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Ride Notice - COTU South - Group Gather Wytheville VA

6 posts Started 23 Feb 2011 Last recovered post 7 Mar 2011 Wayback Machine snapshot 16 Jun 2012

#1
Ride Warning
When: May 13-15
Where: Motel 6, Wytheville, VA and its surroundings
What: COTU South

- gesundheit, now what was that again?
COTU South

- wtf is a COTU South?

COTU, meaning Center Of The Universe, was a spring ride based in southeast OH, usually held the weekend after Mother's day. It was started by Alan Wilson and friends on the VFR big List in 2000. He started it as a counter point to the September WDGAH (We Don't Give A Hoot) rides in the northeast. Alan passed away several year ago, but the gatherings continued under the aegis of Mike Solace until a hiccup last year interrupted the string. It was never a large or highly organized rally, and the past few years that it has been held has seen the numbers dwindle further. The universe is a big place, I figure western VA is close enough to still be within the center ring and the dates are the same so I'm maintaining the COTU association with the "South" qualifier.

Anyway, the intent is to gather Friday night in the parking, kick tires, drink adult beverages and tell lies.
Saturday - form up into small groups or go off and explore on your own during the day. I'll post up some suggested routes for Saturday's ride later (see note).
Saturday night we'll gather for more tire kicking, lies, eating, and drinking.
I'm NOT going to try to set up a group dinner:
A - you can only hear what your immediate dining companions are saying anyway
B - I'm lazy and I don't want the hassle.
I will say though that the Peking Restaurant across the road is where I plan on eating Saturday. Good food, walking distance from the motel, they serve alcohol. Done.
Sunday - go back where you came from.

There is no formal sign-up list, but let me know if you're coming if you would, just cause I'd like to know and if you do make it, stop by and say hello Friday or Saturday evening. I'll be easy find, I'll be hanging out near my red VFR :)
Actually, I'll drape a blanket with souvenir patches on it.

Make your own room reservations. Stay at one of the nicer places in town if you want, but the tire kicking part will be at the Motel 6 and they'll give you a discount off of their already low rates if you tell them you're part of the VFR group. I've stayed there a few times in the past, most recently at Thanksgiving, and it's a decent place.
per night, w/tax:
Single - $35.95
Double - $41.95
phone - 276-228-7988
There may or may not be an extra charge for internet access at that time of 2.99/night (they're in the process of expanding it to all rooms and making free).
There is a Bob Evan's next door to the motel.
There is a Shoney's across the road.
So breakfast should be easy to manage, the motel does coffee in the morning, that's all.

Just show up and meet some folks who either have, had, or knew someone who has or had a VFR of any ilk (we're not fussy) and ride some of the best roads in the east!

Note (See):
As far as Saturday's ride goes, this is not a mass parade, to me a group of 3-4 is ideal, but if you find 9 others that all want to clump together for the day, that's great, have fun. If you come down solo, there should be others around that you can join up with. But no one is playing social director, it's up to you make whatever arrangements you'd like. The forums should provide ample opportunity to do that and if not, you ought to be able to make some kind of connection Friday evening. If you just show up Saturday morning expecting to tag on to a group, that might work, but on the other hand it might be a group of close buddies who know each other's riding style and they may be less than fully welcoming to take you along on such short notice.

Let's Ride,
Greg
#2
General Commentary
These are Google Map plots intended to show the roads, the way points
and destinations on them are mainly a byproduct of the interface and
don't usually have much significance.
I'll give each loop a separate posting in this topic.
The turn directions in the side panel is too much clutter for me so I
never print them out. I use them to get road names and mileage figures
for the route list that follows each link.
If someone wants to turn these loops into gps compatible files, others
will appreciate it.
All of these loops stick to paved roads.
Roads in this neck of the woods are usually in pretty good shape, but
gravel and deer can appear anywhere with Murphy's Law usually
dictating that "anywhere" will be the worst possible place, so don't
outrun your sight lines.


You can debate whether VA 16 from Hungry Mother State Park to Frog
Level belongs on a list of the best motorcycle roads in the world, but
I don't know of a stretch of twisties anywhere with a better set of
place names to define it. Loops 1, 2 and 3 include that and a stretch
of US 58 that I particularly enjoy. Alas, the Frog Level Yacht Club is
no longer standing.


Loop 4 Samples some tasty bits to the north, not a bad way to approach
or leave the area.
US 421 in TN is a bit of excellent swervery within reach of a Saturday
ride. I have feasted on it in the past, but I hear that it has become
overly infested with squids and Tennessee's finest have been paying
particular attention to it of late, so it's not on any of my loops. If
you happen to go that way, get a picture of the Trout Rodeo barn on TN
91.


I've been riding in this area near annually since 1997, I'll be happy
to answer any questions about other alternatives.
If you want a mellower day, you could head for the BRP and cruise a
section of that. Just on the NC side at mile post 213 is a new music
center where folks will likely be picking through the afternoon if you
want to enjoy some music. Another option along that line would be to
head for Floyd, VA. I may do either or both of those if it's a rainy
day.


