This is my update on the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Virginia, specifically a story about my ride of the Southeast/Hampton Roads portion of the Tour completed on May 18, 2012.
This was a solo ride, as are most of my rides. I tend to like to ride by myself, allowing me to ride at my own pace and without the worry about someone else’s riding style. Friends and family often express concern about my riding alone, saying I might end up in a ditch along a mountain side, not being found for days. I don’t worry. I just enjoy the ride. I figure that when it is my time, the good Lord is going to take me and I am not going to have a lot to say about it.
The weather was great that day, starting in the middle 50’s and rising to the high 70’s later on in the day. The trip involved a loop: starting down I-95 through Richmond and Petersburg, down VA-35 and US-58 to Franklin Co., I-264 to Virginia Beach, I-64 to Hampton, US-17 to Yorktown and Newport News and I-64 back to Richmond – all slab, no twisties this time. I did not need my customary coffee that morning because of the adrenalin rush in anticipation of the ride and the slight chill in the air. I was, however, concerned about the morning rush-hour traffic through Richmond. The trick I have learned is to get in the left lane and go with the highway speed in that lane.
VA-35 to Franklin was not as bumpy as I remember from the 2010 tour. A sign saying “Deer Crossing Next 20 Miles” heightened my awareness of my surroundings, as I tensed up a bit. I had to remind myself to relax. The last time I did this VA-35, it was not a deer but a buzzard that appeared to have a four-foot wingspan that nearly took me out. No such surprises this time. It turned out to be a great morning to be on a motorcycle, not too many big trucks this time. It was just me, the bike, the wind, the quite rumble from the Two Brothers muffler, and a bright sunny morning.
It was now about 8:30 A.M. and the Franklin Economic Development Center, a tour sponsor/stop, was not open. So, I stopped at Fred’s Restaurant, a co-sponsor and a fixture in Franklin, VA. There I was treated with a friendly small-town atmosphere – some of the locals were wondering what a dude in biker garb was doing at their breakfast hangout so early in the morning. Anyway, I enjoyed my breakfast at Fred’s. From Fred’s, I meandered to the Best Western in Virginia Beach, another tour sponsor.
Leaving the Best Western, my GPS let me down, sending me north instead of south on Atlantic Ave. I should have known better but I am directionally challenged. I ended up running into military base. No way was a hotel in there. So, a trip that should have taken five minutes ended up taking 30 minutes. What a bummer! After several missed turns, I finally found the Ramada on the Beach, my next stop. I found solace in the fact that the staff was excited about seeing me, as I was one of their first tour participants.
From the Ramada, I headed up I-264 and across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. Riding through the tunnel was fine. It was the gusting and swirling winds on the bridges leading to and away from the tunnel that were a challenge. Luckily, the traffic was moving at a slow pace. After I got through the tunnel, I missed my exit (perhaps you see a pattern here), couldn’t blame the GPS this time. I made a quick u-turn and got back on course. I fell behind a group of 10 motorcyclists, followed them for about 10 miles, don’t know if they saw me. That was fun. Sometimes the company of other bikers is not so bad, even if you can’t talk to them. I stopped by the Hampton History Museum (Sponsor No 4), the next stop, and had lunch at a nearby restaurant on Nelson Street, spending a little money to help the local economy. Then, I was off to the Hampton Roads Harley Davidson, another sponsored stop. Boy do they have a lot of inventory, Harley’s everywhere. From there, I travelled to and stopped at the Newport News Visitors Center. The staff there was excited about seeing me. They have been a tour sponsor since 2009.
It was now about 3:00 P.M., and I was starting to feel the pain of being on and off a bike all day. I hopped back on the bike and headed I-64 W to Richmond.
Overall, it was a great tour, 312 miles, taking roughly 10 hours. The Connie behaved flawlessly. Now, she is parked in the garage, looking like a panther and wondering when we are going to take the next road trip.
Ride Safe!