Hendersonville North Carolina to Bryson City North Carolina

It was Father's Day and, to paraphrase the theme from Smokey and The Bandit, we had a short way to go and a long time to get there. The GPS said we had 75 miles to Two Rivers Lodge in Bryson City.

The day started slowly. I finished a blog entry and posted it while Sandy packed the bags. Then we went down for breakfast before taking all the gear out to the truck. We finally hit the road at 9:40, following I-26 north to I-40, stopping at a rest area to check the tie-downs on the bikes.

Our little drove convoy across I-40 and got off at US 74. On the far side of Waynesville, we stopped  at WalMart and did some shopping. The skies were clear and it was getting really warm. I got a couple of large boxes of 5-Hour Energy bottles (much cheaper than home) while Sandy got socks and a bathing suit. She tried to find running shoes but, once again, nothing fit her small wide feet.

Attention WalMart shoppers.....

We continued on US 74, aka the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, to the exit for NC 72 at Whittier. This little cutoff road goes across to US 19 but I have never used it before. It is narrow and winding but we only were on it for a couple of miles. When we reached 19, Two Rivers Lodge was visible on the left.

Kudzu along NC 72

One of the Two Rivers

We felt welcome

We arrived at the lodge about 1:00 PM and the housekeeping lady told us that the power was out, possibly until 4:00. They had expedited cleaning our rooms. Once we got the bikes unloaded and the bags in the rooms, we checked out the pavilion by the river. It had a fire pit, tables, swings and benches. Then we sat on the porch. The cleaning lady asked if we drank beer. It seems that the last group left some cans so she put them in Gary's fridge.

Trailers ready to unload

Gary and Dianne in the pavilion

After a bit, we decided to go to lunch. On the way out,we saw US 19 was blocked towards Bryson City. This was the location of our power outage where a tree had fallen and brought down a power pole.

Blocked highway

The unblocked direction took us to Cherokee. On the far side of town was Granny's Restaurant. We always pass this but it doesn't open until 11:00 AM and we are never that late going by. Today it was open and the lot was packed. It had slipped my mind for a moment that it was Father's Day. Granny's is an all buffet place. The lady at the desk took our name and said it would be twenty minutes. In fact, it wasn't that long.

The lady at the next table got talking to us. Her group was from Franklin and they were taking Uncle Logan out for Father's day. He will be 92 on July 3rd and used to be a mica miner. We talked about places and things. Very enjoyable and typical of the friendliness of the hills. The buffet was good at a reasonable price.

 Granny's Restaurant - Cherokee NC

Since dessert was extra at Granny's, we stopped at the Dairy Queen in Cherokee. A small S'mores blizzard was excellent. Sandy had a vanilla ice cream sundae (ice cream in a dish). Then we went on out 441 to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park Oconaluftee Visitor Center. They have a nice place with exhibits of the history of the area and the culture, not to mention the wildlife. I picked up a CD by Roscoe Holcomb, a mountain musician who inspired the term "high, lonesome sound".

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We got back to the lodge about 4:45. Still no power but there was a third trailer in the yard and two faces staring out from one of the rooms. Biker and Cheryl had arrived, but were out shopping.

Our trailer farm

Waiting for Mom and Dad

 While we waited for the power, we sat outside and visited. Blaine, the owner and VROC'er Pappy's brother, came by. An open trailer from Mississippi with two Yamaha's on it, pulled in. Sam and Victoria will be staying around the same amount of time that we will.

A pair of Gary's

Gary and Blaine

The whole crowd (so far)

The power came on about 8:00 PM, just in time because the light was fading. I tried to call the gang in Wytheville, trying Nepper's room at 7:00, 8:00 and 9:00 PM. The last time, the desk lady tried two other rooms but no one was home. She confirmed that there was a group of motorcycles from Ontario and that they were hanging out in the parking lot. That was good enough for me. I left a message for Neppeer saying we would see him tomorrow.

The rest of our group wandered off to bed while I stayed up a bit later talking to Blaine and watching fireflies. Still, it was only 10:45 when we said good night and I went back to our room. Sandy was asleep and, soon, I was too.

Today's Route (75 Avalanche miles):
 

Interactive map

Hendersonville North Carolina - Mount Mitchell

The weather man said it was not going to rain today so we didn't shoot for an early start. I checked the tire pressures and found they were one pound over, about what I expected for the 1,000 foot increase in elevation from home.

Ready to roll again

Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know that I have an interest in model railroads and that we visited the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club here in Hendersonville a few years ago. The 100' x 22' layout models this area and is located in the old train station, but it is only open to the public on Saturday from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Gary expressed an interest so we rode over there to start our daily ride.

While taking the photos of the exterior of the station, I rubbed my ear and lost the back off my earring. Just try to find something like that on a brick road. I'll need to get a new one.

The ladies weren't too interested but Gary and I prowled the various segments and took some pictures. Dan Lang, the doctor who went to school in Toronto, was here again. He is heading back to Stratford soon for a visit.

The old Hendersonville Station

 

A different view of the mountains

No shortage of yard space

Hendersonville station

Backdrops are good

Coal and lumber

Dr. Dan

The next goal for the day was Mount Mitchell, off the Blue Ridge Parkway. We left the station as the temperature was rising. The GPS took us onto I-26 West (north) and led us off onto US 25. Instead of taking us straight to the BRP entrance on US 25, the demented device led us diagonally across the south of the city before hopping us on and off I-40. We got on the Parkway at the same place we exited yesterday.

We stopped at the BRP Visitor Center. I've never been in this particular facility before. It is very nice and the lady at the information counter went out of her way to give us information on good motorcycle roads. Sandy went back out to the bike and got my National Parks Passport so I could stamp it.

On the Blue Ridge Parkway

It was 29 miles to the Mount Mitchell exit. The Parkway speed limit is 45 MPH but traffic is usually doing less than that. I took it easy and didn't even get bothered when a flatlander from Florida putted along at 30 MPH, braking to 25 for every curve. OK, I got bothered but not as much as usual. You think that someone would look in the mirror, see a line of vehicles behind them and pull over at one of the many paved overlooks. We made one such stop to allow some faster vehicles by.

Fat guys around???

The Blue Ridge

We reached the Mount Mitchell turnoff. It is interesting that the four mile road to the top of the mountain is a state highway despite the fact that one end is at a national park and the other is a dead end. Mount Mitchell is the highest spot in the USA east of the Rockies at 6,684 feet. The road up isn't too challenging. We didn't go all the way to the top. Instead, we stopped at the restaurant for lunch.

The turn off the BRP

Motorcycle only parking at the restaurant

Sandy on Mount Mitchell

I have no idea where this straight stretch is but it isn't typical

We left Mount Mitchell and rode another 11 miles up the BRP. We got off at NC 80, also known as Buck Creek Road. It is also known to riders as The Devil's Whip. There is a sharp descent from the ridge, with some serious hairpins. To quote someone on the website, "Not the best road for novice riders, especially going down." Gary did just fine, riding his own ride. Near the end, we met a group of mini-Coopers, one Cobra and a Miata pushing hard the other way.

At the end of the Whip, we turned right on US 70 and followed it to Black  Mountain. There, I gave Dianne the choice of riding back to the hotel via the Interstates or taking the shortcut over the mountain. She opted for the shortcut so we took NC 9 to Bat Cave (last time I rode this, Gator was leading) and US 64 into Hendersonville. NC 9 is a challenge in its own right but is a fun ride. All in all, we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide five times today. We got into the hotel lot about 4:00 PM. The weather man had been right about the day.

I looked on line for supper spots and found Hannah Flanagan's.Irish Pub and Eatery. It was downtown, which turned out to be very friendly and pretty. Except for the parking. The luck of the Irish was with us when, right across from the restaurant, I had to stop to let someone back out. So we pulled in.

Gary and the ladies had Irish pot roast. The girls had half portions and still found it a lot. I just had a smoked turkey sandwich with bacon and cheese on a croissant along with home made potato chips. This was another place I would recommend. Then we walked a couple of blocks downtown. Their trademark appeared to be painted bears, but not like Cherokee.

Hannah Flanagan's - Hendersonville NC

The bears are colourful

A photo of the author, his bride and a friend

Downtown Hendersonville

Back at the hotel, we were all tired and headed for our rooms right away. I was in bed before 10:00 PM.

Today's Route (132 motorcycle miles):
 

Interactive map

Hendersonville North Carolina - Chimney Rock

It was Friday the 13th. Back home, motorcycles were heading for Port Dover.

Lying awake at 4:30 AM, I decided to get up and finish some writing. Finally, about 7:00 AM, I wandered down to the lobby to have breakfast. Sausage, eggs and a bowl of fruit was enough to start the day, along with coffee and juice. The breakfast selection here was above average.

The weather forecast was for a good morning but a questionable afternoon. It was optimistic enough that we unloaded the bikes and got ready to ride. I had called Slammer and we agreed to meet he and his good wife at the Tiki Bar at the Geneva Hotel in Lake Lure at noon. This was the place that had been the headquarters for SEVROC from 2001 to 2005.

While we were waiting for Gary, I struck up a conversation in the lobby with two Harley riders who were riding the Blue Ridge Parkway northbound. One was originally from Surprise, Arizona but was now living in Ogden, Utah. The other was from the Indiana flatlands not far from Indianapolis. We talked a bit about roads and places and then it was time for us to go.

After Gary fueled, we rode north on I-26 and got off south of Asheville. A few miles of local roads and we arrived at an entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We rode northeast across Asheville for a bit until we came to the exit at 74A. This section of the BRP is atypical, low elevation and no views because of the proximity to the city.

The ride southeast on 74A was like coming home. This was the last stretch when we would ride to Lake Lure, and we were usually doing the happy dance because we were almost at our destination. After leaving the built up area and traversing the countryside, we started up the twisty section that led to the Eastern Continental Divide. I stopped at the summit for a photo op. Gary and Dianne were becoming accustomed to this type of road and were doing fine.

Split rail fences along 74A

Stopped at the Eastern Continental Divide

Clearer details

While we were sitting there, a gentleman pulled up with his truck and got out carrying a box. He was relocating a squirrel. He opened the box and the furry transportee was off like a shot. I mentioned that it was illegal to relocate squirrels and chipmunks in Ontario. It seems it is here too, but some people prefer this option to murdering them. Personally, I am fine with justifiable squirrelicide. The fellow said he had gone to blacksmith school in Haliburton, Ontario. I never knew that  there were any more blacksmith schools, much less one back home.

Be free, little furry tree rat

Having gone up one side of the ridge, we had to come down the other. There was an SUV ahead of us who was doing his best to wear out his brake pads. He probably never heard of manually downshifting an automatic transmission to let the engine do the braking. Passing through Gerton, we saw a sign advertising the "Original Carolina Hillbilly". He was sitting out front and waved as we went by. We waved back but didn't stop.

The entrance to Chimney Rock Park is right in the village. We turned in and rode a mile up the hill to the park gate. There, they told us that there was a discount because the elevator had not been fixed yet. We went on in anyway and rode two more miles up some very tight turns and switchbacks to the parking lot at the base of The Rock. The bike, as usual, heated up on the slow climb but I ignored it.

We didn't climb the stairs to the top of the spire. Instead, I got into a long talk with John A. Mason, who was doing a great job playing a hammered dulcimer. We talked about mountains, travels and the trials of being a libertarian in our modern world.

This was as high as we got

It was pretty high

John A. Mason and his hammered dulcimer

John has a number of CD's

While we were up on the mountain, the two Harley riders from the hotel this morning rolled up. It seems I had mentioned Chimney Rock and they decided to give it a look. Being more ambitious than we were, they headed for the stairs to the top.

Bikes are resting after a hard climb

We started out down the hill and I almost got creamed a few corners from the top. The speed limit was 15 MPH so I figured I could cut a left hand hairpin and see anything coming. What I did not count on was  a young lady in a minivan charging up the hill at close to 30 MPH. She met me as I was at the apex and I had to do a dodge and weave to avoid becoming a hood ornament. My fault for not allowing for the possibility of her poor judgement. Gary said she was virtually stopped as he went by.

We headed over to the Geneva and parked in front of what had been our old room. It was a bit early so we repaired to the Tiki Bar, which hadn't changed much, and ordered some cold drinks. Slammer and Barbara showed up right at noon. After introductions, we settled down to catch up on things. Slammer is one of the nicest fellows you could ever meet, belying his past career as an aerial warrior. The food was ordered, came and was excellent. Slammer picked up the checks, for which we were very grateful. Now he HAS TO come to WWR8 in Bryson City in August so we can repay the favour.

Familiar parking spot at the Geneva

Pool and Tiki Bar

The Gateway To Lunch

The inimitable Slammer and the lovely Barbara

Slammer's former job

Lunch done, we rode back down 74A to Bat Cave and turned left on Highway 64 to Hendersonville. This path also crosses the Eastern Continental Divide and I though maybe we should stop at the summit and look one more time for the tail light/license plate that Flip lost off Frankenbike all those years ago. But the skies were darkening to the south and Flip no longer has that particular ride, so we kept going.

US 64

More US 64

We rode down into Hendersonville, although Gary lagged because there was a deputy following him. The skies got darker still. Not two minutes after we parked the bikes under the awning at the hotel, it started to spit. Gary is starting to think that I am some kind of meteorological genius. I know that I have just been lucky.

Bikes under cover as the rain begins

I did some work on the computer while Sandy napped. Then I napped. When I woke up, Sandy was gone and thunder was booming. I found her in the lobby with Dianne looking at books about the Blue Ridge Parkway. Coffee was free all day so I got one and went out to watch the downpour.

It was close to supper so we checked Tripadvisor and then just decided to go to Applebee's. This was another first for our companions. It was busy due to grads so we had to wait about 20 minutes. While waiting, I met a man from Maine who works with trees and has another place down here. They called us soon after and we sat on stools at one of the round tables. I had a small steak and shrimp with roasted potatoes and broccoli. Sandy had an Oriental Chicken Salad. Both were good, as usual.

Back at the hotel, we agreed to meet for breakfast about 8:00 AM. The weather forecast for tomorrow is good. We'll see if it holds up before we finalize our plans for the day.

Today's Route (67 motorcycle miles):

 Interactive map