Chartiers Township

After the ride yesterday, I signed into the Legends & Lore HOG Rally in Cumberland, Maryland. This one is the first rally not being held at a dealership. Not sure how it will work.

I'm not happy that they wouldn't share the GPX files until you signed in despite all the rides being in Harley's web based ride planner. I took a thumb drive so I could get them all, but I had to upload them to Harley's ride planner to get them to work properly. 🤦 Really, people? Then I had to bounce every point off Garmin's Basecamp to duplicate the route. OMG. If I'd had the files months ago...some are from last year...this wouldn't be an issue. As it is, I spent two hours last night putting the route together for Friday's guided ride 🤦.

Today, though, I'm doing a loop that the rain made me miss on my way here. I started in the cold again 🥶, and had to cut through West Virginia to get there, but Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands Byway offered me some nice twisties to warm me up 😁.

After taking the picture at Ohiopyle State Park, I went north to hit the dealerships around Pittsburg and beyond.

I'm now stopped at Steel City HD in Washington, Pennsylvania. When I came here last year, I saw a groundhog in the parking lot. That got me thinking about a couple of things I saw this morning.

First, I didn't hit the deer. The van in front of me did. Clipped it on its hind quarters and spun it into the brush, where it jumped up and ran off. I hope it's okay. Glad I didn't have to dodge it; just a hard brake.

Second, and much better, as I made my way through the back roads of West Virginia, there was a small clearing on the side of the road. A doe was grazing as rays of sunlight pierced the trees around her. At her feet were two tiny spotted fawns with eyes full of wonder and ears longer than their heads. I was sorry to disturb them as Willie roared by and they bolted into the brush.

And best of all, again in West Virginia, I came out of the trees at the top of a ridge. Before me was a valley full to its green, tree-lined rim of white, puffy clouds. As I passed over a bridge at the end of the valley, I looked back over my shoulder. The clouds were gently pouring over the lowest rim, as if a slow motion waterfall, and drowning the tiny village caught in its eddy.

Nature rocks, man.

So long [for now], and thanks for all the NATURE! ✌️

Day 96 mileage: 291.5 (total 21876.6)
HD Dealership Challenge: 5 (total 173)
50 Rides, 1 Nation: 1 (total 17)Read more