Music
Good Set of articles on Country Music - Nashville or Bust
Nathan Rabin’s year-long journey into country music, via the A.V. Club

Bottle Rockets New CD - August 11th
New music from Lucero and Avett Brothers coming soon too…
Speaking of the Avett Brothers…Great Song/Video
“Snow Day,” written and performed by a very cool 8-year-old girl named Emma

The annual “Right-Half Roundup” was held in Staunton, Virginia this year. This location is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive, and many historical attractions such a Monticello.

I left Houston around noon on Wednesday, after working half the day. I made it to Tuscaloosa before stopping for the night. This was about 660 miles. I’d be taking Interstate the entire way, so I could arrive by Thursday evening.

Thursday, more interstate, arrived around 7PM. Uneventful, and boring. This was another 650 miles or so. One of the fun things about road trips is the people you meet and strike up a conversation with, about 100 miles out of Staunton I stopped at a rest area for a butt break. Finding the only shady parking spot, I pulled in and stuck up a conversation with a grizzled old biker. He looked like Santa Claus after lap-band surgery. He was on his way back to Ohio after a two-week trip to Florida. He left so his “old Lady” could study in peace and take her finals, she went back to college using his GI Bill. I don’t know how old she was, but he had to be in his 60s. We chatted for 20 minutes or so, then he took off. I had yet another bottled water, then did the same.

Many of pack arrived on Thursday this year which was nice. We all walked up the hill to The Texas Steakhouse next door for dinner. Then back to the hotel, where we enjoyed some adult beverages, and caught up. I stayed up much too late.

Friday morning some of us headed out for a ride to Monticello. We stopped at the the gift shop/museum - saw lots of interesting stuff. On over to Monticello, there was a 2 1/2 hour wait to take the tour. Some stayed, some went to hotel, I decided to explore. I started out from Monticello, and found myself on several nice twisty roads including 6 and 56. I took about 4 hours to get back to the hotel, this was actually the highlight of the entire trip, riding-wise. Back to the hotel for dinner at Mrs. Rowe’s next door, great home-style cooking, and the waitress was a hoot, even showing us a photo of her “retarded” cat. Ended the night with more drinking and telling lies…

On Saturday, a fairly large group of us went to ride Skyline Drive. It was very nice, and almost no traffic. Maybe the high gas prices are keeping people home? We then headed to explore some caverns in the area. Some folks decided to head back to the hotel instead, I was undecided and let everyone go their separate ways thinking I might explore some more roads before heading back. About a 1/4 mile down the road I found Art and Linda and their Venture on the side of the road. The bike had just died, and would not do anything. I waited while they called for service. A wrecker made it in about two hours, they towed it back to the hotel since all the area shops were already closed for the weekend.

Back at the hotel, Boyd and Brett (with help from a large audience) were able to rig up a bypass to the ignition so they could get home. It’s great to know that these guys can fix most anything! I was just sure to keep my bike parked far away, in case they started looking for spare parts! LOL

Dinner again at the Texas Steakhouse, and more hanging out at the hotel. Entertainment provided by Boydster and Rev Jim in the form of (cheap-ass) fireworks picked up at Walmart.

Sunday, we start saying our good-byes and prepare to head out our separate ways. These roundups always end too quickly. I was taking a “long-cut” to get home, heading east towards Virginia Beach. I left Staunton and picked up the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed south. I was cool, almost no traffic, and of course awesome scenery. I stopped at a restaurant at the Peaks of Otter before exiting BRP and going east. I took all day on the back roads, and other than being right in the middle of heat wave (over 100) it was nice and uneventful, with lots of stops for water and Gatorade. I made it VA beach, and then went south into NC and stopped for the night in Elizabeth City. (I asked for a room with good cold AC - cranked it on, I think it was about 50 in the room when I woke up the next morning!)

Monday is my day to explore the Outer Banks. With the exception of a few New England states, I’ve been in all the states east of the Mississippi, but I’ve never really been on the coast, other than Florida and NJ, so this was a nice treat. I started out early, hoping to beat some of the heat, but thankfully it never got as hot on the coast as it was Sunday in Virginia. Very Nice! I started at Kitty Hawk, stopped to take a couple beach shots, then onward, through Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head. I kept hoping to find a place beach-side with a view to get a cup of coffee and/or breakfast. I lucked and found a place with great views of the ocean and pier, and excellent food to boot.

I really like this area, I can envision renting a place for a week and having a family vacation here. There sure are plenty of beach houses and condos, but it’s not too touristy. I visited the Bodie Island lighthouse. Elayne’s gonna be pissed, she really loves lighthouses. On down the coast to the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, then a short ferry ride and south through the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Then another ferry ride, this one long, about 2 1/2 hours. Waiting for the ferry I met a couple of guys on bikes. One had left Louisiana for New York, then over to Atlantic City and was following the Coast all the way to Key West. He expected to take about 4 weeks, but was in between jobs and not on a schedule. Bastard. The other guy left Pennsylvania for a similar ride along the coast. Both nice guys, we traveled together after the ferry ride, at least to near Wilmington where I broke off and headed west. I was determined to make the interstate before stopping, which took until almost 10pm. Long day, but an awesome day.

Tuesday, I got up early again and hit the road. I was making good time, but at some point around noon or so, I made a decision to quit pushing so hard, call work and take an extra day off. I have had very little down-time on this trip. I’ll be sure to schedule more of that in, next time. So I stopped early, again in Tuscaloosa, and was checked in and relaxing by the pool by 4PM. Took it easy, had dinner at Outback (walking distance) and crashed around 10PM.

Wednesday I woke up early as usual, and hit the road around 5AM. It was cool, and I was really able to chew up the miles, hitting the Texas border around noon. From here on, it was off the Interstate taking back rounds again all the way home.

Due to more important life happenings, It’s been two years since I’ve taken a long trip like this. Man, I needed it. Also, the time alone was great, it’s fun travelling with a friend or two, but alone is nice. This was also the first long trip on this bike, and it performed flawlessly. That’s why I ride Honda
Not sure where next year’s get-together will be, but I sure hope to be there.

My Photos
Boyd’s Photos
TQ’s Photos
Neal’s Photos
Adam’s Photos
Linda’s Photos
Doc’s YouTube Videos: Part1 Part2
Theresa’s Slideshow

ECRI Gettysburg  June 2002

ECRII Pettecoat Junction  Sep 2002

????? Mountain Mama  Aug 2003

ECRIII Gettysburg (again)  Sep 2005

ECRIV Laurel Highlands  Sep 2006

RHRI Crossville, TN   Aug 2003

RHRII Hocking Hills    May 2004

RHRIII Helen, GA     May 2005

RHRIV Matewan, WV   May 2006

RHRV Sweetwater, TN  Jun 2007

RHRVI Staunton, VA   Jun 2008

Rode through all kinds of nasty nasty weather from about FM1960 to Conroe, no biggee, the rain never really bothers me too much… I even kinda like it in the summer.

Got to Conroe, went to Walgreens to pick up some photos, then over to Applebees to pick up some grub to bring home. After turning from 3083 onto 75 heading home, I got on it a little too hard for the wet road conditions. Already made the turn, no problem, then got on it. My fault, my mistake. Think I was shifting from 2nd to 3rd. I lost the rear, tried like heck to get her back but to no avail. I was close, even after being almost horizontal, got it back upright for moment, but could not hold her…Dammit.

Have you heard of ATGATT? Well, I was fully covered, Thank Goodness.
(All The Gear, All The Time)

The bike and I separated, guess I was going about 40 or so when the fun started, I slid - it’s amazing how quick the reflexes take over… I stayed flat on my back (jacket’s got armor there) and slid about 30 feet, bike went another 20 or so beyond me hit the dirt on the side of the road and flipped a couple times My poor baby.

I have no road rash, no marks on my helmet. Jacket (First Gear) and pants (HT overpants) made it through intact.

The mirrors are gone, the bags are trashed, the slider thingees, whatever they are called, are trashed, kickstand seems messed up. That’s all I’ve noticed so far. But I got on and rode it home.

Two guys stopped and helped me get her upright. They could not believe I was totally alright and not hurt. One was a young kid, new rider on a sportbike. I told him how important it was to get a good jacket, he had none - but at least he was wearing a FF helmet. He led me home.

Anyway - I’m OK. (hopefully I’ll still feel OK in the morning!)
Guess I’ll call the insurance company tomorrow…

And I’ve got a backup bike. The ACE is probably happy about this, the jealous bitch… LOL

Photos

I’m sure the number of motorcycles that make 100,000 miles is a small percentage, and if you take away the large touring bikes, it’s smaller still. I’m proud to be a part of this special group, that ride and keep riding. I’m proud of my bike that’s taken me so many miles. All trouble-free with never a single mechanical breakdown, only normal maintenance items. Chains & sprockets, brakes, so many tires and probably thirty plus oil changes. I shouldn’t talk much the maintenance that was ignored LOL, valve checks: none; flushing of fluids: none; plugs and air cleaners: once. Luckily, it’s a Honda.

I remember that first ride home from the dealer, how I felt so happy, It took weeks for the smile to wear off. I remember that very hot day, in the first month of ownership that I stopped under some shade trees to escape the sun for a moment and get a drink of water and my helmet slipping out my sweaty hands and hitting and putting a dent in the gas tank.

I remember so many rides with friends. To the Ozarks, to the Smoky Mountains, Big Bend and the Hill Country. The bike was great, the experiences memorable but the friendships priceless. I think back about joining the SCRC Conroe riding club, and how that changed my life as much as the bike itself. The friends I’ve made, the good times we’ve shared. The trips to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the kids, the money we raised.

I remember so many rides alone as well, just me and my ACE. Mile after mile, the wind, the sky, this beautiful country. I often pushed it too hard, too many miles in a single day, which probably lead to back surgery number three. I remember staying behind for another extra day in West Texas, and spending part of it on Pinto Canyon road, which was recently featured in Ride Texas as a great off-road ride for enduro bikes. I had no business there on a cruiser, but I did not know better and loved every minute.

I remember making a right turn and hitting some fresh-spilled diesel on going down and sliding 30 feet on the pavement. This reinforced my belief in wearing proper gear. And getting hit from behind at a stop light and getting my rear fender dented. I certainly recall doing my bucking-bull riding impression when attempting a panic stop on the freeway at 70+ going to Memphis - losing the rear, then the front, but somehow managing to stay upright. I hardly remember all the near misses that are just a part of daily riding. I enjoyed the Safety class I took prior to buying the ACE and the several refresher advanced courses I’ve taken since.

I think about feeling sad recently when I see the ACE parked too much in the garage collecting dust and cobwebs. The Honda ST1100 bike that I bought last year gets the majority of the riding time now. But the ACE will always be here, never to be parted with - waiting patiently to be fired up and ridden, for another ride, working towards that next 100,000 miles.

More ACE photos…

This year’s “Right-Half Roundup” was held in Matewan, West Virginia and planned and hosted by Willo. Previous get-togethers were held in Helen, GA, Hocking Hills, Ohio and Crossville, TN.
Bill from SCRC Conroe joined me on this one, he rode his VTX.

I really looked forward to this trip, since I lived in WV and completed high school there. My Dad’s side of the family is from WV. Matewan is rich in history, with the Hatfield-McCoy feud and the Battle of Matewan (coal miners vs. coal companies, also inspired the Academy Award-nominated movie, Matewan) occurring here.

Matewan Floodwall		Bed & Breakfast in town	Our host, Willo

Thursday, June 1st
Super-Slab, Conroe, TX to Jackson, TN. About 715 miles. BORING.
Friday, June 2nd
Not too much more Interstate, north of Nashville picked up hwy 80 across Kentucky. Met up with Wolf (Ken) and She-Wolf (Mary) along the way. Rain. Plenty of it, sometimes pull off and wait for it to stop rain. Oh well, all part of the fun.

WRECK(s) Unfortunately, as we neared the KY/WV border, while stopped at an intersection we saw part of the group parked on the side of the road, and the flashing lights of cop cars. On the slick rain-soaked streets part of the group was involved in an accident, with four bikes going down, thank God, the damage to bodies and bikes was minimal!

