Cool Jeff, looks like a pretty fulfilling trip all the way around!

On Mon, Jul 14, 2008 at 5:41 AM, J Stewart <fonman4277@comcast.net> wrote:

> This weekend I got to fulfill a long time dream of mine. I hooked up my
> trailer, loaded up my Yamaha Virago 1100 and took off for Skyline Drive. My
> daughter left for two weeks in Europe on Friday, and the wife doesn't want
> anything to do with either the Vanagon or the Virago. So, it was just me,
> the camper, the bike, a cooler with some food and lots of beer! I had made a
> reservation at Matthews Arm camp ground weeks ago, only $15.00/night but no
> hookups and no showers. There are bathrooms with flush toilets, but when you
> see a sink with only one faucet handle, you know it ain't gonna be HOT
> water. This camp ground is very nice, sites are fairly level and not too
> close. Another nice thing for me is I only live about 50 miles away, so it
> didn't cost me a lot in gas. I was warned by the rangers at check in to the
> camp ground to keep all my food and trash locked up. Five female bears each
> had 3 cubs this spring, and bear sightings were numerous. I arrived Saturday
> afternoon and set up
> camp, then unloaded the bike and took off for a ride. I was warned that
> riding Skyline Drive would be tedious and boring because of the 35 mph speed
> limit, but that couldn't be further from the truth. There was not a lot of
> vehicle traffic, though there were hundreds of motorcycles, and I had no
> problem doing between 45-50 mph. I returned to camp and while cooking dinner
> a German family pulled up to the site next to me in what I'm guessing was a
> rental car. Instead of backing down the paved driveway to the site, the
> father backed across the grass, running over the post with the site number
> on it! I figured at that point he must be an engineer with VW, probably the
> guy who designed the 1.9 cooling system. They all get out, mom, dad, and two
> teenage daughters and start yelling at each other in German, unpacking
> camping gear from the trunk. Next thing I know they are shoving it all back
> in the car and they move to site further down-I guess at 6'4" and all my
> tattoos I looked too intim
> idating? Ate dinner and then watched "The Quick And The Dead" on DVD. Fell
> asleep  around 10:00pm, and with the cool mountain air slept very well. Got
> up around 7 on Sunday morning, had some coffee and took off on the bike
> heading south. I rode until around 1:30 I decided I had gone far enough and
> had better turn around. The skies were getting dark, thunderstorms were
> predicted for afternoon, and I had a long ride back to camp. I made it back
> with just seconds to spare. I had left the roof up, so I quickly dropped it
> down and covered the bike, then the skies opened up. Around 7pm the rain let
> up a little, but it looked like it was probably going to rain all night, so
> I loaded the bike back on trailer and headed for home. All in all, very nice
> weekend and I can't wait to do it again. Below is a link to some pics I
> took.    Jeff
>
>
>
> http://picasaweb.google.com/veedubguy84/Skyline
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
Crescent Beach, BC
www.crescentbeachguitar.com
http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27