Maggie Valley North Carolina - Townsend Loop

I was up at 6:00 AM getting yesterday's blog map and photos sorted out but, again, I didn't get the text completed. It was Thursday, so I also had to sort out my pills for the next week. It was cool and damp to start off, but looked like it had the makings of a fine day.

Sandy and I took the truck down to the Maggie Valley Restaurant. When we got there about 7:40, the place was almost empty. While we waited for our food, group after group of mostly riders came in so by the time we were done, it was packed. Good timing.

Maggie Calley Restaurant

We went back to the motel and then I took the bike out and fueled it up in anticipation of the the ride that was heading out at 9:00 AM. It would not be good for me to run out of gas since I would be leading.

Mikey, Sandy and Cheap B

Kay, Vickie, Wrong Turn, Carl and Lonnie

Wrong Turn, KT, Stewey and his vaguely obscene lens

Someone asked me what time the ride was leaving. I told them I didn't know but that I was leaving at 9:00. In actual fact, we were on the road at 9:07, which was pretty good considering that organizing VROC is somewhat like herding cats.

Checking to see if everyone is ready

I think there were about sixteen bikes in the group, followed by Linda and Sandy in the Buick. We rode up to Soco Gap and took the Blue Ridge Parkway south to US 441 without a single person ahead of us. Stewey had set out first and got photos of us on the BRP as we went by. Then he fell in at the rear with his GoPro video camera. I set a steady pace to keep the group, with its varying rider skill levels, together through the curves.

US 441 (aka the Smoky Mountain Parkway) can be hit or miss, traffic-wise. We headed north riding the speed limit and didn't encounter any traffic all the way to Newfound Gap and the Tennessee state line. At the Gap, we stopped for photo ops.

Riding up US 441

Newfound Gap group photo

(photo courtesy of Stewey)

Newfound Gap panorama

(photo courtesy of Jason)

Just as we were leaving Newfound Gap, someone pulled in on an immaculate looking candy blue 1975 GL1000 Gold Wing. This was the inaugural year for the GL, and I would have gotten off again to get a photo and talk to the rider if I hadn't been leading the group.

We rode down the Tennessee side of 441 and again had no traffic in front of us until we got to a couple of single lane stretches near the bottom. Then we turned left at the Visitor Center and followed Old Highway 73, also known as Little River Road. Here we encountered our first traffic as a group of vehicles ahead of us stopped to look at a roadside flock of wild turkeys. When they got going, they didn't move very fast. A few of the slower ones in front pulled off at a campground, but we ended up traveling slower than even our group pace warranted along this delightful road until the slugs took the branch to Cade's Cove while we turned towards Townsend.

Riding down US 441

Stopped at a flagman on 441

Not sure if this was 441 or 73

I had called Smokin' Joe's BBQ from Newfound Gap to let them know we had a group of 20+ with an ETA after 11:00 AM. I got voice mail and left a message. They didn't check their voice mail before we pulled in at 11:30 AM sharp but it didn't make any difference because there were lots of empty tables, and the middle room was totally free. Just after we got in, Flip arrived. He had been out roaming ahead at Warp Speed. Phillip, Jaime and Caleb arrived from Kentucky at the same time, while Red Rover from Knoxville and Mikey's wife Lida from Ringgold, Georgia were only a few minutes behind. All told, twenty-six people sat down for lunch.

I had a brisket sandwich with hushpuppies while Sandy had a small pulled pork sandwich, also with hushpuppies. The meal was excellent and group spirits were high. This continued until it was time to pay the bill. They had a brand new computerized ticket system that no one had mastered yet so it took quite a while to get and pay our bills, causing some grumbling.

For Blain

Happy Riders at Smokin' Joe's BBQ

What to have?

Bass Man and Laura

More hungry folks

Phillip and Caleb

The Smith outfit ready to roll

Vickie and Kay

Stewey headed back the way we had come to get some photos. Bass Man and Laura went with him. Linda and Sandy took the Buick back to Pigeon Forge and returned via Gatlinburg and 441, with Linda also stopping to take some pictures.

I led the rest of the group onwards out of town. Flip ranged ahead again, while I held the speed limit. We turned left on the Foothills Parkway and, again with no one ahead of us, traveled west to US 129 at the speed limit. We did pass one slow motorcycle and followed another one the last two miles to the intersection. We then proceeded towards The Tail Of The Dragon, stopping at the paved lot where it begins. Flip was waiting for us.