Dream on,
Greg  


#3
COTU South, Loop 1, The Big & Little Circles
240 miles, can be run in either direction, counter-clockwise is
slightly preferable so that you'll be going the opposite direction
from loop 2.
I lied in the previous post, this loop does not do the Frog Level run,
which is not a bad thing if you don't like lots of first gear mountain
switchbacks.

http://goo.gl/XFRC2

Route List:
I-81 S to exit 70 - 3 miles
US 52 N - 27.5 miles
CR 614, Grapefield Rd W - 13.5 miles
VA 61 S/W - 4.3 miles
Burkes Garden Rd - loop around the valley and return - 23 miles
VA 61 S/W to Tazewell - 4.5 miles
US 460W/19S Bus. VA 61 - S 4.4 miles
VA 91 S/W - 9.8 miles
CR 609, Wadell Rd/Kents Ridge Rd, W - about 6 miles
(Google doesn't allow this option it's showing a bigger loop to get to
19 - don't know why, I haven't been on this piece of 609. If it's bad,
go back and take CR 610 N to 19)
US 19 S/W about 14 miles
VA 80 S - 21 miles
CR 803, Cedar Creek Rd. S - 4.1 miles
CR 803/709, Rivermont Dr S/W - 0.9 miles, then right
Blue Spring Rd S/E - 0.8 miles, then left
VA 91 S to Damascus - 6 miles
US 58 E - 53.1 miles
VA 274 N/E - 7.4 miles
VA 94 N - 24 miles
US 52 N - 1.4 miles
I-81 South - 6 miles, exit 73
#4
COTU South, Loop 2, The Big & Little Circle with Spurs
316 miles, can be run in either direction, counter-clockwise may be
slightly better only because if you're getting tired you can skip the
north spur and head for the barn early. The downside of that is that
is put's a Frog Level run later in the day.

http://goo.gl/g4xMT

Route List:
I-81 North - 6 miles, exit 80
US 52 S - 1.4 miles
VA 94 S -24 miles
VA 274 S/W 7.4 miles
US 58 W to Damascus - 53.1 miles
VA 91 N - 6 miles, then left
Blue Spring Rd N/W - 0.8 miles, then right
CR 709/803, Rivermont Dr N/E - 0.9 miles, then left
CR 803, Cedar Creek Rd. N - 4.1 miles
VA 80 N - 21 miles
US 19 N/E - about 14 miles
CR 609, Kents Ridge Rd/Wadell Rd, S - about 6 miles
(Google doesn't allow this option it's showing a bigger loop to get to
609 - don't know why, I haven't been on this piece of 609. If it's
bad, stay on 19 to CR 610 S)
VA 91 N to Tazewell - 9.8 miles
US 460E/19N Bus. VA 61 N/E
SPUR
VA 16 S - 25.6 miles
VA 16 N - 25.6 miles
US 460E/19N Bus. VA 61 N/E - 4.4 miles
VA 61 N/E - 4.5 miles
Burkes Garden Rd - loop around the valle and return - 23 miles
VA 61 N/E - 4.3 miles
CR 614, Grapefield Rd E - 13.5 miles
SPUR
US 52 N -9 miles
VA 598 N - 4 miles
VA 598 S - 4 miles
US 52 S to Wytheville - 36.5 miles (27.5 if not doing the spur)
I-81 N to exit 73 - 3 miles
#5
COTU South, Loop 3, The "Screw the scenic farm county, give me
curves!" route
270 miles, intended to be run as indicated
On this plot, destinations D, E, and F have some significance
D - decision time. If you're tired, stay on 42 and then you can either
go to 16 and take it south to I-81N to finish, or stay on 42 to US 52
or I-77 to finish out.
E - this is a pretty gnarly stretch, if you don't want to commune that
closely with the turkey vultures, stay on 16 south to I-81
F - the Richard Ronay finishing option - w/o the I-81 median u-turn :)

http://goo.gl/l02Ob

Route List:
I-81 S to exit 70 - 3 miles
US 52 N - 20 miles
VA 42 S/W - 23.1 miles
VA 16 N to Frog Level - 15.9 miles
VA 16 S - to Volney 55.3 miles
US 58 W to Damascus - 33.6 miles
VA 91 N - 6 miles, then left
Blue Spring Rd N/W - 0.8 miles, then right
CR 709/803, Rivermont Dr N/E - 0.9 miles, then left
CR 803, Cedar Creek Rd. N - 4.1 miles
VA 80 N - 19 miles
VA 80 S - 10.7 miles
CR611, N Fork River Rd,  E  to Saltville - 11.4 miles
(a few options are available and I don't which might be best, I picked
the one that runs along a stream)
VA 91 N - 9.1 miles (6.7 miles to 42)
CR 601, Freestone Vly Rd, N/E - 9.2 miles
VA 16 S - 6.6 miles
VA 42 N/E - 5.1 miles
CR 622, Haven Ridge Rd S - 12.5 miles
US 11N, I-81 N/E to exit 60 - 10.4 miles
CR 680, Blacklick Rd, N - 7.6 miles
US 52 S - 4.8 miles
I-81 N to exit 73 - 3 miles
#6
COTU South, Loop 4 - The Sh*t or get of the Potts Mt, or Is that Banjo
Music I hear in the distance? route
278 miles
Some great valley running in this one and the south side of Potts Mt
will have you yawping in your helmet. The VA/WV return may be a bit
rough, US 219 in VA (via 311 and 3) would be an alternative if you're
afraid of banjo music, but it goes through more little towns on the
way.

http://goo.gl/ibJpb

Route List:
I-81 S to exit 70 - 3 miles
US 52 N - 21 miles
VA 42 N/E - 23.4 miles
VA 100 N/W - 3 miles
CR 730 N/E - 11.5 miles
US 460 E - 4 miles
VA 42 N/E to New Castle - 29.4 miles
VA 311 N - 30.3 miles
VA 159 N/E - 11.2 miles
US 60 E  - 1.3 miles
CR 600, Rumsey Rd S - 9.2 miles
VA 18 S/W to Paint Bank - 16.3 miles
CR 600 S/W - 33.2 miles
US 460W - 8.9 miles
VA 61 S/W- 21 miles
US 52 N - 2.3 miles
VA 598 N - 4 miles
VA 598 S - 4 miles
US 52 S to Wytheville - 36.5 miles
I-81 N to exit 73 - 3 miles
End of thread · 6 posts recovered Wayback Machine snapshot 16 Jun 2012