I got off work Friday before noon and headed home to get the bike out. I had big plans for a trip to N AL to visit brother. A quick stop by the local Honda shop for a tail bag (never can have too much storage), and the home to pack. Left the house and headed south on I-85 out of N Carolina. Picked up Hwy 11 to go by a friends house to see his new to him FZ1 (first gen just outside Walhalla, SC). After a short visit I headed on to pick up 183 to cut over to Hwy 176. I ran 176 through N GA till Hwy 129 then went N to Murphy, NC. Then it was Hwy 64 all the way to I-75. While going along Hwy 64 by Ocoee, I came face to face with a black bear. Luckily he was exiting the road and intent on finding a way into the woods. By this time it was getting past dusk into dark and the bugs were terrible. Could see the swarms in the headlight just before they peppered my face shield. After reaching I-75 I decided that I should find a room for the night. I stopped 15 miles later in N Chattanooga. The next morning it looked liked rain. Decided to not wear a rain suite and head out. I made great time through Chattanooga and turned off I-24 at Hwy 72. Picking up I-565 I ran it the rest of the way to Decatur. There were a couple of brief patches of rain and one down pour that I could see all the way through so just punched through. Have to love the bike in quick showers the only thing that gets wet is the face shield. I returned on Sunday afternoon, after the morning showers appeared to be falling apart. The return was the same route to Murphy then I ate dinner there and decided to run Hwy 74 all the way to Asheville then slab it to home. I really hated the bugs climbing the mtn. Had to stop twice on the side of the road so that I could clean them off the face shield. Once close to the pass I guess the weather had cooled enough (60 on the VFR display) that I saw no more bugs till I came off the mtn south of Asheville on I-26. The run along Hwy 74 to home was fast. Arriving into town around 11:45pm. I had a great ride, just wish more of it was in daylight. Wish I had a video of the bear leaving the road. I guess I need to get some type of recorder. Also too busy riding to take pics.
