Back From the Dragon

Well we got back from our motorcycle trip safe and sound Tuesday August 5th after eating dinner at the Ramada in Greenwood.

It all started out as a planned trip to Mena Arkansas but after looking at the extended forcast temperatures for that region as being close to 0r over 100 degrees I told everyone that the temps around Gatlinburg TN were going to be mid to upper 80s, more to my liking. So on Friday, August 1st we left home traveling Hwy 8 to the Natchez Trace, north of Tupelo we turned on Hwy 72 traveling thru Huntsville, AL and on past Chattanooga to Cleveland, Tn where we spent the night.

The next morning, Saturaday, we wanted to work our way to Maryville, TN so we took the scenic route on Hwy 64 east to Hwy 68 north which brought us to Tellico Plains. There we got fuel, took a break and then hit Hwy 360 to Vonore where we at lunch. All of these roads we were picking out to ride are scenic, sweeping curved rides. After lunch we left Vonore on Hwy 411 toward Maryville. On the way we detoured onto Hwy 336, passing by a big dirt track in the middle of nowhere, I shouldn't say that because those people who live out there would probably say the same about where I live. After arriving in Maryville we headed to the Harley Davidson store. I got the usual T-shirt , which I collect, I'm going to get Mama and Mary Rose to make me a quilt out of them, and a pair of goggles to go over my glasses to keep to road dirt out of my eyes, which I was having problems with.

Theresa had almost 600 miles on her new Roadstar so she called the Yamaha dealer, a 15 minute ride from the H-D store, to see if they could do the mandatory 600 mile maintance ( oil change and overall checkup) for warranty purposes. They told her if she came right then they could do it. I was still trying to get the googles and not thinking, I told her to head out and we would come as soon as we got our merchandice. There she was by herself trying to follow the directions to the dealership they had given her and all of a sudden she runs into a big rain storm and misses the turn. She sees some more bikers pulled under a gas station awning and ask them for directions.

We finish our shopping and head to where Theresa is suppose to be, running through a little shower, but she's not there. Betty Jane gets a call from Theresa explaining her predicament, she showes up a few minutes later. After the servicing of her bike we decided to find a room for the night in Alcoa and call it a day.

Sunday morning is cool and foggy. We take our time this morning, wanting the fog to lift a little before heading out towards Townsend to ride thru Cades Cove. I guess it was around 8:30 when we entered Cades Cove ,well ahead of all the heavy traffic they get later in the day. We did the 1 lane road around the loop, seeing deer and turkey but no bears. Stopped at the ranger station got a drink and snack before heading back to Townsend for gas. It was then that Joe and I talked Theresa and Betty Jane into riding the Tail of the Dragon, a 11 mile strech of Hwy 129 that has 318 up and down sharp curves. We had been riding a lot of curved sweeping road up to this point getting them use to leaning of the bikes. I told them that it couldn't that bad because they couldn't have paved the road if it had been too steep of a grade. Theresa said if it was too bad she would turn around and meet us somewhere else along the road.

So off we go the get on the Foothills Parkway that takes us to The Dragon's Tail. The Foothills Parkway has some pretty scenery along it's sweeping curves. It deadends at Hwy 129 and the Little Tennessee River where we took a left turn. The road starts out gentle curves but climbing higher it get aggressive pretty quick. Quite a few bikes and cars traveling the road , it's around 11:00 , but they're scattered out pretty good. We stop a few times at safe level places to check on each other, rest a little and talk. The road is not a hard, bad ride, it helped that I had my GPS mounted to my windshield where I could see the curves as we were approaching them. It can be something hard and dangerous only by how aggressive you want to ride or a danger from other riders meeting you who aren't in control.

We safely reach Deals Gap where we do the photo-op, buy shirts and I get me a reflective silver dragon sticker and put it on the back of my helmet, that night everyone was talking how bright it was when their headlights hit it. After eating lunch at Deals Gap we take Hwy 28 towards Fontana Village. We stop at a service station for a soda and look at the map. decide to turn on Hwy 143, go to Robbinsville, NC to ride the Cherohala Skyway, which has some sharp curves early on but levels out with good sweeping scenic curves. At Robbinsville, NC the road number is Hwy 143, when you cross the state line headed to Tellico Plains, Tn it turns into Hwy 168.

At the west end of the Cherohala Skyway is Tellico Plains,Tn, which we stopped at the previous day. We fuel up and map out our next leg of the ride. We decide to take Hwy68 south, then turn onto Hwy 294 which will take us towards Murphy, NC where we'll spend the night. We call home that evening and ask about the weather, Mary Rose said a bad storm warning was out and it was raining pretty good. She told us it wasn't any need to come home early since it was raining ( I ended up with .3 ), so we extended our ride one more day.

Monday morning, August 4th, we take Hwy 19 north where we turn at Andrews on the back road thru Nantahala Forest. It's a good road with over hanging trees and river along side the road. We run by the turn to Franklin, our destination, before we realize it. We stop about 1/2 mile past the turn at a pull off spot and talk about the turn. Betty Jane and Theresa walk down to the river to take pictures. A few minutes later the noise from the river gets louder, they have opened the dam up stream for the rafters and the river rises fast. We leave and continue on which brings us back to Hwy 19 near Nantahala. A little futher up we turn south on Hwy 28.

It turns out it was a treat that we missed the turn, Hwy 28 had all the curves and elevation changes you would want. We ended up in Franklin where ate a lunch, fueled up and planned our next move. A local guy told us about the Tullulah Gorge south of there on Hwy 441 in Georgia. He said they called the "Little Grand Canyon of the East", so we decided to take a look.

They had a trail out to a look-out where you could take pictures of the swinging bridge crossing to the other side, steps down to the bottom, and places where you could rappel down the side. We only went to the out-look where there was a 30 foot tower laying on it's side. A sign said that in 1970 Carl Wallendas walked a cable across to the other side.

Leaving Tullulah Gorge we head south, turn east at Hollywood, Ga, go to Clarkeville, Cleveland and work our way to Dahlonega where they have the Dahlonega Gold Museum. I like taking the back roads, get the GPS, just punch in a town, go to it, then punch in another, you'll be surprised at what you'll come upon.

We had decided to go as far west towards home as we could that day so we kept working our way to I-575 which would take us north of Atlanta, got on I-285 down to I-20 west to Tuscaloosa, Al where we spent the night. I didn't figure the miles that day but we were pretty tired that night when we pulled in at the Best Western on Hwy 82. After a salad at O'Charleys everyone was ready to rest.

Tuesday morning after breakfast and gas tanks topped off we headed west on Hwy 82 to Greenwood. We arrived just in time to eat lunch, hashed over the ride , said goodbye to Theresaand headed home. There was so much more to see but not enough time. Well I guess that's excuse enough to head back soon.

Got my wells back running Wed. morning but got a 1.3 inch rain Thursday so the wells are off for now.

Well till later.