Maggie Valley: Kickstand Lodge, Deal's Gap and the Nantahala Gorge

Famed motojournalist Teri Conrad, editor of Kawasaki's Accelerate magazine (remember Arizona), arrived last night and was joined by her friend John. The group walked or rode, depending on their preference, down to Country Vittles about 8:00 AM for breakfast. The restaurant wasn't packed for a change, and we got to eat in peace.

Wrong Turn, KT, Teri, John, Stewey, Ronda and Sandy at Country Vittles

Cheap B, Wrong Turn, KT and Teri

Red Rider, T-Bone, Bob from Pa, Badger and Lucky Al

The plan today was to take Teri for a tour but we had to wait until she and John went to Asheville to pick up her loaner bike at MR Cycle. I took the time to get the holding tanks dumped and to get the propane tank filled by the supplier who topped Derrick's tanks up.  We hung out at the office until they got back and the "Famed Motojournalist Ride" rolled out just before noon. I led and Blondy and Lucky Al, with their CB radios, took their places in the middle and at the back, respectively. We went north on 19 and cut over on US 276 to US 74 in Waynesville, running the divided road past Bryson City to SR 28 in a very professional looking formation. I was able to hold the left lane most of the way, with Al letting me know if we had traffic coming up behind us. We only had to move over for a couple of cars.

Wild Rose, KT and WT waiting for Teri and John

The White Board

We followed 28 to Kickstand Lodge where Stewey was waiting for us. Moe seemed in fine spirits and the best motorcycle campground in the Smokies is looking good. We spent about 45 minutes looking around and visiting, while part of the group (CB, WT, KT, Stewey, Ronda and Wild Rose) split off to ride to Franklin.

Stewey waiting at KSL

The bikes lined up at KSL

The VROC Memorial at KSL

From KSL, I led up 28 (also known as the Hellbender) to the Fontana Dam where we stopped for a brief look. I was pleased to see the Huckabees, a retired couple from Chattanooga, were manning the information booth. They volunteer for two weeks this time every year and this is maybe the third time I have met them.

The group at Fontana Dam

The Huckabees

From Fontana, we continued up 28 to the Deal's Gap Resort at the start of the Dragon, arriving about 2:30. Some wanted to ride and some wanted to wait so I suggested the riders get going because I wanted to be on the road by 3:30. Blondy, Lucky Al, Badger and T-Bone headed out to challenge the 318 turns in 11 miles but got started a little late. I would have liked to ride but Sandy didn't want to, so we kept Bob, Teri and John company at the resort. Red Rider had a problem with an exhaust stud and went down to Wheeler's Cycle near Robbinsville to get it fixed.

Rock formation on SR 28

Little Tennessee River

Highway 28

Badger telling riders about his Voyager

T-Bone looking at Red Riders "new" 97 Classic

The young lady is a trauma surgeon

John and Teri at Deal's Gap Resort

The riders didn't get back until 4:00, when we set out down US 129 on what is known as the Mini-Tail. At the bottom of the hill, the Cheoah Dam (famous from the Harrison Ford film The Fugitive) was on our left. We followed the big sweepers towards Robbinsville, passing Red Rider, who was still at Wheeler's. I got everyone to a gas station and went back to find RR just about ready to ride. He rolled into the gas station soon after I did and our group was complete again.

The Cheoah Dam

We continued on down US 129 to US 74 and rode back through the Nantahala Gorge, a stretch marred by a delivery truck ahead of us. He was doing well for a delivery truck but we would have liked a little faster. Out of the Gorge, we formed up on the four lane 74 and hauled for home. The original plan had been to catch the Parkway at Balsam Gap and ride over to Soco, but the group wanted to stay on the big road all the way to Waynesville. Looking at the clouds, I opted to cut north on US 441 to Cherokee and come in on US 19, saving 16 miles. Luckily, the three slow vehicles ahead of us all turned off before we started the climb so it was a good ride and we got back on time and dry. Many more people had arrived while we were away.

