A friend and I rode to DC from Chillicothe, OH and back last weekend. We went to DC to march in the 9/12 TEA Party protest. I wrote about that day in a separate blog you can read here.

Instead, I’m going to use this blog to write about the ride there and back.

I came across the TEA Party just a few weeks ago. I remembered hearing about it in passing and decided to look it up. A few clicks on Google and I found that a rally was being scheduled in DC for 9/12/09.

Now, I have to admit. I was eager to march on the Capital and sound off my voice of opposition of big government. I was also eager to ride to DC over those mountains in West Virginia. One reason gave credence to the other.

I’ll ride by myself. I have no problem with that at all. I regularly ride the 388 miles to Nashville and back alone.

There’s also something to be said for riding with a friend or a group of friends. I was prepared to ride this all by myself. As the time drew nearer, finding someone to ride with was looking more and more bleak.

Then out of nowhere, I was talking to an old friend of mine that lives near Nashville. She wasn’t feeling so hot about a couple of situations in her life. I could sense she needed to get away for a while and let her worries wisp away in the wind. When she said that she was looking forward to a weeklong vacation, I knew exactly what I had to do.

“Hey, come with me to DC to march on the Capital!” I ordered. “It’ll be good for you. I’m going to ride the whole way there and back. I really don’t wanna go alone and you need to get out of dodge for a bit. You should come!”

She thought about for a couple of hours and texted me back later that she would love to go. I started making travel arrangements like mapping out the route and booking the hotels. I also instructed her on what she would need for the trip.

She had never ridden anymore than a couple of hours at a stretch and really had no clue what to expect on a three-day 1,100 mile ride. I’ve done it a few times. I’ve learned most of my lessons the hard way and have been smart enough to listen to some old timers for the others. Being prepared is easy and can save you loads of headache in the long-run.

Preparedness usually comes with packing the appropriate gear. Here’s my list:

• Clothing needs to be comfortable and weather appropriate. Since we were leaving an 80 degree climate to ride over the mountains sometimes at elevations of 3,500 feet, we needed to be prepared for the changes in temperatures. I pack one pair of jeans, socks, underwear, and a t-shirt per day and an extra set in case I get soaked midday. I also packed a long sleeve shirt and wore one on the initial ride. Layering is the most effective means of staying warm and being able to dress down to stay cool at the same time.
• We also had enough room to pack leathers. I’m glad I did. My jacket is pretty versatile with its zip out liner and ample ventilation ports, so the switch from cool to warm wasn’t so bad. Well, except for once.
• Toiletries. I mean you wanna stay clean. Nothing helps you sleep better than a nice warm shower and going to bed feeling all clean!
• Rain gear. Dusty, my companion for the ride, didn’t own any rain gear. I advised her to go out and pick up some Frogg Toggs. They’re relatively inexpensive and do a good enough job for the value. You don’t get a set of boot covers with the Frogg Toggs and there are some other sacrifices you make for the price, but they would suit her just fine. You have to remember, this was a one time trip for Dusty. Investing in a quality riding rain suit would’ve been a little much.
• Sunscreen. Yes, even in the cold and/or under an overcast, you may very well regret not wearing sunscreen. On a motorcycle, a sunburn is compounded by windburn. Neither are very comfortable. Added together and you have a bad day on your hands.
• Lip balm. It’s sunscreen for your lips

• Drink lots of water. Riding a motorcycle dehydrates you. The wind rushing over your exposed skin is the culprit. Drinking lots of water, not soda or coffee, will keep you from getting a headache in the most mild cases of dehydration and could advert a hospital stay in the event of a severe case.
• Wear earplugs. It’s a wind thing again. Riding with a full-face helmet alleviates this need. Any helmet where your ears are exposed may require the use of earplugs. I have a windshield on my police cruiser which helps some. But for really long hauls, like 1,100 miles in three days, you’re gonna wish you had plugged your ears.
• Layer. I covered that above.
• Share your route with friends that won’t be riding with you and check in with them from time to time. The larger the group, the less you need to do this. It would just be the two of us on one bike riding through some pretty remote areas. We needed to let people know where we would be. I never wanted to do this growing up, but it’s a good idea.

