For us gearheads, there's nothing but motorcycling that stirs our soul like railroads, so I decided to follow the route of the old C&O RR through the Virginia and West Virginia mountains, specifically from Crozet to Hinton. Crozet is named after one of the more influential Virginians from the 19th century you’ve probably never heard of. Here I wanted to follow what would … [Read more...] about Chasing Crozet: Along railroads and tunnels
Rider Tours
Skyline Drive to Front Royal: Thwarted by rain, rewarded with sun
Pausing at the southern gate to Virginia’s Skyline Drive, I surveyed the dark clouds ahead. There’s that sensible side of yourself that tells you today is not the right day for exploring one of the region’s most famous scenic drives. Then there’s the sunk-cost motorcycling addict who says, I’ve traveled this far to do this. I’m not afraid of a little rain. A decade earlier, I … [Read more...] about Skyline Drive to Front Royal: Thwarted by rain, rewarded with sun
Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
On the evening of Dec. 31, 1952, legendary country singer Hank Williams checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. By the following day, the iconic performer would be pronounced dead at a hospital in the depths of rural West Virginia. Although there is much debated speculation and haphazard lore as to what really occurred along “Hank Williams’ Last … [Read more...] about Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
The eternal Tennessee River: Riding from Chattanooga to Rocket City
My aversion to riding main highways resulted, quite by accident, with the road bending through a stately Chattanooga neighborhood. As my three-cylinder Yamaha purred through the narrow streets, a vista opened on the right. To my delight, I realized I’d inadvertently arrived atop Missionary Ridge. Always the history buff, I can’t resist reading a historical marker or visiting … [Read more...] about The eternal Tennessee River: Riding from Chattanooga to Rocket City
Rally ’round a train trip: Amtrak eases cross-country to the BMW MOA Rally
It’s day six near Lorton, Virginia, and I find myself sitting in plush travel comfort. I am barely aware of the ear worm rattling in my brain. It is an old Memphis style blues song, “Mystery Train” written by Junior Parker and made popular by The Band in 1976. The earworm keeps repeating, “The train I ride 16 coaches long. Well, that long black train carries my baby home.” My … [Read more...] about Rally ’round a train trip: Amtrak eases cross-country to the BMW MOA Rally
