Ride to Bryson City, NC and Elsewhere

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016, early morning start with 60 degree morning but hot in the afternoon.  Wore my rain liner beneath my riding jacket this morning. Pushed Sweet Thang out of the garage about 6:30 for a 7:15 meet-up.  One of those sleepless nights so thought i'd get there a little early and have some coffee.

Arrived at Exxon at 6:40 and it's not open.  Rats, guy was running late.  Biker friend Robert rode up some minutes later and then the store clerk rode up.  Kept digging around in his pockets and finally walked next door to Subway shop to ask guy if he left his keys in there.  Answer, no.  Then he had to go back to his home to get the store keys all the while telling me he'd have the coffee in a little bit.  Toooo Late, bro.  Guy at Subway gave me a free cup.

Paul showed up about 7:05 but needed to fill up.  Store was open by then.  We pulled out around 7:15 a.m. heading for North Carolina again today.  Sun is starting to come up wit its pinkish glow.

A bit later it was cresting the tree tops and pink had turned to orange-red.

Here we were heading toward downtown Sevierville, then to Pigeon Forge to the Gatlinburg by-pass for the National Park, Smoky Mtn. Nat. Park that is.

This weekend begins Rod Run in Pigeon Forge where thousands of tourists will bring thousands of vehicles to show in various classes as well as run them up and down the strip.  A good money-maker if I do say so and some very pretty cars, trucks, etc.  I had a dark metallic green 1967 GTX Plymouth similar to the black one shown in this picture.  Pure muscle car, mean machine.  Uhrah.

We ran through the Spur between Pigeon Forge and G'burg catching the By-Pass to go around G'burg.  Too much traffic and to many lights.

Out past Sugarlands Visitor Center we were now in the Park and heading toward Newfound Gap and then Cherokee, NC across the mountain.

Climbing higher on the mountain we get to see a lot of early morning scenic beauty.

Shooting across the pull out at the mountains off in the distance.  This is a very well used pull off by locals and tourists alike.

Saw a bunch of feathered type turkeys already this morning but no Elk stiring this early.  This is the point where the Blue Ridge Parkway turns off US441.  This is the Southern end of the BRP.  About 460 miles north you will come to its end up in VA.  Then you can catch the Skyline Drive and go on up to Front Royal, VA where it ends at a point almost due West of Washington, D.C.  A nice leisurely riding vacation.

After Cherokee, NC we continue riding to Bryson City, NC.  Clouds on the NC side of the mountains are rather photogenic.

Morning mist hanging in the distance.

Gives a picture a different perspective with the fog hanging in the valleys or alongside a mountain.

Of course the Kudzu gives everything a different perspective if you can find it beneath the growth.

Wahoo, Bryson City, NC downtown.  A nice little tourist town with a train that runs out of here every day carrying visitors miles down the rail.

After a tour of the town, a stop at Ingle's (imagine finding one of those stores that sells apple fritters here) we head out for Maggie Valley via the Blue Ridge Parkway which we will catch along the way.  However, this river rafting business reminded me of a Fall pumpkin stand.

Paul allowed Robert and I the chance to stretch our machines out on Hwy. 74 which is a nice wide 4-lane with some long grades and sweeping curves.  He did this knowing that once we exited this highway the rest of the day would be spent on curvy twisty mountain roads.  How nice of him to do this and just for us.

Robert pulling up drag on this run as we stretch our machines out a bit.

Later we pull into Sylva which is a small stop loaded with tourists as we continued on our way to Lake Januluska, NC.

Bomb explosion, smoke signals or just a simple vapor cloud over the top of the mountain.  Hmmm.

Up on the BRP we took a little rest break.  Here's friend Robert by his Honda VTX1300.  Old man, newer machine.

Robert, Sweet Thang and Paul's White Nag.  Paul is talking to a BMW rider that pulled in after us.

Looking west and into this colorful tree.  Lots of them over here in NC.

It had been cool all morning but in the sun here it was warming up even though we were at 5820 ft. above sea level.  Why, we were over a mile high.

The gang getting ready to roll out for the "rest of the ride".  Lake Januluska was next.

But a few good mountain shots before we would arrive there.

This was shortly after the entrance to Lake Januluska, a retirement center as you leave Maggie Valley for Waynesville, NC.

We arrived at a bridge over the lake and the bridge was closed for weight testing.  I informed the guy that the 3 of us would be a good weight test for any bridge but he just laughed and said he needed more weight.  Sure made my day.  Here's a beautiful flower garden at the end of the bridge where we got stopped.

On our way around the lake we cam to Inspiration Point.  I think Paul and Robert were kneeling at the Cross.  Don't know exactly if they were reading what was written or was praying.

We left the lake retirement area to head back to Seymour, TN.  A few more mountains, a whole bunch of curvy twisty mountain roads and a little MC incident with friend Robert but all in all a good ride.  Robert was bruised a bit and dinged up his engine guard but we dismantled it, strapped it on the back of his bike and off we went.

Down the mountain across the rivers and along the path that somebody's grandmother took to Newport, TN, and a quick stop for a cause.  Then off again to Sevierville and the house.  All in all it was really a great day of riding excluding the incident.  But thank goodness it was not as serious as it could have been.  Door to door for me was 236 miles today.

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, be careful, take along some tools and have a great time.