We wouldn’t be doing much scenic riding to DC. We mostly needed to get there. I did opt for a northerly route through Pennsylvania because, well, I wanted to mark it off my map.

I was initially worried about Dusty and how she’d be able to handle riding over the mountains and the associated twisties. I used to instruct my female passengers to just look over the shoulder on the same side as the direction I’m turning as I turn. I got this technique from a riding coach and had hit or miss success with it. Rather than taking a more passive role as a passenger, some of them would end up being more active in the turn by actually shifting their bodies into the lean.

I decided I would try something a little different with Dusty. I told her about the look and lean principle, but downplayed it. Instead I asked that she fix her stare over one shoulder and try to keep her shoulders aligned with mine. The goal was to turn her into the same kind of weight in the back as a heavy bag died down to the rear seat.

And it worked! She took that instruction very well and was actually a pleasant passenger to have aboard. It was like she had been riding for years. She definitely made my job easier and allowed me to focus on other tasks. By the time we made our way into the Allegheny Mountains, she was so seasoned I almost forgot she was even there!

The ride there was pretty uneventful until we hit the peak on the ridge and began our descent. A storm front had moved in and from the top of the mountains all I could see in our path was rain. The night was starting to move in making the scenario even less desirable.

It’s one thing to ride in the rain. It’s one thing to ride at night. It’s one thing to ride in an area unfamiliar to you. Riding in the rain at night in an area you’re not familiar with is something completely different altogether.

I didn’t want to tell Dusty and make her nervous, but once the sun set and the rain set in, my fun quotient dropped exponentially. Normally, riding for me is fun and is very little work. I’ve been doing it so long and have practiced advanced techniques so much that even the most aggressive of twisties are a breeze.

However, I had to work once the sun set. I found myself trying to follow cars so I would know how deep a corner was. My glasses were collecting water droplets which made the lights oncoming traffic more blinding. The last hour of the day took so much of my concentration and focus that it tired me more than the previous eight or nine.

We made it to the Aloft Dulles Hotel around 9:30 pm and were greeted by bright neons across the entire rainbow spectrum. Once I walked inside (Dusty stayed with the bike since the nightclub there was hoppin’), I was greeted by a smiling Priscilla. I knew we were in for a resting stay.

I don’t wanna make this a review for the hotel, so I’ll be brief. The Aloft is a moderately priced, upscale, modern hotel with a touch of Aloha. The staff was friendly and helpful. Despite the lack of restaurants in the area, we were able to select from a variety of food possibilities and had our dinner delivered. This hotel is my first choice when going back to the DC area.

We woke refreshed the next morning and ready to tackle the day. The ride into DC wasn’t as bad as we had anticipated. Traffic was just starting to pick up the usual cager offenses followed the trend. They get more egregious in populated areas.

Parking on the other hand was a nightmare. Once I got the bike parked and started to lock everything up, another rider pulled up and took up the plot of pavement next to me. I welcomed this as there’s safety in numbers. We talked about riding and the protest as he locked up his ride and then we made our way into the crowd.

After Dusty and I were done protesting, we made our way back to the bike. We started to get ready and I sat down on the curb behind it. From this vantage point, I could see the rear tire plain as day. It was not good.

That tire needed to be replaced. It needed to be replaced before we left. However, I failed to perform a proper check and identify that need.

I started to get that sinking feeling in my stomach. It was around 2 and I had no idea where the nearest dealership was. Make fun all you like, but I like Harley Dunlops.

Technology is awesome! Between my Palm Treo 800W and my Magellan Maestro GPS, I was able to locate the nearest dealership. We verified this information with GPS 0.1 (the Harley Ride Atlas). I made a phone call and set up a tire change.

We made our way to Patriot Harley in Fairfax, VA. It was a short ride, about half an hour. We dropped off the bike and walked next door to have some sushi.

