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Didn't mean to have you guys concerned but I appreciate it. I guess my absence of reporting comes
from the sense that the majority of the roads I've been riding would be read more like rode here then
there, saw this, did that, yada yada yada. I'd say that in general I report about 10% of my
experience since to me it has very little to do with a Suzuki V-Strom or even a motorcycle for that
matter; it's more about my internal experience (read as doesn't involve a photo) and I can't exactly
grasp why that would be of interest to anyone but me. (Matriarch, you're not included here). That
said, the last few days have been predominantly back roads in NC and TN. Ok, so one of those roads was
Deal's Gap (more on that later). Speaking of the 83yr old Matriarch.... I returned to Chattanooga and
arrived in a very intense thunderstorm. After entering her garage and while ungearing (dripping wet
of course) we had a discussion. Of sorts. It went something like this:
Matriarch: I think you need a new recreation. You look like a drowned rat.
Me: I'm having a great time and you know I love to ride.
Matriarch (who is standing over my bike): OH MY LORD, I think I'm going to have a heart attack!
Me (hopping on one leg trying to get a boot off and get to her): Holy crap, what's wrong????!!
Matriarch: Your gizmo thing (the GPS) shows your Max Speed as being 187 miles an hour!! I can't believe
you would go that fast!! And with it pouring rain like it is!
Me: Oh geez, you scared me! Pay no attention to that reading, it's wrong.
Matriarch: How can it be wrong? You told me it was incredibly accurate so obviously the gizmo is broken!
Me: I don't know why it's wrong. The GPS is working fine otherwise. Besides this bike CAN'T go that fast.
Matriarch: I really think you should slow down anyway... and sell that broken GPS thing. It might send you
in a dark alley somewhere, you just never know.
Me: I'm guessing you've been worried about me getting here in all this rain and you're just upset. Can you just stop worrying?
Matriarch: No. I'm the Matriarch and it's just part of my job.
 Note to self: Always turn off GPS immediately after arriving a location which has the Matriarch nearby.
Note to Phoenix tech support: Please send an explanation of malfunction ASAP for a certain someone.
Ok, so if you want my report about doing Deal's Gap aka Tail of the Dragon here it is: it's a nice road. Would
I put it in my top roads - maybe. The commercialism and hype effect the experience, if not safety, in my
opinion. Besides, the LEO factor simply ruins it for me. I'm not saying I'd ride with reckless abandonment
but enforcement for safety reasons is one thing while enforcement for revenue producing reasons is another. I
despise the latter. The 30mph speed limit is, well, ridiculous in at least 2 corners where I found myself
struggling with the corner at such a low speed. Any street instructor would have pointed out I needed to have a
higher entry speed if they were analyzing my turn. Anyway, it was rather frustrating. My route was south to north
and before starting out I waited for almost 6min after the last bike (a Harley) going in the same direction went by
me. It didn't matter as I caught him quickly. I'm not kidding, he was going 16mph. Yes, half the speed
limit. He had a death grip, er, on the grips, and stayed on the brakes. He rode like someone pulled him off
a tractor somewhere and said they'd give him a free keg if he could ride the bike over the hill. In the name of
safety I passed him (yes, a double yellow). Dude was freakin' scary. I mention this situation because a
photographer, one of several along the route I might add, appeared from the brush roadside and was taking pictures. I
have no idea who this was but if pics of my Strom dusting a Harley on a double yellow start circulating you'll know the
real story. Now, as far as these photographers, IMHO, they have the opposite affect that LEO presence has on Dragon
riders. Riders ham it up and ride even more over their heads because of these photographers. There must have
been at least 5 different areas where it was obvious your pic was being taken and I saw first hand how a camera being
pointed (much like a radar) drastically changed how folks rode. Unfortunately, Deal's Gap has ceased to be about
a unique road and is now more about pictures, cops, t-shirts, traffic, etc. The word "circus" comes to mind. If
I had the choice between riding Deal's Gap or The Devil's Hwy (old 666, now AZ-191) it would be AZ-191 without hesitation. For
my left coast riders who have ridden the Devil and only heard about the Dragon I'd bet you'd finish the Dragon saying,
like I did, "that's all of it?" Deal's Gap is 318 turns in 11mi. Devil's Hwy is 1800 turns in 90mi. It's
harder to get to 191 which keeps posers, like Harley keg boy, away too. Plus, 191 has no traffic or LEO presence
(I've never experienced any). Nonetheless, I'll add that I did Deal's Gap after riding the last 150mi of the Blue
Ridge Parkway where it became second nature to send a Stebel (air horn) alert before entering blind corners given the
overpopulation of critters. On one section of the Dragon I did just this and thankfully saved the Strom from an
intimate encounter with a turkey! Speaking of turkeys, is it turkey trotting season or something? I've noticed
in the last week or so they are everywhere! I came into Nashville by way of the Natchez Trace Parkway again and I
must have seen 25 turkeys, many of which were very, very young (looked like quail actually). I didn't take many pics
the last few days but here's a few:
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More of the Blue Ridge Parkway:
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Natchez Trace Parkway:
So, I'm in Nashville again. I have a friend from Phoenix coming in later this week (woo-hoo, can't wait Kobi!)
