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2006 BuRP Motorcycle Rally Blog - Day 7

This year I'm publishing highlights of the 2006 BuRP rally, day by day in a blog. BuRP was scheduled for July 10-15 this year. The blog will also include my preparations for getting ready to take the ride to Maggie Valley, NC from the Wing Ding rally at Nashville, TN and my observations while there.

Jane and I got up early today to pack the bikes. At 7:15 a.m. we rode to breakfast. 17 other BuRPers decided to follow us and we all had breakfast together -- sort of a farewell breakfast, or at least we took it that way. At the end of the breakfast when I was reaching for my bill, it was quickly shuffled out of my reach by SteelHorseRider (Steve) and handed off to G2W (Sammye) and Sammye paid for us. Very unexpected but very much in keeping with the spirit of BuRP. We said our goodbyes mainly at the restaurant and headed back to the motel to make last minute checks. We were headed out of town by 8:30 a.m.

We felt a bit strange having to leave BuRP early with people still there and lots more to do. But we had been there since Friday night and spent six nights there but now we had family obligations to attend to in New Jersey.

Jane is still feeling the after effects of the head injury she sustained earlier in the week. Today would be a real test of whether she would be up to traveling over 350 miles per day mostly on hot I81 playing tag with hundreds of 18-wheelers. It was somewhat difficult for her. Then we encountered rain that initially was a nuisance. Then it got heavier and we pulled off the interstate to put the rain suits on. We started up again and it wasn't much longer before the thunder and lightning came. We pulled off again, gassed up, and waited a bit. Then we started out on the last leg and the rain gradually slowed down and the road dried out. We ended up pulling into Staunton, VA about 5 p.m., much later than we expected.

Tomorrow we will be getting back on the interstate and pointing the trikes north. The distance is a bit longer so I'm hoping that Jane will be able to "cowboy up" and make it in one day. She will be seeing a doctor on Monday to check her out. I will write the final BuRP blog entry after I get back home. My rally going will then be over for 2006.

Attending rallies is a lot of fun. In fact, on Wednesday night, the group sat around and talked about why it's so hard to interest forum members in attending BuRP. We see a few new faces every year but we don't see as many as we'd like to see. The BuRP rally is not a clique. Anyone can come. It's the best way to meet the people on the forum. We talk a lot, laugh a lot, eat a lot, and take a lot of rides together. Several of us take pictures of what's going on and display them on the Motorcycles site for everyone to see. We want the rest of the forum members to want to attend next year. Don't feel you have to come for a full week. That may not be possible for you. Consider coming early and staying a few days as we did. Or come late in the week and stay over the weekend. Even come up for a day trip if you are close or even an overnight stay. You will still get to meet forum members, ride with them, talk to them, eat with them. You can't do all that by merely posting and reading messages on the forum. Think about it, plan for next year, and attend BuRP 2007. You'll be glad you did.

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