We originally planned to spend Friday & Saturday nights “camping” on the floor of the barracks in Matewan with others, but after the long wet day, we decided to get a room at the Super 8 where some of the others were staying. After a bit of hanging out, a dozen or so of us headed of to dinner ( wild $1.75 cab ride! ), then hang out in front of the motel telling lies for a while before calling it a day…

Saturday, June 3rd
About 8AM or so Bill and I head over to Matewan, after a quick spray-off washing of the bikes. We have no trouble finding the group, as we have pretty much taken over the town for the weekend. Said some hellos to folks staying in Matewan, took a group photo, then headed out on the planned group ride.

AWESOME! This was a 200+ mile ride through the twisties of WV with a stop at the famous New River Gorge Bridge. Until a 2003, this was the longest steel-arch bridge in the world. The bridge is 3,030 feet long and 876 feet above the river below.

After the ride it was time for the Dinner & Party! Much fun was had by all.

Sunday, June 4th
Sadly, these things always seem to end too soon. After saying goodbye to some of the folks at the hotel, we headed back to Matewan one last time say so long to my friends there. It was really good to see everyone again, especially since I missed last year’s and with Steve “Blacktop” who started the Strictly ACE 750 Forum, making the trip from California (by plane, wimp!) to his first ever Roundup!

Bill and I leave with no particular plan. These can turn out to be the best rides of all, It’s Sunday morning and we don’t have to be back until Wednesday night. I had been thinking of spending a couple days riding in WV, I also thought about riding the Blue Ridge Parkway, and even another visit to the famed Dragon. We headed south then east, and decided that the best plan would be to head on south, catching the Blue Ridge Parkway and saving more WV riding for another day, it would be hard to top yesterday’s group ride anyway!

We take some great roads to Bluefield, still unsure of any particular route, we stop at the East River Mountain overlook (3,500 feet above sea level, breathtaking views of Bluefield and East River Mountain) While stopped we start chatting with couple of somewhat local motorcyclists, they give us some great advice - a mile over the mountain is Virginia, with some great two lane roads heading into Wytheville, so that is what we do! A great full day of back roads in West Virginia and Virginia. We get a room, I finally breakdown and buy a new road atlas (you can always find a Wal-Mart) and plan tomorrow’s ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. By the way, this is one great easy to read (large-font) atlas!

Monday, June 5th
OK, I’ve heard it before from lots of motorcyclists, don’t miss the Blue Ridge Parkway. Yep, they were right. Awesome views with lots of overlooks, bridges, tunnels, and well-maintained curvy roads. I suppose the only downside is the 45MPH speed limit. We enjoyed it, and though we stayed close to posted limits, never really saw much enforcement, better this way to take in the scenery anyway.

One should always give their motorcycle a thorough checking-out before any long trip. I know that, we all know that, but the sound I heard as we exit the BRP to Ashville for gas is the metal on metal when I hit the rear brakes. Oh Crap. As it turns out there is a shop only about a mile from where we are, and they are open on Mondays! The guys at MR Motorcyle got me fixed up in about 2 hours! New rear brake pads, went ahead and had them do front brakes and an oil change too…We decided to stay near Ashville, and head to Deals Gap in the morning.

Tuesday, June 6th
Bill and I hit the road for the last day of “fun” riding…Stop for breakfast in Maggie Valley, then on to Deal’s Gap to tame the Dragon (on 6/6/6 no less). After the customary stop at the Deal’s Gap store for souvenirs and photos, off we go. The ride IS a lot more fun on the ST than on the ACE, but still I don’t set any records (LOL) I just wanna have fun and get home in one piece. Of course, I have to do it more than once After our fun we head towards the interstate for the journey home. We make a pretty good dent in the miles, stopping in Mississippi for the night.

Wednesday, June 7th
Uneventful final leg home, we arrive around 5 PM Tired and full of great memories, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s Roundup!