for a few days then I'll be heading back towards AZ, the long way of course. My goal is to get back to Phoenix
around the 21st which would give Jim (my super duper master mechanic extraordinare) 2 full weeks to get the Strom ready
for the big ride, the USA Four Corners. As
for my route back to AZ, I'm not real sure but it may include IN (Evansville), IL (Springfield), MO (St.Louis), IA
(W. Branch), KS (Topeka), and CO (maybe Durango). If this route seems odd to you, well, you haven't been paying
attention very well since I don't ride in direct routes very often. A riding buddy says my license plate should
say DTOUR if that gives you any indication. Actually, I'm going to continue my Stamping Expedition en route
back to AZ. As I was riding yesterday I came up with an idea. It includes not turning in my paperwork to
the IBA for the National Park Passport Master Traveler certification. At least not until next July. Here's why...
right now I have met the minimum requirements of 50 stamps in 25 different states and I should meet the Silver
award requirements (which means 4 of the stamps are WA,CA, FL, ME) during next month's USA 4 Corner run. Now, the
Gold is 50 stamps in 25 states and which all 4 corner states are include AND Alaska (stamp must be located above 60th
parallel). So, here's my plan.... I will disregard all stamps I got before July 1st, which means 31 stamps and
6 states. It would mean that I have, essentially, 46 stamps in 19 states after July 1st (not too shabby for the
last 5wks, huh?). The 6 states before July 1 were AZ, CA, NM, NV, UT, COstates that if needed could be easily
attained next spring since they are the closest. Then (you guessed it).... head to Alaska by July 1st for a
stamp. So, in a 1 year period (the IBA rules) from 7/1/06 to 7/1/07 I will have met the requirements for the
GOLD. Besides, if plans change I can always submit for the Silver. You see, there's always a reason to ride more.
Time for an RTJohn update.... he's been resting but restrained his back (not sure how that worked). Nonetheless,
he'll be leaving IL and riding back to Phoenix by this weekend (7/13). Said his route would likely include MN, SD,
NE so I think I might have made a mistake explaining the GOLD idea to him. So, if you happen to see a red BMW 1200RT
with an AZ plate this next week tell the rider to take a break and get some rest!
Actual National Park Passport Stamps by date & region:
(NP=National Park, NM=National Monument, NHS=National Historic Site, NRA=National Recreational Area,
NB=National Battlefield, NHT=National Historic Trail, NHC=National Heritage Corridor, NST=National
Scenic Trail, NMP=National Military Park, NHP=National Historic Park, VC=Visitor Center)
Western Region: (12)
3/25 = Hubbelll Trading Post NHS - Ganado, AZ (where the insanity began thanks to Bob Still, an 05 IBA Rally finisher!)
