I left my house in Orem, UT about 1:00 in the afternoon, on Thursday, Sept 30 to begin my cross country trip to North Carolina and run some legendary motorcycle rides in the area, including Tail of the Dragon, Deals Gap and the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. The first goal was to make it to Idaho Springs, Colorado the first night, then to Lincoln Nebraska the second night to meet Jim Carper to join me for the rest of the ride. I had camping gear, tools, and clothes for 10 days, and the bike looked a bit funny with the huge bed roll and chair on the back. I had other options for sleeping bags but decided if I was camping a few nights at this time of the year I wanted warmth and comfort. The bedroll consisted of a warm full sized bag, 2 Thermorest type pads, and a pillow all inside the canvas bedroll.

Made it to Idaho Springs, CO about 9:30, after an unexpected altercation with a Colorado State Patrol (read world’s biggest jerk) just past Grand Junction, but that’s another story. The delay put me back about 45 minutes and I was going over Vail Pass in the dark. It got cold fast when the sun went down and I had to stop and leather up. I found a place to throw a tent so I set up and called it an early night. It was about 31* when I woke up at 6 a.m. but the huge bedroll had done its job. I was warm all night. I broke camp, grabbed some breakfast in town and caught the early morning Denver rush hour traffic heading for I 80.

Nebraska was windy, I think it’s always windy, and my huge bedroll caught a lot of it throwing me around a bit. The day got warmer and by afternoon it was over 90*. I made decent time and pulled into Jim’s place, in Cortland, NE around 5:30, losing an hour to the time zone change. We drank some brews while he gave me a tour of his 5 acre spread and Marilyn (Jim’s wife)fixed us a great steak dinner. We ate, bs’d, did some trip preparation and then played ping pong until about 11. We were up at 0dark thirty Saturday morning for coffee and breakfast burritos, and watched as sky started to light up before the sunrise.

We were trying to be on the road by 7 but it was closer to 8 by the time we got everything together. The plan was to take scenic routes and 2 lanes most of the way to NC, and head south to avoid the incoming colder weather. As a result we didn’t make great time but the scenery was awesome. We rambled through Nebraska, Kansas, a little bit of Oklahoma, and into Missouri. It was getting late afternoon and we were close to Springfield when my check engine light started coming on. When we got into Springfield some bikers passed us and I asked them if there was a HD dealer nearby. One actually left their group and led us to the dealer. You gotta love the spirit of most riders you meet.

Denny’s HD in Springfield (great people) got us right in and diagnosed the air temp sensor as being bad. They didn’t have one but there was one in Lebanon MO, just over an hour away. It was about 5 by that time but I called Ozark HD and they just happened to be having a moonlight HOG night sale. They were closing at 6 but opening back up at 6:30 for the sale. The HD gods were smiling on us. We headed that way and pulled in as the doors were (re)opening. It was dark and getting late and cold so I bought the part and we headed to town to find a motel. We found the Route 66 Motel and thought it sounded nostalgic so we got a room. Do yourself a favor and pass this one up if you’re in town. The good part was there was a great fried catfish place next door and after checking in, we headed there for a fantastic dinner.

Jim and I both get up early usually so 6:00 was not a problem. We went out with a flashlight and changed the sensor and were packed up and eating breakfast by 7, and on the road soon after. The ride out of there was incredible. I wish I could remember all the roads but the one just out of town was a highlight, and that’s saying a lot because of the other upcoming rides we were heading for. The trip to Lebanon had taken us out of our planned route so we wanted to make up a bit of time. We headed for I 155 to Dyersburg, then down the 412, and then snaked our way to the 64. About 4:30 that afternoon my check engine started to come back on occasionally. The bike was running well so we decided not to worry about it and kept going. Turns out it came on every day of the trip about 5:00 in the afternoon and was kind of like the Jimmy Buffet song reminding us it was 5:00 somewhere. We ran on 64 into the dark, finally pulling into Lawrenceburg TN around 7. We were tired and it was late so we decided to motel it again and scored a decent and cheap place coming into town.

