I wrote this for KLR650.net
I ran the BRP this past weekend with some buddies from TN. I superslabbed it to the begining of the BRP to get a campsite, they came up 81 from knoxville to meet me saturday night, the plan was to camp both nights, ride 1/2 down the parkway into NC, and split up this morning, with them finishing the ride south to Deals Gap and follow 129 home, and me taking 81, 64, and 95 back up to MD.
I showed at the campsite a few hours before them so after setting up camp and finding myself with a tent taht was in really bad shape (should have checked that) I ran out to grab a 12 pack of beer and a new tent. i was told walmart was just a few minutes up the road, a few minutes turned into an hour in each direction, but there were some cool tight twisties that lead to it, and some great views.
I show up and they are there, set up and fire started
The next morning we made some great bacon, and used the same pot to cook the eggs, which wound up tasting like bacon
Every few miles on the BRP is a scenic overlook, we didnt stop at too many of them, but some were just too cool to pass up
Eventually we came to a sign for the Natural Bridge which was supposed to be some big draw that has billboards plastering 81 both directions. Yeh it turned out to be a big mistake, although the cowboy riding the velociraptor out front almost made it worth the detour (me and Kyle, the board we know each other from is pretty childish and it carries over to real life)
Getting back to the BRP took us through an 8 mile single track two way dirt road with switchbacks up the mountain. The GS and the KLR had no problem, but the FZ1 really wasn't meant for it.
Continued down the BRP at a pretty good clip, pretty much maintaining a 60mph average except for some heavy patches of cars which we blew past at each opportunity. The GS and FZ1 had no problem powering past 5 or 6 cars but I really had to plan my passes with the seriously underpowered thumper, times like that I wish I was on my CBR. Thank god for headset communications, the term for passing is now shitville MAN! I watched a squirel try and kill itself with the GS, it ran right up to the back wheel, stopped then made a mad dash in front of the FZ1, neither of them stopped or swerved which must have really spooked the squirel pretty bad because we didnt see another one the rest of the trip.
Stopped for gas and an ass break after 100 miles. VA really has some dumpy places, in the 15 minutes we were there a dozen or so folks bought a case of naddy ice, the nastiest beer ever
Stopped and set up camp at Doughton Park, which i don't recommend, no showers or hot water, and expensive wood, other than that, its a normal primitive camp ground. There is a campground 8 miles down the road that has facilities and $5 for all the wood you can carry, which is enough to load down 2 bikes. They also sell beer there, and mustard.
FIRE!
Just need to watch out for those axe wielding KLR riders who are jealous of the passing power of the GS. Damn you BMW!!!
Woke up the next morning, skipped breakfast after the previous morning escapades and some big miles we all needed to do. Rode to the next overlook where we split up.
and trip humping my bike again
After they split away from em I shot back up the BRP into VA, took a good picture of myself with the bike at an overlook, and one at the NC/VA to add to my state line photo collection.
After that I just shot on the highway and bought some bad gas that almost left me stranded on the side of the road, changed out the spark plug and rebuilt the petcock on the side of the road before I realized the gas was a very thick shade of brown. Dumped the fuel and filled up with some fresh stuff and the bike ran fine for the next 130 miles until I rolled back into my garage.