Day 8 – Saturday 22nd

I left the motel at 6:15 and soon found a café on the way. I pulled in for breakfast.
I then headed west. It wasn’t long before I crossed into New York state.



This is the Kinderhook Creek in the small town of Valatie NY.



I followed the Hudson River south and then turned west again.



After passing through Pennsylvania I followed the Ohio river and stayed in Marietta Ohio for the night.

I put on 653 miles for the day.
To be continued …

 

You sure do cover a lot of miles each day. That mostly interstate? Ever feel like you're just racing through and not seeing all you could? I'm planning a 4k mile trip from SC to Seattle and plan to spend 3-4 weeks covering that distance. Either way looks like one hell of a journey you're on!! Keep the awesome pics coming!!

 

Good question. You could spend 2 weeks in each state. These are the questions and reasons I ride alone.
For 14 years I had a job flying into cities for five days at a time. All cities became the same. I don't want a companion saying "Let's spend time in this city to see what it's like." Unless there is something specific in a city I want to see the country and I like doing it from the seat of my cycle. Some people find it relaxing to lay on a beach. Not me. Before long I get antsy. I have to get up and do something. On my cycle I can really relax.
The first leg of my trip was to Myrtle Beach. While planning my travels I searched for scenic routes in my Harley Atlas and on line. I wanted to stop in the Davis Mountains of Texas, the coastal area of Louisiana, the Gulf Islands of Florida. I usually prefer the smaller highways but sometimes take the Interstate for the sake of time.

 

Day 9 – Sunday 23rd

Light rain, hard rain and then it really stared to come down. Everything was wet. I mean EVERYTHING. Inside every pouch. Water in each hard bag and Tour Pak. There was even water inside my headlight. My pants and coat were soaked (yes they were under my rain gear). The HD gloves I bought only because they were “fully waterproof” were soaked with water, inside and out. The liners were soaked and the leather was as soaked as a chamois that has been submerged for hours. All of my hair was soaked even though I was wearing a helmet. “Waterproof” gear cannot protect you if you if you sit under a waterfall all day. I pulled into a Chili’s and checked my iPhone weather for a plan to find dry ground. It was going to rain in the Smoky Mountains so I decided I would get a motel and tomorrow I would skip the Smoky Mountains to go north-west only because the forecast was better that direction.
The next day I found out that day broke the record for rain in one day. There was flooding and roads washed out. For some reason this news surprised me. I had the bad attitude that the storm cloud was following directly over me. If I had realized this was a storm that was washing out roads and was a danger to drivers I would have camped out in that Chili’s Restaurant.

What kind of fool would ride a cycle in this weather? Don’t ask.

Originally I was planning on riding the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Smoky Mountains on this day but the rain shot those plans down.
I stayed in Greenville NC.

365 miles for the day.
To be continued …

 

Day 10 – Monday 24th The Smoky Mountains

The revised forecast said there was “only” a 50% chance of rain in the western Smoky Mountains. Okay Maybe I’ll put on my rain gear and try to get to the Dragon’s Tail before it starts to rain. On the Dragon’s Tail I began to realize it just might not rain. I’m usually an optimist when it comes to weather. Normally when they say it’s a 50% chance of rain I head out without a care. After yesterday I was thinking that 50% meant there was a 50% chance I wouldn’t drown. It turned out to be a pretty good day and I was able to stay dry.
I started off on the Foothills Parkway near Maryville NC.




Then it started to get foggy




The fog left when I went to lower elevations.

Then I took the Dragon’s Tail (highway 129).
At the beginning of the Dragon’s Tail there was this sign specifically telling motorcyclists not to crash.



Actually I saw several signs in the area warning cyclists not to crash.
I pulled over and from the Dragon’s Tail overlook took this picture of the Calderwood Dam


This road lives up to its reputation. Some like a challenge some just like the curves and scenery. You can take it a leisure pace but it’s no challenge unless you make it a challenge. I love this road. It would be great on a 600 cc sport bike but it’s also a lot of fun on an aggressively ridden Electra Glide.

I saw about 6 photographers on the Dragon’s Tail. They were sitting in lawn chairs taking pictures.



It’s true they don’t care if you park on the grass to hike or fish. They just don’t want the photographers to park there taking pictures. So I’m sure that sign was not directed to people like me.




On highway 129 (The Dragon’s Tail) there is the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort.





Then I went on Moonshiner 28 (highway 28).





Then I turned west on went by Lake Santeetlah …


Then I took the Cherohala Skyway





Again I saw more warning signs directed toward motorcyclists.


Another motorcyclist warned me that there was dense fog ahead. I rode ahead and didn’t find any fog affecting me. The fog (clouds) has blown off the mountainsides.



I stopped at the Cherohala Harley Davidson.

“100 Million dollar highway”??? Near my home in Durango Colorado we have a mountain highway called the Million Dollar Highway but these guys just had to outdo us.

To be continued …

 

Continuation of Day 10 – Monday 24th The Smoky Mountains (I could only post 25 pictures on one post)


Next I went on the Tellico Parkway.









I went into Maryville for the night.

To be continued ...

 

Nice ride however being that you are from Colorado I doubt the Smokies impressed you. I have ridden pretty much all of that. It is a fun ride but the people who loath it haven't been to your neck of the woods. I think the Tail of the Dragon is a very over rated road. This one makes it look like riding around a Wal Mart parking lot. http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/10....1cIXm270.dpbs

Regardless thank you very much for the pics and would love to compare notes next time I am in Colorado.

 

The altitude never impressed me but they are pretty hills. We have hills higher than the Smoky Mountains (such as Potato Hill at 11,850 ft in CO). My house is at 7200 feet, much higher than anything I saw in the Smokies.

 

Day 11 – Tuesday 25th

Originally my plan was to leave the area today but I arrived late due to rain so I decided to stay until early afternoon. I rode the Dragon’s Tail again.







After the Deals Gap Motorcycle resort I stayed on the Dragon’s Tail whereas yesterday I turned onto Moonshiner 28 at that point.
This lead to the Cheoah Dam

















Then I took the Blue Ridge Parkway heading east.



The rock formation in the background is called the Devils Courthouse. It’s on the Blue Ridge Parkway.




Now’s the time to leave the Smoky Mountains. At Asheville I got on the Interstate and headed west. I was back tracking due to my easterly track in the Smoky Mountains. I was now heading past the same places I saw 2 days ago. You may remember this was all due to rain. I was planning on taking the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Smoky Mountain area but I almost headed out of the area to avoid rain. I'm glad it cleared up.
I wanted to finish my tour of all the lower 48 states. I have not yet been to Indiana nor Illinois on my Electra Glide so I headed north. Weather was good and I was making progress. I decided to look for a motel but I was approaching Louisville KY. I wanted to get a motel on the west side of town so I would not have to ride into town during the morning rush hour tomorrow. This put me just inside of Indiana for the night.

To be continued …

 

What a great article and fantastic photos! Makes we want to pack up the bike and head out on the highway searching for roads not yet ridden.
I' m looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip.