Where does time and people go ?

[WVRider]

WOW ! Opened an old file today on my old laptop I was clearing off at work. Made me do a little research around on here. Oh My ! The first NT Gathering in the OHIO / WV (Eastern Gathering) was just referred to as the Buckeye Ride put together by a few of us on this site. The location was Logan, Ohio and it was in August of 2012. So hard to believe. I ended up leading these great guys on the First of many NT Gatherings after that. After looking at these photos, I realize, as of this past fall, I may be the only one of the original 6 that still rides.

I lost contact with 1Trak (Steve) and vzshadow (Dan) quite a few years ago (Reflected on this site). John Browning was the next to go when he moved to ? Florida and started raising his grand kids. Hasn't been on the site in years and no answers to emails. That may have been around 2015? Cnille (Barry) kept coming to the WV Gatherings till 2019 when he advised that due to his health, that was likely his last Gathering. I think he got rid of his NT and last email I got from him he was rocking a Burgman. Hopefully he'll come back over to WV and ride if he still is. He is in our current email list of attendee's. BobAgain (Bob) one of my best friends, gave up his riding and sold out this past fall due to health issues. Was so sad to see him get out of it. He and I rode many, many miles together including a 25 day, west motorcycle camping adventure, 6035 miles and more fun than we could imagine. Our last ride together was He, Rob (who is still riding from up Northeast), and I on a 4 day mc camping adventure in Aug 2021 in NE PA and Western NY.

Thank goodness we still have a small group who have kept the NT Gathering alive over the years and even after the initial hit with COVID. DirtFlier stepped in and started helping me coordinate them and has since maybe 2013 or 2014? We have kept it small via emails of those who always came since about 2019 but it's still alive. Maybe those really truly interested in riding SE Ohio and / or WV shoot me a message. We are likely to keep the numbers small however could add a few since a some have started falling away.

Remembering those who started it all with me; Left to Right; Cnille, myself, John Browning, 1Trak, BobAgain, and vzshadow. Just a heads up to all those who still make it happen.

 

[Fieroguy]

Duane, Thank you for the history and the trip down memory lane. i was with the group when Cnille joined us, before he moved got the Bergman. John Browning was also with us although I’m not sure which trip. I’ve met so many great people on these little get-togethers. I’m really glad you and Tosh have kept them going.

Is It just me, or are you actually getting younger?

 

[WVRider]

Duane, Thank you for the history and the trip down memory lane. i was with the group when Cnille joined us, before he moved got the Bergman. John Browning was also with us although I’m not sure which trip. I’ve met so many great people on these little get-togethers. I’m really glad you and Tosh have kept them going.

Is It just me, or are you actually getting younger?

Yea Cnille, John and Bob were still around for several times that you joined us. Oh and not any younger but still rolling the miles. See ya in May

 

[Phil Tarman]

The first gathering of NT riders I can remember happened in Cadillac, MI, in 2010. I'm 80 now and my memory for names is gone, but IIRC. there were 5 of us in Cadillac. Elzilla is a name I remember. She had to quit riding because of issue with foot-drop (??) in about 2012. We started in Cadillac and rode NW, where a couple joined us. He was on an ST1300 and she was on an NT. We rode to Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes and Traverse City. North of there everbody but me turned south and I went on north to Canada and around Lake Superior.

In 2011 there was a gathering at Hill City, SD. Seems like we had about 12-13 at that one. Then in '12, we started joining the ST riders in Spearfish. That one's still going although there aren't many NTs there any more. I may have been the only one in '20 and I didn't make it in '21 or '22.

 

[DirtFlier]

Somewhere in my photo archives I have a photo with myself on NT, Katherine (Elzilla) on NT, a guy from PA on NT, and a friend from IN on his FJR. The photo was taken at the Big Muskie during the MSTA Mail Pouch Fly-By in Marietta. The guy from PA came to the Fly-By and I saw him at another event or two then lost touch. Every time Windows goes through yet another update I seem to lose things!

