SEPTEMBER RIDES

Written by Geanne and Clyde Yohn

Reprinted from PA Chapter “A” Newsletter

            We had two fantastic long weekend rides in September.  The month started with the Labor Day weekend ride led by Denny and Betty Pugh to North Carolina.  When we pulled into the motel in Winchester, VA on Friday, we were greeted by the rest of the group who all arrived before us:  Denny and Betty Pugh, Ken and Gerry Geib, Don and Gladys Kreiser – all from Chapter A.  And from Chapter F we had Dave & Dot Schoener and Carl and Joanne Hickernell.  Those who hadn’t eaten yet walked across the street for dinner then we all drug our room chairs outside and sat around and chatted.  Promptly at 7AM Saturday morning, the parade pulled out.  Six cycles and a shiny black Thunderbird as our caboose.  First stop was Shoney’s for breakfast, then up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.  What a gorgeous day and beautiful scenery!  Everything was perfect.  We stopped along the way and had a picnic lunch – everyone had brought enough food for several meals!  We had two rather reckless cycle riders pass us not once, not twice, but three times.  I guess they didn’t realize they weren’t getting anywhere as they seemed to stop much longer than us and then end up behind us again.  Each time they passed us it was more reckless and we all cheered when we saw the flashing lights with them pulled over by the Park Ranger!  We arrived at our destination, the Gathering Place, to find nice rooms, rocking chairs, hot showers, and plenty of other motorcyclists including Joel and Penny Kettering.  We had dinner in the motel’s restaurant.  They had a bluegrass band inside and they opened the windows up so we actually were sitting right beside the band.  Food was good and conversation flowed.  We retreated to “our side” of the motel and had a nice evening socializing.  Sunday morning it was a bit foggy so Denny and Betty led us on a safe route to Shatley Springs, where we had a real southern home-style breakfast.  Food, food everywhere!  And we drank the “good for whatever ails you” water from the spring … Plus Gerry sprinkled some of it around on those she thought needed it.  After breakfast we were off on a ride with a stop at Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia.  Again, what a beautiful day!  Back to the motel and then we took Ken along with us to uncover a geocache which was hidden just around the corner at a little church.  If you don’t know what geocaching is, go to www.geocaching.com and check it out.  Dinner was at a steak place … No one had steak, but they had a huge food bar, which had something for everyone.  Again, there was social time at the motel, with Gerry winning 25 cents from her Cribbage tutor.  Monday morning we woke up to fog again.  Stayed at the motel for breakfast and then it was time to head out.  Again, we took a safe route which still had some fog, but not too bad.  The Geibs and Ketterings split off part way as they were taking the direct route home.  The rest of us traveled on some of the most beautiful roads as Denny and Betty led us north.  The rain (Ivan was on his way) eventually caught up with us, but we rode cautiously and arrived at our hotel in Lexington, VA safe and sound and just a tiny bit soggy.  A hot shower felt good and we walked next door to the restaurant for dinner and lots of laughter.  And off we went along more of those beautiful Virginia roads and back to Pennsylvania.  Great ride – thanks Denny & Betty

On Friday, September 24 the Geibs, Yohns, Myers, Pughs, and Faix couples gathered at Bob Evans for breakfast, and then with Ken Geib in the lead on this GW and Gerry Geib on the tail in her van, we headed off to West Virginia and the Road Kill Cookoff.  Meredith Faix decided to ride in the van with Gerry, because of her recent shoulder surgery, so you could almost have called this a one-up trip as everyone was riding single except the Pughs.!  Our mid-afternoon lunch stop was at Seneca Rocks in WV.  Gerry had packed us a picnic lunch and again, we had lots of food!  We ate out lunch while watching the climbers all over the rocks.  Next stop was our home for the weekend, where we had 4 of the 5 rooms in the River Place Hotel.  Carl and Meredith stayed just on the other side of the bridge.  The rooms were clean, a/c didn’t quite seem to be working – although Gerry said it was all in their room.  We had dinner in a little redneck bar across the street.  Food was good.  Then we got out the games and sat on the deck of our hotel and played marbles and dominoes.  Time for bed … some slept well, others didn’t.  Seems it depended on which side of the building you were on as to how much noise you heard.  We had breakfast in the hotel, then Ron and Gloria Mentzer joined us – they had been staying at the Snowshoe area doing their homework for next year’s rally.  Spent most of the morning/early afternoon around the crafts and tasting road kill.  Well, not really road kill, but definitely game animals.  Actually everything was very good!  Ken led us on a ride up to the Cranberry Glades where we took a hike through the bogs.  More riding – this time over the mountain and right into fall colors!  Seems it’s a lot colder on that side of the mountain!  Dinner was at the Marlinton Inn.  Back to the rooms for showers and back to the deck for games – the big game being the marbles playoff between Geanne & Deniese and Clyde & John.  The guys seemed to think that if they won the girls didn’t get their new GL1800’s.  Wrong.  Breakfast at the hotel again and on the rode home shortly after 8AM.  There were areas of fog, but riding wasn’t bad.  West Virginia riding is fabulous – nice twisty roads and lots of beautiful scenery.  We stopped for lunch in Maryland, then everyone headed home.  Thanks Ken and Gerry!