GPZ Trip Report

Sun May 9 15:47:22 PDT 2021

Stevio Pass Italy, Oct 7, 2018 South to North, approx 75 hairpins
[image: IMG_0548.JPG]
[image: IMG_0546.JPG][image: IMG_0551.JPG]

On Thu, May 6, 2021 at 1:30 PM Charles Scappaticci <scapco at ecentral.com>
wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> The list is pretty dead these days, but it doesn't mean there isn't any GPZ
> riding going on.
>
> I got back Monday from a ride to the east coast from Denver on the GPZ,
> though we cheated and towed to Wichita Kansas to avoid 540 miles of the
> windy, flat, I-70 drive.  It also helped keep our fresh rubber new for
> riding the Smoky Mountains.  I went with my friend, Bruce who some of you
> have met, he has ridden with me for many years, including my last trip to
> Alaska and stayed with his sister, Lisa.
>
> Saturday morning, we loaded up the bikes in a light fog and drizzle and
> headed east on 421 then north in Missouri.  We had planned a route to keep
> us off of the freeways and stayed true to that.  We went farther north than
> we probably needed, but crossed the Mississippi at Cairo, IL then
> immediately crossed the Ohio river and stopped for the evening in Paducah,
> KY after having ridden 540 miles, mostly in cool temps with occasional
> drizzle and frequently wet roads.  Glad I had my heated jacket liner and
> grips!!
>
> Sunday morning, we left Paducah in a heavy, wet fog but drove out of it in
> about 1/2 hour and headed south through Kentucky.  The weather was cool and
> cloudy, but dry and a little warmer so it was a much better ride than
> Saturday.  We cut south through Nashville as we were both tired and worked
> our way down to Tellico Plains where we met Bruce's son, Danny, who also
> rode to Alaska with us.  We got a cabin at Hunts motorcycle campground,
> unloaded and headed east around the Cherohala Skyway for a nice evening
> ride.  I was feeling pretty rusty as I hadn't really ridden the GPZ since
> August 2018 when I took it to Sturgis, not exactly a technical ride from
> Denver.  I was doing out of state consulting work for a while and then last
> summer was a bust with Covid and having to move after my ex screwed me out
> of my house.  Anyway, it was a nice ride to help me get my timing back.
> Rode 400 miles.
>
> Monday morning, we had a light breakfast then headed down the Cherohala
> Skyway once again then over to run the Tail of the Dragon.  I had run it
> over Thanksgiving in 2018 on a rented Ducati Multistrada and had a great
> time riding the roads there.  We went through and back with no accidents or
> performance awards, took a few pictures then headed towards Maggie Valley
> to see the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum.  I highly recommend this
> museum to anyone visiting the area, as it's first class all the way.
> Afterwards, we worked our way back and headed back up the Skyway once again
> but at a fast pace. Heading into a hard left corner by an overlook, I hit
> the brakes only to find I had no back brake and almost piled it up before
> getting it turned.  The rest of the ride back I avoided using the rear
> brake, guessing correctly I had cooked the back brake fluid, a later
> examination of my maintenance log indicated I hadn't changed the fluid in
> 13 years.  Oops...  Turns out Danny had done much the same to his FZ09's
> front brakes.
>
> Next morning, we said our goodbyes as they were headed to Auburn Alabama
> where Danny lives and I headed out by myself towards Greensboro, NC where
> my girlfriend, Mary, lives.  I got to ride the Skywaya once more then
> mostly slabbed it to Greensboro as my back was (and is) killing me.  I had
> accidentally hurt my back the night before we left trying to find my
> cigarette adapter, which I didn't find, and it has had me in pain ever
> since, though I think it's finally on the mend.  I got into Greensboro
> around 5:00 and unpacked for the night.  Wednesday was a relaxing day to
> try to get some rest.  After the trip there, it was obvious my old riding
> gear needed to go to the dump.  I wore all my old gear and kept my newer
> gear at home, but I've lost over 50lbs since I used to wear them, so they
> were huge and wouldn't stay up.  Thursday, we went to Cycle Gear in
> Greensboro and I bought a nice pair of armored cordura jeans with knee pads
> which are very comfortable, then went back to the house and removed the
> luggage racks on the GPZ plus I flushed the rear brake fluid which brought
> that back to life.
>
> Friday morning, I hopped on the bike and headed 200+ miles to Wilmington,
> NC to see the Atlantic ocean.  I wanted a picture of the bike looking over
> the Atlantic ocean as I have pics of it in Alaska looking over the Arctic
> ocean, the Pacific Ocean and now the Atlantic.  I decided I'm going to do a
> write up of all the major trips I have taken on the mighty GPZ over 24
> years and 72K miles.  Did 460 miles round trip.  The bike never missed a
> beat over the whole trip and I can't say enough good about the Michelin
> Pilot Road 4 GT's I put on before the trip, really great tires.
>
> Saturday, I washed the bike then borrowed a few tools to change the oil,
> cleaned and oiled the chain, filled the tank with Sta-Bil treated
> non-ethanol gas, drained the carburetors and hooked up a battery maintainer
> before covering it up until I visit Greensboro once again.  I've got a 2014
> Ducati Multistrada GT and a 2003 Vulcan 1600 Classic so I have bikes to
> ride here in Denver.  One reason to leave it is that I'm looking to
> relocate to Greensboro and this would be one less bike to have to move.  I
> think the old girl still has a few more adventures left in her, maybe
> Daytona next spring?
>
> Sorry for the long post, but I hope to hear of some others and their rides
> this summer.  I'm looking forward to the warm weather!
>
> Charles S.
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