Intercourse PA

- Posting on the go on me iPad

Front Royal, VA

The day start pretty slow. Rode into Waynesboro for lunch and and the first guy with a scooter i saw since the trip has to be unpleasent (You can't win them all). The first word out of his mouth was asking me if i have any MaryJ. shesh. Will (from Willville) did told me that around here, most 50cc scooter driver are people who has their license pull for DUI. it seems that Waynesboro is the place for scooter. there was definitely more scooter here than most place. After a visit to MickyD, i was off to Skyline drive and Shenadoah NP. It would have cost me $10 for a week pass to drive thru it, but i got an annual pass so it's all good. There is a cafeteria in the middle of the park and it seems to be a place where a lots of AT hikers hang out. While hanging out there, The rain went crazy. Got to Front Royal at the end of the day.





- Posting on the go on me iPad

Sherando Lake (BRP)

Took my sweet time chatting with motorcyclist at Willville and didn't take off until 10am. Skip a lot of overlook to try to make my make 170 miles today. Stop by Walmart To pickup a bag of salad and popcorn chicken. I saw a few more deer crossing the road. then suddenly, a damn squirrel ran into the middle of my path. he was a good 50 feet away. i slow to a 20mph, he first run left, then run right. i figure i better go straight and let him choose his path. he then run left, right, left, right, and then i run over a bump. A gut wrenching feeling came over me as i shout "Son of a bitch" (i don't mind killing animal for food or if they are a pest, but mindless death is sad). Saw an AT hiker and strike up a conversation. He was carrying a DeLorne 2 way satellite thing-a-ma-gih. Pull over to chat with a fellow who was running a pit stop for the Buena Vista cycle club charity race. He was very generous and offer me many snack, but i only want to take what i could use today so i gratefully accepted 3 banana and a bag of chips. I thanks him and head over to Lake Sherando to get a camp spot












- Posting on the go on me iPad

Meadow of Dan (BRP)

Slept in late, 8:30am, because i got a huge headache. Scott recommended a next campsite for the nite and we parted ways. Almost ran over a deer as it cross the road, I slow down as it crosses me at 50 feet away. i then start accelerating, then another one follow him and i barely miss the second. Good thing my ruckus accelerate for shit. The riding is good on the BRP. I made it to Meadow of Dan and stay at Willville motorcycle camp. It was a great place to stay at. Will made a nice camp fire and one of the tenant (David Judge) pulls out his guitar and sang some great blues.













Umm... Road kill... I bet it's tasty



Some wonder how I camp. Well, I bivy sack it. And just for fun, I put a tarp to cover the scooter Andy head from rain or dew.





- Posting on the go on me iPad

Asheville (BRP)

Got a wonderful 8 hour sleep. Woke up to the sound of birds at 6am. Goof around, having breakfast leave around 7:30. Took a side trip thru Asheville. There was a BMW motorcycle rally in town, but i wanted to make it to PA so no time to hangout and party. Meet a couple who has a bmw bike with 1 million miles on it. I know what i want as my next bike. Stop at an Art center north of Asheville and learn how make stronger sailboat mast using bamboo. Scott caught up with me 20 miles before i got to my destination. Later we share a camp site at Julian Price campground.

I wonder what an experimental forest. I wonder if there is mutant growing in there.... Guess not..



But the. Again... Why do they have bathroom with mutant accessibility toilet...



I have been eating healthy on the road. Large salad everyday...



Riding along the edge... Make sure you don't fall off



A typical bridge along the BRP



People has always ask me how fast my ruckus can go. Well, it goes so fast that they have a dedicated parking space for people that ride like me


- Posting on the go on me iPad

Blue Ridge Parkway

Couldn't sleep. The creek got too loud. Decide to hang near the scooter. Being by myself surrounded by fireflies, the girl from the movie "the ring" came visit me and well, i freak myself out, being alone and your mind will fuck with you. note to self "Don't watch ghost, horror, or drama movie in the future". I decided ride out at 2:30am. By 3am, i came upto a bridge that was close for repair. I decide to park next to the maintenance crew truck, put out the foam mat next to the scooter and nap for 2 hour. They were done by 5 and i was greeted by another beautiful sunrise. Stop at mp 408 pisgah campground. Met a neat motorcyclist name Scott Wilkinson. We chat, share stories, and perspective on life.
Napping by the river




Yeah... A road that was made for driving




The elevation change will have many different flora




One of many tunnel that I will pass




Winding up/down the side of the hill




Roads is beautifully maintain




Yup. Reach the highest point on the blue ridge. At this altitude and when going up hill, I get a cool 20 mph going wide open




