Cavman
09-07-2016, 10:29 AM
I've been wanting to take a long trip on my Spyder...more than one state away. But the first Spyder I didn't trust so much as I purchased it pre-owned and it had it's issues. I would also be towing the 'Ooogly Trailer' with all my camping gear.
The trip I had planned for a couple of years was to go to OTR in West Virginia Labor Day weekend. The Old Timer's Reunion is the largest and oldest gathering of cavers in the United States. This year was the 67th year. See: www.otr.org
Since it takes longer to travel by motorcycle than by cage, I decided to break up the trip each way with a motel stop one night. That was a smart decision! Normally one of my favorite places to stay for some rest in the truck is "Rest Area" along the interstates. I figured that wouldn't work to well on the Spyder.
Being that is has been really HOT here in Georgia, I was wearing a cooling vest under my mesh jacket. On the way up I would have to stop every 60-90 minutes to re-soak the vest just to stay sane from the heat. That was last Wednesday. On Thursday, leaving Princeton, WV I knew there would be a rain factor so it was the Frogg Togg suit to wear. I was 'Banana Man' as the suit is yellow as is my Shoei helmet. It was cool enough not to wear the cooling vest.
The weekend was fun but it wasn't as wild as years in the past. Seems that everyone is mellowing out. The theme was Animal House this year. The movie was played on an outdoor screen in the Kiddie Corral, a fenced area for the kids to play in. This is a family friendly event.
If you are 21 and older, there is all the beer you can drink at the pavilion at night on tap.
We had several different musical groups playing on the weekend and a DJ Sunday night.
All kinds of caving contests with really good prizes. Caving vendors. Sitting in the river in chairs on Sunday to keep cool and party. That way you don't have to get up to go to the Port O Jon.137113Then there is the sauna area. Kids are allowed during the day but you have to be 18 or older at night. There are hot tubs, dry and wet saunas, volley ball area and a means to go down to the river to cool down. It is dammed off creating a pool like area.
Someone from the county comes to inspect the plumbing trailer that pumps chemicals into the hot tub water and filters it too.
Wore the the cooling vest both days traveling back to Georgia as it was hot again!
The only boring part of the trip was on the interstate traveling through TN both ways. The roads are mostly flat and straight. Maybe the old US routes would be better, but that would take longer. I did that on the way up taking US480 & US219 in WV.
So, that's one off the bucket list.....if I had a bucket list?
The trip I had planned for a couple of years was to go to OTR in West Virginia Labor Day weekend. The Old Timer's Reunion is the largest and oldest gathering of cavers in the United States. This year was the 67th year. See: www.otr.org
Since it takes longer to travel by motorcycle than by cage, I decided to break up the trip each way with a motel stop one night. That was a smart decision! Normally one of my favorite places to stay for some rest in the truck is "Rest Area" along the interstates. I figured that wouldn't work to well on the Spyder.
Being that is has been really HOT here in Georgia, I was wearing a cooling vest under my mesh jacket. On the way up I would have to stop every 60-90 minutes to re-soak the vest just to stay sane from the heat. That was last Wednesday. On Thursday, leaving Princeton, WV I knew there would be a rain factor so it was the Frogg Togg suit to wear. I was 'Banana Man' as the suit is yellow as is my Shoei helmet. It was cool enough not to wear the cooling vest.
The weekend was fun but it wasn't as wild as years in the past. Seems that everyone is mellowing out. The theme was Animal House this year. The movie was played on an outdoor screen in the Kiddie Corral, a fenced area for the kids to play in. This is a family friendly event.
If you are 21 and older, there is all the beer you can drink at the pavilion at night on tap.
We had several different musical groups playing on the weekend and a DJ Sunday night.
All kinds of caving contests with really good prizes. Caving vendors. Sitting in the river in chairs on Sunday to keep cool and party. That way you don't have to get up to go to the Port O Jon.137113Then there is the sauna area. Kids are allowed during the day but you have to be 18 or older at night. There are hot tubs, dry and wet saunas, volley ball area and a means to go down to the river to cool down. It is dammed off creating a pool like area.
Someone from the county comes to inspect the plumbing trailer that pumps chemicals into the hot tub water and filters it too.
Wore the the cooling vest both days traveling back to Georgia as it was hot again!
The only boring part of the trip was on the interstate traveling through TN both ways. The roads are mostly flat and straight. Maybe the old US routes would be better, but that would take longer. I did that on the way up taking US480 & US219 in WV.
So, that's one off the bucket list.....if I had a bucket list?