Bill's space- Blue Strada Tours

Greetings from NC... and a busy Blue Strada office

 

We have been very busy with integrating some new items at Blue Strada Tours...primarily the "Concierge" component of our Self Guided Tours.  What does that mean I am sure yo are asking...  It means this..  We will make available all of our Tour maps (and also make new ones if we don't have what our guests are looking for) along with hotel and restaurant suggestions along the way so our visitors can make their own Tour using our resources that we worked very hard to organize ... and do it on their own time... and at their own pace and budget!  There is so much to see and enjoy here in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains when it comes to riding motorcycles.. we just felt we needed to make all that available for our rental customers.  Additionally, we will pick folks up at the Charlotte airport when it is convenient for us to do so.

 

So if you are reading this.. and thinking about coming to the NC Mountains... and can't seem to work one of our Tours on the calendar into your schedule or budget.. Do Not Let That Stop You!!  Give us a call for details... we are happy to share them with you..

Bill Kniegge

Spring is on the way... how do we know that?  Daytona Bike Week is next Week!!

Greetings from Charlotte / Waxhaw

 

The weather around Charlotte has not been to conducive to exploring new routes or even jsut riding for enjoyment... More rain than recent years, but we need it for sure. 

Still plenty to do in terms of getting ready for Spring Tours and our very own two-up rides that we did not get to do much of in 08. 

 

Our Tour planning continues and we are working hard on a proposed tour to Switzerland to team up with our journalist friend Daniel Riesen.  He has convinced us that we need to bring some friends or tour guests to Switzerland for a Tour of 60 Passes!  Sounded like a great idea, so we are trying to organize a schedule that works with our other Tour dates and takes advantage of the best weather in August.  Details shoudl be available soon, so stay in touch if it interests you.

 

This year we are lucky enough to get the Cycle World Motorcycle Shows to appear in Greenville, SC opposed to Atlanta, GA.  We hope it turns out great and will be there to check out all the new bikes and gear.  February 20-22 is the date.

 

Concierge Rentals: Details are getting finalized on our Motorcycle Rentals with Concierge Service as well.  We are opening up our "work-books" to our Rental Guests so they can come to the Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains and enjoy a Tour in their own time and pace without having to work around our Scheduled Tour Dates on the Calendar.  Information is up on the website about it.. and we are excited about it.

 

Suzuki Motorcycles, V Stroms especially, seem to be in short supply... Many of our friends looking for a back-up bike to their BMWs have decided that V Stroms are the way to go... Now there are not too many available at dealerships in CA and also in NC.  So ifyou find one out there while yo are looking you should grab it!

www.suzukicycles.com is also a place to look for additional dealers and product information.

 

Well to everyone that is a fan of motorcycles.. ride safe in January... keeping the rubber side down.

 

See you all in Greenville at the CW Show.

 

Bill K

 

 

 

Gosh... it's been some time since we were able to catch up with my Blog...  Spent November in CA at our little home in Borrego Springs, just north of San Diego.

 

Beautiful weather for riding anything with two wheels... and for the motor side of things, I had a love ly Victory Vision to enjoy while I was there.  A full story will be coming forthwith about the bike and the riding experience.  For those interested in a fascinating part of the CA desert scenery... you should consider visiting Borrego Springs and enjoy the sights recently installed by Dennis Avery and his 30+ metal sculptures of the pre-historic animals and birds that inhabited the Borrego Valley millions of years ago.  See www.galletameadows.com for more info on the Gomphos and Elephants... and Camels too.

 

As we prepare for our exciting Tour programs in 2009 we will also enjoy the Holidays that are now upon us... I'll be sure to return with the story and photos of our trip to Borrego Springs with the Victory Vision.

 

Bill K

Some of my riding buddies acuseme of being anal about driving with a clean windshield and riding  with a clean face shield. 

I probably am to be sure.  But, I know there are others out there like me so here is some good info to file away.

 

I started using the S100 Special Surfaces cleaner a couple of years ago for keeping a slippery shine on the front of my Cagiva Gran Canyon

fairing and it really works well.  I also found out the another "special surface" is the helmet and more importantly the face shield. 

It keeps it very clean and reduces the magnetic that always draws dust on both inside and outside of the shield.  Better yet, it wipes clean

 and leaves no film.  Looks a little milky when you put it on..but wipes right off.  In fact when using it on the dreaded glasses I must wear

it actually gets squeaky clean so to speak with same benefits.  Give it a try.. and let me know your thoughts as well.  Most dealers or from

S100.com I believe.

 

Ride Safe and enjoy all the color if you happen to be in the states that have it.  No better way than on a bike.

 

Bill Kniegge

It seems that you can't go up to the mountains around here without finding some new roads to ride that continue to make the Carolinas such a fantastic place to ride!!

 

I really must do this little report on the mountains around Asheville in a couple of sections... lots to talk about!  For starters, we decided to explore the south side of the BRP from around Mt Pisgah area.  Starting down (south) US 276 from the BRP we decided to have a look at FR 475... a really cool little fire-road that was just the right degree of difficulty for the 650 V Stroms.. no worries at all... lots of elevation changes and twisties making it fun.  Eventually finding our way over to SR 215 and continued south on some really gorgeous curves made all the more fun by the bright sun  and great color of the leaves falling.  Hard to pay attention to say the least.  Continuing south on 215 to Macedonia Rd then west on more outrageous smooth twisty roads..  Connecting to SR 281 headed to Lake Toxaway and US 64.  Aha... we were saved by the owners of the Lake Toxaway Cafe... who just happened to be a collector of Austin Healey Sprites.. yes one in the front yard as a planter... and he encouraged us to head back up 281 to Tuckasagee... no short ride for sure.. but great fun.  The south on SR 107 all the way to Cashiers for lunch.... well sort of late lunch as it is now 3:15 in the afternoon.  Heading further south towards the Chattooga River and Walhalla SC, we missed the shortcut over to SR130 that would have saved us 25 miles in getting to US 11 heading back to Charlotte.  From Asheville to Charlotte was 335 miles... but what a fun ride it was.  So.. let me know if anyone else has explored that south side of the BRP and some of the se really fun dirt roads.

  

Next time we'll tell you about the great roads north of Little Suisse that wind their way back to Asheville without ever getting on the 4 lane.

 

And..if any of you know some more of the hidden roads around the Asheville area... or any other NC area that you love... please let me know about them.  I really do appreciate it.

 

 

Ride Safe... and enjoy the Fall Color

Bill Kniegge