The Texas ladies had never been here before so I gave them the usual pointers. Ride your own ride while giving ground and waving around faster riders. We all did the next eleven miles and 318 curves at our own pace, planning to meet at the Crossroads of Time at the other end.

Vickie, Debbie and Kay ready to slay The Dragon

I waited for almost everyone else to get going. My plan was to ride through in a leisurely fashion to be sure everyone made it. Then Phillip volunteered to sweep with the sidecar outfit, so my plan changed. I headed up the hill at a somewhat brisker rate, passing a truck and a car in the first mile. Then I settled into what, for me, was a sporting pace.

I passed a few bikes and was just catching up to Debbie when we came around a hard right and saw a bike in the ditch on the left. Vickie and Kay! I pulled up on the right at the next left and put the four-way flashers on to warn oncoming traffic. By the time I got to the bike, Vickie had it up, re-fired and moved to our side of the road. Nothing was broken and no one was hurt. Vickie laughed and said "Good to go!". She will henceforth be known as Slider while we christened Kay Low Side.

Slider and Low Side

The rest of the run was uneventful. Everyone gathered at the Crossroads so people could get T-shirts and stickers. Caleb wanted a dragon sticker for his helmet since it was his first time through, so Phillip got him one and stuck it on.

The fast crowd waiting for the rest of us

Official Dragon Slayers

Including Caleb

Continuing on, we rode down Highway 28, also known as Moonshiner 28 or (at this end) The Hellbender, to Fontana Dam. Cheap B and a few others decided to skip the dam and head straight back. The parking lot at the dam was blocked off by construction workers but the Visitor Center was accessible via the other door. After a short visit, we headed back to Maggie Valley via 28, 74, 441 and US 19. We were not held up anywhere along the way. Then again, we weren't going that fast.

In the meantime, Sandy and Linda were headed back to Maggie via Pigeon Forge. Linda, a very good photographer, stopped along the way to take some pictures.

So that's where Dollywood is

Y'all or All Y'all?

You can learn things if you actually stop

Either this or Wikipedia....

You can see where you were of where you are going

View from Newfound Gap

Linda at Newfound Gap

Getting serious 

Babbling brooks

Pretty falls

And streams

Back at the motel, we mingled and greeted new arrivals.

Fly and Wompus

Laura, Susan and Julie

Cargo's Sherm hat

Willie Wonka demonstrating something I'm not familiar with

Many of the folks headed to Snappy's for Italian food. Some of us weren't looking for that much so Sandy and I, the Wonka's, Lucky Al and Talon climbed in the truck and drove down to Ammons where they have burgers and stuff. It was an interesting meal and the double super hamburger (1/2 pound of real beef) was pretty good.

Don't let Willie's doctor see this

Meanwhile, back at the ranch:

Carlene, Scooter, Sandy and Willie

Badger and Susan having pizza

Flip and Scooter

Toby Tyler

Party time

Willie, Borys, Fly and Saddletramp

Teresa and Sandy look like they are plotting

It was a very VROC evening. Sandy and I slipped away about 11:00 PM and hit the sack. Best day yet.

Today's Route (178 motorcycle miles):

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Maggie Valley North Carolina - Everett Street and just hanging out

I slept in until 6:45 AM this morning after tossing and turning most of the night. I managed to get the photos and map for yesterday's blog set up but didn't get the writing finished before we left for Bryson City at 8:15. The objective was to pick up CC Rider at Two Rivers Lodge and continue on to the Everett Street Diner for breakfast.

Borys, Fly and Saddletramp started out with us but turned left at Country Vittles, leaving me to believe that they had not understood the plan. It later turned out that Borys had forgotten his wallet. All that remained behind me were Lucky Al, Billy Bob plus Sandy and Linda in her Buick.

The ride over Soco Gap to Cherokee on 19 was nice, with no traffic ahead of us whatsoever. We made it to Two Rivers at the appointed time and saw Blain, but there was no sign of CC. I knocked on his door whereupon he stuck his head out to tell us that his alarm had not gone off and he would catch up to us later.

It was past the morning rush at the Everett Street Diner, so we were able to sit at the only six person table right away. The breakfast special was two eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns or grits and toast or a biscuit for $4.25.  The lady had our coffee there in a minute, carrying four full mugs in one hand, and had our food orders out in less than five. All this and a smile, too. I love eating here. CC never did show up.

Everett Street Diner - Bryson City NC (five stars)

Parked on Everett Street

Lucky Al, Billy Bob, Linda and Sandy

After breakfast, we mounted up to head back. Linda turned the Buick around and waited while I pulled out and made a U-Turn. Actually, I made a partial U-turn and dropped the bike right in the middle of Everett Street. When I started the turn, there were no cars going either way but after the bike fell over, there were quite a few cars that appeared out of nowhere to witness my folly. Al and Bob jumped in to help but I used the proper maneuver and had the bike up before they could get a grip. Bob pulled the sidestand down, something I couldn't do from where I was standing. Nothing was hurt but my pride and I have little of that these days, so no harm done. That was only the third time this bike has been over in 251,000 kilometers and I am really not sure what caused it. Gravity, I guess.

We followed US 74 and US 441 to Cherokee and then took US 19 back up over Soco to Maggie Valley. Al broke off in Cherokee to look for a gift for his grandson. Back at the motel, Flip's ride heading north to seek out interesting but obscure roads had departed. Southern Draw and Charm, Jason and Tracey and Wanda were just hanging out around the unlit fire pit. We visited for a while and then I went in to finish yesterday's blog and pay some bills.

Hanging out at A Holiday Motel

Stewey came back from somewhere and Butch and Teresa arrived from Kentucky. Then Talon pulled in from Virginia on a Honda. It was good to meet him for the first time again (inside running joke). Soon after, Mikey got in from Georgia and Bass Man and Laura appeared from Arkansas towing a new Kawasaki Versys.

I got yesterday's blog post done and up but didn't get to the bills.

 Stewey and his Tabasco chocolates

Sandy and Lucky Al

Wanda and Teresa

Billy Bob and Linda

Talon and Charlie

Stewey heading back out

Mikey's award winning beard

Bass Man's Versys

Mikey showing me how to clean

Flip's ride got back in from their explorations. On the way, they had picked up Southern Draw and Jason, who had headed out a few hours ago for a short run. Sandy and I walked up to Country Vittles where she had the meat loaf special while I had a chicken fried steak sandwich. That was different but I would eat it again. Bass Man and Laura joined us part way through.

On the way back, we saw that Debbie, Vickie and Kay had arrived from Texas and were unloading.

Vickie and Debbie from Texas

We spent the rest of the evening visiting and catching up.

Sandy, Charlie and Christine

Talon

It was an early night for us. We were back in the room by 10:00 and probably asleep by 10:30.

Today's Route (56 motorcycle miles):

Interactive map

Maggie Valley North Carolina - Nantahala & Robbinsville

I was up at 6:00 AM this morning to sort out yesterday's blog. It took a couple of hours to get it posted and then I talked to the guys outside for a bit. Stewey loaned me his smart phone again to call TracFone after 8:00 AM. The lady was very nice and got my 700 minutes switched over to the new phone. Then Sandy called her mother to test the international connection. All was good.

About 9:00, we finished the "where are we going to have breakfast" debate and headed down the road to Joey's Pancake House. I had scrambled eggs, a nice piece of country ham (very salty) and a couple of pancakes that were so light it was like eating flavoured air.

The gang at Joey's Pancake House

My breakfast at Joey's

Back at the motel, brothers Lonnie and Carl plus Carl's new wife Candy arrived from  central North Carolina. We chewed the fat for a while and then tried to come to a consensus about where we wanted to ride today

Carl and Candy

The housekeeper here know how to work hard

The final decision on the day's ride was that I would lead and the rest would follow wherever I went. That put everyone's enjoyment squarely on my shoulders. OK, I was up for it. Sandy and I left the motel around noon with Tbone, Lucky Al and Stewey in tow. Stewey brought up the rear with his GoPro video camera mounted on his Wing to record some of our finer riding moments. More on that later.

Other than a few miles to and from the Freedom Riders meeting last week, this was my first ride since last October. I led the small group west out of Maggie Valley up the grade on US 19 to Soco Gap. We started down the two mile drop, the curving road that wound from the top of the hill (thank you Harry Chapin). No one was ahead of us so we ran a moderate but unrestricted pace through the endless sequence of recommended 30 MPH corners. It felt amazing and I thought the video Stewey was getting would be awesome.

We reached the bottom and rode across Cherokee at the speed limit' continuing out the other side on 19 until we reached Two Rivers Lodge. Blain took a break from his plumbing chores to greet us warmly. We talked for a bit and then Kathy came home from shopping. Blain went and got out Kathy's new toy, a 1948 Mercury convertible with a 454 big block Chev engine, that she inherited from her father. It wasn't exactly a restoration and was known as The Grape Ape because of its Montene purple paint. Adopted son Bill was riding by heading for Maggie, recognized my bike, turned around and came in to join the conversation. Blain and Kathy are the best of folks and we will be staying here for five nights on our upcoming August trip.