At times, I do go above the clouds. The weather is pretty unpredictable






- Posting on the go on me iPad

6-19 Hesitation to launch (Knoxville TN)

It's 9:30 am and it's time to leave. Going by myself has it's own set of problem. Fear overcome me for a good while. Sitting down with the voice in my head telling me "what the fuck am I doing?" doesn't help, but one can only hesitate for so long. Got to do it. Got to do it. Yes... I do have fear, hesitation, possibly regretting my idea, but go to pull myself together and do it. This is my launch point. Time to test the fine line between bravery and stupidity.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=35.807327,-83.871649+(MyPosition)




This morning is truly the start. I got very nervous and scare, as i should be. My fear overcome my thought and the voice inside my head keep on saying "what the fuck are you doing?". Rightfully so, begin of a new trip has always got me nervous. I try not to think about it too much, but i doesn't leave me alone. I'm now alone. Now familiar with the lay of the land. Heading out by myself... After 30 minutes, i gather my strength and finish packing the scooter. Riding from maryville, i wind thru back roads, double checking my gps more often than necessary, but slowly, I forget my doubt and start enjoying the road. Once turned into the foothill parkway, there was more motorcycles than cars. 5 to 1 ratio at least, but there was no scooter. The scenery is gorgeous and every turn off was worth a stop for a picture moment. The ride on the Tail of the Dragon was un-eventful. I'm sure at 60 mph thru it would be a challenge, but little red has a hard time going above 20mph. I was pleasantly surprise that i ran across the camera guy (hellboy.com) right around noon. After the ride on the tail, i head over 20mile ranger station and they help me book a back country camping. There is a camp ground 1 miles up the hill. I hiked and hiked, but damn.. The place was far. I decided that i will be stealth camping near my bike




11 miles behind me...




A million miles in front of me.




Mommy.. Can I take him home?




The Dragon can't take scratch this 50cc baby.. Of course at 25 mph, there ain't much curb you can't handle...
- Posted from my iPhone

6-14 A slow start - The Great Smoky Mountain

It has been a while since I start writing in my blog. The blog started as a place keeper for the memories of my journey and a way for Mimi to know that I'm not lost. There is so much to much to write about, but laziness seems to triumph over all. This journey starts pretty anti-climatic. What was suppose to be a ride out to the smokies and continue on turns into a minivan drive with the scooter sitting safely in the back. Matt, a Mississippi paddler/friend, set us up with a cabin right by the park. The cabin was a beautiful 3 bedrooms with a gorgeous view of the smokies from the balcony. Mimi made a comment that she would be content just staying in the cabin the the entire trip. Of course, i make sure that we at least hit the motor trail during the day. I did manage to pull out the scooter, strip her of her luggage and ride two up on some of the forest roads. Did some hiking and hang around after dark to see the fireflies. We decided that even though we are pretty lazy, we need to at least hike one of the trails. The Ramsey Cascade trail which leads up to the falls is as good as any. What seems like a simple 8 miles hike turns into a five hour work. But it was worth it in the end to see the falls. I decided that i will drive mimi back during the night so she could spend the day in the smokies. I left my scooter with matt to continue my trip next week. Maybe hang out at home for the weekend, then head off to "who knows".




A view from the cabin balcony




The ruckus is made for the forest service roads




I wonder why they call it the "smokies"




This 75 feet falls is more impressive in real life, as oppose to photo.

Bicycle America without the sweat

I have own my ruckus for 2 years and now decided that she is going to take me to places.
I figure that the best way to see america is by bicycle, but i do hate the sweat, so the ruckus is the best option.
I will be mostly camping out in the wild or stealth camping when i can't find public land.
My wife is going to school, so that freed me up a few months/years to go to the school of life.

My ruckus ("Little Red") has a few mods. here's the list:
- a new varianter
- a new cdi
- 12v cigarette plug/USB plug
- a motorcycle alarm (it's rarely used)
- a side kickstand
- a extra attach fuel tank.

My current plan is to head out this thursday to the Smokey Mountain. Hang around there for a while maybe a week or so), then from there, i don't really know where to go next. I have never seen some of our national parks, such as Zion and Yosemite. After that, if my hall pass is still good, maybe i will head up to Alaska. I have a friend in Mexico that want me to visit, after that, maybe somewhere down to brazil. My plans are pretty much open. My only restriction is that I want to keep my range to about 100 miles per day.