I got home from NC on the afternoon of the 5th. Left Dallas the night of the 29th. After work on the 29th I rode to Texarkana to get a head start on my trip. I am out of riding shape and just couldn't face a 450 mile opening stint. Getting to Texarkana trimmed Saturday down to 300 for me.
I got up Saturday and slabbed it to Memphis.
I was trying to be frugal and stay in inexpensive motels but this one was beyond the pale. It was a retired Motel 6 that had been repurposed to another national budget brand I wont mention. Let's just say that the property was so far gone even Motel 6 walked away from it!
I refrained from complaining and was too tired to move to another place so I sucked it up and made the best of things.
Had an amazing rib dinner at a place called Corky's
Sunday I got up and took to the back roads as soon as I could. I took 64 from the eastern suburbs of Memphis to a little town about 20 miles west of Chattanooga called Kimball,TN .
Based on my previous night's experience I had cancelled my budget hotel reservation in Chattanooga and went ahead and paid for a Holiday Inn Express in Kimball...worlds different...
I must say that even before I reached the mountains of Tennessee, the rolling foothills countryside of western TN farmland is stunningly beautiful. I can see why someone would want to make a life there.
BUT
The real fun begins on Monday as soon as I get on the slab headed into Chattanooga. The mountains are rising to meet me and I'm beginning to get excited. About 30 minutes up 75 you take exit 20 to get on 74 to Cleveland TN (great newish Pilot at exit 20 for a pitstop) and head eastward thru Ocoee and on to Ducktown. Hwy 74 hugs the Ocoee river tightly and its just gorgeous country. I am glad that I planned my ride after the "season". River watersports seem to anchor the economies of the small towns out there and if one rode there in the summer, traffic would be unbearable and ruin the beauty of the ride.
At Ducktown you turn north and head for Tellico Plains on 68. Good road but the area is densely populated and you have to remind yourself that people are living their day to day lives and don't care that you're there to have fun. You ride as slow as you need to when you have to and enjoy the countryside.
At Tellico Plains I had a great lunch at the Tellicafe. Top off the tank and, VOILA! you're on The Cherahola Skyway.
For those who have ridden the Skyway, I wont try to describe it...For those who haven't, I'll just say you should go if you have the chance. IMHO, the best 50-odd miles of riding I have encountered in the 60K I have put on the NT
Once I made the descent into Robbinsville, NC, I meandered up to Maggie valley on the back roads
I was struck by the contrast of the beauty of the country against the tired, worn out, impoverished vibe most of the mountain communities seem to exude.
Once I arrived in Maggie Valley I checked into my little biker friendly hotel and strangely, even tho I had plans to do two days of exploring, the minute I got there all I could think about was how far I was from home and how sore and tired I already was and maybe I should go home
One of the co-owners of the place gave me a pamphlet with a list of the best rides out of MV
ON Tuesday I got up and rode what is alleged to be the best portion of the BRP from Maggie Valley east over to 151. It was a great ride.
Then I had lunch and rode 215 up and over the Parkway, then found 276 and rode back up and over, home to my hotel.
I debated inside my helmet all day about what to do. I was so sore and tired I didn't think a second day of exploring was going to enrich my vacation; at the same time I didn't want to regret cutting my trip short just because I was tired.
But I remember the one face to face chat I ever had with Mellow back in Spearfish 2014; I was thinking about cutting my trip a day short then. Joe said "you just have to follow your instincts on stuff like this, and do what feels right for you"
My instincts told me I should go home but to go home without regrets, so the decision was made; to start for home in the morning but have fun doing it.
I would leave with no predetermined destination or goal but with a beginning that would make the day one to remember.
I got up early, made my way to 74, which at that point is a divided 4 lane mountain Highway. The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
I forget where, but at some point, it unceremoniously becomes a winding narrow two lane that eventually makes a descent into the Nantahala Gorge....Breathtaking....so pretty
I rode west until 74 met up with 129 and made my way up to Robbinsville again and rode the Cherahola from east to west and at Tellico I continued westward to 411 and made my way back to the Pilot at interstate 75 and TN74 to remove some layers.
Once I made my pitstop, I got on the interstate and steeled myself to see just how far I could go towards home. I had had a good time all morning and seen some sights
that were priceless.
So without a destination other than Dallas I hit the interstate and booked for Chattanooga, then south thru Georgia and west thru Alabama, and to Meridian, MS...Once I got that far, I decided I would stop in Jackson for the night. Using my IHG app, I quickly found a Holiday Inn Express in Jackson and rode the last 2 hrs on to Jackson. I hit Jackson at rush hour and was in my room by 6:30
600 miles in 12 hours the first three of which was mountain riding in 2nd and 3rd gear so, not bad
Thursday I got up and left at 7:00 and hit the road. I20 thru Vicksburg, stopping in Monroe, La...then Waskom, TX...Lunch in Lindale...a jerky stop at the Buc-cees in Terrell and I was home by 2:30 Thursday afternoon
No regrets
I got up Saturday and slabbed it to Memphis.
