Virginia delegate takes scenic route to GOP gathering

Ivor resident Bob Felts is roaring to get to Minnesota.

Literally.

A Virginia delegate to the Republican National Convention, Felts expects to rumble into the Twin Cities this Sunday on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle.

"Anyone can fly to Minneapolis," he said during a recent phone interview from his ham-curing company. "And some people might ride a bus or a train, but I'm going by two wheels."

Air transport is more acceptable for his hams, he said.

When Gov. Timothy M. Kaine lost a friendly wager to Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius after Virginia Tech was defeated by the University of Kansas in January's Orange Bowl, one of Felts' 16-pound slabs of cured pork was shipped to settle the debt.

Bailing out the governor, even a Democrat, was his duty as a Virginian, said Felts.

But his political allegiance lies with the GOP and the party's presumptive presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

To get to the convention, Felt planned a leisurely road trip along scenic byways to Minnesota that will span four days and nearly 1,400 miles.

"It's interesting to travel the back roads of the United States, just to stop at a rural gas station sometimes and eat a honey bun and a Pepsi and talk to people," he said.

Felts left Ivor on Thursday, and his first stop was Charlottesville to treat his youngest son, Chad, a University of Virginia senior, to a meal for his 21st birthday.

From there, he planned to travel aboard his bluish-purple motorcycle through West Virginia, Ohio and other Midwestern states.

His bike's customized paint job depicts the view "you would have from a remote island," with palm trees, a sunrise and a sunset. Emblazoned on the sides of its chassis are the titles of his deceased parents' favorite hymns - "Amazing Grace" for his father and "Jesus Paid It All" for his mother.

Long motorcycle rides are a respite for Felts, freeing his mind "from cell phones and business." Since purchasing the motorcycle in 2003, he's logged 56,000 miles on it.

He couldn't take his bike on a recent trip to China, but he rented one there and drove around portions of the vast countryside.

"I'm 61. I'm doing my bucket list," he said, referring to a set of goals he wants to accomplish in his lifetime.

Becoming a first-time delegate to the Republican National Convention?

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Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com