If you look up great American roads in any book, magazine, or web site one that is always in the top ten is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Left the motel this morning and soon found ourselves in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park with temps in the high 50’s and wisps of fog coming off the mountains down onto the road. An hour down the road and we were turning north at the beginning of the Blue Ridge were we spent the day on lightly travelled roads waving to other bikers and wearing out the sides of the tires. Shirt sleeve weather with scattered clouds was the request for weather for the day and exactly what we received.
In for the night in Banner Elk NC an upscale community in the Appalachians just a few miles off of the Parkway. We will get back on tomorrow but with a top speed of 35 to 45 might not finish the entire 468 miles until Monday.
Looking for a place to take a break we turned off the parkway into a North Carolina state park at Mount Mitchell which happens to be the highest point in the US east of the Mississippi, Mount Mitchell wikipedia. Walked to the viewpoint at the top of the mountain where you can see for miles in every direction and all you see is the forest covered Appalachian Mountains. Traffic was surprisingly light for a Saturday in June making for a great day hope for more of the same tomorrow.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
DAY 6 JUNE 7 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF
Left the motel and drove to a Honda shop so Al could get his bike checked for damage after the great Tennessee pot hole incident of 2013. While the bike was being checked several of us used the opportunity to catch up on laundry before heading out for the day.
I was starting the day in a less than wonderful mood after two days of too much food and not enough sleep. I just wanted to be moving. Finally, everyone was ready to go and we jumped on the interstate for a few miles to quickly get out of the city. We were soon eastbound thru gorgeous forest with very little traffic. The road was running parallel to a river full of rafters and kayaks weaving back and forth as we made our way the 150 miles over to Deal’s Gap and the Tail of the Dragon.
When you pull into Deal’s Gap, a motorcycle only store and motel, on a Friday afternoon you are immediately surrounded by several hundred other bikes crowding the parking lot. The center of the parking lot is taken up by a large tree covered in motorcycle parts; if you wreck your bike you can hang a part on the” Tree of Shame”. Your hearing is assaulted by bikes going up the hill in front of the parking lot where the “Tail” begins everyone trying to prove something with the speed they assault the first curves. The noise ranges from the Formula 1 race car sound of the sport bikes, the growl of the Italian twins, the almost silent hum of the Gold Wings, and the out of sync rumble of an American made v-twin. In between bikes you listen to the accents and languages being spoken in the parking as you wander around talking to different bikers or listening in on their conversations.
After the mandatory t-shirt purchase it’s time to mount up and make our own assault on the road. We change leaders of the group at every gas fill up and the last time we were here it just worked out that it was my turn to lead the group as we went from north to south. With a little luck and careful fuel management on my part I was in the lead again for our run from south to north. We made the run safely at a comfortable speed stopping a few miles beyond the end at Highway 129 Harley. Eventually continued on finally stopping for the night still somewhere in Tennessee the last half hour in a light rain. We hope to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow but are currently dealing with the remnants of the hurricane that hit Florida.
At one point today a car pulled up next to me and I looked at his license plate it was from North Carolina and my first thought was; boy he’s a long way from home! Quickly corrected it to, we are a long way from home and a long way from Maine, still think Maine is our goal, time will tell.
I was starting the day in a less than wonderful mood after two days of too much food and not enough sleep. I just wanted to be moving. Finally, everyone was ready to go and we jumped on the interstate for a few miles to quickly get out of the city. We were soon eastbound thru gorgeous forest with very little traffic. The road was running parallel to a river full of rafters and kayaks weaving back and forth as we made our way the 150 miles over to Deal’s Gap and the Tail of the Dragon.
When you pull into Deal’s Gap, a motorcycle only store and motel, on a Friday afternoon you are immediately surrounded by several hundred other bikes crowding the parking lot. The center of the parking lot is taken up by a large tree covered in motorcycle parts; if you wreck your bike you can hang a part on the” Tree of Shame”. Your hearing is assaulted by bikes going up the hill in front of the parking lot where the “Tail” begins everyone trying to prove something with the speed they assault the first curves. The noise ranges from the Formula 1 race car sound of the sport bikes, the growl of the Italian twins, the almost silent hum of the Gold Wings, and the out of sync rumble of an American made v-twin. In between bikes you listen to the accents and languages being spoken in the parking as you wander around talking to different bikers or listening in on their conversations.