I was trying to be frugal and stay in inexpensive motels but this one was beyond the pale. It was a retired Motel 6 that had been repurposed to another national budget brand I wont mention. Let's just say that the property was so far gone even Motel 6 walked away from it!
I refrained from complaining and was too tired to move to another place so I sucked it up and made the best of things.
Had an amazing rib dinner at a place called Corky's
Sunday I got up and took to the back roads as soon as I could. I took 64 from the eastern suburbs of Memphis to a little town about 20 miles west of Chattanooga called Kimball,TN .
Based on my previous night's experience I had cancelled my budget hotel reservation in Chattanooga and went ahead and paid for a Holiday Inn Express in Kimball...worlds different...
I must say that even before I reached the mountains of Tennessee, the rolling foothills countryside of western TN farmland is stunningly beautiful. I can see why someone would want to make a life there.
BUT
The real fun begins on Monday as soon as I get on the slab headed into Chattanooga. The mountains are rising to meet me and I'm beginning to get excited. About 30 minutes up 75 you take exit 20 to get on 74 to Cleveland TN (great newish Pilot at exit 20 for a pitstop) and head eastward thru Ocoee and on to Ducktown. Hwy 74 hugs the Ocoee river tightly and its just gorgeous country. I am glad that I planned my ride after the "season". River watersports seem to anchor the economies of the small towns out there and if one rode there in the summer, traffic would be unbearable and ruin the beauty of the ride.
At Ducktown you turn north and head for Tellico Plains on 68. Good road but the area is densely populated and you have to remind yourself that people are living their day to day lives and don't care that you're there to have fun. You ride as slow as you need to when you have to and enjoy the countryside.
At Tellico Plains I had a great lunch at the Tellicafe. Top off the tank and, VOILA! you're on The Cherahola Skyway.
For those who have ridden the Skyway, I wont try to describe it...For those who haven't, I'll just say you should go if you have the chance. IMHO, the best 50-odd miles of riding I have encountered in the 60K I have put on the NT
Once I made the descent into Robbinsville, NC, I meandered up to Maggie valley on the back roads
I was struck by the contrast of the beauty of the country against the tired, worn out, impoverished vibe most of the mountain communities seem to exude.
Once I arrived in Maggie Valley I checked into my little biker friendly hotel and strangely, even tho I had plans to do two days of exploring, the minute I got there all I could think about was how far I was from home and how sore and tired I already was and maybe I should go home
One of the co-owners of the place gave me a pamphlet with a list of the best rides out of MV
ON Tuesday I got up and rode what is alleged to be the best portion of the BRP from Maggie Valley east over to 151. It was a great ride.
Then I had lunch and rode 215 up and over the Parkway, then found 276 and rode back up and over, home to my hotel.
I debated inside my helmet all day about what to do. I was so sore and tired I didn't think a second day of exploring was going to enrich my vacation; at the same time I didn't want to regret cutting my trip short just because I was tired.
But I remember the one face to face chat I ever had with Mellow back in Spearfish 2014; I was thinking about cutting my trip a day short then. Joe said "you just have to follow your instincts on stuff like this, and do what feels right for you"
My instincts told me I should go home but to go home without regrets, so the decision was made; to start for home in the morning but have fun doing it.
I would leave with no predetermined destination or goal but with a beginning that would make the day one to remember.
I got up early, made my way to 74, which at that point is a divided 4 lane mountain Highway. The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway
I forget where, but at some point, it unceremoniously becomes a winding narrow two lane that eventually makes a descent into the Nantahala Gorge....Breathtaking....so pretty
I rode west until 74 met up with 129 and made my way up to Robbinsville again and rode the Cherahola from east to west and at Tellico I continued westward to 411 and made my way back to the Pilot at interstate 75 and TN74 to remove some layers.
Once I made my pitstop, I got on the interstate and steeled myself to see just how far I could go towards home. I had had a good time all morning and seen some sights
that were priceless.
So without a destination other than Dallas I hit the interstate and booked for Chattanooga, then south thru Georgia and west thru Alabama, and to Meridian, MS...Once I got that far, I decided I would stop in Jackson for the night. Using my IHG app, I quickly found a Holiday Inn Express in Jackson and rode the last 2 hrs on to Jackson. I hit Jackson at rush hour and was in my room by 6:30
600 miles in 12 hours the first three of which was mountain riding in 2nd and 3rd gear so, not bad
Thursday I got up and left at 7:00 and hit the road. I20 thru Vicksburg, stopping in Monroe, La...then Waskom, TX...Lunch in Lindale...a jerky stop at the Buc-cees in Terrell and I was home by 2:30 Thursday afternoon
No regrets
