| We arrived in Suches Georgia late Friday afternoon. I am sure we deserve a trophy for finding Suches. Check your maps....not there! To make matters worse, they try to throw you further off the track by providing absolutely spectacular scenery. Just as you think you might be getting close, you realize you are lost because you got distracted looking at the fall colors, the rivers, the mountains etc. The scenery driving through the Chatahoochee National Forrest is second to none. One of the most beautiful places on earth. Suches consists of a school, a volunteer fire department, a BP gas station, a car repair shop, and best of all the T.W.O. Motorcycle Resort. Our genial host for the weekend, G.T. Turner, met us upon our arrival. Great guy. He got us squared away at the T.W. O. "Annex" where we could park our motorhome. The annex is at the local dirt runway airport which is about 1/2 mile from the main lodge. This airport is nestled into a valley surrounded by mountains which are covered in trees all decked out in their fall firestorm of colors. A spectacular setting to say the least. Being waaaaaay tired, we kicked back for the evening, met our fellow campers, and then hit the hay. Saturday dawned to still another beautiful day, temperatures in the 70s and clear skies. We unoaded the bikes, scooted off to the T.W.O. Lodge, and chowed down southern style. Grits, (of course) and lots of bicuits and gravy. Almost had to bore out the YSR to carry the extra weight. After a couple of minor problems Barb and I set out for a Saturday ride with John Garman, Collette, and John's mother Linda. Finally! I find another woman MY AGE who rides motorcycles and rides them well. Hooray! We went about 20 miles or so up Highway 180 and got our first taste of the North Georgia Hills twisty turnies. Big Fun! The roads are in great shape and you can really rail a YSR along them. Of course there are some obstacles, the largest of which are the "leaf lookers!" But we shared the road with them and I am sure we were both enjoying the hills in our own way. We, of course, had been leaf lookers ourselves just the day before, so we could relate. The other memorable event of Saturday was meeting the Sheriff. Now this is not always a good thing, but as with everything we ran accross in Georgia it was great. Turns out I sold Sheriff "Mac" a Yamaha XS650 Special in 1980 in Monterey CA when I owned the local Yamaha Suzuki dealership there. Mac was stationed at Ft. Ord, and we had a lot of fun recalling the "good old days." Small world. Saturday night was quite a memorable event. The T.W.O. folks put out a fine dinner at the lodge along with providing us with entertainment from a local Blue Grass Band. "Parker and his Pickin' Pals" are quite talented. A special treat for me as Blue Grass is right up there with my favorite kind of music. Finally called it a night around mid-night as I knew Sunday was going to be a busy long day. The alarm went off at 6:00am and after some coffee put on the old Dainese Safety Pro's. Saddled up and went off to the lodge for breakfast (add another 10 pounds). Near as I could tell there were around 150 riders. Ben Cheatwood conducted the riders meeting which was funny enough to put you on the floor laughing. He mentioned being cautious of local hazards such as road kill, rednecks, and of course the ever present leaf lookers. He neglected to mention Army Rangers in full camoflage, with large weapons, training in the hills, and crossing the road right in front of you! This event is run much like the traditional dirt enduro, i.e., check points, times, average speed etc. This offered me the immediate challenge of accruing the most penalty points. My goal was set! Let's go. 9:00am arrived and Barb and I were gridded about 1/2 to 3/4 back in the pack. Ben sent out riders in what appeared to be groups of 2,4, or 6 at timed intervals. At 9:13am we were on our way. I had studied what I laughingly can call a route sheet and kind of knew when to expect a turn onto a different road. But, as all devious course makers do, the arrows were damn near invisible. Passed a bunch of people and hit the first check point about 16 miles in.Way ahead of time. I knew my goal was going to be within reach! Stepped up the pace a bit when we ran accross one of our camping pals on an NS. Can't remember his name, but he had on black and grey leathers. This guy rides well, so we tucked in behing him and followed for 14 miles. Figured he had ridden this before and he obviously knew what he was doing, so best to follow and get the benefit of his experience. This is where old age and experience pay off! The youngsters, i.e., Barb and the guy on the NS, start going down a long hill, discover that their bikes will go way fast when gravity is with you, and decide to see how fast they can actually go. I was going 75mph when in their youthful exuberance they pass me and then completly miss a turn and go merrily down the road. My keen old eyes spot the arrow and make the right turn to continue the prescribed course. Never saw them again! By now there are few people ahead of me. Am getting quite lonely out there. Then, voila! I spot a group of five or six Honda MB5s. Got to get them. Wick it up again, pass, go on my way. Those were the last scooters I saw until I got back. I figure my goal must be within my grasp. In a quite shady part of the forest I am basking in my success when I catch a glimpse of a large dark object coming out of the woods and off the hill on my right. I figure I am toast. Probably gonna be killed by a dear in the north Georgia woods. But to my surprise it is a U.S. Army Ranger who jumps right in front of my bike, narrowly escapes getting hit and bounds into the woods on the other side. Damn! That was close. After unpuckering, turned it down a bit and cruised the last 15 miles to the finish. I was totally impressed by the caliber of riding skill of the participants. Also, at no time did I see anyone doing anything "stupid" while riding. Seems as though all the riders were mature enough to realize they were riding 75 miles on public highways and this not a time for showing off. They appeared to realize that this would be bad for the sport of motorcyling not to mention dangerous. Kudos to the goup. A nice little by product of this event has to do with the local volunteer fire department. The surrounding roads are just about the best road riding roads in the good old USA, the area is visited by motorcylists all the time. Inevitably, a certain amount of riders manage to toss away their bikes. The local volunteer fire department has been aiding, and or rescuing these riders for years. The fire department cannot accept donations, so a "cookie sale" was arranged where the fire department "sold" a bag of cookies (which were liberated from T.W.O.) to the Grits riders. Selling price? $1000. 600 from the riders and 400 from T.W.O. Nice going. Now that's the spirit of 50cc riders! Way big fun. Great roads. Great scenery. Great people. Enjoyed meeting: Transalp Eddie, Scot Tway, Mike Porter, Ben Cheatwood, G.T. and Britt Turner, Parker, Mac, Maurice, Jack Seaver and crew (there's a whole other story in that), and John Garman, Collete, and Linda. Met a whole lot more who's names, and I apologize for this, I am hard pressed to remember. One of the reasons it is hard to remember, (O.K., besides old age) is the fact that everyone, and I do mean everyone, was so nice, so fun, and all you have ever heard about southern hospitality is true! It is my hope that Team Calamari can participate in this event on an annual basis. I am very proud to have ridden the 17th Annual True Grits. Many thanks, y'all. Susan |