DCSportbikes.COM

When: Sat August 23rd

Meet spot: Haymarket VA (Sheetz)

Time: Meet at 9:00am - Roll out at 9:30am   -  Return to Sheetz by 3:00PM

Distance: 168 mile loop

Pace: Noob Friendly (seriously)  It won't be a slow motion parade but be aware that the pace will be very mellow so if you want to rail then this ain't the ride. 

Ride details: This will be a meandering route out to the Shenandoah Valley on twisty roads with good surface. No unknown explorations or surprises, LOL.  The route will range north west and then turn south and run through Fort Valley. We'll be stopping for lunch and have regular gas stops/break about every hour.  If there is any interest in a short 30 mile run along Skyline Drive please mention it in your post and if there is enough interest I will consider modiying the route to include it, either way the total ride distance will not change much. There will some scenic spots along the route so pack your camera.

Rules: Legal bikes and riders only. Full gear recomended but not required. However don't show up in shorts & flip flops. 

Rain date: If the weather looks like it's gonna be crap on Saturday the ride will be postponed till the following day (Sunday 8/24) if both days look like crap then ride is canceled. It will be a game time call if the weather is borderline.

Notes: Please post if you plan to attend. If by chance there is much reponse I may call the ride "Full" or be looking for a volunteer to lead a 2nd group. If there aren't any reponses here don't show up and expect to find me. LOL.

I'll have to check my schedule, been busy as hell lately.

 is this still gonna happen?

my new tire should be mounted so i should be able to make this ride. 

 I'll make it +1 if my bike is out of the shop in time.

In for the regularly scheduled date. (Can't make the rain date if it comes to that - cripes did I just jinx it?). ++ on Fort Valley. Rode it Wednesday and it rocks. Also down with Skyline Drive, unless it means skipping Fort Valley. See ya' Saturday.

creoletxn:

 is this still gonna happen?

Yep. 

 I have to double check my schedule..but if I am free that day I am in.

I'm in. Skyline would be fine with me, but would prefer we take it before 11 (when the traffic starts getting heavy) and ride the Front Royal-Rte 211 stretch rather than the 211-33 part -- as "The One" pointed out in the "Skyline Drive" thread:

Took 33 from Barboursville and jumped on Skyline from there, took it all the way north.  Wanted to let you know that there was a substantial amount of loose gravel in quite a few places on Skyline.  A lot of it was in the corners too so take it easy.  Some of the areas have fresh pavement but it looks like they tar and pea gravelled a lot of places and that's where the loose gravel is from.

I was riding South on that stretch on that same day and found the same problems between 33 and 211 (but not between 211 and Front Royal).

Also, the current Yahoo forecast for 8/23 is a 40% chance of scattered showers, which I hope won't stop an 8/23 ride.

Nice noob ride on .net 1/2 hour earlier.  combine the two maybe?  hit me up windblown.

Taty,

I'll get with you after I run the route in the next couple of days and see what you think.

i might be down.  it's alittle of a hike for me to get to the meeting point early in the morning though.

Just a quick update. 

Looking at the numbers of riders expressing an interest on Tatys ride I've opted to keep this ride seperate from the ride he's putting together on .net to avoid a huge CF of riders.  Nothing against Taty or .net ridden with him and a bnunch of .net folks and always had a good time.  I just don't feel like dealing with the logistics of a huge combined ride.  So this ride remains as originally planned. 

I'll be staging under the Sheetz sign in the parking lot out by the air pump.  I'll be on a big black Concours with luggage.....but don't let the luggage fool ya. LOL

Windblown:

Just a quick update. 

Looking at the numbers of riders expressing an interest on Tatys ride I've opted to keep this ride seperate from the ride he's putting together on .net to avoid a huge CF of riders.  Nothing against Taty or .net ridden with him and a bnunch of .net folks and always had a good time.  I just don't feel like dealing with the logistics of a huge combined ride.  So this ride remains as originally planned. 

I'll be staging under the Sheetz sign in the parking lot out by the air pump.  I'll be on a big black Concours with luggage.....but don't let the luggage fool ya. LOL

couldn't agree with you more.  i'm done doing 100+ people group rides.  i rather keep it at 50 or less. lol...  j/k

i see you are taking out the dual sport concours. i'll watch for a far when you do the stream crossing.

 If my Duczuki don't blow up on the way there, mark me down as 50/50 for this ride.  Weather is suppose to be nice now.  I will be in the back as I am just healing from a broken collar bone and scaphoid.

-Brian

 Any MD riders going?  Maybe we can meet somewhere and ride to the meetup spot?

creoletxn:

 Any MD riders going?  Maybe we can meet somewhere and ride to the meetup spot?

I'm in Columbia MD, but at this point I'm still 50/50.  Won't know 100% until tomorrow night.

-B

I'm a strong maybe.

One hour slab ride to get there - I'm on the fence about it.  I'd say my chances are 80/20. 

Just got back in from running the route. I made a couple of very small changes to avoid some road work they are doing.  The total loop length is just about identical = 160 miles of nice roads.  As of now Skyline Drive is not on the route. However we'll be crossing past it near the end of the ride if anyone wants to peel off and run it instead.

Note: There is a small chance I may be riding my yellow DR-Z instead of the Concours as orginally stated. Depends on whether I get motivated to flush & re-fill the forks on the Concours this afternoon. Either way, I'll be staging under the Sheetz sign near the air pumps. 

 still in

Man, I've been rooting for it to rain Saturday, so you'd have to change it to Sunday. Oh well, I'll catch up with you on the next one, gotta watch the boy all day Saturday. You guys have fun.

Can I join in on this ride?  Where is this sheetz.  I'm coming from Gaithesburg and am not familiar with haymarket.

 I'm assuming it's the one near Rt66 and James Madison Hwy

 Rt 66 & Hwy 15, I'll be coming from Ft Washington/Clinton if anyone wants to meet up