GPZ Trip Report

Mon May 10 07:58:33 PDT 2021

October 7.
Bike at hairpin is a Harley

> On May 10, 2021, at 12:29 AM, Alexander Finger <af at genevainformation.ch> wrote:
> 
> This looks like some serious pass riding - was that in May/April?
> Alex
> 
>> On Mon, May 10, 2021 at 12:47 AM art johnson <arthjohnson270 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> 
>> 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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> 
> 
> -- 
> --
> http://alexfinger.ch for pgp key etc
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