was lucky, they were just starting to rub the brake caliper.  We were close to my house so I had him follow me home.  I pulled the bolts out individually, put locktite on them and torqued each one.  He said he had just had a new rear tire installed at the dealer because he was going on a long ride in a week or so.  He was very lucky.
Dubs

I got a new sprocket and chain for my CR500 one time, I cleaned that bike meticulously most every time I
rode it, and certainly when I worked on it. After all the dirt was gone I squirted everything with WD40
and polished it till it shined. On this particular time, each sprocket bolt got the same treatment. Several
miles back in the woods on gnarly mountainous single-track one of my buddies noticed that there was
only one bolt left holding my new sprocket on, and it was backed way out. I put it back in finger tight
and somehow made it back to the truck.

-Mike "locktite is better than WD40 for some stuff..."

[Valkahuna]

As always Joe, Great report! Thanks for sharing!