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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Took me a while to get the stupid video to work right on youtube. Put a new rear tire on the bike on the 17th and left for Deal's Gap the next morning. My longest ride before that was 400 miles, so I was beat by the time I got there 12 and a half hours later. Temp was showing 98 to 101 most of the way on I-75. It was 64 when I pulled into the lodge. Took a ride on the Dragon the next day. It wears out out a bit the first time. At the other end a local told be the same thing I was told my people here, that there are much nicer roads to ride up there. Pulled out a map and showed me a nice ride. Took the Cherohala Skyway. What a great ride. Anyway, next day rode both ways on the dragon. I bought a little camera and mounted it inside the windshield. I was riding two up. Was going a bit too fast around the 7:30 min mark and ground a pound of metal off my floor board. I finally caught a sport bike and I guess bothered him untill he waved me by. It was quite a thrill up there. And my bike tire was new and the rim clean and shiny when I started. I know I gave the Vision a workout, but I must have really abused my back brakes! After seeing the still shots by killboy, I will be at the gym quite a bit for a while. When looking for my pics on the killboy website I saw three other visions the days I was there, but none in person. Bike got alot of attention.
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Looks great! Were did you mount the camera and what camera did you use? |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Thanks Teach. My camera was stolen while I was in New York. Since I didn't have a camera, I didn't buy any type of mount. On the way up I decided I couldn't not take pictures. I stopped a Walmart to buy a cheap digital for the trip. They were out of stock on just about everything, so we pressed on toward the lodge. Stopped at a second Walmart amd all they had was a BRIGHT pink Sanyo VPC-S1414. YUCK!, but 14.1 megapixels and HD video for $79 dollars, couldn't pass it up. The first day my wife just held it as we rode the awesome roads, taking mostly stills. I stopped in Big Lots to get another SD card, and right in front of me was a suction mount for a PDA or phone meant for the car windshield. Since it had already been opened, I tried the camera and was able to wedge it in. When I realized it was only $7 bucks is was a no brainer. It had a flexible gooseneck on it. I put on with the windshield up a bit, than lowered it so the camera was against the dash to steady it. After the first couple of minutes I realized I was seeing alot of tree tops (most of the screen was covered by the mount). I raised the wind shield a drop and that in turn moved the camera. Perfect.
I didn't use HD because I only had a 4 GB card with was good for about 20 in HD.
I put the wrong link in for the stills. You can see it in all it's pinkness!
Here is the correct link
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/viewalbum.aspx?a=758436
Edited by cw1115 2010-10-05 2:09 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Really nice work on the quick and dirty Camera plus mount. Look like you were having a blast!
Take care and ride safe! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 162
Northern NJ | Nice video and stills!
The Dragon is a "must-do" road, but as you say there are so many other nice roads in TN, NC & VA. Some have names, some don't - The Snake, The Cherohala Skyway, The BRP, The Rattler, etc. If you're ever near the TN/NC border near I-40 try TN 32. Wheeee! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 23
| Just curious, was the road open all the way thru now to TN? They had the landslide in May when I was up there and we had to turn around after the tail. |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| Great cheap camera 
It picks up the gear noise just great too.
I see you lean far into corners like I do. good for you
Thanks |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Ricvic, It is open all the way. I think it was reopened in mid July. I really like the Cherohala Skyway. Great views and big sweeping curves you didn't have to downshift into second or third.
John, I think the camera amplifies the gear noise or something. It is getting bad, but I'm way overdue for an oil change. First time I ever went so long. I didn't realize how long it's been, than added 1700 miles this trip. Since I "rode it like I stole it" up there, I'll be doing an oil change next payday. I haven't even tried HD video mode yet. I'll have to get a 35 gig card and plan another trip someplace.
Edited by cw1115 2010-10-05 6:59 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 233
flagstaff, AZ | Great idea on the camera, my son and I just got back from riding out in the area. We were on the dragon Wed. sept 22nd. spent two days out there riding those fantastic roads.
Thanks for sharing the videos. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Fun stuff! I've been looking at the Dragon - trying to compare it to the roads I ride on every time out. I have one within 1 minute of home! Called Marine Drive, West Vancouver. Difference is - it has a 30 mph limit and a lot of driveways. I still drive it every week - and pass anything that ain't doing 40-50.
Been driving it for 50 years - since before most of the driveways - so I know every (short) straight stretch and I get ready to pass before coming out of the curve - betting that nothing is coming the other way - and praying that Auntie Marsha aint pulling slowly out of her driveway. Since I know the road so well - I can usually whup most of the crotch rockets.
Hell - I had my only accident on that road - rolled my daddy's brand new VW Van one night in 1962 when a transit bus coming towards me took up the whole road on a tight curve.
Thanks for the great view from the birds eye of a Vision on a very nice piece of road. Both Co-Pilot and I LOVED it !
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | Don,
The speed limit is only 30 on the dragon. There is a heavy law enforcement presence. Not so much on the weekdays. There was a deputy sitting at the north end the Monday I shot the video. Really nice guy., came over to see what I was riding. I think they are really looking for the ninjas, ect that are doing 80. Most of the sport bikers up there are dressed for super cross. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | So I enjoyed the 'Dragon' video so much, today I mounted a small tripod on my trunk rack using ZIP ties. Bolted on my HD Sony Handycam and did a couple of test rides. The Hard Drive didn't like this - so I switched recording to my 8GB MemoryStick instead. And away I went on a beautiful afternoon ride on 'Marine Drive' out to Horseshoe Bay and ended with me parking with an incomming ferry in full view of the camera!
Wonderful 17 minute recording of a very beautiful ride! I even blasted by a few cagers for excitement ... I thought.
Until I got home - and uploaded to my computer to view. Video is PERFECT except for incredible shaking - vibration - thru the trunk. Every damned second of it - as long as the engine was running. GRRRRR....
Makes your recording of the Dragon even MORE impressive to me. And now I will have to spend MEGABUCKS to match it.... GRRRRR
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Here is what I tried....
(DSC00848c.jpg)
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 DSC00848c.jpg (86KB - 1 downloads)
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Don,
I was thinking that you had the right idea but I wonder if you could (when riding solo) tie the tripod to the rear grab handles and the backrest mount?
Ride Safe |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Paul - you're thinking 'extend the tripod and mount it in the passenger area' ?I will fool around with that idea - might work.About 99% of my recreational use of the bike is with Co-Pilot aboard - and she is pretty good with the camera - except for 'loss of concentration' (oh - look - there's a robinhorserabbitfrog) and tends to focus a tad too much on my nostril hairs. She also moves the camera from the right side of my head over to the left - and back - with each curve. Makes for 'un-nerving' viewing....And having the camera where I put it today - leaves my HEAD - dead centre. Here is the view as I pulled into my destination today:
(20101006120335(3)s.jpg)
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20101006120335(3)s.jpg (75KB - 0 downloads)
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 31
| Did the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway back in April. Great ride even thought the scenery was still wintery. I thought the Dragon was the end all of great twisties until I went up to Sandia Peak in the LOE rally in New Mexico. Amazing ride. |
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