Raleigh to Dallas via Multistrada

Que tal, amigos:

Thought I'd offer a summary of my journey from Barnett's Suzuki in Raleigh, NC, to the home base in Heath, TX. While on a business trip I happened upon a pristine '09 Multistrada and thought "Why not?". 4 days, 1400.7 miles on the trip meter, with minimal pain & suffering.

Day 1:
Hit the streets on the '09 Multistrada at 0958 eastern, with a 4 mile hop on I40 to Hwy 64W. This would represent the only interstate mileage of the entire trip, as the remaining route incorporated state highways, two-lane blacktop, and scenic byways.

The ride along 64W to Asheboro provided an opportunity to get comfortable with the Multi. Around the 12 mile point my lower back started to radiate a bit, which created a degree of apprehension. By mile 20 it had disappeared, and never made a repeat visit.

Leaving Asheboro on 49 I intersected my first two-lane twisty (Brantley Gordon Rd). The road flowed from one turn to the next, and the MTS performed wonderfully. As speeds increased, so did the Multi's responsiveness, with peak torque hovering around 4500 RPM. Back roads carried me through Salisbury to Mooresville, where the indomitable Lake Norman forced me into city traffic. There the Duc's heavy clutch worked my left forearm, but oil temp remained well within range as the local population did their best to impede my progress.

Hwy 150 took me to Lincolnton, where Hwy 182 and marked corners awaited. Through experimentation I learned the MTS could navigate corners at approximately 190% the posted limit with relative ease. 35 MPH signs morphed into 65 MPH, and a "slow in/fast out" policy delivered greatest stability, especially when coupled with the engine at a temperate 3500 RPM.

Various back roads (some without the benefit of a centerline) eventually spit me back onto 64 into and through Hendersonville, dead-ending into Hwy 276 and the Pisgah National Forest. Corners now fall into the 20 MPH marked range, and a more aggressive approach to bike handling was initiated. Peg pressure became more deliberate, and I assumed a forward posture over the tank, elbows-up, and alternating between hanging off the bike and throwing it into corners. Slower traffic was quickly dispatched, as the MTS responds vigorously to snapping the throttle anywhere above 3K RPM.

At the end of 276 sites the Blue Ridge Parkway, where I am greeted by amazing vistas and dropping temperatures. It seemed impossible that the short ride from Hendersonville planted me in such a different landscape, and I was pleasantly surprised to find the road nicely challenging at 60 MPH. After a couple of miles I caught up with a BMW R1100GS, and we rode in tandem to the 6035' summit, which was nearly 20 degrees cooler and much more damp than the lower elevations. I briefly considered swapping gloves, but did not want to lose contact with my bike's Aryan cousin, so we began our decent together.

As we sank into the valley, both temps and speeds increased. Caution exceeded valor on that day, as damp roads and decreasing radius turns highlighted my lack of familiarity with the course. The corners marked 10 MPH demand serious attention, as overshoot areas provide very little acreage. I laughed under my helmet several times during the decent, and waved goodbye to my Beemer friend as he continued on the Parkway while I made my way west on Hwy 74.

Entering Bryson City, NC, around 6:30 PM I had no lodging reservations and began to search for something inexpensive and biker-friendly. The Relax Inn offered both, as it's $55 rate and parking lot littered with touring Harleys and Hondas fit the bill. After grabbing the last room I swapped stories with folks from Detroit, Florida, and Novi Scotia. I hit the rack early, as 280 miles and the Tail of the Dragon were awaiting tomorrow's sunrise.

More to follow...

Weave

Where's the pics???

I tried to snap a shot on the Blue Ridge Pkwy, but the iPhone camera doesn't do it justice. Not much of a photo guy, anyway. More like a ride/gas/eat/ride type.

Day 2:
Friday's alarm clock consisted of multiple Harleys firing in unison, as the boys from Canada made tracks early. I took a more leisurely approach and put Bryson City in my rear views around 9:00, venturing towards Hwy 129, aka Tail of the Dragon
.
Rumor has it weekend traffic on the Tail can dampen the experience. I'm here to say that Friday mornings also offer a fair share of 4 wheeled obstacles, as fully half the ride was behind ancient vehicles in need of serious exhaust work. While 311 turns in 12 miles might have some degree of exaggeration, the Tail's perpetual switchbacks and descents can quickly overwhelm the average rider's talent. I was told that 5-10 bikes go down on each weekend, and that number seems entirely reasonable.