A few of us jumped the gun and walked down to Legends Sports Bar and Grill a little before the 6:30 start of the Meet and Greet. They had the place closed for us and we found a table. The supper was good and, as usual, the company was better.

Ronda, Stewey, Willie Wonka and The Lovely Carlene

Vonna and the inimitable Rabbi

Back from the restaurant, we mingled near the office and caught up with the new arrivals. It was good to see old friends again and meet a few new ones. Not much happened and we finally toddled off to bed about 11:45.

Today's Ride (162 motorcycle miles):


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Maggie Valley: Franklin, Highlands and the BRP

We were late getting up again this morning. The sleeping in is getting easier to do. We skipped going to Country Vittles with the group and had a light breakfast in the RV. I did some blog work and got the bills posted. It's hard to keep up with mundane paperwork when friends are gathered and the blog was way behind.

Wrong Turn went into Waynesville to get his light bar aligned and we hung around waiting for him to get back. After he did, we geared up for the day's ride and left about 11:00 AM for Bryson City via US 19. We didn't get very far because we were stopped by State Troopers at Soco Gap who told us 19 was closed due to a truck accident. They detoured us to Cherokee via the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a nice detour although some cars ahead of us were running a slower pace than we would have liked. The speed limit is 45 MPH but the four wheeled traffic seems to like 30 to 35. At least the big motorhome pulled over and let us by.

In Bryson City, we stopped so Wrong Turn could get some "stuff" at the local hardware store. The sun was beating down and I stayed with the bikes while the others went to the store.

Cheap B in Bryson City

Wrong Turn and KT

From Bryson, we caught SR 28 south towards Franklin. The first part of this road winds over some ridges with tight turns back and forth, dropping down the other sides the same way. We bypassed Franklin, staying on 28 which also becomes US 64 towards Highlands. Once we got away from town, the road narrowed and became twisty again, although the pavement surface is smoother here and the corners flow a little better. The road parallels a river full of whitewater and rapids and waterfalls abound. The car drivers seemed eager to pull over for us and one driver did so three times (we stopped twice).

KT photographing a waterfall

WT says they watched kayaks come down this on a previous trip

Highlands Road

A pretty little falls

We arrived in Highlands and parked in one of the spaces in the centre of the main street. We had lunch in the Sports Page Sandwich Shoppe. The original intent had been to stop for pie but it was time to eat so Sandy and I split a ham, turkey and bacon sandwich on a fresh roll. There was enough that we ended up bringing some of it home with us.

Sports Page Sandwich Shoppe - Highlands NC

We continued on out of town on US 64 again winding up and down the mountainsides. We weren't so lucky with traffic getting out of our way this time. Our plan was to go to SR 215 near Rosman and climb up to the Parkway. Alas, simple plans such as this sometimes get thwarted.

Traffic on US 64 after Highlands

After we passed through Cashiers and, only a few miles before 215, clouds which hadn't seemed so ominous before started to release large raindrops on us. I was leading and, just as it started to pick up, we came around a corner and there was a Citgo station. With a tree next to the lot. I don't care if they do sell Venezuelan gas, that tree looked pretty good and we all got parked under it just before the rain intensity picked up. A new Vulcan Voyager came in behind us and pulled up at the pumps under the awning. We talked to him and found his name was Charlie and he joined VROC a couple of weeks ago. He lives in Silva and Cheap B remembered his introductory post on the Southeast Newsgroup. Small world.

Jim assured us the rain was merely a "clearing up shower" but we had our doubts as it really started pounding down. Then came good sized hail stones. Then more driving rain. Then more hail. Lightning bolts figured in there. CB's smart phone weather app showed the small green over our heads expanded in place to oranges and reds. We sat it out for an hour until it eased, thankful we hadn't gotten caught somewhere without shelter.

A hailstone

Lots of hailstones

Wrong Turn and KT waiting it out

Cheap B capturing the moment

Getting suited up to ride again

What does Quebec have to do with North Carolina?