3/25 = Canyon de Chelly NM - Chile, AZ
4/21 = Casa Grande Ruins NM Coolidge, AZ
4/22 = Coronado NM Hereford, AZ
4/23 = Saguaro NP - Tucson, AZ
5/14 = Cabrillo NM San Diego, CA
5/19 = Lake Mead NRA Boulder City, NV
5/21 = Navajo NM Tonalea, AZ
5/23 = Great Basin NP Baker, NV
5/23 = Pipe Springs NM Moccasin, AZ
6/09 = Sunset Crater Volcano NM Flagstaff, AZ
6/09 = Wupatki NM Flagstaff, AZ
Rocky Mountain Region: (12)
5/05 = Mesa Verde NP Mesa Verde, CO
5/05 = Hovenweep NM UT&CO
5/21 = Natural Bridges NM Lake Powell, UT
5/22 = Canyonlands NP Moab, UT
5/22 = Arches NP Moab, UT
5/22 = Colorado NM Fruita, CO
5/23 = Timpanogos Cave NM American Fork, UT
6/17 = Cedar Breaks NM Cedar City, UT
6/17 = Red Canyon NM Dixie National Forest, UT
6/17 = Zion NP, Kolab Canyons Cedar City, UT
6/17 = Zion NP Springdale, UT
6/17 = Bryce Canyon NP Bryce Canyon, UT
Southwest Region: (10)
5/04 = El Malpais NM & NRA Grants, NM
5/04 = El Morro NM Ramah, NM
5/04 = Petroglyph NM Albuquerque, NM
5/04 = Salinas Pueblo Missions NM Abo, NM
5/04 = Salinas Pueblo Missions NM Gran Quivira, NM
5/04 = Salinas Pueblo Missions NM Quarai, NM
5/05 = Aztec Ruins NM Aztec, NM
7/01 = Washita Battlefield NHS Cheyenne, OK
7/01 = Trail of Tears NHT Fort Smith, AR
7/01 = Fort Smith NHS Fort Smith, AR
Midwest Region: (1)
7/18 = William Howard Taft NHS Cincinnati, OH
Southeast Region: (28)
7/03 = Natchez Trace Parkway Nashville, TN
7/03 = Natchez Trace Parkway Nat'l Scenic Trail - Leiper's Fork, TN
7/03 = Natchez Trace Parkway Leiper's Fork, TN
7/06 = Stones River NB Murfreesboro, TN
7/06 = Trail of Tears NHS Murfreesboro, TN
7/08 = Big South Fork Nat'l River & Rec Area Oneida, TN
7/08 = Obed Wild & Scenic River Wartburg, TN
7/10 = ChChNMP Chickamauga Battlefield Fort Oglethorpe, GA
7/11 = Little River Canyon Nat'l Preserve - Fort Payne, AL
7/11 = Russell Cave NM Bridgeport, AL
7/12 = Sugarlands VC@Great Smoky Mountains NP, TN
7/15 = Fort Donelson Nat'l Battlefield- Dover, TN
7/17 = Mammoth Cave NP Mammoth Cave, KY
7/17 = Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHS Hodgenville, KY
7/27 = Blue Ridge Parkway - VA/NC
7/27 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Humpback Rocks VC, VA
7/28 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Rocky Knob VC, VA
7/28 = Andrew Johnson NHS Greeneville, TN
7/28 = Andrew Johnson Taylor Shop Greeneville, TN
8/02 = Carl Sanberg NHS Flat Rock, NC
8/02 = Cowpens NB Chesnee, SC
8/02 = Overmountain Victory Trail Chesnee, SC
8/03 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Cone Memorial Park
8/03 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Linn Cove Viaduct
8/03 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Overmountain Victory Trail
8/03 = Blue Ridge Parkway, Museum of N.C. Minerals
8/04 = Great Smoky Mountains NP, Oconaluftee VC, NC
Mid-Atlantic Region: (9)
7/19 = Antietam NB Sharpsburg, MD
7/19 = C&O Canal NHP Sandy Hook, MD
7/19 = Potomac Heritage NST Sandy Hook, MD
7/19 = Harper's Ferry NHP Harper's Ferry, WV
7/19 = Gettysburg NMP, Gettysburg, PA
7/25 = Morristown NHP, Jockey Hollow VC Morristown, NJ
7/26 = Monocacy NB, Frederick, MD
7/27 = Appalachian NST (MD VC) ME to GA
7/27 = Shenandoah NP Luray, VA
North Atlantic Region: (7)
7/20 = Saratoga NHP Stillwater, NY
7/20 = Erie Canalway NHC, Stillwater, NY
7/22 = Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP Woodstock, VT
7/23 = Saint-Gaudens NHS Cornish, NH
7/24 = North Bridge VC, Minute Man NHP Minute Man, MA
7/24 = Rogers Williams NM Providence, RI
7/24 = Blackstone River Valley NHC MA&RI
Total stamps = 77
Total states = 25
Iron Butt Association's "National Parks Tour Master Traveler Award" (click here for da rules).
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