Katherine bought a 2013 NC700XD (DCT) in hopes of helping with her foot problem but it wasn't much help. She put it up for sale around 2015 and I bought it with less than 1000 miles on the odometer and it now has over 40k miles. Last I heard, she bought a Super Tenere then shipped it to the northwest to have a sidecar installed plus some sort of reversing mechanism. I hope she's still out there riding happily.

The first NT Gathering I can recall was at Burr Oak SP but perhaps there was another one or two I attended before then? At Burr Oak, BobAgain and I took off in the pouring rain to make a beer run into the town of Glouster. On the way, back Bob was leading but missed the turn to 83 and was going like hell. I had to not only catch him but get in front to get us turned around. That may have been when I decided to install a Stebel SoundBlaster horn on my NT!

 

[Warren]

I went to the 2014 rally in Pigeon Forge. There were approx 12 riders there most on an NT’. I think David, Duane, Jim and I are about the only ones from that ride left on this forum. Wendell and Chuck do occasionally still make an appearance here however. Through many years of riding motorcycles I have always been a lone rider but I did enjoy that rally immensely. Wish it had not been a one and done.

 

[DirtFlier]

Why not create an NT event in your area? Just pick a date and a locale and make it known to the NT community.

It doesn't have to be big because having lots of riders can create its own problems!

 

[jmoore]

Katherine sold her tenere rig a couple of years ago, I do not know if she is still riding or not.

 

[WVRider]

I went to the 2014 rally in Pigeon Forge. There were approx 12 riders there most on an NT’. I think David, Darryl, Jim and I are about the only ones from that ride left on this forum. Wendell and Chuck do occasionally still make an appearance here however. Through many years of riding motorcycles I have always been a lone rider but I did enjoy that rally immensely. Wish it had not been a one and done.

I was at the TNT so I'm sure we met Warren. The guy who started it inquired with Tosh and I before creating it because he didn't want to interfere with our Eastern Gathering. We all agreed this would be our Eastern Gathering that year. Myself, Rob, BobAgain, and his son Andrew (who is holding the right side of the sign) rode down together. And several of the Eastern Gatherings were there like John, Dave, Barry, etc. etc. We were with Wendell on his fateful day. Glad to see him back on the bike. I led a tour up over that and over through Maggy Valley, up the The Rattler (209) and around Rt.25 and 411 back to Pigeon Forge. That was a great time. That's John Browning, ???, Woodaddict, Cnille, and that's aweful I cannot remember the guys name on the right. He came to a few of our Eastern Gatherings in WV also. Great memories. Woodaddict has been coming on and off to several. Joined us up here last year.








In my last photo, that is Andrew behind me followed by Cnille, Wendell, John Browning, and there were several behind them.

 

[WVRider]

Katherine sold her tenere rig a couple of years ago, I do not know if she is still riding or not.

I actually have the Russell Day Long saddle that Katherine had on her NT. BobAgain got it off her a long time back, then I got it off Bob in 2021 when he, Rob and I did the PA/NY tirp. It's a small world. I must say, I've meet some of the greatest people from this forum and am good friends with many.

 

[WVRider]

The first NT Gathering I can recall was at Burr Oak SP but perhaps there was another one or two I attended before then? At Burr Oak, BobAgain and I took off in the pouring rain to make a beer run into the town of Glouster. On the way, back Bob was leading but missed the turn to 83 and was going like hell. I had to not only catch him but get in front to get us turned around. That may have been when I decided to install a Stebel SoundBlaster horn on my NT!

Burr Oak was our 2nd OH NT Gathering Tosh and yes you were there. That's also when Rob joined us on his new Explorer he had gotten after totalling his NT. In the photo it was Rob, DirtFlier, BobAgain, Cnille, and myself. Bystander took the photo. 4 NT's and the Triumph. This one was in July and in 14 was the TNT. Our little gathering moved to WV and grew drastically. Didn't really drop off much till COVID. I can remember a couple years we split into 2 groups so we only had 6 to 8 in a group. Fabulous times.