Stewey, Tbone, Sandy, Blain and Luck Al at Two Rivers

Blain taking a group photo

The Grape Ape

350 CID engine

While we were talking, I was formulating a plan. Bill continued on the Maggie Valley while we went the other direction. We switched over to US 74 and followed it into the Nantahala Gorge. The first bit was a bit too slow following a Toyota pickup truck, but then he pulled off and we were free to ride our own pace. Just as we caught up to a slow semi, we arrived at the Visitor Centre/Kayak course and pulled in.

They have quite the kayak course here with a bridge going over top of it. We got some photos although there was only one kayak playing in the river at the time.

In the Nantahala Gorge

You can't even smoke outdoors here

The kayak course

Tbone

I'm not sure what Lucky Al is doing

Sandy and I looking happy

We continued on through the Gorge, catching up to a semi that must have been driven by a local. He was making really good time until it came time to climb out of the Gorge. At the top, we turned right and made our way into Robbinsville on US 129.

A left turn at the first light in Robbinsville took us up the hill to Lynn's Place for lunch. Sandy and I had one trip to the salad bar each while the other three had the special of the day, fried bologna sandwiches. Reports were that they were very good. I told our server about my favourite Youtube motorcycle video Ballad of the Gap, in which the restaurant was mentioned a couple of times. She wrote it down.

Lynn's Place - Robbinsville NC

Sandy's salad

Sign in the men's room at Lynne's Place

We returned to Maggie Valley via 143, 28, US 74, US 441 to Cherokee and back over Soco Gap on US 19. It was good running except for one American Red Cross minivan that wouldn't give ground in the last passing lane up to Soco.

When we got back to A Holiday Motel just after 4:00 PM, Bob and Linda had arrived from Pennsylvania. Bob was riding his Kaw Voyager while Linda was in their car.  They actually left home before us but had been exploring West Virginia on the way down.

Stewey informed us he had screwed up a setting on the GoPro camera and it was just recording the most recent five minutes. Instead of epic footage of twisty roads, we had five minutes of going through the town of Cherokee. Oh well, win some, lose some.

After another debate about supper, we decided to go to the Sagebrush Steakhouse in Waynesville. Tbone and Stewey jumped into the Avalanche with us, while Lucky Al went with Linda and Bob in their Buick . CC Rider followed on his Nomad. This meant eight of us arrived at the restaurant and they seated us at a table in the enclosed verandah area.

No sooner had we ordered beverages than Lonnie, Carl and Candy showed up. The staff put another table on the end of ours. Soon after, Cheap B, Wanda, Southern Draw, Southern Charm, Flip and Rainman appeared. Another table was added to the other end. The server told us they were short one staff person and it was All You Can Eat Ribs night. Putting two and two together, we should have all had ribs. Instead, the kitchen geared for ribs received seventeen orders of mostly a la carte steaks. It took them some time to shift gears.

The food took a long time to come but my New York strip was OK when I finally got it. OK but not exceptional. The saving grace was that the company was excellent, although Cheap B and Southern Draw together approach some kind of critical mass. There was a lot of laughter. One note. I can understand the delays in the kitchen given the circumstances but there was no excuse for the long hiatus between the end of the meal and the delivery of the bills. That was all on the server.

We should have had the ribs

Waiting for the first table

Lonnie and Flip

Stewey and Lucky Al

CC Rider and Tbone

Southern Draw and Southern Charm

Wanda and Cheap B

Rainman, Carl and Candy

Bob, Linda and Sandy

We made it back to the motel after dark and found the rest of the folks hanging out in the parking lot. Wrong Turn and KT had arrived from Indiana in our absence. It was sure good to see them again.

As usual, the conversation ran the gamut of topics. I was telling Fly and Saddletramp about The Ballad of the Gap and so they brought it up on a tablet and we watched it right there. It is even better watching this while in the area.

Borys and Fly

Long lost twins? Wrong Turn and Saddletramp

Jason, Southern Draw, Cheap B, Wanda and KT

 Tbone, Stewey, Flip and Lucky Al

Slowly the crowd dwindled and then someone shut the outside lights off. By 11:30, there were just me, Flip, Tbone and lucky Al still up, so we wished each other a good night and headed off to our various rooms. I watched the news about the Amtrak wreck and then read a bit of Kindle before finally falling asleep.

Today's Route (118 motorcycle miles):

Interactive map