1,400 Mile Test Ride

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1,400 Mile Test Ride

The conversation usually goes like this
Me: "I bought a bike, it’s in Birmingham, AL"
Them: "Oh, are you having it shipped?"
Me: "No, I’m flying down and riding it home"
Them, confused…"You’re riding it all the way back?"
Me, confused…"Ummm yes, that’s the plan."

Tail of the Dragon, purchased pic from Xtreme Sports Photography

Riders who understand adventure get why I wanted to Fly & Ride.
Others never hear the road calling.

I got to Birmingham 12 hours after the tornadoes.
As much as I like to document everything with my camera, I could not stop and take pictures of the pockets of tornado damage I encountered. It would have been too…intrusive. Who was I, a joy riding vacationer, to walk in on their grief.  I looked…I rode on.  It was a sobering experience.
Caravan of Utility Trucks Heading Toward N.Georgia

That area of the country has had a spate of severe weather. But my good riding Karma came with me this trip, I encountered the bluest of skies my entire 3.5 days. It was just a little bit of riding heaven.

My ride home strategy was this, hit the highway and put Alabama behind me the first half day. Head toward Tennessee and roads whose names end in “Parkway”.

Ride nothing but nice stuff on Friday, and assess my forward progress and make a plan based on that on Saturday.   This plan mostly worked out.  As I’ve learned from previous adventures, flexibility is the key to success.
Long evening shadow

Oh the bike.  Well yes, the bike was everything I was promised and more. I never expected to bond so quickly with the new machine. But 18 hours after taking title to it, I was putting it through the paces on the Tail of the Dragon.
Killboy.com photo

Pretty impressive comfort level for a bike I’d just met.  I liken it to a good first date. Occasionally you will have one where the conversation flows so naturally it is like you’d known each other forever. That is how I felt on the Parkways of Tennessee on Friday; we spoke each other’s language.
Killboy.com photo

to be continued...

Source: 1,400 Mile Test Ride

She Rides a Beemer - http://sheridesabeemer.blogspot.com