Home safe....

[thumper]

Duffy, Chris, Sam, and I had a great ride home.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone, especially Mike and Britman, for a wonderful ride through the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.

Nice meeting Oss, Mr. Whisky and Sugar, Ziggy and all the rest.

It's always special riding with the Wild Bunch and friends.

And I also want to extend an olive branch to the dude that felt it was ok to move my bike without my permission....you're forgiven so go forth and sin no more.

Thanks again

[Duffy]

I agree Paul, it was great to see lots of friends and make some new ones in Maggie Valley this weekend. The weather was great too! 

Enjoyed riding with you Thumper as always. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Good seeing you again Paul I always enjoy hangin' out and riding with you. Keep up the fight brother you cross my mind all the time and I've told you before I admire the courage you show when facing the uncertainty that's been with you over the years I've knew you.

[hubcapsc]

Hey Paul... I think we got on the parkway right behind y'all on the way home... but we were just
putt-putting... whoever it was was out of sight pretty quick... it was a great ride, one thing that sticks
out in my memory is riding out of the switchbacks with Coot in my mirrors and everyone else coming
towards us on the approach to the switchbacks...

-Mike

[..]

As ever when you get a group of riders together it's a blast. Especially when it's a group that have known each other online or in person for a number of years.

Coot and I left at about 7.30.

Went east to Waynesville and then 215 south to the Balsam Grove firehouse we stopped at with Mike on Memorial Day weekend. We owned 215 all the way from Waynesville to the turn off. Zoom, bloody zoom, zoom.

Every time I'm thinking of selling the ST I ride a section of road like that and change my mind. I guess I'll keep it. It was paid for on the day I picked it up in Dallas so all I have in it is insurance and running costs.

Then west on Hiawassee Gap Rd to 281 south
Then Hwy 64 west thru Toxaway, Cahsiers, Highlands, Franklin and Hayesville

Had BBQ (suprise) at Rib Country.

Then back roads to Blairsville.

Coot kept heading west and I chugged over Blood Mountian due to quite a few oncoming bikes patting their helmets.

Noticed that the new owners of the store on the south side of Blood Mtn are very rider friendly. Their Sidewinder Grill had about 20 sports bikes parked outside. Could this be the new N GA mountian lunch destination.

Coot and I were bad boys Fri afternoon. We rode over ot I40 and zipped north/south on the section that runs thru the gorge.

What a hoot. Illegal speeds with a lane that had a concrete wall 18 inches from the white line on the left and 18 wheelers stacked up in the lane on the right.

Drivers in mini vans getting mentally squeezed by the wall and wheels of the 18 wheelers starting to jerk their steering wheels from side to side as the self inflcted pressure builds up intil they are able to dart into a gap between 2 18 wheelers.

[hubcapsc]

What a hoot. Illegal speeds with a lane that had a concrete wall 18 inches from the white line on the left and 18 wheelers stacked up in the lane on the right.

Drivers in mini vans getting mentally squeezed by the wall and wheels of the 18 wheelers starting to jerk their steering wheels from side to side as the self inflcted pressure builds up intil they are able to dart into a gap between 2 18 wheelers.


I think that part of I40 is like an old video game, as you go around the turns with the giant concrete wall to your left
and 18 wheelers appear in front of you, like the stuff in the video games would come from infinity and
get in your face...

-Mike