See all my trip photos

Dragon Photos from 6/6/6
Moonshine Photos
ZEE Photos

Lots more photos from others:
Quiet One’s Photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/thequietone
CodeWriters: http://mybestpet.com/gallery.asp?action=gallery&subaction=gallery&pid=44
Jimbo: http://community.webshots.com/album/551092095yNgOIW
Blacktop: http://sa750.com/rhr4ss/rhr4/index.htm
Scruffy: http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=551246745&security=JSZwia
Shadowman: http://community.webshots.com/user/neto43

Links:
Matewan, WV: http://www.matewan.com
Great US Motorcycle Roads: http://www.motorcycleroads.us/
Tail of the Dragon: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/

Photos from Zach Delph (Thanks Zach!)

Saved by Rock and Roll…
Story and photos from: Nashville Scene:

Sometimes we lament the fact that we weren’t born earlier, so that we could have experienced the great rock acts of the ’60s in their prime. What was it like to see Jefferson Airplane at the Fillmore or Bob Dylan at Royal Albert Hall? Sadly, we will never know, though we imagine WILCO’s Saint Patrick’s Day performance at the Ryman must be what the heyday of rock felt like—assuming everyone in the ’60s wore green shirts and drank a lot of beer.

Wilco may be indie darlings, but their live performances are pure rock ’n’ roll, clean and simple. JEFF TWEEDY brought out the guitar solos in full-force, but instead of wandering aimlessly into mediocre jam band territory, he kept the solos tight and compelling, proving that he’s more than just a gifted lyricist. We always wondered how the instrumental melee in “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” was created, and now we know—PAT SANSONE pounded on a keyboard with his fists, then picked up his tambourine and dropped it on the floor.

During the set, Tweedy limited the between-song banter to an observation that “playing here is really fun,” and a subsequent self-deprecating remark about his ineloquence. But in the first of two encores, he opened up and explained to the drunken St. Patrick’s Day throng that the world was miserable and they needed to scream during “Kingpin” to help “move energy around the world”—and the crowd happily obliged.

Then something happened that our kids can fantasize about having been alive to witness: Tweedy came out to the front of the stage with his acoustic guitar, asked everyone to be real quiet and played a solo version of Uncle Tupelo-era “Acuff-Rose” without any microphones, letting the exquisite acoustics of the Ryman carry his words out to the awestruck multitudes. “Early in the morning, sometimes late at night, sometimes I get the feeling that everything’s alright….”

Wilco Set list
2006-03-17
Ryman Auditorium
Nashville, TN

1. Sunken Treasure
2. Remember The Mountain Bed
3. Airline To Heaven
4. At My Window Sad And Lonely
5. Forget The Flowers
6. When The Roses Bloom Again
7. California Stars
8. Muzzle Of Bees
9. Hell Is Chrome
10. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
11. Jesus, Etc.
12. Walken
13. Handshake Drugs
14. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
15. A Shot In The Arm
16. At Least That’s What You Said
17. The Late Greats

Encore 1:
18. Hummingbird
19. new song (Maybe The Sun Will Shine Today)
20. Theologians
21. I’m The Man Who Loves You
22. Kingpin

Encore 2:
23. Passenger Side
24. War On War

Encore 3:
25. Acuff-Rose (Jeff solo acoustic unplugged)

Another good review:
http://www.glidemagazine.com/1/reviews1227.html
opening act: The Latebirds (from Finland)

A bunch of us from the SA750 forum met in the Hocking Hills area of SE Ohio for our annual Right Half Roundup. Previous get-togethers were held in Crossville, TN and Gettysburg, PA. Many states and Canada were represented, turnout was a bit smaller this year than last, but there were about 40 of us there to enjoy the weekend. The Hocking Hills region is home to 9 state parks, over 9000 acres of state forest land, part of the Wayne National Forest, contains 4 nature preserves and one of the largest metro parks in the state. Hiking, fishing, camping, horseback riding, canoeing, rappelling, and bird watching are just a few of the activities visitors to the area enjoy… not to mention motorcycling!

http://www.hockinghills.com/

My plan was to take my time getting there, then high-tail it back as quick as possible. Work caused me to reverse the plan. I left Wednesday after work, but ended up not leaving till almost 8 pm and tired quickly after dark, and when I stopped for the night, I was still 100 miles from Texarkana. This made for a long day Thursday, since I had reservations in Lexington, KY, and 900 or so miles of Interstate to get there. Oh well, it was all good from Friday morning on. I met up with Adam “The Bald Guy” in Lexington, and we headed to Ohio after breakfast. Nice back roads all the way. Very Nice.

