Deal's Gap By The Numbers
by Dan Vukobrat
- 6: number of riders starting for the Gap on May 18, 2002
- 5: number of riders arriving home from the Gap on May 24
- 1: number of taxis required by the group during our trip
- 2: number of rental car contracts required by the group during our trip
- 20: (at least) number of cans/bottles of beer left in hotel rooms because we didn't have room to carry
- 0: mph of my crash on the roadside shoulder. Getting on from one side and not being able to stop the momentum (gravel under foot).
- 2: number of times I somersaulted down the side of a ditch in the snow after 0 mph crash (you can stop laughing any time now Glenn....)
- 3: temperature in Celsius with rain/snow riding through lower NY and upper PA with no rain booties to keep the feet dry (of course I found said rain booties packed in an obscure pocket of my tank bag the next day)
- 27: temperature in Celsius on the warmest day (Thursday May 23)
- 13: number of unscheduled "smoke breaks" when behind schedule
- 2: number of mattresses required for pullout bed so I couldn't feel the springs
- 2: number of nights of the worst sleep I've ever experienced on a pullout bed
- $1.53: highest price for a gallon (US) of regular unleaded
- $1.19: lowest price for a gallon (US) of regular unleaded
- 2: number of written-off motorcycles I saw in 7 days
- 1: number of times crossed the double yellow on a curve (unintentionally)
- 1: number of soiled underwear
- 754: most kilometers traveled in one day
- 40: length in miles of one of the most glorious roads in North America; the Cherohala Skyway
- 2: number of cars we passed going the same direction on the Cherohala
- 5: number of cars we passed going the opposite direction on the Cherohala
- 0: width in millimeters of chicken strips on the left side of the rear tire
- 2: width in millimeters of chicken strips on the right side of the rear tire
- 1: amount of tread in millimeters left on David Gale's rear Pilot Sport with 300km left to get home (good timing David!)
- 151: route number of the road off the BRP just south of Ashville, NC that we termed "Baby Gap".
- 12: number of eggs "over easy" consumed during the trip
- 0: servings of grits consumed by all during the trip
- 1: number of visits to a Hooters restaurant
- 1: number of times we were stopped by state troopers
- 10: number of Deal's Gap dragon stickers purchased at the Crossroads of Time
- 4: number of official and volunteer agencies involved during Glenn's misfortune (Fire Dept, EMS, Conservation and Police)
- 87: number of police scanners in the town of Parsons, WV. tuned into the frequency of the conversations going on about Glenn's misfortune
- 10: number of minutes it took for the rest of the town of Parsons, WV to know about Glenn's misfortune
- 236: number of times any of us were called "sweetie", "hun" or "darlin" by waitresses, convenience store clerks and hotel staff.
- 200: (at least) the number in megabytes of pictures taken during our travels
- 4: number of crashes (0 mph or otherwise) between us during 7 days (not too proud of that one!!!!!!)
- 5500: number of feet above sea level during our highest traveled point (Craggy Dome on BRP just north of Ashville, NC)
- 6: number of guys who would do the trip again in a heartbeat