Spring 2015 - Romney, West Virginia - May 1-3

[MojoToot]

Again... my $0.02 - that could be fun if you are on a Harley but I think the Tenere's capabilities would be better utilized heading up to Canaan, Dolly Sods, and Blackwater Falls.
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I have ridden all the paved roads in that area many times...but I think you may be referring to the unpaved options? I have a friend from NC that is supposed to join me on this venture & he'll be on a scrambler/cafe style Guzzi. And I told him that any dirt will be easy and limited...so I don't want to push the limits on overloading the unpaved parts.

So now I am going to try and take Lost River off the Smoke Hole/Smith Mt loop and add it to my Eastern Panhandle loop...

I guess I am up to $0.04 now... Got any more donations?

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I guess I am up to $0.04 now... Got any more donations?

I'll throw in a few shekles.

I agree that it would be tough to get all of that in on a single day. It could be done, but some of those roads are slower going than the estimate gives credit. Even without stopping for any reason I really don't think you could get it done in 8.5 hours. By the time you reach the end of Smoke Hole Road on that route you have seen a lot of highlights. You could set the GPS directly back to Romney from there if you're running out of time, or attitude. That would still be a good long ride. Not a lot of great stuff to see on a direct course back from the end of Smoke Hole, but still a pleasant uncongested ride back.

 

[trikepilot]

I guess I am up to $0.04 now... Got any more donations?

Guess that depends on how "dirty" your scrambler/cafe riding partner is gonna want to get. Heck, even Smith Mtn road could be handful on a cafe racer in the wrong conditions - or if not a handful... at least an exercise in silliness to bring such a bike on.

Honestly, I think you could take the large loop you originally proposed and break it into three independent loops with plenty of side explorations and a slower pace more conducive to enjoying that area on an ADV bike.

The biggest problem is that Romney is in the middle of nowhere really. All the good riding you are talking about is a 60-75 mile ride away from Romney so at least 2 hours (and likely more) of your daylight is gonna be consumed with the there-and-back process.

I have discussed this with DirtDad but I really think that Romney should think "bigger" if this ride continues to grow. I know they have a vested interest in holding it in their parking lot. But they really need to consider continuing to be the named host but vary the locations around the state. For example, basing the ride weekend right at Seneca Rocks to utilize the many campgrounds and cabins would base the riders right in the heart of some of the best ADV riding in the state if not the US. Ditto for doing the same thing down at the New River Gorge area. Or again down in the coal counties around the Hatfield-McCoy network.

But I digress...

 

[Dirt_Dad]

For those staying at the Koolwink or South Branch, Romney will shuttle you between the dealership and your hotel/motel. Leave your bike parked and come back to enjoy the fire and a beverage with a safe return back to your room.

Shuttle ends at 11pm, so plan accordingly.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

The biggest problem is that Romney is in the middle of nowhere really. All the good riding you are talking about is a 60-75 mile ride away from Romney so at least 2 hours (and likely more) of your daylight is gonna be consumed with the there-and-back process.

Sounds like I need to get you to come north more often. There definitely is great stuff 60-75 miles from Romney, as well as 150 miles, too. But you don't have to look hard at all to find wonderful stuff in all directions just a few miles out of town. One of the greatest things about Romney is it is in the middle of nowhere...really. ;D

Now get your professors to set you free that weekend and come enjoy.

 

[MojoToot]

So many roads, so little time...

BTW...My guzzi rider bud has been checking out the prices that Romney has on S10s...and he sounds interested...

We'll see. Come on Spring!!!

 

[spam16v]

Bought my base 14 there, would recommend

 

[MojoToot]

Bought my base 14 there, would recommend

I'll pass it on......all encouragement will be useful.

BTW, spam, saw this on the ADV Romney thread;

QUOTE from scesnick,".............................anyone riding up through Savage River State Forest. It is a beautiful ride right by the river................"
(From ADV forum)

Gonna try to do this on the way home Sunday as a connection to the TWO ONE NINER.

 

[spam16v]

Sounds good to me. Once I hit the border, I can cover some ground and beat feet home for a shower and a good night's sleep.


Does Romney get one of those shower/bathroom units? someone mentioned it somewhere, but wasn't sure.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Does Romney get one of those shower/bathroom units? someone mentioned it somewhere, but wasn't sure.

