Cape Hatteras Light Station

Then a run was made over to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, as I wanted to climb the spiral stairs to the top and see what kind of view it afforded me.





-The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse protects one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast. Offshore of Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream collides with the Virginia Drift, a branch of the Labrador Current from Canada. This current forces southbound ships into a dangerous twelve-mile long sandbar called Diamond Shoals. Hundreds and possibly thousands of shipwrecks in this area have given it the reputation as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”.





-The new lighthouse was lit on December 1, 1870. The 1803 lighthouse was demolished in February of 1871. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse received the famous black and white stripe daymark pattern in 1873. The Lighthouse Board assigned each lighthouse a distinctive paint pattern (daymark) and light sequence (nightmark) to allow mariners to recognize it from all others during the day and night as they sailed along the coast.

The lighthouse is a conical brick structure rising from an octagon-shaped brick and granite base and topped with an iron and glass lantern. It is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States and measures 198.49 feet from the bottom of the foundation to the top of the pinnacle of the tower. This height was needed to extend the range of the light-beam from the tower’s low-lying beach site. The tower’s sturdy construction includes exterior and interior brick walls with interstitial walls resembling the spokes of a wheel. There are 269 steps from the ground to the lens room of the lighthouse.




-The Fresnel lens installed in the 1870 lighthouse was powered by kerosene and could be seen approximately 16 miles from the shore. The keeper had to manually rewind the clockwork apparatus each day. The Fresnel lens usually took 12 hours for a complete cycle. When the lamp was electrified in 1934, the manual mechanism was no longer needed. Damaged by vandals, the giant glass Fresnel lens had to be replaced by a modern aero beacon in 1950. Today, electricity provides the rotating power and a photocell turns the light on and off.





-In 1999, after years of study and debate, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved to its present location. The lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet in 23 days and now lies 1,500 feet from the seashore, its original distance from the sea. The Double Keepers’ Quarters, the Principal Keeper’s Quarters, the dwelling cisterns, and the oil house were all relocated with the lighthouse.





It is a long strenuous climb to the top but well worth the effort !!
You get an amazing view looking back North up Route 12.
I feel fortunate to have the cool weather on my side. I'm sure it can be very tough on a hot and humid day. That is something to consider when visiting this area.




Also, an interesting view of the Cape, which is where the Diamond shoals lie, is to be had fro this vantage point.






Before heading back down I took a picture of the light at the top.




While in Buxton I decided to fuel up before heading to dinner since the plan was to head back North in the morning.

53,536 - ODOMETER
251 - FUEL TRIP
5.763 - GALLONS PREMIUM
43.55 - MPG

Detroit to Outer Banks - Day 5

-DAY 5

As the sun began to ascend, the three of us efficiently broke camp - as we have done many times before.

After exchanging contact information and goodbyes we parted ways.

Passing through Buxton, I stopped at a little cafe for breakfast and coffee.

Although it didn't look like much from the outside....



....it was very sharp on the inside with brilliant colors that captured the ocean atmoshere !




Back heading North on Route 12 as it carried me along this spectacular sandbar called the Outer Banks.



And back over the Bonner bridge spanning the Oregon Inlet to Bodie Island.











On this return trip to my Dad's, the plan was to map out an alternative route between his place in Surry and the Outer Banks allowing me to bypass the hustle and bustle of the Norfolk area.

So Highway 64 West across Roanoke Island ("The Lost Colony") was chosen.

The bridges spanning the Roanoke and Croatan Sounds along with the Intracoastal waterway kept it interesting; a little to the west the road passed just above Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge - as this is the Dismal swamp region.




Along the road I encountered a sign for a Bear crossing area. That surprised me as I wouldn't have thought they would be this far east.

Shortly after the Bear crossing sign, another indicating a Red Wolf crossing appeared.

Now the Red Wolf I do distinctly remember hearing about being reintroduced into this area some time back - along with a small number in the Smoky Mountain area.

Then I followed Route 32 north over the Albermarle Sound and along relaxing country roads all the way up and across the Virginia state line; through Suffolk to route 10, which carried me the remaining distance to the small countryside town of Surry, then my Dad's place.

This turned out to be an effective alternative route; in the future this will be the route used if needed.

