Bears in Cades Cove 2013

   This summer while in Cades Cove in the Tennessee side of the Smoky Mountains I came across 4 bears in the trees eating leaves.

KLIM gear

  KLIM Adventure gear is the Bomb !!!
You will have to excuse the picture - It was a long day in the saddle !! LOL !!

Milford Mini Trials

  Last week while out at the Bent Fenders mini Trial I tested out "BIFF"s 2009 GAS GAS RAGA 300 that he just picked up in New York.

Surly Long Haul Trucker

   After much research on various touring bikes I decided on the Surly LHT as an additional dimension to my Adventures, primarily for the physical fitness aspect.
 
 Although I was shooting for spring on the bike purchase, I picked up this brand new 2011 leftover a month ago from Jacks Bicycle Shop on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn, Michigan.

 I also liked the nostalgic flavor of the Olive Green color.

    Here is a shot from my first ride of 14 miles. The picture is taken on Hines Drive at the I-275 bike path junction.

  So far I have only added a couple of items to the Surly: water bottles/cages, bike computer, air pump, and lights to be seen. But I plan on setting it up with fenders and a rear rack and bag soon so it will be ready for commuting to work in the spring ,which is one of my goals.

  I still have my KLR but will be splitting the time with the LHT.

Tunnel under the Pennsylvania Turnpike

   While traveling North on PA backroads I came across this Unique tunnel passing under the PA Turnpike.

Hyner View State Park, Pennsylvania

   I stopped at Hyner View S.P. in Northern Central Pennsylvania and rode the switchbacks up to the beautiful overlook. The river is the Susquehanah.

Jamestown,Virginia

   I took the Ferry from Surry over to Jamestown.It is a free Ferry and they run all day.
There is a top deck you can go up onto for the ride also.

  I spent a couple of hours walking through the Historic Jamestown. You can see it as you are on the Ferry as it is right on the bank of the James River.

  I really liked this old Church.It was from around 1907 and in very good condition.

From Jamestown I took Colonial Parkway to Yorktown. Just outside of Yorktown I came across this stand of what I believe is Bamboo.

Fathers Day surprise Surry,Virginia

   On fathers day I showed up at my Dads house around 6 pm and I did not tell him I was coming down.

   He works in the shipyards in Newport News and has been down there about 10 years now.

"Skyline Drive" Shenandoah NP - Virginia

        Starting out in Front Royal, Virginia - I rode the Skyline Drive from north to south, about 110 miles.

     About 15 miles in I came across a Mother Bear and her two tiny cubs. I stopped about 15-20 feet from her and watched them. The Mother looked back at me - right in the eyes - and the two cubs put their front paws up on the tree (one cub on each side of the tree) and looked back at me nervously - ready to climb up the tree if need be.

     Then they just slowly wandered back in the woods. Thats when I grabbed the camera and took a picture of the mom as she was leaving, but the cubs were already out of sight.

   I took a little riding break and stretched my legs a bit on the Appalachian Trail.
Someday I would like to take the time to hike the AT.

Seneca Rocks,West Virginia

Sistersville,West Virginia Ferry

     This is the Ferry in Southeast Ohio that takes you over the Ohio River from Fly, Ohio to Sistersville, West Virginia.


    This Ferry was first established in 1817.

Toledo.Ohio

      Here is a shot of Toledo,Ohio and the Maumee River from the new 280 Bridge.

The Tunnel of trees and Cross Village

      Along the Lake Michigan shoreline in the very northern tip of the lower penninsula of Michigan is a road called 119 or the Tunnel of Trees.It is a very popular scenic road through fantastic forest with views of the Lake from impressive elevations.
     If heading North the road dumps you into Cross Village and a very unique and interesting Polish restaurant called The Legs Inn.

                                                      Here is the front door   !!!

Of course you can eat inside but I always chhose the back patio outside overlooking the garden and Lake Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

   Here are some more pictures of the Sleeping Bear Dunes area. Eventually I will run out of archived pictures and info and the blog will become current.

This is the big dune climb, which lies within the Pierce Stocking scenic drive loop. You start at the top and go down to Lake Michigan - then you have no choice but to climb back up. It took me an hour, and a liter of water, to claw my way back up to the top.     

                              

This is an observation deck. From here you can view everybody going down and climbing up the dune.

 

 

This is at the bottom - on the Amazing Lake Michigan shoreline.

This is one of many pristine forest roads in the area.

Sleeping Bear Bay

 

These are of the sunset on the beach behind D.H.Day Campground.

Pierce stocking Scenic Drive

This is the other Dune climb area. It is not as extreme as the other, but has alot of miles of Dunes to hike and explore, versus the other one which is one large dune.

 

Looking back down at the parking lot and Glen Arbor Lake in the back ground.

 

 

                                              Gas Guy is getting tired !!  And old !!