The 2018 NT Gathering in WV

DirtFlier

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2018 WV NT Gathering
May 17-20
North Bend State Park,
Cairo, WV
-->RSVP here<--

The park has a lodge with rooms & cabins plus they have camping just 30-40 yards from the main lodge/restaurant building. The restaurant serves buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus the nearby small towns of Harrisville and Ellenboro have other eateries. We just had lunch at the lodge last Saturday and everyone enjoyed their meal. The nearest large city is Parkersburg, WV approx 30 miles west. You can find the locale on your maps by finding Parkersburg, then east on US 50 to WV 16 south. From that point, it's about 10-15 minutes to North Bend State Park. You guys coming from the east could also use US 50 west to get there.
 
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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

I did a check at Booking.com and said lodge is sold out for the Weekend of the 17th, did you already reserve the lodge? Booking.com has dates on either side of weekend. Did NOT check cabins.
I emailed northbend@wvdnr.gov to see if rooms are available.


Sounds like a great place for a riding event.
 
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DirtFlier

DirtFlier

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

WVRider (Duane) is "our boots on the ground" guy since he lives 20-miles away so I'll have to check with him. He may have already asked the lodge to block-in a number of rooms for us . Stay tuned!
 
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DirtFlier

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

Duane has arranged to have 10 rooms blocked and reserved for us. He's going to talk to the Asst Super to find out how to access those rooms when making a reservation but I suspect calling directly, vs using their online system, may be required.

By the way, no reservations are necessary for those hearty soles who are camping. :)
 

WVRider

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

All looking good. Tosh, I spoke with Kathy and there are 10 rooms set aside for the group. Ask for one of the rooms for the "NT Motorcycle Group". I will also arrange to have some coolers at the camping location for some refreshments. I will supply an assortment of refreshments however we can also add to them with your choices once on location. At least two of the routes I put together have fantastic restaurants about 3/4 of the way through the loop where I plan to stop and take on groceries so dinner will not likely be needed those evenings.

Edit: The refreshments will be for everyone and we can replenish as seen fit.
 
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Phil Tarman

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

If Jim Moore's eye surgery works to get him back on his bike, we're thinking about coming to WV.
 

WVRider

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

I did a check at Booking.com and said lodge is sold out for the Weekend of the 17th, did you already reserve the lodge? Booking.com has dates on either side of weekend. Did NOT check cabins.
I emailed northbend@wvdnr.gov to see if rooms are available.


Sounds like a great place for a riding event.
Will likely have to call direct 304-643-2931 and ask for one of the rooms set aside for the "NT Motorcycle Group". We only have 10 rooms, but lots of room for camping. As noted, no reservations needed for camping and it will be a small fee. I'll let everyone know for sure but sounding like $10. There are showers and restrooms at the camping location.
 

WVRider

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

A footnote while planning your route to the event. If coming in Via U.S. Rt.50, use either Rt.31 through Cairo (follow the signs) or Rt.16 at Ellenboro and go through Harrisville to get to the park. Do not use Rt.5, which most gps' will try to bring you, unless you like riding gravel roads. If coming in from the south, Rt.16 is awesome but note it will be used for at least one of our routes during the event. There are several 2 lane routes from the North, however it is best to meter down to Rt.16 at Ellenboro to come the last few miles.
 

junglejim

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

If Jim Moore's eye surgery works to get him back on his bike, we're thinking about coming to WV.
I hope that works out. If Jim goes I'll ride down there just to continue our coffee routine with my morning coffee buddy. Jim and I solve most of the worlds problems before most of the others wake up.

When is Jim scheduled for his eye surgery?
 
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DirtFlier

DirtFlier

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

Last Friday after our lunch at North Bend Park restaurant (it was delicious!), I let the GPS choose a route back to our hotel in Marietta. The road got narrower and narrower....then the blacktop suddenly turned to lumpy dirt so I turned 'round since some in our group were hardly what I'd call dirt riders!. It was Route 5. I took Rt 31 to US 50 and had no further problems. :)

ps. I just reserved a room by calling (304) 643-2931. An answering machine will give you options but none for a room in the lodge, so just punch "0." And ask to make a reservation for next year.
 
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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

I visited Spruce Knob a couple of years ago, my son on a Tenere took a back route, up a gravel road that was not meant for NT on road tires. Gravel roads in West Virginia are NOT for road tires, unless you are very use to riding on grave and they are still a challenge for road tires and bikes. Southern Ohio and WV has some of the best roads you can ride I believe. Most paved roads are very good, and fun to ride. Best weekend I had was around Snow Shoe, stated at the motels (that was usually closed in summer), with a group of old Porsche 911 club at motel (think they booked the motel open).
One visit I recommend is the Green Bank telescope if you into outer space, Robert Bird was very good a bring money to WV. Just don't plan on using you cell phone. http://greenbankobservatory.org/
 
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DirtFlier

DirtFlier

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

[...One visit I recommend is the Green Bank telescope...Just don't plan on using you cell phone.]

Deb & I took the Green Bank Radio Telescope tour last Oct while at an MSTA event called "Fall Colors" in Lewisburg, WV. It's a great tour but leave your microwave at home!
 
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DirtFlier

DirtFlier

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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

Wait another week or so to reserve a room in the lodge because they need to adjust the room rates to what was provided to Duane.
 
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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

Did they tell you on the tour how they cut weeds that contact electric fences to keep them from interfering with with signal. Nothing is new on grounds, trucks are old school not to interfere with waves.
 
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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

I may be able to make those dates this upcoming year, even tho I no longer own an NT.
 
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Re: 2018 NT Gathering in WV

Thanks to Duane and Tosh far pulling this together. Sounds like another splendid WV rally in the works.

Slightly off topic, I just returned from our first RX3 rally in Marlinton WV. Only four riders but it was our first attempt. And although the Chinese-made RX3 has a number of issues, it was interesting to me that we had four bikes, a couple did some unexpectedly serious off-roading, bikes came from between 240 miles to 340 miles away, and as far as I know everyone made it home with no mechanical issues. And this from 250cc bikes.

I am not an off-roader, but had a great time exploring single lane paved roads that meandered along the Greenbrier river between Cass and Marlinton.

So here is an interesting find. We checked at the local tourism office to see if there were good local maps. The very helpful young woman at the office suggested we take a copy of the e911 map. What? Turns out the Pocahantas County Homeland Security and Emergency Management office has published a fold-out map showing every road in the country, and indicating whether paved, gravel, or rough unimproved stuff. Designed for emergency and first responders, its a gold mine for riders who just want to explore the back roads without getting in over their heads. Who knew?
 
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