The rest of the evening was just spent relaxing and spending a last few hours with Dad before a big day tommorow returning home on Memorial day so I can make work Tuesday morning, until Baby (The feral cat from Detroit) came into the living room through the doggy door with a rat..... A LIVE RAT !!!

Baby dropped it; then the rat scurried behind the TV.
After getting all the cats out of the room we made a blockade and channeled the rat out the door.

My Dad's girlfriend Debbie was mad. She gets seriously freaked out about these sort of things.

Him teasing her didn't help matters any, especially when he yelled out in a panic stricken voice "TWINKIE HAS ANOTHER ONE" !!!

Now she was furious !!!

Bodie Lighthouse

Another stop at Bodie Lighthouse, with some time to burn; allowing me the opportunity to join a tour and climb to the top; hoping for some stunning views.

I feel fortunate for being able to do this, as Bodie Lighthouse has only recently become available for climbing.

It was built in 1872 and still has its original 1st-order Fresnel lens.

Rising 165 feet and painted with striking black and white stripes, picture-perfect Bodie Island Lighthouse is actually the third attempt to illuminate the perilous stretch of coast between Cape Hatteras and Currituck Beach.



Note the spelling on the marble wall.

Reportedly, Bodie Island, originally “Body,” is named after the family who owned the land, but folklore would have it that the name resulted from the many shipwrecked bodies that washed ashore.



There are 214 steps to the top !!



This was a guided tour by a park ranger; it took a while to get to the top because he would stop at all the landings so everone could catch their breath; then tell us some of the history of the lighthouse and the Outer Banks.

The view was definately worth the climb and $8.00 admission.



-Bodie Island marshes teem with waterbirds, visible from a viewing platform near the lighthouse.

Detroit to Outer Banks - Day 6

-DAY 6 -

The last four days have been spent sight-seeing and exploring, but all things must come to an end, and as such it was time to hustle back to Detroit and reality. It is time to devour some miles. Since I was not in the mood to deal with Washington D.C. traffic I decided to climb over the Appalachian mountain range through Northern Virginia and West Virginia before popping into Ohio for the final sprint home.

This route would be somewhat slower and longer, but was worth it for me today, rather than the crapshoot through D.C.



When a long day in the saddle is in order, I prefer to hit the road first thing and stop later for coffee and food. In this way, I feel I get a more efficient start - establishing an effective rhythm for the day.

By 5:00 AM I was rolling.

After a short stop in Hopewell for fuel, I bypassed Richmond heading west on Interstate 64.

53,806 - ODO
270.2 - FUEL TRIP
6.226 - GALLONS PREMIUM
43.39 - MPG

With a solid 120 miles under my belt, it was time for coffee and a bite to eat, so I whipped into Charlottesville and made a quick pit stop at McDonalds.

Back rolling, knowing I am going to be "torching tanks" on the interstate all day, and seeing a sign for Rock Fish gap coming up (northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway) I zoomed out the GPS and after a few mental calculations decided to treat myself to a shortcut consisting of the northern 50 miles of the parkway.



There were a couple of girls hanging out on a huge boulder at a stop; they were kind enough to take a picture for me after climbing up onto a log wedged into the falls; this was a special place and called Wigwam Falls.





 When I came upon the Route 60 Junction, with a heavy heart I had to depart the parkway. 

         Passing through Buena Vista, I made a mental note that it was a clean looking Appalachian town with a couple small motor lodges that would make a nice base to stage Appalachian adventures out of.

After a relaxing ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway including a few interesting stops, the old "Battle Wagon" and I had to wick it up, torching the Interstate and Turnpike all the way back home.

         One thing about West Virginia - even the Interstates are scenic.





It's getting into the heat of the day now and memorial day traffic is also getting heavy.

         It's elbow to elbow in the service plaza with all the travelers trying to get home.

54,077 - ODO270.4 - FUEL TRIP
6.390 - GALLONS PREMIUM
42.31 - MPG ​

 

Crossing into Ohio, it doesn't take long to notice the Ohio state patrol is out in force.

         You have to watch your speeds through Ohio, especially during holidays. A trucker came on over the CB stating a bear was tailing a motorcycle. I knew he was talking about me so I backed off some; then the police car came into the view and did a u-turn going the other direction. That was close, thanks !

