Ride To The Top Of The Mountain

It's August 16, 2019, Friday morning, unusually cool for this time of year but most everyone is loving it.  I left the house about 8:50 a.m. right after the wife left for work.  She works hard to keep me in gas money.  It was in the upper 60s and I was wearing my summer riding jacket and riding pants over my Bermuda shorts.  Strapped on my helmet, put on my summer riding gloves and pushed Redbug out of the garage into the cool morning air.  It was going to be a grande day for sure.

Fired Redbug off and headed out of the subdivision.  Man, it felt great.  I was going to stop by and have coffee with the "Elderlies" before doing my ride.  So off to McDonalds I rode.  Shot the bull for a while and drank a cup of decaf coffee then headed out for the top of the mountain, Newfound Pass, where NC and TN meet in the Smokies.  Time, 10:00 a.m. and still cool.

Heading East from Seymour, TN toward the Smokies.  I took a bunch of backroads to get to the far end of Pigeon Forge so that I wouldn't have to put up with all of the traffic.

There are some great back roads in the area where I live and most of the time have very little traffic to contend with.

You always have to stay alert even if the traffic is low.  This time of the year a lot of hay is being baled and meeting a large tractor pulling equipment on these narrow roads can be tricky.

It is really cool riding in the shade.  Actually I could have used a long sleeve shirt this morning but it will warm up quickly, usually by or just before noon.

Around Pigeon Forge and now onto the Spur, that stretch of US441 that connects Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

 The Spur actually runs through the edge of the Smoky Mountain National Park before it gets to Gatlinburg.

I took the by-pass around Gatlinburg and arriving at the Sugarlands Visitor's Center, it was already crowded and it wasn't even 11:00.

Traffic wasn't too bad but following cars that tend to slow down for every curve or tree or both makes it seem like forever getting through.  Some have the courtesy to pull off as the signs indicate.  Sometimes they seem to not be able to read.

However, griping or not, there's not many places to pass along the way so just settle down and enjoy the ride and the nice cool air.  We have already gained about 2,000 feet of altitude.

Since the fire a couple of years back, the mountains are slowing getting their growth back.  Still sad to see the areas that burned.  Takes a long time for hardwood trees to get back to where they were.  I won't be around to see them but the younger generations can.

One of the first really scenic pulloffs going up the mountain.  Probably the most photographed  sections of the mountains.

And who wouldn't like to look at these.  I have pics of these mountains for every season, the prettiest being the year my son Shane and I rode up and they were coated with ice.  A real Silvery colorful scene.

On up the mountain I go, following some tourist from out of state.  Can't blame them for going slow, I see this sight all the time.  This may be their first time.

Passing the Chimneys, a very popular trailhead but if you hike, make sure you are in good shape and well equipped.  Not really a beginner's trail.

The sky was exceptionally blue this morning and no clouds.  Won't be long before Jack Frost will come and the leaves will turn more colors than are allowed on an artist's pallet.  Maybe a little nip in the air also.

At the top, Redbug resting pointing toward Cherokee, NC.  Parking lot pretty full and it's about 11:30 a.m.  Time for a bottle of water and a snack.

 A very pretty shot of the mountains at the top, Newfound Gap.

A shiny bit of highway on the lower right side is the road as it continues onward to Cherokee, NC.

Just hard to understand the struggle the first people had crossing these mountains.  Rugged folk for sure.

Had the opportunity to talk with a couple of bikers across the way.  One was from St. Louis, MO and the other was from Florida.  They were friends just meeting up in Gatlinburg to do some riding in the mountains.  Also had the opportunity to talk with a trucker from PA, hauls baby chicks.  Real friendly folks to talk with.

Then I saddled up and headed back down the mountain.  Nice to see tourists and kids looking at the beauty of this earth instead of a phone or game.

Seemed to be a bit faster going down.  If allowed it would be a great ride not having to face on-coming vehicles.  You could Zoom Zoom.

Decided to come back through Gatlinburg.  Traffic wasn't to bad at this time of day.  It was around noon.

It's always good to go through here at least every once in a while just to refresh your memory cells on how many shops there are to take your money.

A backward shot of the Pancake Pantry, a must place to eat if you come up this way.  Bring CASH as they don't take plastic.









After a short ride i find myself back in Pigeon Forge and my stomach tells me that it's time for some food.  How about a chicken biscuit at Bojangles.  I hardly ever stop here but it's handy and not too bad.

After my lunch I rolled out for the house.  It was a delightful ride today and it was just starting to get a bit warm.  Not far from the house so away I went.


All in all, it was a grande day for a ride.  Cool morning temps and no rain.  Total mileage door to door was on 90 miles but an exciting ride all the while. 

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, enjoy the rest of Summer.  By now many children are already attending school.  However, that is okay for there's still others enjoying the pleasures of summer.  Watch out for those school buses too.  I just know you don't want to hit a child getting on or off the bus so give them room.