July 2^nd, 2008
I’m Back!!

muse@bikerenews.com

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OK, I’ve been gone for a while. You know it, and I know it. Enough said.

Over the last year, I had gotten away from the type of riding that I enjoy - trips. It seems like the only time I could find to get away for a ride was taken up by event riding. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with riding events. For me, I get a chance to meet up with some riding buddies for breakfast, and to chip in a few dollars to a worthwhile charity.

However, I don’t get the same type of enjoyment from a poker or dice ride that I get from an open rode escape. There is just something about "Boldly Going" where I haven’t gone before that connects me to my motorcycle. Since I normally go on these trips alone, I’m able to set my own timetable for riding, eating, and sleeping. I can hear the sound of the motor humming, the wind whistling, and my favorite Blues collection on my IPod.

There has always been one reoccurring event that is worth saddling up for - Honda Riders of Tidewater (HRoT) Virginia Grand Tour (VGT). This tour identifies 15 locations around the state, and a rider must travel to at least 12 of the locations to be eligible for a pin.

The thing I like about the VGT is that it takes a little prep work on the rider’s part. Not owning a GPS system, I take the 15 locations and plot them on a Virginia grid map in my Road Atlas. I then play a little "connect the dots" with grid points to determine the best route for the tour.

The route is based on whether I have enough time to make all stops in a long weekend or need to break the ride into two or three trips. I make a copy of the 15 individual grid maps for close in navigation. Finally, I make preps for my personal comforts (clothing, meds, etc.).

Since the 2008 riding season is in full swing, it was easy to purchase a copy of the HRoT VGT booklet. You can get them from HRoT members, or get information on line at their website (www.hrot.org). The $15 cost is well worth the price, and the proceeds go to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation - Ride for Kids (www.pbtfus.org/rideforkids/).

Now there was only one thing wrong with getting started. After completing the VGT in 2004, 2005, and 2006, life prevented me from riding the 2007 VGT. Given the many personality quirks I have, it should come as no surprise that I was haunted by my 2007 failure to ride. Discussing this problem with a guy I consider a real motorcycle enthusiast, Dave L, he agreed to get me in touch with the individual who had set up the VGT since it started.

The Father of the VGT is no other than Terry Simpkins of Arctic Ride fame. Now I was a little hesitant to ask Terry for a 2007 VGT booklet. How could I explain to a guy that was planning a ride to the Arctic Circle and back that I hadn’t found time to take a trip around Virginia. Long story short, after a couple of emails, Terry was kind enough to mail me a 2007 VGT booklet.

Please take a moment to visit Terry’s website to learn more about his Arctic Ride (www.arcticride.com). He is trying to raise money for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation mentioned above. As of Monday, contributions totaled $11,093. Despite having finished his Arctic Ride, I’m sure Terry would be very grateful for any additional contributions for this worthwhile cause.

Terry Simpkins

So there I was with a 2007 and 2008 VGT to complete. Fair play, my sense of decency, and my reputation as a Biker eNews Staff Writer demanded that I complete the tours one at a time instead of making all 30 stops on the same trip. The real truth is that I figured, why make one trip around Virginia when two trips would be twice the fun.

Well, I made the 2007 VGT trip last weekend, it took 3 days, 1,390 miles and .... I’ll save that for the next article. For now, it is enough to quote that famous philosopher - Muddy Waters, "I live the life I love, and I love the life I live."

Ride Safe

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