Ride to Canton, NC

Thursday, June 7, 2018.  Bike buddy Paul and I ran some backroads from Seymour, TN up to Canton, NC area.  I had forgotten to do a writing on this trip so most of what you're going to see are pictures along the way.  We met up early at the usual place and made our journey of the day.

This was a daylight start so Ole Sol was already up and racing for a warm day.

My old favorite Island View School.

Eerie looking when you point the camera directly into the sun.  Looks like a moonlit night.  But it wasn't.

Hooked it up on I-40 for a ways to save some time. Paul just loves those big trucks.

A mountain view from the bridge crossing French Broad River.

Making our way up East of Dandridge, TN.

Very nice large old home.

Every day they probably sing "I hear a whistle blowing" with that RR track in the front yard.

Yep, that turn ahead was just that sharp.  I wonder if the barn's owner ran out of red paint or maybe that was his intentions to make people like me wonder.

Farms, pastures, cows and lots of greenery and winding roads.

Lots of our rides seem to have highway shrinkage.

Not sure if this is a county road or a driveway.  But we rode up it anyway.  It was a highway.

Paul checking his GPS.  He knows roads that Google doesn't know.

Another little narrow mountain road that leads to somewhere.

Quiet and peaceful back in this mountains.

Mailman can almost hand the mail to you while you're standing on the porch.

I title this one "Secluded".

Did I mention that there is a lot of Kudzu in this area.

Old tobacco barn.

And more Kudzu.

It's only enemy is a mower or automobile.

Clipped back onto the Interstate to speed up our ride a bit.

Riding into the mouth of the beast.

 Inside the beast.

Square bales of hay.  Don't see many of these, usually rolls.

A little mountain waterfall and right beside the road.  No hiking to this one.

Coming back into the Canton, NC area.  You can smell it a long way before you get there if the wind is blowing in the right direction.

Mountains and valleys and a nice day to ride.

Rolls of hay wrapped in white plastic.  Looks like very large and long grub worms.

Pretty forested mountain side.

Rows made up for planting tomatoes.  The plastic keeps the grass out.  

Far off in the distance we ride toward home.

Country home in need of a landscaper.

Riding in the valley looking at scenery like this is very pleasing.

And churches are everywhere.

More beds for tomatoes waiting for the plants.

We've stopped in here before.  This is where Paul pays me back for coffee I have bought him.  Here it's $0.25 per cup.

Paul beside our trusty steeds.

Due to the rains in June the rivers were full.

This road had some construction going on so Paul scouted it out and then we turned around.

After reaching our destination we headed back toward the house.  A nice full day of riding.  For me it was 243 miles door to door.  A very enjoyable day.

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, enjoy life but do it safely.

Elkmont Campground, the Old Houses and Dollywood.

Saturday afternoon, June 30, 2018.  A bit warm today but not so that it would stop a ride.  And I may get wet today.  We've had some really hard rains lately so much that they evacuated the Elkmont Campground for fear the bridge would wash out and they would have no way to get all of the campers out.  I wanted to take a look to see if any thing was damaged.

So about 1:00 p.m. I pulled out almost tracing the last Adventure ride.  I headed for Townsend the back way and then rode along the edge of the Park to take a look at Elkmont Campground and the Old Appalachian Club houses.

Headed down Wye Road.  One of the few straight two-lane highways in the area.

Later we start getting to the curves.

Just another old barn that could use some TLC.

Back at the UT Ag Ctr. 

Coming to the Old Walland Hwy.  Today there will be a lot of bicyclists out and riding.  Have to watch for them especially when rounding a curve.  You can already see the cars parked.

They park on the side of the roadways and then unload their bikes and ride the Old Walland Hwy.

Looking across the field of the UT Ag Ctr.

A good view of the mountains on one of the few straight sections of this road.

The old barn and farmhouse area has had a helicopter stationed here for a few weeks.  From the looks of the helicopter and equipment, it appears it is set up fro spraying.

A shot of the Riverstone Restaurant, the place for the best grilled ham and cheese sandwich in TN.  Cut it in half and share.

Getting ready to enter the Park at Townsend entrance.

A lot more water in the river today.

And it is moving a lot faster.  Should be seeing more kayakers.

Very little traffic which is unusual for a Saturday.

On the last Adventure story this area had lots of rocks showing, not so today.

A great place to ride unless the traffic is heavy then it's just creep along.

Rough water running among those rocks.

Makes you tighten up on that kayak.  And just forget tubing it.

This is the waterfall but still looking at the sun.  Sorry for the bad pic but the last story showed it at a distance and only about three feet of water was coming over the falls.

Looking at it from the roadway.

Looking down river at the bridge at Elkmont Campground.

Looking up river from the bridge which sports new guard rails.

Rode up to Daisy Town, the old Appalachian Club houses.  All is well, just wet ground.  Trails will be slippery today.

Looking up Main Street in Daisy Town.

I just love these old houses.  Some have been repaired, some stabilized, and some demolished.

A good place to come, park, take out a book and sit quietly listening to the creatures of the forest.

Mountain view from the by-pass overlook.

All's checked out and I'm checking in at Dollywood for a quick visit, a cup of coffee and then off to the house.  It is warmer today but still a great day to ride.  Temps got into the low 90s today.

Only 92 miles door to door today but all done safely.  Enjoyed every one of them. 

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, be nice to everyone as it could be the last time you see them.  Love thy neighbor.