Many of us stayed the the Top of the Caves resort. They have luxury cabins, rustic cabins, sleep cabins, teepees, and RV and tent campsites available. http://www.topothecaves.com/.  Stew, Jack, Neal, and myself stayed in a rustic cabin like the the one pictured here.

It quickly became party central for the weekend. The remainder of the group stayed at a hotel in nearby Logan.

Friday night one heck of a storm blew through the area (and many of the attendees had to deal with rain getting to the area, I had none) but several of us decided staying dry was not as important as filling our stomachs, so we went for a little ride! After dinner it got much worse, but we all made it back safe and sound. More travelers arrived, and more liquid refreshments were consumed.

Hanging Out Friday Afternoon

Saturday, May 22nd
Saturday morning was the group ride. Keith “Canfly99″ but together one heck of a route for our ride. Beautiful scenery in this part of Ohio. About 30 bikes participated, and we all had a great time.

Saturday Group Ride

After the ride, it was free time until Dinner, some folks explored the area while others just relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful day. After Dinner, Joe managed the bike show with his very own wife’s awesome “Taz” ACE and Keith’s chopped ACE taking top honors. The rest of the night was just hanging around and relaxing.

Some of this year’s attendees

After Dinner & Bike Show

Sunday May 23rd
Time to say our goodbyes and head our separate ways. Another fun 750 get together is over and we are ready to start planning for next year! North Georgia was been mentioned…. hmmmm. Hopefully, some of us we be able to meet up for the annual Fall Ozark Roundup in Eureka Springs.

I headed west to Cincinnati to visit friends and in-laws before heading back to Texas. The ride over was nice, but what’s up with so many Ohio motorcyclists riding wearing shorts??? In Cincy I got to experience first-hand the Brood X (17 year cycle) Cicadas. They are LOUD.

Monday, May 24th (Happy Birthday Kimberlee!)
After leaving Cincinnati, I started the long journey home, determined to find some nice roads to mix in with the Interstate I’d have to take to get back in three days. America’s best motorcycle roads was a big help, only wish I’d had more time to really plan, I was just flying by the seat of my pants, but that’s fun too! Across the Ohio river, I followed 8 along the river, before picking up 10. Both were amazing roads with lots of hills, curves, little traffic and beautiful scenery. 19, 68, and 27 took me in to Lexington - more nice roads into a very scenic part of the country. Then it was on the super-slab to south of Knoxville, which leads to…

Tuesday May 25th
BobZ from Wisconsin was taking a couple of weeks off for riding, and at the Roundup we traded phone numbers and discussed possibly getting together to ride Tuesday in the Smokies. We did. Probably the best 8 hours of biking either of us has had. The famous 129 (The Tail of the Dragon - 318 curves in 11 miles) into Deal’s Gap. We continued on 129 to 143, over to wonderful 28 back to Deal’s Gap. 28 again to the Cherhola Skyway to 68 South. Awesome roads, all of them. We had Dinner in Ducktown and parted ways. I traveled about 50 miles to get to the interstate and zipped through TN, GA, AL, and into Mississippi before stopping for the night.

Randy & Bob at Deals Gap and surrounding area

Wednesday, May 26th
Headed for home. Near Jackson I picked up the famous Natchez Trace and rode it all the way in to Natchez. The National landmark highway is beautiful, and access is limited with no commercial vehicles allowed. The speed limit is only 50 and it’s not a challenging as a motorcycling goes, but it’s beautiful and full of history. After this nice break, it was interstate 10 in to Houston, and my daily I-45 HOV lane north to the homestead. What a great trip it was!!!

Natchez Trace

See All the trip photos

Links:
Great US Motorcycle Roads: http://www.motorcycleroads.us/
Tail of the Dragon: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/
Cherohala Skyway: http://www.cherohala.com/
Natchez Trace: http://www.nps.gov/natr/