Bike Runner: Roanoke VA to Tulsa OK - 1350 miles in 2 days.

[tomski74]

A friend of mine decided to buy a nice VFR800 from a fellow inmate in Roanoke in VA. He asked me to take my truck and haul it back to Tulsa.

I had a better idea. I offered to ride it back for him
We left Oklahoma on Friday after work in his 28 mpg car and by noon on Saturday we were drooling over a fine example of VFR800 vintage 1998.
I was a bit tired, but it all went away after I got behind the cockpit of this tarmac eater.



Way points:

Roanoke, VA to Asheville, NC on Blue Ridge Parkway, then superslab I40 to Knoxville, TN then again to Crossville, TN on I40. Then backroads to Memphis, TN (through Sparta, Murfreesboro, Lawrenceburg, Savannah etc.). Next superslab all the way to Tulsa.

This was my first time I went off the beaten path in Tennessee. It's quite an interesting state. My thoughts about Tennessee:

I thought Savannah, TN on Tennessee River would be at least a shadow of it's sister town in Georgia. Well, I was wrong... not worth stopping.

Hwy 64 is under construction through most of western Tennessee (and it's a bloody long state).

Crazy speed limits like 45MPH on a super empty 4 lane divided highway

Nobody cares about speed limits... I40 speeds are 80-90 MPH. I followed a group of cars including a TN State Trooper for almost an hour doing 90 MPH

Out of the blue you can meet a couple from New Zealand riding a Harley on Natchez Trace Parkway

People think that my "Okie accent" sounds European.


The ride:


The rider:



The Road:



The views:




Yeah, I know a Polak who lives in Oklahoma, riding a bike from Florida, bought from a dude in Virginia for a friend who doesn't even has a license... long story to explain to a cop. .... Oh and no "chicken strip" here I'm getting on better terms with Ms Gravity and I try to trust her a bit more every time I ride.



Got Bugs?


The above documented infestation of flying beasts forced me to make an unscheduled overnight stop just east of Little Rock, Ar... It took about 20 miles to cover the visor almost completely

I left Little Rock just before 6 AM and with one more fuel stop I made it home by 9:30 thanks to a friendly Fed in a Homeland Security Tahoe who didn't mind being followed at 90-100 MPH rate

Pic from a chase car:

and 2 seconds later :



That's all folks!

Cheers,

[Bykemeister]

tom.
from the moment you pulled out of my driveway on the vfr, i was sick with remorse.
these pictures dont do anything to help, but it looks like you had a great ride back home.
ride safe, and take care of my bike.
ed

[tomski74]

Originally Posted by Bykemeister

tom.
from the moment you pulled out of my driveway on the vfr, i was sick with remorse.
these pictures dont do anything to help, but it looks like you had a great ride back home.
ride safe, and take care of my bike.
ed

It turned out to be too much of a bike for my friend and I ended up buying it off of him
Since I got it last month I put 2000 miles more on it.

[GB]

That's a lot of riding in 2 days!

moved to Day Trippin'