Allegheny mountain chapter national road run Elkins WVa.

[RGL]

Thanks! 650 miles now on the engine and trans overhaul. New brake shoes. Modern clutch.
Runs great!
Anyone do serious video on these runs?
I do semi-pro shooting.
Should I bring an on-board gyroscopic-stabilized HD camera with various lenses and road pull-off placement cameras to catch riding action?

[Spag]

RGL,
Please do. We plan on having a photographer take still photos on one of the days rides and run a slide show during the farewell banquet. I'm sure we could include your videos if the equipment can show the videos or if you have the equipment. Thanks for the offer.
Richard

[Spag]

Just a reminder that the stated deadline for registration for the Road Run in Elkins is August 7. This is a flexible deadline but listed in the magazine ads to encourage those planning on attending to register so we can plan for the meals, the extras, etc.. We will continue to take registrations after the deadline but at some point we must cut them off. If anyone knows they are not going to the Road Run and reserved a room, please cancel so rooms in the host hotel will be available for those attending. Still undecided? Think: West Virginia: Wild and Wonderful! And picture yourself and your friends riding on roads that give you views and thrills you won't soon forget. And fun too... Any questions, call or e mail.
Richard
rspagnolli@aol.com

[Spag]

To follow up on my last post, the overflow hotels, the Isaac Jackson and the Hampton Inn, for our Chapter National Road Run have graciously extended the block of rooms reserved until August 15 at the reduced rate. Thereafter, anyone wanting attend the Road Run will be competing with the general public for those rooms. The Isaac Jackson is closest to the host hotel, the Holiday Inn Express. Close to 100 rooms have been reserved so far. Again, if you have reserved a room at the host hotel and know for sure you will not be attending the Road Run in Elkins, please cancel so that room will be available for other registrants wanting to stay at the host hotel. Thanks.
Richard

[RGL]

I think I will work to make this is a video production event!
I did semi-pro video but have been out of it for some years.
I hope as many as can will come.

I have never done a group motorcycle video so I welcome the challenge.
Anything I produce as a finished HD Blu-Ray or DVD movie I can distribute to attendees as I have disc copy machines.

I will try to do a finished pro-production - maybe useful (in part or whole) to AMCA for promotion.
At least, it should be a personable memorable recording to every rider (who gets in my camera views).

If all goes well, each of you may appear on video riding your bikes.

I plan to bring three backpack-mounted Feiyu 3-axes gimbals each with a Hero 3+ camera, and other cameras.

I can lend handlebar video cameras to those who want them to get video "selfies" which I would like to have as material for the final production.

I'll leave my heavy lead acid Kenyon battery gyros behind.
Those work best with automobiles and in helicopter cargo doors.

I'm working to simplify this project so that I can also enjoy riding.
The (3) Feiyu 3-axes gimbals alone require a total of 27 lithium batteries pre-charged each day (to last 8 hours).
That's three changes a day.

Add in the camera lithiums and those for sound device and its a lot to track and charge.
Hope the Isaac Jackson has enough charge outlets.

I can do windless motorcycle soundtracks plus nature sound recording.

I'll also bring long lens ground placement telephoto that keeps riders on screen over a long time while traversing a long distance - a cool effect.

If done properly, you will hardly notice a video production is in progress.

There are three issues:
(1) My Scout is slow.
(2) To make a cameo video appearance you have to come up behind me, pass and pause (smile!), then go ahead.
I will have a rear stabilized camera at normal focus, a left wing camera at wide, and a front camera at super wide.
With these these clips I can transition every captured rider on screen from behind and around to off in the ahead.
(3) I do not have pre-knowledge of the routes or geography. That's the worst condition for a videographer.

The consequences of these three issues are: I'm slow but I need to be ahead of groups. Maybe if I set out as the earliest rider each day the groups will pass me by and get recorded, and, it may not get everyone at great riding scenes.

I'm hoping for a large group of attendees to record!

See you there.

[Lonnie]

Well howdy Jason,

Thanks and I think you'll discover this to be the core of what the AMCA represents absent of the flinty eyed commerce of swap meets and the apparent angst of judging of late. Blokes (and blokets) reveling in the pure joy of feeling the wind in their faces astride machines often resurrected from moldy plies of inanimate parts now whisking them through tree covered lanes with groups of like minded enthusiasts. Have done many of these over the last 20 years and I'd advocate doing them solo (naturally with your significant other if applicable) just so you can fall in with different riding groups than your familiar squadron from back home if in attendance. That way you are introduced to folks from literally all corners of the globe. Pull up to a rest stop with one group, hang out and then depart with another, the variety is captivating. A group of not more than 5 to 6 running offset staggered seems more relaxing and adept at making the occasional stoplight with less drama. Bear in mind, you may be surrounded by folks who ride thousands of miles a year...but it is not aboard foot clutch hand shift machines and, despite their dismissal of that nuance, it's not the same. Be mindful of those potential rugby scrums where the unwary attempt to deal with decreasing radius up hill tight turns or even traffic lights in town when traveling in larger groups.

