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Father/son getaway

104830

New member
I have been looking forward to this day for a long time, an overnight camping ride with my oldest son Clayton(age 12), we have done a lot short day rides in the last couple of years, but no overnighters. The weather was not looking good, had poured rain here all week long, as Sat approached things were looking up!! The plan was to ride from Durham to Boone for a bike show, then up the Parkway to Virginia for a night of camping at Willville motorcycle only camp ground. I was riding up with riding partner ,Tim. We meet at 6:30 am and on the road by 6:45 , we slabbed it up 85/40 to Winston Salem then picked up 421 to Boone arrived Boone 9:30 and had breakfast. We settled in to watch the Harley parade and to meet up with some friends from that area. There where a couple of BMW ,s there ,a few air heads and K bikes, but the vast majority of bikes where HDÔÇÖs
After visiting with friends it was time to ride, gassed up and headed to Deep Gap to pick up the parkway to Virginia, the skies where overcast and the temps in the mid 50's, perfect in my book. We got off at a nice pace 55mph -10 above the posted limit of 45 it was about 130 miles to our camping destination. There where a ton of bikes in each direction and most of the cages pulled over at the next available overlook, which kept the flow rather nice. All the while Clay was snapping pictures from the back of the bike and telling me what a great time he was having. We arrived at the Meadows of Dan around 4:45 and found Willville about a mile off the Parkway. Willville is a motorcycle only camp ground that opened three years ago. By the time the sun was setting the place was packed . Bikers from all over, old and young. After the dinner hour the camp bonfire was set by Will, the owner of the camp ground, and people gathered to share stories, and ride experiences. 10:30 came and it was time for me to hit the sack. Clayton opted to try sleeping in the hammock set up at our site. Some time in the middle of the night I awoke to a thud, went to check it out, sure enough Clay was sound asleep only on the ground. I woke him up and moved him to the tent. And hour later a steady light rain began to fall, he thanked me in the morning .
Sunday morning came and we had coffee and breakfast then broke camp. The plan was to back road to Durham. Will gave us a good suggestion for getting down the MtnÔÇô614 a sweet road that descends in sweeps and turns off the mtn. Once down we headed to Mt Airy, NC , besides being home to Andy Griffith, Mt Airy host one of the best Old-time and Bluegrass competitions in the state the first full weekend in June. I have not missed one since moving to NC in 1979. From Mt Airy we picked up 89 east and with the help of the GPS made it back to Durham. Not a long trip just over 550 miles, just good quality time with a son who seems to be growing up quicker than I would like sometimes. After being home for an hour or so he was already making plans for the next time we could sneak away
 

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