Cheap B led us back onto 64 in full rain gear. We went a few miles down the road and turned onto SR 215. On this side of the ridge, this is a relatively benign road but going in and out of wet added a bit of challenge. Up on the Parkway, Wrong Turn led us towards Soco Gap. For a while, we were riding in rain while there was clear sky to both side of us. Then we had a few thunder claps and I thought about riding the highest country around and being a rolling two-wheeled lightning rod. Not my favourite pastime.  The heaviest rain caught us near Balsam Gap but we continued on the Parkway, which was littered with a layer of small wet leaves. Easy does it.

US 19 was still closed when we arrived at Soco but we weren't going that way. We rode down into Maggie and the Applecover where they told us it had hardly rained at all. Sandy and I had a supper of leftovers and then joined everyone sitting outside in front of the office. It was a quiet evening and we turned in a little after 11:00.

Today's Ride (158 motorcycle miles):


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Maggie Valley: 215 / 151 Loop

I got up this morning and dried the heavy North Carolina dew off the motorcycle. This isn't like Yuma where dew seems to be largely unheard of. But the bugs come off easily after soaking overnight.

Yummy, Stewey, Katie, Ronda and Wrong Turn discussing breakfast plans

Stewey, Ronda, Wrong Turn, Katie, Sandy and I rode down to Country Vittles for breakfast while Yummy and Blondy walked. Imagine our surprise to find out that Country Vittles was closed on Tuesdays. We went to Plan B and moved a little further down to the Maggie Valley Restaurant where they were glad to see us.

The Maggie Valley Restaurant

The gang settled in to eat

My country ham breakfast

Sandy's quiche and fruit

Leaving from the restaurant, the six of us rode through Waynesville on US 274 to SR 215, aka the Lake Logan Road, that Sandy and I had taken two days before. I led us up to the Parkway where we turned southwest and proceeded to the Cowee Mountains Overlook one more time. We plotted the wedding ceremony and vehicle arrangements.

The lovebirds at the site of the upcoming wedding

Bridezilla????

Stewey set out first heading back northeast.  WT and I followed a bit later in a leisurely fashion, catching up with the yellow Wing at Pisgah. We met a dedicated rider with a '73 BMW R75/5 from Virginia whose plate said PRKWY. This fellow had wrecked in January 2010 and lost his right leg. This was his first serious ride and the bike was modified with a heel brake on the left side. Jim was interested in a sectional cane he had that had been made out of a shotgun cleaning rod with a machined handle and a rubber valve stem foot.

An oldie but a goody

We continued a short ways northeast and then got off on SR 151, a short route that winds down from the ridge. Anyone who thinks that the Dragon is a twisty road needs to check this one out. We came down the twelve miles of tight switchbacks in line, WT leading and me in the tail, arriving at the bottom near Canton on I-40.

Stewey on SR 151

And the other way (Ronda likes this)

Unwinding at the bottom

We rode I-40 back to US 74 where we all went separate ways. Sandy and I returned to the Applecover where I tried to get some blogging sorted out. Soon after we arrived, the cable guy showed up and we then had 56 clear channels on the TV. Not long after, Cheap Bastard and his wife Wanda rolled in from Alabama on their Vulcan 2000 towing a trailer. Stewy and Ronda arrived back a bit later and WT and Katie weren't too far behind.

Sandy, Cheap B, Wanda and Stewey taking it easy

The gang assembled by the RV

The group, including proprietors Derrick and Amy and their two kids, all headed back to Hurley's for supper. Then we congregated around the fire pit to swap stories after Derrick used some oil and gas to get a roaring blaze started.

Supper at Hurley's

Cheap B, Stewey, Wrong Turn and Katie at the firepit

Ronda and Sandy deep in discussion

Derrick and his roaring fire

We toddled off to bed around 11:00.

Today's Ride (116 motorcycle miles):


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Hey Sherm

Wish you were here. Oh wait.......