After the mandatory t-shirt purchase it’s time to mount up and make our own assault on the road. We change leaders of the group at every gas fill up and the last time we were here it just worked out that it was my turn to lead the group as we went from north to south. With a little luck and careful fuel management on my part I was in the lead again for our run from south to north. We made the run safely at a comfortable speed stopping a few miles beyond the end at Highway 129 Harley. Eventually continued on finally stopping for the night still somewhere in Tennessee the last half hour in a light rain. We hope to get on the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow but are currently dealing with the remnants of the hurricane that hit Florida.
At one point today a car pulled up next to me and I looked at his license plate it was from North Carolina and my first thought was; boy he’s a long way from home! Quickly corrected it to, we are a long way from home and a long way from Maine, still think Maine is our goal, time will tell.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Day 5 JUNE 6
It’s eleven o’clock and I’m tired so this will be short. We had a beautiful day marred only by a short but intense rain storm. We are in for the night in Chattanooga well south and east of where we were yesterday. I know we are heading for Maine but nothing says we have to go straight there.
We angled across the western part of Tennessee before turning due east along the southern boundary of the state. A full day of green forests, green dotted road in the Rand McNally Atlas, and friendly people with some very strange accents. Route 64 is a beautiful road to travel and well deserving of its scenic status as it winds across the state.
Tomorrow should find us once again on the Tail of the Dragon before turning north towards the Blue Ridge Parkway and oh yea Maine.
Route was 412 to Jackson 45 south to 64 east.
We angled across the western part of Tennessee before turning due east along the southern boundary of the state. A full day of green forests, green dotted road in the Rand McNally Atlas, and friendly people with some very strange accents. Route 64 is a beautiful road to travel and well deserving of its scenic status as it winds across the state.
Tomorrow should find us once again on the Tail of the Dragon before turning north towards the Blue Ridge Parkway and oh yea Maine.
Route was 412 to Jackson 45 south to 64 east.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
DAY 4 JUNE 5
I'm a long way from home
And i miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
With no place to go
Gordon Lightfoot
Woke to a pouring rain and strong winds and very wet bikes. We were leaving late today knowing that we only had a 75 mile drive to brunch in Springfield Missouri with a group of Phoenix PD retirees. After a couple of hours drinking coffee and waiting for the rain to subside suited up in rain gear and hit the interstate. Fifty miles down the road the rain let up and by the time we reached brunch everyone was dry and ready to put the rain gear away. After a two hour lunch and lots of conversation we mounted up and headed east on US 60.
A few years ago we rode most of 60 from Arizona to Virginia Beach but this short stretch we missed by detouring to Branson. We have now finished all of 60 stopping for the night in Sikeston Missouri and dinner at Lamberts Restaurant home of throwed rolls, throwed-rolls.com.
After a late wet start we are close to four hundred miles down the road on great blacktop thru the Mark Twain National Forest. At one break today we found ourselves in a small store/gas station in the middle of nowhere, all activity came to a stop when eight motorcycles pulled in and parked. After a few minutes visiting with Wanda the clerk and a few customers we were deemed harmless and the place returned to normal. A typical stop for us traveling the country experiencing Americana.
I remember Wanda when she was employed
Behind the counter of the Route 60 Bob’s Big Boy
Fried chicken on the front seat
Wanda sittin on my lap
Wiping up our fingers on
A Texaco road map.
Bruce Springsteen
And i miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
With no place to go
Gordon Lightfoot
Woke to a pouring rain and strong winds and very wet bikes. We were leaving late today knowing that we only had a 75 mile drive to brunch in Springfield Missouri with a group of Phoenix PD retirees. After a couple of hours drinking coffee and waiting for the rain to subside suited up in rain gear and hit the interstate. Fifty miles down the road the rain let up and by the time we reached brunch everyone was dry and ready to put the rain gear away. After a two hour lunch and lots of conversation we mounted up and headed east on US 60.
A few years ago we rode most of 60 from Arizona to Virginia Beach but this short stretch we missed by detouring to Branson. We have now finished all of 60 stopping for the night in Sikeston Missouri and dinner at Lamberts Restaurant home of throwed rolls, throwed-rolls.com.
After a late wet start we are close to four hundred miles down the road on great blacktop thru the Mark Twain National Forest. At one break today we found ourselves in a small store/gas station in the middle of nowhere, all activity came to a stop when eight motorcycles pulled in and parked. After a few minutes visiting with Wanda the clerk and a few customers we were deemed harmless and the place returned to normal. A typical stop for us traveling the country experiencing Americana.
