Hello, I have been a long time f-chat member which is why I'm posting here. I have a difficult decision to make. Before COVID-19 I organized a motorcycle trip to ride the entire Blue Ridge Parkway this year. I am the ride leader. I have 28 riders on 20 motorcycles signed up for this ride in August 2020. So far, only two have expressed concerns about going ahead with the ride. I tend to think there are many more who have not spoken up that are concerned. NC is not like other states but our pandemic numbers are not going in the right direction. Traveling increases the chances of catching or spreading the virus. Motorcycling, in general, is not a 'safe' pursuit but one of trying to minimize risks. As ride leader I believe the best decision is to cancel. Thoughts? Folks have signed up on their own so they have the right and freedom to do the ride on their own or in a group not led by myself. Cheers, Irishman P.S. I'm not one to cancel a group ride. For many years I led an Outer Banks ride on Labor Day weekend. The policy was "ride canceled" if there was a mandatory evacuation. Never happened. One time we got nailed by a Cat 1 hurricane : - ).
As a fellow rider and drive leader , my opinion is to continue the ride. Enforce and practice social distancing protocols even if they seem excessive. Take temperatures at riders meeting each morning. Maybe even have riders get a CV test 5 days out and “ promise “ to be diligent leading up to the event. I bet that many are looking forward to your ride as a chance to get out of the house and feel normal again. Im not sure how one rider would pass CV19 to another rider while enjoying the open roads. Thats my .02 worth GL an enjoy the event Steve
I wouldn’t think twice - go for it !! Sounds awesome. If someone wants to cancel, let them cancel. MDS
I don't think the mountains of NC are a big deal as long as everyone agrees on what the protocol will be. If it turns into the mask/anti mask debate I'd say F it and drop the trip. It doesn't sound like much fun if everyone doesn't agree on the front end and the bad news is that you, as the leader, are going to have to set the ground rules. I'm taking my bike up and staying around Brevard in late august. I've got some people meeting me but not 28 of them. I hope it works out but get that many people on the same page sounds like more trouble than it's worth.
I'd continue on with the ride, but? Please be careful! Our Parkway Fire & Rescue squad is busy enough, this time of year scraping bicyclists and motorcyclists off the pavement & pulling them out of the trees on the side of the mountain.
I was up in NC, N GA, and TN last week. We left NC because they had mask bs going on, Cherokee area seemed to be the worst. We took our money elsewhere.
Thanks much for all the replies. Most were very helpful to me in making a very difficult decision. I'm mostly surprised at the wide range in intelligence or lack thereof of the posters. Growing up in these mountains we constantly had to deal with the low intelligence of certain low country 'Crackers' as we referred to them. Some things never change .
Wow, I'm sorry. When you were in 'The Deliverance', were you playing the banjo or were you Ned Beatty's 'friend'?
I cancelled. Below is the email I sent to my friends this past Saturday which is about one month in advance. Dear Friends, I hope you and your family are safe and well. It is with great disappointment that I write to you to announce I am canceling the Blue Ridge Parkway ride planned for August 18 through August 23, 2020. When I began planning this ride in January I had no idea how our world would change this year. And while I remained hopeful that trends would improve, over the past several months that has not come to pass. - The curve for the 7-day average for daily COVID-19 cases in NC continues to climb. - Tests in NC are coming back positive and holding at a rate of about 10%. - CDC continues to stress that travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. - Outlook for drastic improvement in the next four weeks seems dim. I had been considering all the ways we could still ride and avoid risk of infection. After all, riding a motorcycle is an outdoor activity with practically zero chance of infection. The risks only seemed associated with stops such as for gas, public restrooms, restaurants and hotels. Then, while running one day this week at Lake Lynn a thought struck me like a lightning bolt. What if, in spite of best efforts, someone in our group got infected while on the ride and happened to get a severe case of the disease. I imagined a family member asking me why did the ride have to happen now under present conditions? It was then I realized I could not give that family member a good reason why the ride had to happen now, and that it is in the best interest of the group to cancel. Please find below updated hotel cancellation policies. I remain optimistic for the future and that we will ride again together soon. There is a story of a king who once asked a sage to inscribe on a ring a sentiment which should always remain in his view and which would hold true in every season and phase of his life. The sage engraved four simple words -- "this too shall pass". The lesson is simple -- nothing is permanent in life, not any challenge, not any adversity, and not even this pandemic. Take Care, Kevin
I think you made the right call with a group of that size. The COVID thing is such an overhang it would remove some of the joy one way or another. I’m really looking forward to my trip and associated riding in western NC in a few weeks.