Here is how I spent the last 10 days on my Harley with the wife. We left for Maryland from the Pan handle of Florida (Ft. Walton Beach). I have a 2014 Ultra Limited. This is the first long trip we have taken on the bike. I want to start with saying the bike ran like a top and I was very happy with the Audio System on the bike. We used the GPS, intercom and played the I-pod mostly. On the 2447 miles we completed I had to re boot the system twice because had no volume control, once I deleted all the recent places but GPS continued to give direction to somewhere not sure where. But I would also like to say that I am 99% happy with the system. It took about the first hour of the trip playing with the setting on the intercom to get it adjusted correctly but after that it worked great. The only other complaint I had was that the I-pod would buffer every once in a while not terrible but it did it.

Couple other details about the ride 70-75 MPH on the interstate most of the trip. Did a few miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway also went through the tail of the Dragon. I kept every tank of gas mileage. Used 59.9 gallons of gas and average 40.1 mpg average on the trip and it never gave me a minutes trouble.


Little more detail if you want to read more, we left the house at 4:00 PM due to a bad rain storm. We headed for Birmingham Alabama the first night. We were doing great until just north of Montgomery Alabama the sky open and we were wet in about 30 seconds and 1 minute later it stopped. We continued on for about an hour. At that point I used the voice command on the GPS and found a hotel for the night. It worked perfect to find a hotel in route and directed me right to the location. We finished a little short of our goal but a good first day.

Next morning got up and started back on the road about 7:00 am. Are goal this day was very ambitious we were going to shout for Roanoke Va. About 600 miles up the road. It was really a good day we just pushed up the road. The only thing that comes to mind was we were stopped in a rest area in Va. And a guy on 09 Bagger and an another on a Honda came riding in as wife and I were chatting beside the bike. They came walking up and started chatting with us no big deal friendly bikers and all. But I saw the guy on the Honda had a Colt 45 pistol on his hip open carry and the other had a 9 inch or so hunting knife. Not a big deal but made me a little nervous. Wish I would have had my gun concealed carry but did not bring one this trip because of going into Maryland. Glad they were friendly. We left the rest area together and rode about 75 or 100 miles together until they needed gas and we continued on. We almost made are goal and stopped just short in Salem Va. Nice day no problems at all. Stopped again at a hotel for the night.

Day 3 was another pretty easy day about 300 miles Salem Va. To Hampstead Md. Got on the road about 7:00 am again pushed up interstate 81 to Winchester Va. It was very cool this morning for us Florida weather wimps it was about 65. Wife had rain jacket and a sweatshirt on and she was warm. It was a very pretty ride down into Harpers Ferry and up into Fredrick Md. It is a very nice part of the ride. It rained a little and we stopped under an over pass to put rain gear on an another biker happen to stop with us. We chatted for a few and we both went are way. Made it to my families home about 2 PM it was nice to get there. We spent the 4th with family and hung out with family until Tuesday.

We left Hampstead, Md. About 8:00 am on Wednesday morning. Our goal was Bristol Va. Headed out and made are way out to Interstate 81 again and started south. We got off the interstate in Waynesboro, Va. And road about 80 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway it was a great ride. Saw a deer beside the road. After about 80 miles it was getting late so we decide to go back out to the interstate so we could make Bristol as planned. I road from the Parkway out to the interstate was a great road it was fun. I used the GPS to change routing from fastest to scenic and it moved us from the interstate over to the Blue Ridge Parkway and back when we decide to press south. Once again the GPS worked great. Just before we decide to stop for the night the sky open up again for the second time on the trip. It was coming down so hard we got off the interstate and took cover at a gas station, for about 30 minutes. From there we got a room for the night with plans for the next day to ride the Tail of the Dragon.

We got on the road again about 7:00 am and headed south on 81 when we crossed into Tenn. Stopped at the welcome center and ask what town to put in the GPS to find the Dragon. The lady at the welcome center was very nice told us to put Maryville, Tenn. in the GPS. It worked perfect we continued down and found are way to the Dragon. We stopped at the Harley Shop right before the beginning of the 11 Miles. Bought a hat and wife and myself a T-shirt. Then we start up and over the Dragon, wife was terrified. She did not like the Dragon but she made it through without having a heart attack. Was not sure at first. We stopped at the end and took pictures of the tree of shame and bought more T-shirts and stickers for the bike. Relaxed for a bit and let the wife stop shaking. Then we continued down US 129 past the OCOEE River and lake. Wow what a beautiful ride that was. We continue down to Chattanooga, Tenn. Then on to Gadsden Alabama where we got a room again.

Day three home was about 350 mile, we got on the road about 8:00 AM to miss rush hour traffic. Boy did it start getting hot! We stop at the Birmingham Alabama HD dealership. It was very nice dealership everyone was very nice. We got a poker chip and T-Shirt again. From there we followed the GPS home with only a little rain about 70 miles from the house. For the first time the rain felt good it had gotten so hot. Got home about 4:00 PM.

 

Glad you and your wife made it there and back home safely. Sounds like you had a great trip!

 

Here are two photo's from the trip

 

Sounds like an awesome trip!!!!

A bit jealous I must say.

 

Sounds like an awesome trip!

 

I enjoyed the details and lived the moments with your write up.
Glad you had a great time and looking forward to the long trip with my lady.

Thanks for sharing.
Myron

 

Sounds like a great trip, Thanks for Sharing.

 

Glad to hear you had a great trip. The '14 handles well in the rain, pleasantly surprised. I did a solo ride with friends from Ohio to outer banks. I would like to do a trip with the ole lady to Tennessee. Really enjoy Nashville and Gatlinburg areas.