In my mirror I could see another motorcycle approaching …quickly. Usually I am moving along at a fast pace and doing the passing. This bike was coming on and going to overtake me ! Oh, that explains it. Another ST !!!




Near Cleveland, I entered the turnpike for the remaining distance to Toledo, after fueling up.

54,361 - ODO284.2 - FUEL TRIP
6.309 - GALLONS PREMIUM
45.04 - MPG

The final miles passed by uneventful and quickly as the Turnpike traffic always moves briskly. I was running very hard and working the busy lanes full of holiday travelers, all the while keeping a watchful eye out.

 Back home after a safe trip, it was time to unwind and get ready for work in the morning. I went and topped the fuel tank and was surprised by the decent fuel mileage considering how efficiently the last stretch was covered.

54,590 - ODO
228.8 - FUEL TRIP
5.356 - GALLONS PREMIUM
42.71 – MPG

It was nice to see my wife and two daughters after being away, along with my three dogs and cat.
My daughters loved the marble dolphins I picked up for them in the Outer Banks.
I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful home and family and still get to go out on adventures and travel. Many only get one or the other - and not both.
And it is amazing that often I take it for granted and still struggle hard to find balance.
Always wanting for and to do more and better.
It is one of the mysterious curses of man kind !!!​

Wrenching on the Mighty ST

Keeping busy this winter with some maintenance and upgrades on the old "Battle Wagon".

The valves are still in specification at 82,500 miles. Never been adjusted.

While things are apart, I'm working on mitigating the "heat" issue the ST is notorious for. I've been following the comprehensive article that Don Ferrario wrote.

Finished up the air box area tonight; sealed off all those huge gaps the hot air from the radiator flows through.

Before -



After -



This is turning out to be an enjoyable project. The Reflectix insulation material and corresponding tape is actually a pleasure to work with. Admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive at first, as this is somewhat of an odd mod for an old gearhead like myself, but I think it will make a vast improvement - it makes sense.

Had the throttle body assembly off the bike; cleaned and lubed everything. While they were off, it was a convenient time to inspect the water tube and thermostat assembly which resides under them.

Replaced the valve cover gaskets as they were weeping; leaving an oil residue build up on the cylinder heads.

Jim's Lake Superior 1000 summary

This is copied and pasted from the Iron Butt web forum.
This was written by the Ride organizer JIM VANDENBERGHE. IBAJIM on ADVRIDER.


We had 11 riders start the Lake Superior SS1K Friday morning between 5:30 & 6:00 am.

ALL riders finished within 24 hours !! The first rider came in at 1:25 am and the last at 5:53 am. He stopped and took a 1 hour nap in Ishpeming, MI after starting to see things moving around.

One older gentleman on a 400 Burgman ( his first SS1K ) made it back in before myself & my new riding buddy Howie ( from CT ) by 15 minutes ! I think he made only quick BBG type gas stops the entire ride. We passed him up about 6 times during the entire ride. The Tortoise & the Hare story. And he also was detained for a period of time ( he was asked to "go inside" ) when we re-entered the USA at Grand Portage, MN.

Howie & I saw a young bear cross the road in front of us at about 1:15 PM before reaching Thunder Bay, ON.

At the end of the ride, I also heard that Dave Olson ( WI ) got a pic. of a bear and a mother moose with two calves. I'm hoping he will send me copies.

This ride was tougher than my BBG ride at the end of May. A lot of construction zones and much traffic between Grand Marais & Duluth. And all two-lane and 90Km / 55 mph speed limits.

If you are ever in Grand Marais, MN I recommend the Taco Shack.

Forgot to mention in my original post about the conditions on the bridge from Duluth, MN to Superior, WI. Yes, there is a bridge ( short-cut route) over the extreme western portion of Lake Superior between the two cities.

It was extremely foggy with high winds across the lanes. I was being blown back & forth even at 35 mph. I was concerned about being rear-ended by a cage. The wind didn't seem to be affecting the cages - they were all passing me up. My bike was completely cover with huge water droplets by the time we reached Superior, WI.

That was far worse than crossing the Mackinaw Bridge when going over the grating between the two center towers when maintenance has the right hand lane closed.

Pastie

Here's your Yooper food - Pastie !!

An impromptu lunch stop before crossing the Makinaw bridge back into the Lower Penninsula - as I was returning from the Lake Superior 1000.