 

[Woodaddict]

I went to Pigeon Forge for my first rally. Then Davis,WV in 2015 or 2016. Skipped 2019 - 2021 for building new house and after building, missed fall 2021 rally, adding a pavilion behind house.
Have enjoyed the gatherings we have had, rides, and meeting new and yearly riders.
Going on a Spyder rally Mar 31 - April 2 in Greenville, TN, then southern Ohio on May 6 weekend
Just added up my miles since I started keeping records. For last 25 yrs, 556,000 miles. That is 2 PC 800, 2 NT, and Spyder RTL. Still have the NT, that is workhorse of my work commute.

 

[Fieroguy]

My GIVI trunk is from Rob Maynard and bears the scratches of his fateful collision with some kind of big bird that knocked he and his wife clean off the bike. I remember him telling me that he was watching the bird circling and as they got closer he said to himself, "We're on a collision course and that bird is going to fly right into us!". Sure enough did.

 

[karl]

I have fond memories riding to Wild Willys in Maine for a burger with the New England group. Had folks from RI, MA and Maine there that day. And years worth more after that...

 

[junglejim]

Yep, I hit by the memory loss thing too. But I do remember the Pigeon Forge event. I was a little sick the day of the best ride from the 1,000 mile ride (by google) and of course I didn’t use the google route but rather took the good roads down, and sat out that next day. I I room shared with Barry. Had a great visit with Wendell at the wonderful rod barbecue place. I wasn’t far behind Wendell’s group but was in a line of stopped traffic during his evacuation and then rode by the helicopter LZ wondering if it might have been one of “ours”. Got pretty well rinsed off on my way home.

 

[junglejim]

The next ride I made was to some state park, I think in WV. I met up with TurboJim in Detroit an we rode down. We made a couple wrong turns on our way to the park for some “extra credit” riding. That was the last time I saw BobAgain. But Tosh and Duane put together great rides. Jim and I found more great roads on our way back too. UNTIL we got near Detroit where we tried (unsuccessfully) to outrun a bad storm. Also a memorable ride.

 

[Coyote Chris]

So many memories, so many friends. Sleep well, William, where ever you are.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Ah, yes the Pigeon Forge Trip. Remember it well. I started my trip headed to Oklahoma City to meet up with some of my ST friends that I knew from when I lived in Wichita Falls, Texas. Ran into a snow storm 150 miles out of Denver and had to hole up for the night, Next day rode 500 miles thru a massive wind storm. After my visit in OK City, a few of the ST crowd and I rode out to a place near Shawnee for Breakfast and met up with Rick. From there Rick and my ST buddy Fred and I continued onto Talimena Drive where Fred turned around and headed back home. Rick and I continued on to Huntsville Ala, Redstone Arsenal, where I took my Army AIT Nike Hercules Missile School in 1969. Found the site of my old barracks (Quonset Hut City). All that was left was the concrete slab foundations. Also found the old school buildings. Of course the missiles were long gone. Then of course we moved on to Pigeon Forge. Had a great time. Don't remember all the names, Never was good remember names, but do remember events. That is why I take a lot of pictures. Then of course there is always the Spearfish event NATSTOC. I started going because of the ST folks that I know and continue going because of the NT folks that I know even though my NT has been long gone for over 8 years now.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I actually have the Russell Day Long saddle that Katherine had on her NT. BobAgain got it off her a long time back, then I got it off Bob in 2021 when he, Rob and I did the PA/NY tirp. It's a small world. I must say, I've meet some of the greatest people from this forum and am good friends with many.

My first Day Long saddle was built on Katherine's original stock saddle. She sent it to Russell for me after her Day Long was finished. I sent my first stock saddle to someone else but I can't remember who.

 

[karl]

Nice Photos even better memories...