We had made up the time we lost chasing parts and our goal on Monday was to hit the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg TN for the tour. It seemed like the real vacation started then and the tour is well worth the time. We were back on the road just after lunch and headed for 24 to Chattanooga, then up 75 and finally into Athens TN, and on the edge of the Smokey Mountains. The sun was just setting and it was nice to be off the bikes before dark. We blew off camping again wondering why we had dragged tents and bags across the country when motels were so cheap out there. Most that we were finding were decent places in the $40 to $45 range. The cool part was we had finally made it to our destination and the great riding was just around the corner.

We were packed and on the road early Tuesday heading for Tallassee and US 129. It was unseasonably cold, but it was sunny, the air was crisp, and there were big **** eating grins on our faces as we pulled onto 129. It was funny that there are no signs for Tail of the Dragon until you actually get to that part of the ride. In fact there were “Road Closed” and Bridge Out” signs to discourage riders. This worried Jim and we pulled off at a gas station to ask if the road was really closed. They laughed and assured us that the road was open and we were good to go. We pulled off at the Punkin Center Market for obligatory pics even though they were closed, then again pulled into the Harley Davidson 129 store for a t-shirt and shot glass. You can’t travel that far and not pick up memorabilia.

We were finally on the Dragon and it did not disappoint. I was amazed at all the bikes for a weekday this late in the year. All kinds, all brands all shapes and all sizes. There were some cars but mostly 2 wheelers enjoying the ride. It was F A N T A S T I C!!! Some places you hear so much about that the expectations overwhelm the actual event, but the Dragon lived up to, and surpassed all of my expectations. We did have one BMW that thought the road was more his than ours , but I just let him go by. I didn’t ride this far to rush through it, so I just took it all in. Ahhh, this was heaven.

We pulled over at the store for a quick water and snack then headed for Deal’s Gap. Another fantastic ride and more to Jim’s liking than the tighter, more switch backy turns of the Dragon. I loved them both for different reasons and it was evident that the long ride out was well worth the journey.
I can’t remember what town we had lunch in, but it was at a mom and pop diner and several groups of bikers were in there, and it was fun talking about the rides and the different parts of the country we were from. From there we headed to the most surprising ride of the day, the Cherohalla Skyway. I hadn’t heard much about this ride but oh my, it is a must do if you’re in the area. It was getting on the afternoon, the sun was out, the temps were great and the ride was heaven. Much like Deal’s Gap these were long sweeping turns and beautiful scenery, and a new fantastic view around every corner. We stopped at the HD store at the end of this ride for a cup of coffee and information. It was till midafternoon and we could have headed up toward Ashevile, NC, which was our destination for Wednesday, but the lady there told us about this motorcycle campground in Tellico Plains. Woohoo, we were going to get to camp after all.

We pulled into Hunt’s Lodge and Motorcycle Campground and checked in with Lori Hunt. She was really friendly and told us about the neighbor with the loud radio and some other guests. She let us pick out our sport and spread out as much as we wanted and only charged us for one site. You could feel the friendliness and comradary toward fellow riders. The place was clean and well kept and the facilities were great and geared toward riders, all the way down to the 2 ply TP. They also provide coffee and a maker outside the office, so you can make a full pot whenever you get up.

When we got back to camp from dinner, Jack (Hunt) was stacking a bunch of firewood by the pit. After getting settled we went up to start a fire, but the moisture in the air was making it difficult. Jack came over and helped us and soon the fire was huge and the darkness was setting in. Jack would disappear for a while and then return and we swapped riding and camping stories well into the night. Lori joined in for the last hour and then they headed out after 10 sometime. It wasn’t until I crawled into my tent and got moisture on my back that I realized how high the humidity was.

The temps dropped a lot during the night and I guess Jim got cold and was up quite a bit earlier than I was. When I got out of my tent there was a layer of ice on the tents and bikes. Jim had the coffee going so I had a cup and vegged a bit more while listening to Jim’s stories about cold sleeping bags and ice and cleaning the bikes off for a breakfast run. Once again my monster bedroll had pulled through. We headed to town for breakfast and to allow the tents to dry in the sun a bit and then packed up for the road.

On Wednesday morning we headed for the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway, the last planned ride on the trip. Originally we were going to ride it all the way into Virginia, but we only had one day left and decided to stay in North Carolina. Once again, the riding was incredible. Long sweeping turns, fantastic vistas of endless fall colored mountain tops, and big smiles on the faces. There are nice rides around my home, but nothing that goes on and on and on and….. You get the picture. We would ride a while then pull off for a break and a picture or two and then ride some more. It was almost sad when we got the end and pulled into Asheville, NC from our final ride.