They do portable johns. The showers are wooden boxes with outdoor propane water heaters. They also have a building with running water, and a place to charge electronics. Usually have ice and water in that building. I know they are planning to expand the showers this year, including real doors rather than the billowing shower curtains.

 

[spam16v]

I'll take blowing curtains, just need a rinse now & again. Thanks

 

[MojoToot]

Guess that depends on how "dirty" your scrambler/cafe riding partner is gonna want to get. Heck, even Smith Mtn road could be handful on a cafe racer in the wrong conditions - or if not a handful... at least an exercise in silliness to bring such a bike on.....

Problem solved...GuzziTodd is now a new S10 owner with the help of Romney Cycles.

 

[True Grip]

Problem solved...GuzziTodd is now a new S10 owner with the help of Romney Cycles.

::026:: His world just got bigger ::012::

 

[BravoBravo]

Problem solved...GuzziTodd is now a new S10 owner with the help of Romney Cycles.

Nice! As a former Stelvio owner, I applaud his decision. ::008:: He will not regret it.

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Checkswrecks]

Umpteen design iterations and four shirt makers later, we finally are about to start selling shirts. After doing some polling of folks attending last year, we certainly are a cheap bunch. Everybody liked the design with the photo of the dirt road, but only a couple of you would pay the increased cost over a simple 3-color silk screen. One of the attendees last year was InHouse Bob, who it turns out has a shirt making business and is giving us a great price.


$13 for short sleeve
$16 for long sleeve


Add $6 for postage in the US or $10 for Canada, so that you can arrive in style, or pick them up in Romney for free.
::014::


The shirts are marked up about $2 each because we need some extras. As before, all extra money goes to the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, located in Romney and we are talking to the Brazilians about another shirt exchange to do a charity auction. Thanks to our first Tenere buyer, True Grip, for pointing out that rounding payments up just helps what we contribute out of this.
::003::

Dark colors were overwhelmingly preferred and InHouse Bob's great price was for a single shirt color, so we are going exclusively with West Virginia dark blue. People are fairly evenly split on whether they want long versus short sleeves, plus, want a range of sizes so their shirts fit. This all means that we need to take orders AND MONEY up front.


pm me for my email and to tell me the size(s) you want. DON'T FORGET TO TELL ME (1) LONG SLEEVE OR SHORT, (2) SIZE, (3) ADDRESS IF THE SHIRT IS TO BE MAILED, AND YOUR REAL NAME TO TIE TO THE AVATAR NAME. We are collecting via PayPal, using my email address. When I see the size(s) you want in your email and the money is received, I'll send you a confirmation email. We don't yet have a hard cut off date in April yet, but it will only be weeks from now when we will ask InHouse Bob to print the shirts.


FRONT:

BACK:

[Legalese - I'll get the shirts into the mail but have no control about what happens between you and your mailman. The artwork is fairly locked down but it's possible that some details may change slightly.)

 

[MojoToot]

County rd 46/48 near Keyser....on shirt back....where exactly is that road & why is it 'special'???

TIA
Andy

 

[Checkswrecks]

County rd 46/48 near Keyser....on shirt back....where exactly is that road & why is it 'special' ???

TIA
Andy

While 46 and 48 will be changed from "46/48" to "46, 48" I put them there as an area, more than as one or two roads. For those unfamiliar, WV counties will assign a base number, such as 46, then associated roads get a /#, such as Road 46/3. So these are a series of roads generally around Keyser.


For example, you can take 46/4 west out of Keyser to skip Westernport and some of the other 4, 46, and 220 roads in the area are good to poke around. These roads have a lot of heavy truck traffic and the rough pavement is fun on the Tenere, less so on a VFR. Or from Westernport south, 46 starts as rough asphalt then suddenly is smooth as it runs past Jennings Randolph Lake (watch for a radar trap on the downhill). Near there, 46 ends in 42, which has another road group to explore.

 

[MojoToot]

I understand the labeling method using the / and connecting cross roads, 46/X rds, yep-get that too.
It's the '48' I don't find anywhere.

 

[MojoToot]

I guess you mean; 46/4 & 46/8

 

[Checkswrecks]

I understand the labeling method using the / and connecting cross roads, 46/X rds, yep-get that too.
It's the '48' I don't find anywhere.

OK, you got me on two typos in 5 characters. LOL I was thinking of US 48 with that smooth section coming down off Mt. Storm.

Thanks