The 2019 NT Gathering - May 16-19, 2019 - Cairo, WV

[DirtFlier]

The NT Gathering
May 16-19, 2019
North Bend State Park
Cairo, WV
​

We're planning to have our NT Gathering once more and the location will be North Bend State Park in Cairo, WV. For reference, Cairo is approx 20-miles east of Parkersburg. This locale is a repeat from last year and everyone had a good time although some wished it was further east and closer to home. Oh well, ya can't please everyone. I've honestly lost track of how many of these we've done and we've moved it around a bit but this might be the 6th or 7th NT gathering?

WVRider (Duane) has worked out a deal with the lodge manager so they've reserved 10 rooms for us at a price of $79.74 per night including tax. Most of the rooms have two double beds but there are some with a single King bed. Those of you who've traveled a bit know that anything under $80 is a real bargain; especially when it includes all taxes. The rooms are clean and modestly appointed as befits a state park plus they have free WiFi. I believe some or all of the rooms come with a small 'fridge but I'll check on that. The lodge has a restaurant and they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the food is darn good!

They don't have a way to do reservations via internet so you'll just have to call via telly. Tell them you're with The Motorcycle Group and I'd wait until November to let them get this info into their system.

North Bend State Park: 304-643-2931.

There is also a camping area about 75-100 yards from the lodge and I'll find out about those rates as we get closer to the time. There isn't much in Cairo but Harrisville approx 2-miles away has plenty of gas stations and also stores where you can purchase adult beverages. For 2019, WVRider has promised to create only swoopy routes with less of the tight, technical lefts & rights.

 

[junglejim]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

When???????
The extra ??? are because the message needed more characters, not to be sarcastic.
I'm sure there will be sufficient characters at the gathering, that is sarcastic.

 

[DirtFlier]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

Jim - OK, so I forgot the most important detail. Some people can be so picky. By the way, Duane pays me handsomely by the column inch so I always fluff it up as much as I can.

Do you think you'll be able to leave the frozen tundra of Northern WI and join us this year?

 

[Miairhead]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

For the last few years, pancreatitis, broken ankle, wife's hip, 95 year old uncle responsibilities. I wonder what will keep me in Michigan this year? Some of the best riding in the world (yes I said World), and nice places to eat in almost any small town. Pancreatitis was TNT, that is the first one I was aware of.
For anyone who complains about location, go and start one in the area you choose. Riders will most likely show up for that too. Any reason to ride, burger, ice cream, or just good roads (or just to get away).

 

[mikesim]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

I'm gonna try to make it this year.

Mike

 

[junglejim]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

Duane pays me handsomely by the column inch so always fluff it up as much as I can.

Thanks.

Well I'll double whatever Duane pays you if you'll just give us all the details. How's that for an offer?

I went to one Eastern Gathering at Pigeon Forge TN (the first one I think), and since then I have been snowed in about half the time when it was time to leave. In short, the riding weather here is very undependable here that time of year. Two years ago I went to a Stayin' Safe class down that way and the weather was fine - until ai tried to ride home and it snowed again.

By the way, the event is already too far east. It is 300 miles farther than Spearfish for me.

 

[DirtFlier]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

[...the event is already too far east. It is 300 miles farther than Spearfish for me...Jungle Jim]

I was curious about that so punched in Wausau as the starting point and Spearfish as the destination and it came out 799 miles. Doing the same except for having Cairo, WV as the destination, it came out 795 miles. You probably don't live in Wausau but I needed a starting point in "Northern WI" and I will admit these routes via MS Streets & Trips used lots of interstates but as far as I'm concerned, it was still an apples-to-apples comparison.

Please find another excuse.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

I really enjoyed the WV Rally last year -- even if my riding last year was troubled by great difficulties in getting on and off my bike without finding a way to drop it. Riding is easier for me now since my buddy shortened my sidestand 3/4" and I can now get on and off without compressing the suspension so much that the sidestand levers me too far to the right to be able to catch the bike while my body has shifted to the left.

But, even though I could do it more easily this year, I doubt if I'll take the trip east. There are too many places I want to go west of me!

If you are someone who lives in the eastern half of the US, you really need to go to this rally. The park has great lodging and food and WV roads are incredible. I had been there back in '08 for a Concours Owners Group Rally at Canaan Valley State Park, farther east than North Bend SP. We had great roads there, too. Plus Canaan Valley offered me a deer to hit. It only did about $3,000 damage to my Connie, but the bike was easily rideable and I neither went down or got hurt. That compares favorably with the deer I hit in '16 on my way to the Three Flags Classic Ride. The Colorado deer did $2700 damage to my NT and about $7000 damage to my left hand. The hand still doesn't work right although (thankfully) it's at about 80% compared to the way it was before the deer.

 

[DirtFlier]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

Phil - since you live in CO, it's much easier to explore the far west but for me, it would require crossing the Plains again and I've done that too many times already. Our previous location for this event was in Davis WV and we often passed through the Canaan Valley on our ride loops.

ps. just stay away from that lantern fuel!

 

[junglejim]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

Please find another excuse.

OK, here it is.
First - start in Superior not Wausau. Wausau is 4 hours away.
Second - select the route across the UP of MI instead of going through Chicago. I refused to ride through Chicago. Riding is supposed to be fun and Chicago isn't fun or even close.
Third - Riding through the Plains states is better than riding through Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland etc. But, like you, it gets loooooong for me too.

However, all excuses work the same way. They are just excuses. What I need is commitment.

I now have a nice tilt-load trailer that may make my "get away from winter" riding easier. Loading a motorcycle in to, and more importantly out of, a pick-up truck alone is a little challenging for this 75-year old geezer. I was fearful of hauling my bike 1000 miles south and then dropping it (from above ground level).

