Member Contributer SamW Posted October 23, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 23, 2012 Yesterday (Monday), sitting in my office at work about 4:00 I was looking out the window at some beautiful blue skies and thought to check my vacation days remaining, I had a few to burn, more than enough to cover the 3 days prior to Thanksgiving and cover me through Christmas, so I check my calendar, only two meetings, neither was very important. Off to check with the boss-man, I knew that would go well since about 2 hours prior he mentioned he was having a hard time being present at work since he and his wife spent Sunday in Asheville, and sure enough, I had a vacation on my calendar and the out of office reply on for my in-box. It is late October in North East Tennessee, the whole week is supposed to be in the mid 70's with no chance of rain, and the previous weekend I had to do my first round of leaf remediation in my yard, so I knew the leaves were still in color, but not for long. I had a sneaking suspicion that the leaves would be down at the higher elevations, but that gave the side benefit that fewer leaf watchers would be out to slow me down. Now just about a month ago I got to ride with some VFRD members around here for the Fall Bristol Ride, and I had a blast, but I got my fill of Shady Valley and the area around it, which is my normal ride. I wanted to hit some less traveled roads (at least for me) and tune the aggression back since I would be solo. After a little time looking at the map, I decided a trip over Roan Mountain and down 226 until I hit the Blue Ridge Parkway, then take it back north to Blowing Rock and then find my way home from there. Tuesday morning, a little fog out, but not bad, temp around 50, so I put the liner in the jacket and get my neck wind breaker. I have my 4th gen ready to go, a stop at the local gas station, fill up and I am on my way. I am taking back roads, it is about 9:00 am so what little traffic there is in the Tri-Cities of East Tennessee is cleared out. I make it through Bluff City and Elizabethton and now I start getting to the good stuff. I turn towards Roan Mountain, stuck behind a few slow cars, but my belly is talking to me, so I pull over and have a little breakfast. After a short break, back on the road and heading up Roan Mountain, the leaves still have some color, but as I get higher, the leaves are mostly gone. At the pull off on the side of the road, the trees are all but bare, but the sun is warm and the asphalt is smooth (mostly) and the traffic is no where to be found. I crest Roan Mountain and enter the great State of North Carolina and start heading down Hwy 261 to Hwy 226 and to Spruce Pine, where I get into a detour and turned around, a quick look at the map, a U turn and I am heading in the right direction. A few miles farther and I am at the Blue Ridge Parkway. When I am in the mood for some easy riding and want to turn the brain off of "11," I really enjoy the parkway. This is not my favorite section of the parkway, more rolling farmland than the Mountains around Asheville, but the benefit today is at the lower elevations, the trees are still full of color, lots of gold, some red and the traffic is light, which is a very good thing when the morning coffee is begging for an exit... As I get closer to Blowing Rock, my old belly starts talking again, and since it is about 12:30 I think I will listen to it, there are some good little restaurants in Blowing Rock and since it is Tuesday, it should not be that crowded... Well, I was wrong, seems when you are retired, a Tuesday might as well be a Saturday, and as I see the tour buses rounding all the corners, I realize I need a different plan. I turn back south, I am pretty sure there is a restaurant at Grandfather Mountain, and it is not too far away, so back down Hwy 221 which parallels the Parkway, but I get stuck behind leaf watchers, which turns out to be a benefit as the leaves on the road do a wonderful job of hiding the sand and gravel in the turns, and after my front washes away and a barely catch it and my foot cramps up from the pucker factor, I decide the leaf watcher pace is not so bad. The one thing I can say about Grandfather Mountain, it ain't cheap... But I suck it up and pay the price and have a nice Philly Cheese Steak and soda. I ride to the top and take a few pictures from the Mile High Bridge. After that, back down the mountain and headed home, it is about 4:00 when I make it back, I did the whole ride on a single tank of gas, I filled up about 2 miles from the house, so about 230 miles for the day. Six and a half years ago I left Atlanta to move up to the Mountains, I have never regretted it, and this was one of the main reasons I made the move. I don't do these rides nearly enough, but every time I do I make myself a promise to do it more often, and today I fulfilled that promise to myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Mac Posted October 23, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 23, 2012 Nice Pics! Thanks Sam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted October 23, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 23, 2012 Any Po's Po's on the BRP ? Nice pix's ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Chuckster Posted October 23, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 23, 2012 Really nice pics. Glad you have escaped! I'm still stuck in Atlanta. Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer SamW Posted October 23, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted October 23, 2012 Any Po's Po's on the BRP ? Nice pix's ....... Thanks! None that I saw, I was only on it for about an hour. Traffic was pretty light, except around Linn Cove Viaduct. Chuck, It took me about 10 years to get out, but it was worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted October 24, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 24, 2012 Sam, great ride report. We went over Roan Mt 5 times during our week up there. Love 226 as well, and headed over Roan (through Carver's Gap) and made the 226 loop of Little Switzerland (had lunch there) and then fumbled for a route back over toward Highlands. Great area, I am soon to be scaping Atlanta but will probably settle in the Vonore, TN area if I get my way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer SamW Posted October 24, 2012 Author Member Contributer Share Posted October 24, 2012 Sam, great ride report. We went over Roan Mt 5 times during our week up there. Love 226 as well, and headed over Roan (through Carver's Gap) and made the 226 loop of Little Switzerland (had lunch there) and then fumbled for a route back over toward Highlands. Great area, I am soon to be scaping Atlanta but will probably settle in the Vonore, TN area if I get my way. I went by Ridgewood BBQ on the first part on my ride, thought about the group ride. Is Carver's Gap on the NC side of Roan? If I were smarter, I would have gone to Little Switzerland for lunch, not sure what I was thinking about Blowing Rock... Looks like Vonore is near Lenoir City, my GF's mom lives there, so I am there quite often, that would be a good escape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer CornerCarver Posted October 24, 2012 Member Contributer Share Posted October 24, 2012 Yes, Carvers Gap is on the state line at the top of Roan Mt. Little Switzerland was chaotic with traffic and parking but we lucked out and found a (tight) spot for three in front of the restaurant. Decent food and live music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ancon Posted October 24, 2012 Share Posted October 24, 2012 Awesome pix, love that area. I tell the wife that's where I want to retire--get me a little cabin by the 'crik', my vfr and a dirt bike and I'd be set. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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