Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum is Moving - Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum will move out of North Carolina, its owners have announced.

http://www.brainbucketmag.com/News/a.../sid=3313.html
http://www.americanbikernews.com/New.../sid=3313.html

 

But they indicate where they may be heading. I was able to wander Wheels this past summer and spoke with Dale and sons, what a great place.

 

Damn,

That's too bad. I use to work for Dale back in the early 90's when his original museum opened in Mt. Vernon, IL. Dale owned "Dales" Harley Davidson back then and the museum was behing the shop. I heard that Dale was having problems at his present location. I believe it's political. I know he loves the area.

 

what a great place! we went in OCT 07. spent alot of time with the owner and he allowed us to ride the BIG motorcycle that was built on the Discovery channel. we go up there every year, may have to change our route

 

I hope someone will followup on where they move the museum. One of the best days I ever spent on the road was an afternoon at that museum. The owner is a great guy and I really appreciate the effort he puts in for the tourist.

 

I just got off the phone with the musuem and they are definately moving. Cutting back hours drastically as well. They wouldn't disclose where, only that they had a couple options. Too bad. Maggie Valley was agrat location. I can only imagine what the problem was? I asked but they couldn't say.

 

My wife and I have visited Dale and his Museum on several trips to the area. I hate to see him leave this area as I love to ride around NC and enjoy a chance to stop in and see the displays.

I can not speak for Dale, however on one of our visits, we were walking around and all of a sudden Dale yelled out in the Museum “anyone want to take a ride?” my wife and I joined him and his dog in an old car that he had just pulled out of the Museum. He rode around town and waved at several people, as we drove along and talked with him it was clear that he felt the “town” and the local people did not support him and all his efforts to bring tourist into the area. Perhaps this has something to do with the move. (as I said I can not speak for him this is just my opinion) I can only hope that he moves somewhere that is within a days ride of me and that it offers great riding roads.

I wish him well and appreciate all he has done to restore and share his love of the sport.

Good luck Dale.

 

Last year when I talked with Dale the topic of his Maggie Valley NC location came up. He said he was disappointed that neither NC nor the Maggie Valley visitor's and development bureau has ever offered assistance to him. He didn't elaborate but things like signage, promotion and advertising, and tax incentives would be my guess. Then what really pissed him off was the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce or the development authority was bending over backwards to helpsomeone start something like a "knitting museum"there!

 

That's the same thing I heard.. Too Bad their loss

 

I don't blame his move one bit if that is the case and because I think 60mike06 might be on to something. In perusing a few Maggie Valley web site I didn't notice any advertisement for his museum. I may have inadvertantly over loked them.Listed was the railroad days and the fall HD Dealership rally in September but I didn't recall seeing anything about his museum. I didn't look at all the Maggie valley web sites. Maybe the general populace resented his attracting spooky scary bikers all year round? Who knows. The individual I spoke to was very up beat and pleasant. Too bad though because Ashville and maggie valley are sure scenic venues with the smokey mountains and all that.