 

[Mellow]

RSVP Added.

 

[Miairhead]

I am an old man, yep I admit it. I have a enclosed trailer and I use a cheater to load my motorcycle in the trailer. https://www.harborfreight.com/2500-lbs-atvutility-electric-winch-with-wireless-remote-control-61840.html
If you use a coupon winch is $49, you can get coupon on line.
Unfortunately my trailer is now filled with dog food (has been for over a year). when my buddy died who had a storage facility I moved the dog food to the trailer. You can load and unload very easy with the winch, has a remote that makes is easy for an old man to load his prized machine and not drop. Only issue is finding a mount that allows you to get the motorcycle in the chock ( I just unhook to finish the load as not enough room in the enclosed trailer.
I forgot, I use a deep cell battery, which also is used on a pump for the horse water. I just take the battery, to use when I load motorcycle. You have to find a 12v power source, even is I had to buy a battery for loading I would.

 

[Electraclyde]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

OK, here it is.
First - start in Superior not Wausau. Wausau is 4 hours away.
Second - select the route across the UP of MI instead of going through Chicago. I refused to ride through Chicago. Riding is supposed to be fun and Chicago isn't fun or even close.
Third - Riding through the Plains states is better than riding through Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland etc. But, like you, it gets loooooong for me too.

However, all excuses work the same way. They are just excuses. What I need is commitment.

I now have a nice tilt-load trailer that may make my "get away from winter" riding easier. Loading a motorcycle in to, and more importantly out of, a pick-up truck alone is a little challenging for this 75-year old geezer. I was fearful of hauling my bike 1000 miles south and then dropping it (from above ground level).

If you decide to trailer part way. I can get you a secure place to park your trailer here in Bay City, Mi. From here, it would be about 450 miles to that state park in WV and it can be done without getting anywhere near Detroit or any other large cities. I may also go, but too soon to say for sure.

 

[DirtFlier]

Jungle Jim - don't feel like the Lone Ranger in your fear about unloading/loading a bike onto a truck or trailer. I've been using my Kendon 2-rail to haul my bike & deb's to events that are far away and my biggest worry is always the loading/unloading. Towing the bike to an event in CO, WI, etc., makes it easier on the old bod (now 76) so I'm not so tired once I get there and more than once, it has helped to have a top & windows when we ran into terrible weather on the way home!

The deck on my Kendon is 16-1/2 off the ground and to make the step-up a non-issue, I've made a ramp of plywood (see attach doc) so I can walk alongside the bike as it's loaded and unloaded. For loading I have the engine running and trans in 1st gear. My trailer doesn't have a floor outside of the rails so I can't ride it up and feel secure since footing on the outside is non-existent! The alum floor is only between the rails.



ps mairhead: I thought about fitting an electric winch and even bought a small one from Harbor Freight but gave up on the idea and returned it for a refund. Maybe I'll revisit that idea over the winter?

 

[mikesim]

<gasp!>......trailer your bike to an event!!?? I musta logged onto a Harley forum!! Oh, wait, I'm here..... what is this trailer business??



Mike

 

[Miairhead]

I would recommend trailing.
1. Avoid the Windy City or any big city you don't want to ride through.
2. Snow and Ice.
3. Wife does on ride and she can stay in a Motel while you ride
4. Trailing your motorcycle is better then have it sitting in the barn
5. You can do anything you want, still America
6. if only gas station near are 15%

 

[junglejim]

<gasp!>......trailer your bike to an event!!?? I musta logged onto a Harley forum!! Oh, wait, I'm here..... what is this trailer business??

Laugh if you want Mike, but here is a photo of the morning I WAS going to leave for my second "Eastern Gathering" and decided not to go.

My plan for next spring is to trailer the bike far enough south IF NECESSARY to have an enjoyable ride. Snowmobiles do much better in the snow than motorcycles do.
But you, being from MO, would probably just go no matter what conditions were. Those of us who live in the northland plan on adjusting to conditions of the day. I have a few stories about Johnny Rebs to share around the campfire. Bring your jug.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Re: 2019 NT Gathering

Loading a motorcycle in to, and more importantly out of, a pick-up truck alone is a little challenging for this 75-year old geezer. I was fearful of hauling my bike 1000 miles south and then dropping it (from above ground level).

I can't imagine trying to load an NT into a pickup truck! A friend helped me get home to Ft Morgan from Limon, CO, after a blizzard/ice storm. He had a trailer that wasn't a tilt-load, and I thought we were going to drop the bike getting it loaded and unloaded. A John Wayne-sized man quite a bit younger than me made the loading look easy after he saw Tim and I having a tough time. Then we got home, Tim and I managed to get off the trailer, but it was way more exciting than anything I'd want to do on a regular basis.

 

[mikesim]

Laugh if you want Mike, but here is a photo of the morning I WAS going to leave for my second "Eastern Gathering" and decided not to go.

My plan for next spring is to trailer the bike far enough south IF NECESSARY to have an enjoyable ride. Snowmobiles do much better in the snow than motorcycles do.
But you, being from MO, would probably just go no matter what conditions were. Those of us who live in the northland plan on adjusting to conditions of the day. I have a few stories about Johnny Rebs to share around the campfire. Bring your jug.

Jim, that pic is depressing! If I had that much "partly cloudy" fall at my place, I'd move further south. God is sending you a message... are you listening?

:wink:

Mike

 

[DirtFlier]

I've ridden across the country 4-5 times, and there are only a few states missing from my list of states crossed. Also done extensive riding in the Canadian provinces between BC and Nova Scotia so I feel no guilt in trailering my bike to an event. With two drivers, it saves lots of time plus unnecessary wear and tear on your bike crossing all the flat, boring places you've already seen. :wink: