Deals Gap trip

[zore]

So unable to sleep, the bikes and gear loaded, I set off for Townsend NC at around 2am Tuesday morning.  The weather here in Joysie is great so I had expected more of the same...  BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT. Eleven hours later I arrive at the beautiful cabin that we rent every year (many of the scenery images on my site are off the deck).  My friend Brian calls (he is the ring leader of this little operation) and tells me he's on the foothills parkway and will be there in 20 minutes. 

Having 3 motorcycles gives you certain luxuries.  You can have a sport bike, a sport tourer and some old Yamaha that reminds you just how good your other 2 bikes really are.  I chose to bring the Monster and the XZ550RJ aka R5.5.  I look at my trailer to pick my weapon of choice.  What the hey, the R5.5 comes off and gets warmed up.  I had just re-jetted the thing before I left (big mistake) and it seemed to run well in jersey (not really, but I would have liked to believe it did). I had pulled out the 122.5 and 127.5 and thrown in a 127.5 and a 133.  At home the 133 was too rich so I put in a 130 in the rear.

Brian shows up and off we go.  The excitement was getting to me a bit I think as we rolled down the extremely steep driveway on to route 321 and headed toward 129.  The first couple of turns had me on edge a bit.  I had recently found out that the Yokohama Speed Line II's on my R5.5 were mounted back in 1989 (I was a sophomore in highschool for those keeping track).  The tires had no dry rot or cracking, but you know, they are old.  So far so good, the roads are dry, I'm taking turns with increasing speed and the bike is running well.  Until it warmed up completely.

Evidently my jet choice was so very, very wrong.  I had now successfully given my poor Vision such a bog when getting on the gas, that it was almost unridable in the foothills parkway.  Which was ok I guess since it started to rain.  We pulled off an overlook and decided what we should do.  My vote was easy, keep going.  Which was good,  because if we hadn't, we would have missed all that happend next.

We make it to 129 and head towords the Dragon.  It's raining but I really didn't care, I just wanted to ride.  We make about 5 miles in when we are greeted by a friend staying at another cabin, waving us to slow down.  We pull off to see what the fuss.  We quickly learn that one of the other members had decided that passing an off duty sherifs car, in the rain, on a double yellow was a good idea.  I'll let all of you decide that for yourselves.

Yes I know we may be a bit cruel, but when you talk a lot of smack about your riding skills, you best be prepared to take some heat when you blow it (provided you aren't injured.. too badly.) You are looking at a low mileage, 2005 GSXR 1000 that was being used as a drill bit.  He augered her in but good. 




Here is another shot pre photoshop.  Climbing down there wasn't easy, so I hope you can appreciate the work involved for this little joke. (Thats me)






The rest of the pictures.  As you can see, it's quite a ways down, and I went all the way to the bottom looking for his tank bag, which turns out, didn't exist because he had no tank bag.  That sucked really bad.

http://www.rc30.us/gap06.html

The next day.  I get up bright and early, pick a bike and clean it up a little.  I figured, the sun was out, I'll take the Monster out at least once.  We did the usual loop thru Deals gap, headed to the Skyway, then back.  It was beautiful weather and a great day of riding. 

I managed to stop by Wheelers that morning to pick up some jets.  He had a 120 and a 125 which I figured was better than nothing.   You see, on my list of things to bring along was the 122.5 jet just in case, my jetting choice was incorrect.  I had packed, latex gloves, mechanics gloves, another pair of mechanics gloves, 3 spools of wire, duct tape, electrical tape, 2 multi meters, an extra battery, acid for the extra battery, and extra rear tire, 2 bike stands, 3 cans of chain lube, engine degreaser, light bulbs, an extra horn, paper towels, shop paper towels, various rags, fork oil, a leather jacket, my 2 piece leathers, my joe rocket mesh suit, my joe rocket razor suit, 5 pairs of riding gloves, a tool box, tools for the tool box, and a bin of other things I can seem to remember.  You would have thought I could remember the jet.  I did a quick jet swap and was off to Clingmans dome (spelling?)  The bike was fixed and ran better than before.  The bog was gone (at least until I reached higher elevations) and I was back to shredding assfault on a 25 year old bike and 17 year old tires. 

I had brought the Vision specifically on a bet.  Seems one of the newer riders in our group, didn't seem to care much for my littel R5.5 and felt that even in his infant state of riding, his sv650s and he would leave me and the Vision in the dust.  This little exercise was not too be as it would appear that he got pulled over in Georgia on a suspended license and did a night in the pokey.    :o

Thursday rolled in, and so did the rain.  One of the guys staying with us, managed to wear his St1100 rear tire to slick and did a little off roading the day before at the gap.  Off to Wheelers again for a tire.  Tire was on and I decided to hit route 28 on the way back to the COT.  What a great road but the Mini's were out in force.  At the gap, I managed to get a full run in the dry.  The tires seemed to be good enough to get the rust off the peg and scratch some powder coating off my new mac exhaust.  Cheers to Yokohama for making a tire that lasted all these years and still sticks.

