I headed up to Maggie Valley Saturday morning via all-good-roads including the Blue Ridge Parkway...
I stopped at the highest point to check out the new sign, it was vandalized a few weeks ago, and it is
all fixed now...
I was surprised to see that I had cell coverage up there, and remembered that I had a missed call...
I dialed it back, and it was
The Greenville County Detention Center! They had no clue who might
have called me. I googled all the detained people for the last few days when I got to Maggie Valley...
nobody I know... it was a wrong number I hope...
So, after chatting with the Detention Center receptionist, I headed on down the hill... after I left
the parkway, just up the hill from the motel, some rider in the oncoming lane weeble wobbled into
my lane, I focused on him to see what he might do, I didn't zig or zag, he just got closer, and when
the time came, I passed him, with him on my right... he had several buddies, and there were cars
all around too, I'm not sure what happened to him. My brakes work real good, even when going
down a curvy hill with tourist traffic on it. Yehaw!
I got to the motel, figuring that Joe and maybe a couple of others would be there waiting for me, it was
10:30 after all... there were about 15 or so people there waiting, they heard I knew some good roads
around there and wanted me to lead them on the ride... so back up the BRP we went...
We beeped and honked after the first stop (back at the highest point), but somehow lost a couple of
people there. At least one of the left-behind didn't want to be left behind, he was talking with some
folks who weren't with us, and wasn't used to what the HONK HONKs and yells of A-O-S meant... sorry
about that Mike (Lakehunter)... One of the guys that didn't continue on with us had a side car,
he was probably lucky he didn't end up on the
pig-trails good roads I took us on.
I guess the group did believe I was going to lead them to some good roads, since they waited on
me, but I think Joe also had them primed to believe they might end up on some dirt roads with me
leading (it has never happened before
) so I guess they all got kind of nervous whenever
something like this would loom up ahead...
We didn't go down any dirt roads, and when we got to Tilley Creek Road and Ellijay Road, we'd
worked up a pretty good pace... they are good roads, lots of elevation, curves of all kinds,
no tourist traffic or any traffic much of any kind. I think it is funny the perspective you get from
the little camera when you're booking it down a curvy road... whacky angles from being leaned
over all the time...
When we hit the switchbacks I could see some of the other riders making their
approach as I headed away, I hoped the camera would get them too, but no luck...
I could always see Coot in my mirrors, maybe that was why I could keep the pace
up
...
They were cutting hay at this intersection, and I was paying more attention to the
tractors and trailers full of hay bails in the road than I was the street sign. I went "straight",
but I see now that Ellijay road goes left... D'OH!...
Both Ellijay and the road I took hit the main road real soon, and we all met back
up at a gas stop...
We'd been riding for several hours, started around 11:00, and it was 4:00 or so, we ate lunch
in Cullowhee, we stopped a couple of times, we weren't moving the whole time, but still,
everyone in the group was hot and tired... we all followed Britman up towards Waynesville on
the four lane mountain highways... going 65 on smooth sweepers was a quick and welcomed
cool-down. As we pulled out of the gas stop, all the bikes but me and Terry on a Rocket III
made it out of the parking lot, and then about nine cars went by... me and Terry never
saw the others again until we got to Maggie Valley... we stopped at the BRP welcome center
on the way back to Maggie...
Gordon and Big Al and Tracy and Don all showed up after the ride was over and hung
out in the parking lot with us Saturday evening...
I saw on another thread that at some motorcycle rally out west or somewhere everyone got
all drunk up and somebody shot his wife, who was pole dancing for some strangers, and then
shot some others and himself... I like our group... one member drank a little too much and
got all sentimental and teary-eyed about Thumper's cancer fight and wanted to hug him.
We have a good version of Out-Of-Control
Mike - Lakehunter from Chapin SC - and I rode together back down the BRP and 215 and 178
back home...
It was great seeing and riding with everyone, can't wait till next time...
-Mike "Coot's flower picture is from last year, but the Internet never forgets"