I remember Wanda when she was employed
Behind the counter of the Route 60 Bob’s Big Boy
Fried chicken on the front seat
Wanda sittin on my lap
Wiping up our fingers on
A Texaco road map.
Bruce Springsteen
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
DAY 3 JUNE 4
This was the kind of day we ride for, primarily two lane roads thru wooded hills and farm land. Left the motel this morning and a few miles down the road got off the interstate headed north on a small two lane road. Within a mile of the interstate found that staple of this part of the country a single wide trailer with a pick-up, tire swing, and dog in the front yard, americana at its best. This soon gave way to neatly manicured yards in front of two story white painted farm houses with American flags hanging out front.
Rode thru several small towns with their downtowns full of small shops, a bank, a farm implement store, and the ever present “coffee shop”. Took a break in Kingfisher Oklahoma the birthplace of Sam Walton, everywhere we rode we were greeted by friendly people. Left OK and went across the southern part of Kansas headed towards Missouri.
Pulling into Joplin after about 375 miles of two lane road was greeted by old friend JB:
Met my old friend on the street last night
He seemed so glad to see me
I just smiled.
We talked about some old times
and we drank ourselves some beers.
Still crazy after all these years
With apologizes to Paul Simon
Good to meet up with an old friend.
On a sad note for today, Tim let us know this morning that he needed to take care of a personal problem and would be leaving us in Oklahoma. Wishing him a safe trip home.
Harleygramps break out your map here is the route I-40 to 281N, 3E, 81N, 60E, 35N, 166E to Joplin.
Rode thru several small towns with their downtowns full of small shops, a bank, a farm implement store, and the ever present “coffee shop”. Took a break in Kingfisher Oklahoma the birthplace of Sam Walton, everywhere we rode we were greeted by friendly people. Left OK and went across the southern part of Kansas headed towards Missouri.
Pulling into Joplin after about 375 miles of two lane road was greeted by old friend JB:
Met my old friend on the street last night
He seemed so glad to see me
I just smiled.
We talked about some old times
and we drank ourselves some beers.
Still crazy after all these years
With apologizes to Paul Simon
Good to meet up with an old friend.
On a sad note for today, Tim let us know this morning that he needed to take care of a personal problem and would be leaving us in Oklahoma. Wishing him a safe trip home.
Harleygramps break out your map here is the route I-40 to 281N, 3E, 81N, 60E, 35N, 166E to Joplin.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Day 2 6/03/2013
East on I-40 temps ranging from low sixties to low nineties with strong cross winds could summarize our day. If you look a little deeper at the day we had some old memories brought back up mixed with the new ones we are making. Crossing the pan handle of Texas we passed Adrian Tx the midpoint on old route 66 were we stopped and had lunch in 2008. The proprietor had stayed open when she heard from a friend that we were driving thru town. After a piece of pie and photos at her restaurant she led us outside and had us sign our names on her old Ford pickup. Later today we stopped to get gas next to a museum that we had visited in Clinton OK in 08.
Watching the change of scenery from Texas to Oklahoma is amazing as the dusty nothingness of the panhandle slowly change to the rolling hills farm and ranch land of Oklahoma. In for the night in Weatherford Oklahoma tomorrow we leave I-40 meet up with JB in Joplin Missouri
Watching the change of scenery from Texas to Oklahoma is amazing as the dusty nothingness of the panhandle slowly change to the rolling hills farm and ranch land of Oklahoma. In for the night in Weatherford Oklahoma tomorrow we leave I-40 meet up with JB in Joplin Missouri
Sunday, June 2, 2013
DAY 1 6/2/2013
…and so it begins. Once again we are off to see this great country from the perspective of two wheels. Today was all I-40 from Winslow east but still an enjoyable ride. The weather cooperated although at times you could feel the temperature drop ten degrees and smell the rain in the air. Both perspectives of the trip that you don’t get in a car as the temperature fluctuated all day between pleasant and a little on the warm side. At one point the weather channel warned of 60 MPH winds and quarter sized hail for the road we were on. All we noticed were dark clouds and a nice tail wind. At least a dozen times today we were asked “where you going” and when you tell them Maine it always elicits a story of travel and a desire to share. This early in the trip who knows if we will end up in Maine or somewhere else and who really cares. The destination is the excuse for the ride not the mandatory goal.
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