Nova Scotia 2015: Day Two

You know I'm tired when I jump on the back of Paul's bike to find dinner...after half the day in the rain, and wrestling Bessie in an 8 mile back up in NB81...I was whipped. He likes it when I do that anyway😌.

The day started early with cool, damp weather. The goal was to ride north of Charlotte before stopping for breakfast. Once we got to Rock Hill, the traffic quadrupled...it was insane! 580 around Charlotte was somewhat better...interstate travel sucks.

Just as we got into Virginia - and just after the photo at the welcome center - it started to rain around 1130a. Did we have our rain gear on? No....I just like to ride around w a $300 rain suit in my saddlebag while getting wet. Pulled into our favorite place - Walmart - to don rain gear. It basically drizzled all day, just enough to sting your knuckles at 70mph, not the drenching rain that fills your boots!

Exited near Roanoke for lunch....tried a 'Red Robin' restaurant...gourmet burgers. Translation: overpriced burgers served by waitress w attitude. It was terrible, we wasted an hour AND $25. The rain picked up as we connected w 81N. About 20 miles south of Lexington traffic was backed up and had come to a full stop. Not good....we jockeyed the bikes in stop go traffic for about a half hour, with no relief in sight. Bessie decided to go 'off road,' I eased onto the break down lane ( w Paul following Bessie's lead)' and cautiously scooted toward the exit. I got to an 'on ramp' stacked w trucks who could go anywhere. One of the truckers stopped me, to tell me the back up was 8 miles long and it would be easier if we went down the on ramp and connected w the frontage road. I backed Bessie up, went the wrong way on the on ramp, cut over to frontage road and said 'yeehaw, we're finally on Virginia back roads!' We had to run 30 miles north on SR11 before we could see traffic moving again on 81. By now it's a steady drizzle and I'm frazzled, we decide to call it a day in Harrisonburg VA....at a Holiday Inn Express no less.

The desk clerk mention a Greek/Italian restaurant just a quarter mile down the road....the Mousaka was fabulous!

Best vanity plate I saw today? BATBLZER on a black Blazer ( duh) with Gotham City stenciled on the rear window.

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