We decided to brave rush hour traffic and get out of town so we wouldn’t have to fight it the next morning. We again found a cheap motel and called it early to get ready for the long ride home. We were on the road by 7 EST, and headed north west. I can’t really recall much detail of the ride from there but do remember that even the freeways were beautiful through Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky. Don’t really recall where we stayed that night but we rode well into the dark and this time we were riding into the sun at sunset, which was dangerous at times. We were again on the road early and pulled into Lincoln NE about 1 p.m. We filled up, had some lunch and I said goodbye to Jim. It was strange thinking that the trip was winding to a close and I mistakenly thought the adventure was over.

I don’t know what was in the gas we got but my bike started to ping badly as I hit I 80 westward bound. The temps were in the 90s and there was a 40 mph wind from the south. The pinging and wind got so bad I slowed to 70 to feel comfortable about the ride. Even at that speed my mpg’s dropped to below 30 and I ran out quickly. I thought the gas thing was my exhausted imagination, but the pinging stopped when I filled up the next time and I was able pick up speed despite the wind. My plan was to make to Ogallala NE, and possibly to Sidney if there was still daylight. I pulled into North Platte to fill up and checked the weather and conditions were looking promising to extend the ride. I got back on the freeway and things changed quickly. The wind started swirling and then came out of the north and the temps dropped 20* easily. It was getting a bit cold for a t-shirt and jeans, but I pressed on, until all hell broke loose. The clouds got big and black and lightning started flashing. Then the skies opened up, first with rain and then with hail, and the winds were gusting violently. It was ironic that we had ridden 4000 miles plus in the first week of October and this was the first moisture I was getting. I pulled over under an overpass and put on the rain gear, then limped on into Ogallala.

It was clear and calm Saturday morning and again I was on the road before 7 for my last day’s ride. Even though it was sunny the temps didn’t warm up as they had done every day. I had to add 2 more layers of clothes at my first gas stop and grab some coffee to warm up. It seemed like the wind hit harder the closer I got to Wyoming and the air temp gauge on my bike never reached 40*. The high plains pass before Cheyenne WY was ridiculously windy and the radical sporadic gusts made for some ugly riding conditions. It was a struggle to pass semis and to get passed by semis, but I did the best I could. The thought of getting home that day is the only thing that made me press on. The winds calmed just a bit at Rawlins, but never quit until Evanston and my check engine light was on most of the way.

Finally when I hit Utah the winds died and the temps climbed almost to 50. At Echo Junction I was thinking about peeling off a layer or two but didn’t want to stop unless there was good reason. Lesson learned, be careful what you wish for. As I pulled off of I 80, by Park City I went to shift down and there was no shifter. I looked to see what was up and the shifter was laying on the floor board. I got off, stripped a few layers of clothes off and used 4 zip ties to cobble the shifter linckage back together. I kept the shifting to a minimum for the final 45 miles home and pulled into my garage just before 6.

It was sad to see it come to an end, but the winds of Wyoming made it feel really good to get home. It was definitely a bucket list ride that I’ll never forget. Sorry for the long story, hope you enjoyed it.

 

Loved that story. Overall you had excellent weather. That Parkway can be a windy rainy ride...

 

eggs-cellent trip report..

 

I am very happy for you and your bud and your great trip. Thanks for sharing and I hope you get to do many, many more even better than this one.


Dennis

 

Awesome story. I was there from Oct 4-10. Likely passed you at some point either on the tail or BRP. Incredible weather that week. A little cool, but so beautiful and clear.

Glad you had a great safe trip as we did.

 

sounds like alot of fun

 

Sounds like you had a great time..some people just dont understand the whole thing about why we ride our bikes..

 

Good Report of a good time in a good area for riding.

 

thanks for the story. we did the dragon BRP and charahala ect this summer also. it's great. thanks again wish i could write a narrative as well as you.

 

Great ride. Only thing is the Dragon is more for the riding than the sightseeing, so it's customary for riders to allow faster riders to pass by, moving over and waving them through. Everyone gets to do their thing that way. You'll know my crew by the sparks from the floorboards. The Skyway is the sightseeing run, and you got that alright. Beautiful.
Glad to hear the campground really is bike friendly; we're gonna hit it soon.