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Wednesday
Jan082014

* * Riding in motorcycle heaven

Nicolas Tremblay loves to ride his motorcycle in the mountains around here. In fact, that’s how I met him.

Nic is French Canadian and now he lives in the national capitol in Ottawa. He works in Information Technology for the federal government of Canada. He came by the other day and stole me away from my campaign for state delegate, twisting my arm into joining him and his friend Genevieve Pesant for a day-ride.

My wife and I met Nic several years ago. We were staying at the same inn in Marlinton, West Virginia, traveling by motorcycle. We hit it off right away. He’s come back to visit and ride with us almost every year since. This year, he hit the road with Genevieve who lives near Montreal.

On their way down, they rode straight through New York and Pennsylvania on the Interstates, getting as far as Strasburg the first night. The second day they toured on their own taking US-33 into Elkins, West Virginia, then circling back into Virginia on US-250, taking all the curvy roads most motorists eschew.

Nic is a short guy like me, perhaps 15 years younger, with a muscled physique like Chuck Norris. He rides a potent Kawasaki touring bike, a 1400cc Concours. He’s ridden it across the continent a couple of times and thinks nothing of riding 500 or more miles per day. Genevieve is tall, thin, and attractive, in her early thirties, and she rides a smaller Suzuki 650cc bike called a V-Strom. I rode my geriatric 1981 Honda CBX.

Like me, Nic is drawn to the coal country of the central Appalachians. So for our tour together, I took them on a loop from home in Blacksburg into West Virginia with stops in Bramwell, Welch, Coalwood, and War before returning to Virginia in Tazewell. At our stop in Welch, seat of McDowell County, we talked about their tours. Nic said, “I started coming down in 2005. I got on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and was blown away by the beauty! I got hooked right there. I've been visiting almost every year ever since.

“I love the curvy roads but I also love history and meeting locals with whom I can have a chat and learn about the area.”

I asked what had surprised him. He said, “I knew that West Virginia was not doing well economically but I had no idea about the history of mining in the state, about employment in the past and today. The decrease in employment has had devastating effects on McDowell County. I didn't know either about mountaintop removal mining and all of its terrible consequences on the environment.”

Genevieve told me about her riding life. “For the past 11 years, I have been motorcycle riding and this has brought me to the US almost on a weekly basis during the summertime, mainly in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire. Then, my fellow riders told me about Virginia, North Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains. In 2007, I decided to ride on my own for 2 weeks and travel along the East Coast. I rode 1000 miles in 24 hours, and then continued to Key West. For the next 9 days, I rode my way back home through the mountains. That is how I discovered the Appalachians. I fell in love with the mountains, the foggy mornings, the view from the top, the mountain farms, and the forests. All this beauty and nature is breathtaking!

“After 2007, I returned several times and rode the Blue Ridge Parkway and many other famous motorcycle roads.”

I commented that this is motorcycle heaven.

Nic said, “I've always been attached to the US. When I was a child, I had vacations a few summers in Maine and New Jersey with my family. This is a country and a people that I truly love.”

Genevieve threw on her protective jacket and concluded, “Along all these trips, I learned a lot about American history and met several Americans, most of them riders. Most of my initial thoughts about America remain unchanged: this is a country of extreme contrasts, especially on the social point of view. However, I was surprised how the people were friendly, warm, and always happy to welcome us. This is especially true in Virginia and in the (rural areas). People want to talk to you and get to know more about you and are willing to help.

“What makes me come back to Virginia are things that we don’t have around Montreal: high mountains, beautiful nature, curvy roads, great views, and cheap gas, lodging and food. If Virginia is for lovers, well I am in love with Virginia!”

 

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    Response: superiorpapers
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