...but MAN am I WIPED out (mentally and physically). Still am recovering this morning.
I was going to have my wife take a pic but she was too groggy at 2am yesterday, so I just jumped on the bike and headed to the gas station. Starting odometer/receipt:
I wanted to ride as fast as I could to get as much daylight later for the return ride back. Made good time all of the way into Knoxville. Once I was in Knoxville, I just went to the closest gas station I saw, filled up and got a receipt, and immediately headed back:
Lot's of traffic into Knoxville of course and heading back on US 40 east but wasn't bad. I 81 north of course was getting jammed up with truckers, most were polite, a couple tried to kill me as usual. But that's expected.
Once I got past Harrisonburg it started to get dark and my mental and physical sharpness and abilities started to deteriorate. I was pulling off the interstate a little more often, to drink Gaterade in my back cooler I strapped down, and eat a handful of fruit chews. Also to stretch and walk around for a couple of minutes; the pain that always develops between my shoulder blades was raging. Was eating G.I. Candy but it wasn't helping much. No choice but to push on.
Coming into Martinsburg my mental sharpness and motorcycle handling abilities was really starting to concern me. I had slowed down a little more while running the interstate, but the truckers were really beating me up with the pressure waves from their rigs; which were hitting me as they passed. Even though the F6B is a heavy bike, it seemed that each truck passing me was having a greater instability effect with the motorcycle.
Not only that, it was dark and deer at night really wig me out. So I was also expecting them to materialize out of nowhere on the darkened stretches of the highway, that was mentally draining as well.
I finally crested South Mountain as I was approaching Frederick, and I stopped in Fredneck for my first real meal; a Snickers candy bar at Sheetz. That gave me energy for the home stretch into the Arundel Mills area. Closed the trip for the final documentation for the time stamp and odometer:
But I got home safe and sound, no negative incidents. Even had enough energy to unpack and put the bike in the shed to bed (a good soldier always takes care of his horse before he tends to himself). Going to give the bike a good wash today and change the oil. She deserves it:
In closing, I don't think I'm going to do something like this on a regular basis. It sort of kicked my butt. I have however, BT/DT
Reply With Quote