Hamburg Fairgrounds, Hamburg New York
July 12 - 19 (2019 miles)
Day 1 - Left the house at 7:00 am ... a few hours later the HaulBike driver came to pick up Tony's F800GT. The bike is going to it's new owner in Spokane Washington. Our next door neighbors John and Chris will be there to open the garage.
 |
| Clarence from HaulBike loading F800 |
The route for today is 74 to Asheboro, then up through Mount Airy, stopping in Wytheville Virginia for the night.
 |
| Pilot Mountain Scenic Pull off |
 |
| Parked on Porch of Comfort Inn in Wytheville |
 |
| First rally with tank bag and rack box |
 |
| Tony's first rally with R1200RT |
 |
Jerry and Barb brought our camping gear for us and set the tent up.
We are in Virginia and the tent is in Hamburg! |
Day 2 - Left at 7 this morning through Virginia into West Virginia on 219 picked up route 28 in Marlinton, WV (we discovered we had been on 28 while at the RA Rally in Canaan Valley) returning to 219 near Davis West Virginia and shortly thereafter entering Maryland's scenic farm country. Our stop for the night is Grantsville Maryland. No pictures today, too busy riding through beautiful Seneca Rock Forest and Monongahela National Forest. Looking at the weather for tomorrow it doesn't look like we will make it to Hamburg - severe storms and heavy rain forecast for most of the day.
Day 3 - Checked the weather again this morning and the forecast changed dramatically. Still some storms forecast but it looked pretty good so we left at 7:30. It turned out to be a great ride on 219 with one short rain shower. At the rally we found out the storm had moved through Hamburg last night with rain, high winds and 70mph gusts. Some tents blew down (including ours which Jerry put up again) and there was damage to some of the vendor set ups.
 |
| Jerry and Barb's damaged canopy |
 |
| Still windy - Registration at Hamburg Fairgrounds |
As we began putting our stuff in the tent one side was sagging. The continuing high winds blowing an empty tent caused a pole to break and a tab was ripped off the side where you stake it in. The tent came down for the second time and Tony fixed the broken pole. Tried to blow up the mattresses and found out the inflator pump was broken. Time for a Walmart stop tomorrow.
Met up with Bill and Nancy in the afternoon. Friday night their club (ROK - Riders of Knoxville) volunteered at the beer tent. Nancy took the money and Bill served the beer.
Pictures of our campsite.
 |
| Lucy Snoozing |
 |
| Barb and Jerry leaving for Canada! |
 |
| Lucy waiting for Barb and Jerry |
 |
| Our tent is the big blue one |
 |
| water and electricity???? |
Day 4 - In the morning we went to the MOA store to buy t-shirts and decals for the bikes. Lots of vendors to buy motorcycle stuff, we both got new gloves. Then off to Walmart to buy new inflator pump. When we got back from Walmart the tent had collapsed for the third time (winds here still 25 to 30mps). Tony now duck taping poles. After this fix the tent stayed up the next two nights.
 |
| Duck tape - a necessity for campers |
At night we walked over to the band and got to see the 20th annual sheep conga line. You had to be there to understand.
Day 5 - Got up late, beautiful day, excellent egg bacon cheese sandwich at the food vendor for breakfast. Went to look at the vintage motorcycles on display and vote for our favorites.
 |
| Custom combination of old and older |
 |
| 1973 R75/5 |
 |
| R75/5 |
 |
| R1150RTP |
 |
| R100RT (our first bike in 2008) |
 |
| K1200LT with custom paint job |
|
 |
| R90S with matching helmet |
In the afternoon Jerry, Barb, Tony and I left to see Letchworth State Park. The park was supposed to be a little over an hour but took almost 2 hours through beautiful scenery (lots of wind turbines through farm country). $10 entrance fee per vehicle (Jerry later found out there is only an entrance fee on the weekend!!). I was persuaded to leave my bike at the tollgate and get on the back of Tony's bike. Letchworth is a 14,000 acre park and from our entrance it was a 9 mile ride to the falls; I missed my bike, not a good pillion anymore. Tony said I had separation anxiety. The park is known as the Grand Canyon of the East. The Genesee river runs through the gorge over 3 waterfalls.
 |
| Leaving for Letchworth State Park |
 |
| Upper Falls |
 |
| Train on 1875 era Portageville railroad bridge |
 |
| Middle Falls |
Got back to the rally just in time for the closing ceremony. The oldest rider at the rally was 91 years old, amazing!
Day 6 - Took down the tent and were ready to leave at 7:30. The route was 219 and 68 to Morgantown, WV. We were in 4 states today; New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. Stopped at Flight 93 National Memorial. United Airlines Boeing 757 was delayed 1/2 hour from Newark Liberty Airport to San Francisco. Terrorists diverted the flight which crashed in Pennsylvania at Diamond T Mines a reclaimed coal mine at 563 mph.
 |
| Ranger talk - flag at half mast for terrorist attack in Nice |
 |
| Visitors Shelter |
 |
| Wall marks flight path - flying north over what is now the visitor center (on hill to right) |
 |
| Impact site marked by boulder |
 |
| Wall of Names - 40 passengers and crew |
Spent the night at Comfort Inn in Morgantown and walked next door to a great dinner at Beanery American Grill.
Day 7 - Stopped at Morgantown Power Sports for new back tire for my bike (super people and a great shop). On the road at 10:30; called it our interstate day through West Virginia, Virginia and back to North Carolina (routes 77, 19, 79 and 74). Staying overnight in Mount Airy.
 |
| Last night on the road - Harley from Wisconsin with trailer |
Day 8 - Straight shot home today on 52 and 74. This has been a wonderful adventure. Although we had many chances for thunder storms, heavy rain or heat, on the entire trip we only encountered about 20 minutes of rain and a couple hours of +90 degree heat after leaving the mountains and getting to the coast.
 |
| Back home - motorcycles waiting to be washed! |
