Social Distancing Ride Reports

EricV

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So we're not supposed to hug, shake hands or gather in groups right now because of the coronavirus threat. Regardless of what you think about that, nothing stops us from going for a ride. So here is my ride. Feel free to show off your own "Social-Distancing" ride in this thread.


With all the concern, some valid, some over-hyped, and a break from the rain with temps in the low 70's, I thought it was high time I investigated the highest spot in Mississippi. (No, this is not a Ride to Dispensary report. :eek: ) I'd seen a blurb about it a few weeks ago when I was looking for a covered bridge for a moto wild card tag game and knew it was fairly close to Iuka, MS. It didn't take much of a Google search to find Woodall Mountain, elevation 807' (246 M) as the highest point in MS. A quick routing gave me some options, all just over an hour to get there from the house and around 70 miles. With a small thread of rain, I opted for the Klim jacket and tossed my rain bibs in the tail bag, just in case.

The trusty steed ready to go.
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On the way out of the neighborhood I noticed that the aircraft recycler at the Tupelo Regional Airport has gotten in a few new planes. Getting crowded. Usually this is a pre-curser to them getting serious about completely scrapping out the older planes.
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Out at Main street, plenty of people and kids at Ballard City Park. Nice trails, water with geese & ducks, playground, ball courts and fields and a couple museums with the skate park behind.
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I decided to take the Natchez Trace Parkway on the way up. Very low traffic and much of this leg I had the road to myself. 50 mph speed limit, but just as fast as the highway routes since it traverses from SW to NE and would let me exit at a good spot to pick up local roads and rural highways the rest of the way.
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The Trace is starting to green up and a few trees are blooming, (Eastern Red Bud and flowering pear and cherry trees right now).
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Wandering up the Trace I spotted an overlook sign. Now, this is Northern MS, so the term "overlook" usually results in a not very impressive viewpoint. I grew up in the PacNorWest and lived in Sothern Utah for the last decade before coming to MS. Overlooks there meant epic spots with panoramic views spanning great distances. Here is Twenty Mile Overlook on the Natchez Trace Parkway...
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And the money shot...
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Well, ok you can see for a ways, in this narrow gap in the trees. The sign really tells volumes of what fun traveling in this area was back in the day.

Naturally, since I'm heading for the highest point in MS, I needed to check the GPS to give me some perspective. (The max speed is from the previous owner of the GPS...)
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It was going to be a brutal climb to get that additional 411'. :p Not.

So back on the Trace heading NE I go. As I cross over the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway, known as the Tenn-Tom to the locals, I spot a tug with barges. Not something you always get a peek at when crossing over the Tenn-Tom, so I pulled in to the convenient wayside area right over the bridge. I know it has a walking path out to the river and with the slow speed of the barges I could get a picture or two of the tug and barges.

Here is the veiw point at the water's edge that has some interpretive signs.
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Continued in next post.
 
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EricV

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Looking back at the parking lot. There is an RV parked there with my bike behind it. (the RV proudly had a sign saying "I don't call 911" and a tiny yapping dog.)
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I took pics of the two signs that were still legible.
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Then I climbed down to the water's edge for a better shot of the tug and barges.
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Ruh-roh, better not toss any lit ciggarette butts off the bridge!
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Acrylonitrile & Benzene Hope that stuff doesn't leak out.

The Mighty Vincent W Sapp tugboat, pushing, pushing, pushing along. They were probably moving about 2-3 mph. The Tenn-Tom has several locks and is part of The Great Loop, a continuous waterway that allows boaters to explore Eastern North America.UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_10bb.jpg
Several miles later I depart the Trace and move onto empty local highways, then smaller local roads. There are nice signs pointing the way to Woodall Mountain at each turn. The last turn has this sign.
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The house on the corner happens to be owned by a County Sheriff Deputy. His car was out front in the driveway. Small comfort if I screw the pooch on the gravel/dirt road that starts just past his driveway! I would call this a 2nd/3rd gear road. Certainly 3rd gear on a Super Ten with 50/50 tires. On the Fizzy with street rubber I kept it to a reasonable 20-25 mph going up to the top.
*added note: It's been wet lately and this was pretty good on the front end, but looser and with a few slick spots and a few really good pot holes in places. It dips down steeply, then back up at the last bit to the summit. Dry and packed, it would be a fun stand on the pegs and romp 35-55 mph road except for a couple of corners and the dip. No like Northern Nevada, but not bad.
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EricV

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Summit Achieved! :cool:
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Garmin says it's only 804', but I may not have been at the very highest point. Maybe you have to stand on the boulder? (Note the max speed is still the same.)
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Not much of a view.
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And I was not the first person there today! Two others had already signed the log book. They need a new one, this one is pretty crowded now.
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That's pretty much it. I took a faster speed route home that still took about an hour. Never even took the helmet off during the 3 hour ride and spoke to no one, so successfully achieved 'social-distancing' while motorcycling. ;) I hope you enjoyed the read.

Now off to the kitchen to strain some chicken stock I've been brewing since 8am this morning.
 

EricV

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And just for balance, feel free to post your own "Social-Distancing" ride to this thread too. :)
 

EricV

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So....where is that 95mph speed zone? :eek: That would be the travel. :D
I just bought this GPS a couple of weeks ago and that really is from the PO. I was hoping it would be like my older unit, that had a max speed of 174 mph. Not even if I thru the bike out of a plane! It's a great way to mess with the LEO who thinks GPS are accurate tools. ;)

I'll probably just delete that max speed. As it's well below what that bike will do. It would be fun when I get the Honda CT125 though!
 
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Kyle_E

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I know why you took so many pictures. You took one every time you had to adjust or oil the chain didn't you? (Kidding)
Don't ever see me going back to chain life after a few months on the S10.

Looks like a fun day!
 
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ballisticexchris

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thanks for sharing Ericv... a nice ride for sure.
I love MS!! I must have traveled almost every backroad there on my KZ550 and KZ750 when I was stationed in Gulfport back in the 80's. Good on you Eric for finding a cool place to travel in your own state!!
 

EricV

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I know why you took so many pictures. You took one every time you had to adjust or oil the chain didn't you? (Kidding)
Don't ever see me going back to chain life after a few months on the S10.

Looks like a fun day!
Getting back into the chain drive mentality takes a little adjustment. I've only been doing day rides, so using trip 2 to keep track of chain lube interval. I took lots of pictures because there wasn't much to say! :D
 

Dougbug

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Ahh..nice report Eric, I knew you could ride to the top! I rode much of the Trace a couple years back on my Hippo. Had a bit of an upset stomach from some bad something from the morning hotel eats. Perfect road when you just want to motor along without dealing with folks in a hurry.
 

Checkswrecks

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Thanks for sharing and taking us along.

My social distancing these days is being on a ladder, trying to get a boat ready to splash this summer.
 

SkunkWorks

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I went out today to distance myself from everybody too.
Had to give the FJ some love!
Got in 128-miles today.
I went to check out some of the front-range canyons.

The roads were mostly clean. There was some sand, but it was easily avoided.

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I have taken my boys fishing here the past couple years, while we were camping at Golden Gate Canyon State Park...............in the Summer!
Kriley Pond.

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I can only imagine what goes on at this place?!?

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My route for the day.
I stopped in Golden for lunch.

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STenitus

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Excellent report(s) and beautiful machines! I'm still trying to come to terms with even incorporating the "social distancing" term in my vocabulary. The fact that it has now officially been associated with motorcycle riding, may allow me to do that!
 
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