GPZ Trip Report

Sun May 9 23:29:21 PDT 2021

This looks like some serious pass riding - was that in May/April?
Alex

On Mon, May 10, 2021 at 12:47 AM art johnson <arthjohnson270 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Stevio Pass Italy, Oct 7, 2018 South to North, approx 75 hairpins
> [image: IMG_0548.JPG]
> [image: IMG_0546.JPG][image: IMG_0551.JPG]
>
> On Thu, May 6, 2021 at 1:30 PM Charles Scappaticci <scapco at ecentral.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > The list is pretty dead these days, but it doesn't mean there isn't any
> GPZ
> > riding going on.
> >
> > I got back Monday from a ride to the east coast from Denver on the GPZ,
> > though we cheated and towed to Wichita Kansas to avoid 540 miles of the
> > windy, flat, I-70 drive.  It also helped keep our fresh rubber new for
> > riding the Smoky Mountains.  I went with my friend, Bruce who some of you
> > have met, he has ridden with me for many years, including my last trip to
> > Alaska and stayed with his sister, Lisa.
> >
> > Saturday morning, we loaded up the bikes in a light fog and drizzle and
> > headed east on 421 then north in Missouri.  We had planned a route to
> keep
> > us off of the freeways and stayed true to that.  We went farther north
> than
> > we probably needed, but crossed the Mississippi at Cairo, IL then
> > immediately crossed the Ohio river and stopped for the evening in
> Paducah,
> > KY after having ridden 540 miles, mostly in cool temps with occasional
> > drizzle and frequently wet roads.  Glad I had my heated jacket liner and
> > grips!!
> >
> > Sunday morning, we left Paducah in a heavy, wet fog but drove out of it
> in
> > about 1/2 hour and headed south through Kentucky.  The weather was cool
> and
> > cloudy, but dry and a little warmer so it was a much better ride than
> > Saturday.  We cut south through Nashville as we were both tired and
> worked
> > our way down to Tellico Plains where we met Bruce's son, Danny, who also
> > rode to Alaska with us.  We got a cabin at Hunts motorcycle campground,
> > unloaded and headed east around the Cherohala Skyway for a nice evening
> > ride.  I was feeling pretty rusty as I hadn't really ridden the GPZ since
> > August 2018 when I took it to Sturgis, not exactly a technical ride from
> > Denver.  I was doing out of state consulting work for a while and then
> last
> > summer was a bust with Covid and having to move after my ex screwed me
> out
> > of my house.  Anyway, it was a nice ride to help me get my timing back.
> > Rode 400 miles.
> >
> > Monday morning, we had a light breakfast then headed down the Cherohala
> > Skyway once again then over to run the Tail of the Dragon.  I had run it
> > over Thanksgiving in 2018 on a rented Ducati Multistrada and had a great
> > time riding the roads there.  We went through and back with no accidents
> or
> > performance awards, took a few pictures then headed towards Maggie Valley
> > to see the Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum.  I highly recommend
> this
> > museum to anyone visiting the area, as it's first class all the way.
> > Afterwards, we worked our way back and headed back up the Skyway once
> again
> > but at a fast pace. Heading into a hard left corner by an overlook, I hit
> > the brakes only to find I had no back brake and almost piled it up before
> > getting it turned.  The rest of the ride back I avoided using the rear
> > brake, guessing correctly I had cooked the back brake fluid, a later
> > examination of my maintenance log indicated I hadn't changed the fluid in
> > 13 years.  Oops...  Turns out Danny had done much the same to his FZ09's
> > front brakes.
> >
> > Next morning, we said our goodbyes as they were headed to Auburn Alabama
> > where Danny lives and I headed out by myself towards Greensboro, NC where
> > my girlfriend, Mary, lives.  I got to ride the Skywaya once more then
> > mostly slabbed it to Greensboro as my back was (and is) killing me.  I
> had
> > accidentally hurt my back the night before we left trying to find my
> > cigarette adapter, which I didn't find, and it has had me in pain ever
> > since, though I think it's finally on the mend.  I got into Greensboro
> > around 5:00 and unpacked for the night.  Wednesday was a relaxing day to
> > try to get some rest.  After the trip there, it was obvious my old riding
> > gear needed to go to the dump.  I wore all my old gear and kept my newer
> > gear at home, but I've lost over 50lbs since I used to wear them, so they
> > were huge and wouldn't stay up.  Thursday, we went to Cycle Gear in
> > Greensboro and I bought a nice pair of armored cordura jeans with knee
> pads
> > which are very comfortable, then went back to the house and removed the
> > luggage racks on the GPZ plus I flushed the rear brake fluid which
> brought
> > that back to life.
> >
> > Friday morning, I hopped on the bike and headed 200+ miles to Wilmington,
> > NC to see the Atlantic ocean.  I wanted a picture of the bike looking
> over
> > the Atlantic ocean as I have pics of it in Alaska looking over the Arctic
> > ocean, the Pacific Ocean and now the Atlantic.  I decided I'm going to
> do a
> > write up of all the major trips I have taken on the mighty GPZ over 24
> > years and 72K miles.  Did 460 miles round trip.  The bike never missed a
> > beat over the whole trip and I can't say enough good about the Michelin
> > Pilot Road 4 GT's I put on before the trip, really great tires.
> >
> > Saturday, I washed the bike then borrowed a few tools to change the oil,
> > cleaned and oiled the chain, filled the tank with Sta-Bil treated
> > non-ethanol gas, drained the carburetors and hooked up a battery
> maintainer
> > before covering it up until I visit Greensboro once again.  I've got a
> 2014
> > Ducati Multistrada GT and a 2003 Vulcan 1600 Classic so I have bikes to
> > ride here in Denver.  One reason to leave it is that I'm looking to
> > relocate to Greensboro and this would be one less bike to have to move.
> I
> > think the old girl still has a few more adventures left in her, maybe
> > Daytona next spring?
> >
> > Sorry for the long post, but I hope to hear of some others and their
> rides
> > this summer.  I'm looking forward to the warm weather!
> >
> > Charles S.
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