Great biking day…  The Smoky Mountains are gorgeous

I am running about a day late on the blogs.  Too much activity at night, coupled with intentions to get on the road in the morning..   Boots, gloves and jacket still wet from previous days rain.  Its pretty humid out there.

Wednesday morn we scooted out for a day of laid back paced adventure….  We went over some mountain just outside of Hendersonville.  Stopped at one of the numerous waterfalls.  We wondered where all the water comes from.  Anyone know?

Took our time touring the countryside.  The area is an obvious draw for motorcyclists and bikers..  ‘Biker campground’.  ‘Bikers welcome’..  When you stop people love to talk.  What kind of bike is that?  Where have you been on it? Where are you from?  Have you been to sliding rock?  What do you think of the area?  Wonderful people whom genuinely love their part of the world.

We set our sites on visiting the ‘Wheels of Time’ motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley, NC.  It took us about 3 hours to get there.  It was closed.  My brother Laddie had it nailed perfect.  ‘It’s like Wally World’..

We decided a few beers and a sandwich at the Salty Dog Saloon (or something like that) were in order. It was air conditioned and the beer was cold.  Maggie Valley is just outside of the Smokey Mountain National Park.  With it is every tourist attraction you can imagine.  We had ample opportunity for goofy golf, T-shirts and zip lines.  We found that there was access to the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of town.  Score!!!

This was part of the day’s plan.  Screw Wally World.  If you have never been on it (Blue Ridge Parkway), it is worth a trip.  Take the spouse, the kids, your fav..  From Chicago or Detroit or Toronto, maybe a  10 hour drive.  It is a two lane highway that runs along the ridges of the Smokey Mountains for a few hundred miles.  From TN to VA.  No commercial traffic is allowed.  No stop lights.  Turnouts or overlooks every half mile or so.  45mph speed limit.   Absolutely great.

We did about a hundred miles of it.  We probably averaged 35mph.  If cars stacked up behind us (not too often) we just cycled through a turnout and continued on.  About 3 hours brought us back to Asheville where there was an exit off the parkway and 30 minutes later we were back in Hendersonville.

But thats not all!!!  I had a chance to hook up with Larry Hilditch.  Good friend and retired Farmers employee who met us for drinks and dinner.  A few hours of retelling legendary stories, laughs and spot on contemporary commentary was worth the trip in itself..

Helmet hair and all..  What a great time!!!

My brother and I decided to end the final evening with a few drinks.  I know…., but it was a special night.  He kept commenting how there were no bugs.   All the time I am scratching my legs from all the bites..  🙂    Right.  MI winters are mild too.

Another early night (before midnight) to help ensure I could get up to begin the journey north.

Life is good.