I'm just now starting to get my pics from these events online, below is a start....and I might add after attempting to ride with a particularly adept group at KY aboard my beloved Knuckle and coming up frustratingly short in the twisty bits, a Chief - the product of an engineer and an athlete way back when and never losing that tight cohesive feel at the helm - is juuuuust right for W. Va.'s roads.

http://petergz.smugmug.com/Events/AMCA-Road-Runs

Peter, Rick said to bring the knuck!!

[PRG]

Well howdy sir,

Oopsies. Then the Knuckle it shall be: ridden often, goes everywhere with us at this point anyway and all mod's made since purchase were geared exactly for this activity.

RGL, at Texas road run I'm going to say there were 8 Nimbus's two of which were piloted by gents in their 80's, comparable performance, Hill Country and no problem. Recall several machines with band brakes on one end only so stopping not an issue if planned in advance and with drums on both ends you'll be in good shape. If this your first, day 1 is a good time to establish your rythm and observe fellow riders as they come and go from various rest stops along the way. Then on day 2 onward you can fall in with a group suiting your style and pace. Having done both extremes at one event, blazing trails and then smelling the roses, can say each offers a completely different perspective on the festivities, like having attended two different road runs in one.

Think your biggest challenge will be coordinating all this filming while trying to keep pace with the flow not that mult-tasking cannot be applied to antique m/c riding. Remember a couple of self induced Hail Mary moments at KY when trying to fiddle with my GoPro while trying to keep in place with my fast crew.

Yup, nearly 4 hours of nifty video shot.......all of it upside down. Oh well.

[RGL]

Nice thing about the Feiyu 3-axes gimbels is that three motors keep a GoPro level.
With three of these rigs (3 automatically controlled cameras) and auto-volume controlled sound recorder
all in a package built into an A.L.I.C.E backpack frame,
when its on the back, you just forget about it for three hours and enjoy the ride (till battery change time)
and it records three directions at once, all cameras kept perfecty level by the motors no matter how I tilt my body or the bike leans.
And there is no better camera shock absorber than your body.
Just come up behind, pass, pause, and move on ahead and you get recorded throughout that maneuver
and the three clips can be blended into a smooth nearly 360 deg video view.

[Spag]

Although the deadline has passed, we can still accept registrations for the Road Run in Elkins through August 27, but we can't guarantee a room at any of the listed hotels since our block of rooms was released on August 15. We have to commit on August 28 for the meals and other goodies.

We have three days of spectacular rides planned as well as several side events. The contributions from the West Virginia State Tourism Dept., Randolph County Authority and Tourism Dept., the City of Elkins and the local newspaper have been amazing. You are guaranteed to feel welcome in WV. Please e mail if you have any last minute questions.
Richard
rspagnolli@aol.com

[ronstillwagon]

Richard, you and the Allegheny Mountain chapter did a superb job with the Elkins road run. This was my first road run after being a 19 year member. Hopefully there will be many more. There is not one complaint I can make about this event; the motel was good, the hospitality great, the food excellent, and three days of great riding.
Thanks,
Ron

[bobdo]

Richard,
I have to add a note after reading about the Elkins road run in the magazine. I saw where you traveled Rt.20 from Buchannan to Webster Springs. At about the half way point you rode through Hacker Valley where my family once had property, so I'm very familiar with the area. Absolutely beautiful country and the people are the friendliest you'll find anywhere. We have many friends in the valley. I wish I could've rode along.
I'd like to point out if you're unaware. On Rt.20 you'll find Holly River State Park. Its the best kept secret in WV. There is an excellent restaurant with rental cabins and camping. I don't think it would be able to handle an entire road run, but it might be a good spot for a few. It is well worth a ride down to check it out. If you don't mind riding a dirt road, there are beautiful water falls to see as well.
Bob

[Spag]

Bob,
Thanks for your vignettes about Hacker Valley and Holly River State Park. Beautiful riding and great twisties from Buchannan to Webster Springs. I don't recall Hacker Valley but I do remember Holly River State Park. Our Chapter scouting crew stopped there while on one of our exploratory rides. We only pulled into the entrance. It looked very nice. Unfortunately, we did not include a stop there because the first day's ride was a fairly challenging 221 miles. The Highlands Scenic Highway was fogged in completely the first day and we were disappointed the riders and passengers didn't get a chance to see the spectacular views from this road. Several AMCA Members who were not able to make our Road Run requested the maps and lodging information and plan to ride the roads this year. Hope you can make the next Road Run.
Richard