Seymour, TN to Newfound Gap, Smoky Mtn. Nat. Park

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015.  Today there is no rain.  After almost a week of non-stop rain I believe everyone was out and about today enjoying something we haven't been seeing a lot of lately, the sun.  And I throw myself into that same bowl of people going out.  After Sunday School and Church, prepared lunch, ate and then donned my gear to take Sweet Thang out for a ride.  She's been cooped up also and was glad for the romp in the out of doors.

We rode toward Sevierville on US 441 until we got to Pleasant Hill Rd.  This snaked us around the back roads to enjoy the less traveled and enjoy the scenery since it has been a while riding that area.

These roads have some names that will make you wonder "how did they get that name".  I haven't found Pleasant Hill although there are a number of hills you ride over.  Then you get to White's School House Rd., I guess the White's had a school there.

These roads have mostly 45mph speeds but do drop in places to 35.  It looks really wide in this pic but believe me, it is barely 16' wide.  It does have stripping in this area.  And there are a few places that actually have a shoulder, mostly at someone's driveway.

The sun felt good, not too hot, maybe in lower 70s and the clouds were a bit eerie, like they had been just thrown around in the sky.

Of course you have those little fixer uppers scattered about and this one was pretty old.  The shed in back was in better shape than the house.

Changing roads changes widths and markings.

After about 20 minutes we arrived in Pigeon Forge, catching US 441 again to the Gatlinburg By-Pass.  Back in the early 1970s that red roofed building on the right was "The Place to Go".  It was one of the first and largest Outlet Malls in the state.

Notice the low clouds hanging in the valley next to the mountains in the background.

Onward through Pigeon Forge to the Spur (what US 441 is called from Pigeon Forge to the edge of Gatlinburg).

The Spur is a very nice and cool ride as the Pigeon River runs between the North and South bound lanes for a good piece of the distance.  Leaving Pigeon Forge in the summer you can sense a 5 to 10 degree drop in the temperature in this area.

It is very scenic but limited on pull off areas through the area.

After leaving the Sugarlands Visitor Center heading up the mountain to NC you will go through several tunnels.

Between the tunnels the mountains loom in the near and far distance.  Soon to change more in color.

The traffic was rather light especially on such a pretty day.  Made it easy for me and Sweet Thang to reach our goal, the crest of the mountain separating TN from NC.

Some of the tunnels are rather short and some a little longer.  None are over a few hundred feet from one end to the other.

Nature's garden hanging over the mouth of this tunnel as if planted by a landscape artist.

Since we have been having so much rain, the river is flowing rather nicely and out of almost every rock wall is a waterfall.  Great since just a few days ago the rivers were down to trickles.

You can see the leaves
starting to change from
green to yellow and as
you climb the mountain
you start to see the other
colors appearing, browns,
golds, reds and some in
between.

 

Here you can see the yellow and gold creeping into the foliage.  And a very crooked sign too.

Entering and exiting
another tunnel.







Getting near the top of the mountain with less hardwood trees and more evergreens.  At least those the pine beetle hasn't killed.










Next turn, the parking lot at Newfound Gap.  Roughly 5200 ft. above sea level.  Almost a mile higher than New Orleans, LA.










While at the parking lot I ran into these 4 Harley riders from Texas.  Well, they were all from TX but the one on the left now lives in TN not too far away.  L - R, two cousins, their Uncle, and a friend.  The youngest one on the left also had his wife riding with him.  Three were from Austin, TX one from Amarillo.  Nice guys even if they did ride HDs.

Looking at North Carolina from atop the mountain.












Two other views from the
same general area.  Now you know why they call them Smoky Mtns.  They appear to be smoldering but it's just the mist emitted from the evergreen trees.

The million dollar shot of Sweet Thang in the parking lot at Newfound Gap.  Ain't she an "elegant Lady".











A young man from Birmingham, AL on his new 2015 bike.  He was having to head back to work tomorrow.  Work, did I say work?  I thought I had forgotten that word.









After visiting a bit it was time to head back down the mountain and to the house.  You see, they had predicted a possibility of late afternoon showers in the higher elevations.  And I melt rather easily.  Darned sugar ants come from every where.

Some more scenery heading down the mountain.











                                      
Whether you are looking at the mountains
or looking at the
woodlands, either sight is
pleasant to the eyes and
soothing to the soul.

I just love this shot of the mountains and the heavy cloud build-up.  Makes that yellow tree just stand out like a statue in a city park.  Well, not quite but you get the feeling.









A couple more views while coming down the mountain.

As mentioned earlier in this article, a lot of waterfalls with the heavy rains.  Some are very small and some are large, depending on where you are at the time.








The above watefall emptied into this flowing stream which winds its way down the mountain.











As the sky starts to darken over the mountains I am well on my way to the valley and the house.  No getting wet today.  We should be having several days of very nice Fall weather and tomorrow is "Mow the Lawns" day.  I will play Tuesday.

It was a good way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon and raise the spirits of the body.  Not to mention meeting some very nice folks in the process.  I certainly enjoyed it after being house bound for several days.  Total mileage ridden today, 96 miles.  Total fun, to much to even imagine.  So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, I pray that peace comes to all of us, politicians start to tell the real truth, and all of you have love and enjoyment.