Friday was a day of rain.  Took the vision out for a few jaunts thru the gap and decided to hang out at the COT for the afternoon to see what the weather was doing.  Saw the ROV tshirt hanging up as I ordered my chicken fingers.  One of the other guys I was riding with had mentioned he had seen 2 XZ550's that Saturday.  Wish I could have met up with you peeps for a little, but oh well.  It seemed to rain the rest of the day, so my friend and I headed back to Townsend but decided to take Happy Valley road instead of the foot hills parkway.  A drunken stooper followed shortly after we got back.

Saturday was  probably my favorite day.  Not a cloud in the sky and the Monster was calling.  I decided to pack my camera gear and take some pictures.  My friend tried his new helmet cam out and we have some video of me going thru the gap (will come later).  I was feeling a bit froggy and picked up the pace going thru the gap and skyway that day.  But like they say, all good things must come to an end so back on the trailer the bikes went.

Here are the pics I took on Saturday for those who are interested.  And for the ROV members who were at the gap, find your pics on Killboy.com and post some links, I know I will.

So what did I learn? 

A.  The monster handles much better with out the steering stablizer
B.  Write down a list of things you need and don't forget the jets
C.  When I come up with a list of upgrades for the monster, just ride the vision a little and it will remind me just how good the monster is.
D.  You can have fun on just about any motorcycle and I did have an absolute blast on it.
E.  Motards are just stupid silly fast thru the gap.


This was my first attempt so some pictures came out better than others.  Enjoy.

http://scrunchkin.com/modules/xcgal/thumbnails.php?album=35&page=1&sort=nd

[Mutt]

That's incredible! Gives a whole new meaning to "getting wood"! Too bad we couldn't have coordinated our time there. I would like to have seen all this excitement.

Mutt

[Baznmel]

It brings back memories- Once upon a time my dad and I had to get to Murphy, North Carolina for a family emergency.  The only transport I had at the time was a rebuilt, newly salvage titled kawasaki two-stroke 500 triple.  Dad rode an old kz1000 of CHiP's fame.  Old timers may remember the 500 triple and it's 750 big brother were legendary for going fast in a straight line, but if you want to turn or stop, plan ahead.  I'd never heard of Deal's gap until I was in it.  I took me a awhile to figure out why my face mask kept fogging up- I was holding my breath, and breathing in gasps through those..what is it? 318 curves in eleven miles? Anyway that's what it said on the T-shirt I bought to commemorate the experience.  Glad your friend made it- somebody was watching over him (but not the bike)that day.

[zore]

I actually have a video of my run thru the gap.  I decided to put to gether a small clip of my post gap run.  It's nothing fancy, but I laughted a little.  The gap run will follow.  Just have to find music for it.


http://www.m900.net/images/P/Misc/gap06lc.wmv

[haunter]

hahahhahaha nice video


the M sounds great!

[h2olawyer]

Funny stuff, zore.  That's almost exactly what I normally do at the end of a riding day!  ;D

H₂O

[Superfly]

That's almost exactly what I normally do at the end of a riding day! 

Oh, do that after...
man, I always do things backwards!  ;D

[Mutt]

That's almost exactly what I normally do at the end of a riding day! 

Oh, do that after...
man, I always do things backwards!  ;D

You mean you guys don't have an installed Koozie on your bikes? Nothing like a cold one while riding "The Dragon"!

Mutt

[h2olawyer]

No koozie attached, but I do ride with a camelback in my tankbag.  Only filled with liquid & solid H₂O though.  It's not far from my bike to the fridge in the garage.   ;D  I've found alcohol mixes with motorcycles as well as it does with gunpowder.   ;)

H₂O

[Mutt]

No koozie attached, but I do ride with a camelback in my tankbag.  Only filled with liquid & solid H₂O though.  It's not far from my bike to the fridge in the garage.   ;D  I've found alcohol mixes with motorcycles as well as it does with gunpowder.   ;)

H₂O

Well even that quote doesn't go with some of the back woods people here. They think that you caint shoot off dem fireworks wid out alkehol!  :P In fact a lot of stores here sell fireworks on the same isle as alkehol.  ::)  When I lived in Mi. hard liquor was sold in the grocery store on the same isle as baby diapers. Strange huh?

Mutt

[zore]

In fact a lot of stores here sell fireworks on the same isle as alkehol.  ::)  When I lived in Mi. hard liquor was sold in the grocery store on the same isle as baby diapers. Strange huh?

Mutt

Having 2 kids, I don't find that strange at all.

[Lucky]

I have a pic somewhere on my pc of a sign in my local grocery store that says "baby nipples"....
insert your own joke here.

[ProfessorRex]

Here is New Orleans they serve booze at movie theaters.  I just had such a blast watching MI:3, I highly recomend it.  And i'm pretty sure there's booze on every isle of the grocerys here.

EDIT: I just read my post, and wouild like to mention that my little brother was driving. (just got his permit, god help us all!)