So with that box checked, I resume my trek west, with Franklin, TN as that evening's destination. The next couple of hours are spent meandering through the foothills, eventually landing on Hwy 30 in Dayton, TN, which was both interesting and surprising.

30 begins with several tight turns in close succession, followed by a more direct path to Pikeville. It's just before this small village that riders should heed local signage, as both Pikeville and neighboring Spencer sit in valleys, which means east-west roads conform to local topology (Google Maps provides excellent evidence). While riders remain alert during the Tail due to its reputation, the rather sleepy 30 catches you off-guard, and I found myself judiciously applying pressure to the Brembo's on several occasions. This road can be more challenging than the Tail, if simply because of its unpredictable nature.

Unclenching my sphincter I made time heading towards McMinnville. Better judgment told me to find a path around this city (and Murfreesboro), but the shortest distance is a straight line, and I was on a schedule. Both M cities (now short for "M-F'ers") slowed my pace to that of a Mardi Gras parade, less the topless chicks. After several teeth-gnashing episodes the MTS and I made our way to Hwy 840, where the speed limit is apparently 105 MPH. Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

Weave

Wish I could write like that! Great ride report!

Day 3:
I gotta admit: the prospect of nearly 500 miles through TN, MS, LA, and AR wasn't appealing. My mind envisioned endless tarmac with little horizontal or vertical deviation, and a mix of destitute towns and swampy byways.

While there's no avoiding the ramshackle village and gator-friendly environs, Saturday's ride was fast, furious, and fun. Leaving Franklin on Carters Creek Pike the Multi and I quickly found Jess Anderson/Snow Creek Road, a wonderful mix of climbing and descending turns that highlighted the bike's "torquey" nature. The Brembo's saw minimal employment, but that did not preclude a spirited pace, and the road ended in a timely fashion, as I was quickly gaining on an LEO SUV.

The Natchez Trace delivered a casual pace & splendid vistas towards Hwy 64W. Crossing the Tennessee River in Savannah, I hung a left and made tracks towards Mississippi on a winding Hwy 22. After a quick photo op with the "Welcome To MS" sign I landed in Corinth for fuel and a quick snack. The temps were beginning to rise, as were traffic levels, so after a brief discussion with the local populace the MTS and I departed Corinth on Hwy 2, meandering our way to Potts Camp and Hwy 349S.

After about 5 miles on 349 my Italian friend and I take a right onto Bethlehem Road. On the map it looks like a set of simple twisties. In reality Bethlehem was an undulating, gyroscopic amusement park ride that demanded my full attention. What it lacked in tight corners it made up for with misleading entrance speeds. On one occasion I found myself "in between gears" so to speak, unsure if my approach was appropriate. Instead of downshifting with authority, I took a half-hearted stab at the shifter, resulting in a false neutral as the road fell towards a tightening left-hand bend. Any dust building up on the front roter was quickly vanquished as my index & middle fingers squeezed the Brembo-activator while my left foot searched for gear re-engagement. Somehow I remembered to look ahead and map a course with my eyes, versus scanning the horizon for a run-off area. The mighty Multi's 550 cc canisters provided a stable deceleration as the Ohlins secured the Pirellis firmly to the pavement. By this point I was gently back on the throttle and applying power to the rear wheel, with approximately 6" of tarmac to spare. You learn a lot about a bike while in extremis.

NE MS was traversed at 75-95 MPH, as gently wallowing terrain morphed into legendary delta blues flatlands. I plowed into Arkansas via the Hwy 49 bridge and made my way through Helena and towards Hwy 1S. The ride was largely uneventful, but the Ducati's flat, wide seat allowed me to ride 150 miles without agony (as long as I instituted a 2-3 mile stand & stretch routine every 30 miles). 2 and 4 lane state highways funneled me to El Dorado (Doe-RAY-doe) and a kind elderly woman named Debbie who gave me the "bikers' rate" at the local Holiday Inn Express. Debbie also let me part the Duc just outside the lobby and in plain view of both external cameras. I crashed hard that night after mapping the final 290 miles that would land me back home.

dont know which one is better the ride or the story telling LOL. great job on both thanks for sharing sounds like lots a fun .

What? You don't just ride into Arkansas and ditch us there? There's great riding through that state, I can't just sit here at the Holiday Inn Express not riding....what happened?