I love sushi! I’m not able to find any sushi around these parts. The closest sushi I’ve been able to find is in Columbus and Cincinnati. So, when the guy at the shop told us we could find some good sushi next door, I couldn’t wait to get over there.

Dusty said she liked sushi. But she only likes the kind without raw seafood. That’s fine there’s still loads of other great stuff you can get. We decided on a Fairfax roll and a Harley roll.

Just after we ordered, Dusty pointed to a picture of some prawns on a placard at the table. She made a comment about how gross they looked and asked what they were. Once I explained, I thought she wouldn’t think they were so gross. Instead she told me how she can’t eat anything with a face on it and how she had just eaten peel and eat shrimp in the past couple of years.

Well, now she was gonna eat a prawn!

I ordered a couple of prawns. They came out on a bed of cold rice noodles. Man, they looked yummy!

I told Dusty how to eat them and teared right into mine. I guess she missed the demonstration on how to get the tail off, because she asked me and looked at it all confused. I just took it off for her. It’s not like we had a bucket full of mudbugs and she could screw one up learning.

She gladly at the tail once I told her that was basically a fried shrimp. The rest of he prawn? Not so much. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get her to do anything more than feign an attempt at sucking the head.

We had a while to kill, so we started talking. Next thing you know we were talking about all of this metaphysical stuff. I was explaining some of my theories and she was sharing hers. It was a pleasant discussion with someone that held some opposing views and some similar views.

We walked back to the dealership. I settled up with the bike and we were on our way. We had about an hour to our lodging for the night and it was still pretty early. This was good as we spent the better part of the day walking around DC had still 500 miles through the mountains of West Virginia the next day.

We pulled up to Travel Lodge in Winchester, VA close to dusk. I pointed out that someone must be getting married nearby as there were young women all dressed in matching gowns loitering near one car. When I went back outside to unpack the bike, I discovered that they ceremony (or at least the reception) was actually taking place at the Travel Lodge. The girls were painting up the couple’s getaway car!

That’s right! We were staying at the fancy hotel in town! We was some high falutin’ travelers! We had ayasked for the ‘no cockroach’ room, but they musta misundastood. It’s all gud though! Dusty only had to skwash one.

Although the temptation to crash the wedding reception being held mere doors from our room was quite alluring, we decided to just rest instead. We walked to a restaurant to have a cocktail, but then took it to a liquor store once we saw the ‘Church of the Month’ poster on the front door. Well, actually we couldn’t find a spot at the bar and decided to leave. The poster reference just sounded better!

We got back to the room, poured a couple of drinks, turned on the news to see some coverage of the rally, and mapped out our route for the next day before drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, we hit the road bright and early. Well, it was early. I don’t so much about bright. The sun was trying to peek out, but the clouds were having none of it.

The last day was the one I was looking forward to. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy taking part in the rally. But, I was ready to ride some mountains. I had high hopes!

And I was not disappointed!

I’ve ridden some great roads, like The Blue Ridge Parkway, The Cherohala Skyway, and The Tail of the Dragon and riding through the Monongahela National Forrest rivaled the best of motorcycle adventures.

The roads are well-maintained and offer plenty of visibility. The corners vary from wide and sweeping to harsh and hairpin. There’s even a couple of switchbacks. I could barely get enough of it!

And to top it all off, it was Sunday afternoon and we encountered very little traffic!

That’s about the time we made our trek off the mountain and into a serene little valley. We found a quaint little country restaurant. I opted for the country fried steak and Dusty had some sorta beef tips on toast. It was filling, but I wouldn’t seek the place out again should I be back out that way.

The rest of the ride was freeway and we needed to make some good time. I had an early morning the next day and would be hurting from the lack of rest. We made it home around dusk, give or take, and settled in to watch some Sunday Night Football. I think it was the Packers and Bears, but I can’t really remember.

It was a great trip, one that I will remember fondly for some time to come. You can see some pics of the trip we took including some Dusty took from the back of the bike in the photogallery. Below is a map of our route.

View Ride to DC for the 9/12 Project March in a larger map