Moseying and Meandering

[..]

That's what I told the survey lady as I left the park at the top of Roan Mtn, TN when asked the purpose of my trip.

She wouldn't have agreed with my short  description if she had seen my triple digit chasing a black Mustang up and over I 26 north of Asheville  

I had been following another black Mustang and we both passed number 2 as he waited to pull back onto the highway from the right emergency lane.

Number 1 was running at 80 and I was tucked in behind a couple of hundred yards.

Number 2 came howling by and even though my exit was RIGHT THERE I couldn't, just couldn't (immature twit) let the opportunity pass me by.

I had got a little discombobulated trying to bypass Asheville on country roads and ended up in north downtown. This led me to Town Mountain Rd. Wow what a surprise that was.

Mileage start






View from Waterrock Knob, BRP






Watagua Lake TN







Day 2



On the way to Roan Mtn







I like red roof barns







View from the top of Roan Mtn




Cloudland Hotel used to be on the mountain.

https://mitchellnchistory.org/2017/04/02/the-cloudland-hotel-a-mammoth-landmark-of-its-day/

The Tweetsie Railroad - narrow gauge -  would transport guests to the base of the mountain and then donkey carts would finish the journey.

View from the road on the north side.











There was nearly too much of this.




A little of this





Thousands of these. The following are some on Hwy 421 - The Snake.













Riding into Shady Valley I felt like an extra in a Clint Eastwood movie. The only sound was the clanging of the halyard on the flag pole.





Burger was horrible. Premade which was obvious because the lettuce, tomato etc were soggy and the top half of the bun was soggy and cold. Botulism waiting to strike. Burger was wrapped in grease proof paper and the undercooked fries were in a paper bag. That's it, no plate or basket. just slap them on the table and trough on.



Chair backs were filthy. Great to grab hold of as you pull out a chair to sit at a table.

Mens room was disgusting and the Womens was out of order.

Place felt like it was slowly dying.

No reason for me to ever stop there again.

[..]

Backbone Rock on the way to Damascus

[..]

End mileage

[..]

Roan Mtn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpLm3U42ly0&feature=youtu.be


Found my flashlight 




Slight gap between sleeve and glove

[JimC]

nice report, thanks

Jim

[3fan4life]

Looks like you did some meandering through some of my favorite stomping grounds.

I plan to meander through some of yours next weekend.

[f6john]

Great photos, thanks for taking the time to snap. Sad about Shady Valley, sounds like an opportunity for someone down the road.

Although I don’t enjoy triple digit speeds, I’m looking forward to the day when my Valkyrie will be able to take a quick trip into the that zone again.

[old2soon]

I wuz chasin a gal in a MEAN sounding Camaro couple years ago on U S 160 West headed to Gainesville Mo. and every time that Bow Tie would snarl I went with her. Mind you this is a 2 lane highway. We passed an S U V with 4 guys in it and it did Not look quite right. By the time the mind processed the Fact it were indeed and Fact a County Mounty the front end of that S U V lit up like the tilt on the old pin ball machines.  The Bow Tie and O2S pulled onto the right shoulder and all 4 of them got out of the L E O/S U V 2 fer me and 2 fer her.  After the standard questions-you know how fast you were goin? uh-YES-and paperwork perusal by the Mounties all the Sheriff said was PLEASE keep it to bout 62  63 legal is 55 and be safe they had papers to serve and an arrest to make c ya we gotta go!  Far as that triple digit thingy-ANYTIME I take Phatt Ghurl out I am bound by-What?-the code of bein a rider that I Must some where in my sojourn hit and exceed the ton.  And Paul B T W nice pics and hope the chow didn't git ya sick. cursed nice lookin country you git ta ride in there!  RIDE SAFE.

[henry 008]

  glad you had fun, but I am envious... 

[hubcapsc]

I remember going on a couple of rides where we went past this thing, but it has been
years...



-Mike "too bad about Shady Valley..."

[..]

Met an 18 wheeler on the Snake. Luckily it was at a long w i d e U bend and his rear wheels were only over half of my lane. 

[Mr Whiskey]

Love that run up to Roan Mountain!
We take the 197 up N. Toe River outta Burnsville (always campin' on the S. Toe) to river crossing at Red Hill, cut across a short stretch of 226 to Bakersville, then 261/143 to Roan Mtn. State Park.
Outstanding run!
I like 321 along Watauga too! I got plumb dang lost on the E. end of the lake off of 167 outta Mountain City comin' back from Sparta. Like to have never found the bridge at Buntontown Rd. to get me over to 321 (pretty ride though )
Glad you're havin' fun & thanks for the pics Brother

[..]

[size=16pt I got plumb dang lost on the E. end of the lake off of 167 outta Mountain City comin' back from Sparta. Like to have never found the bridge at Buntontown Rd. to get me over to 321 (pretty ride though )

Me too. I rode a lot of cool back roads I'll never be able to find again.

Wide farmland valleys with thickly forested nubs of some of the oldest mountains on Earth rimming the valleys. Beautiful.

That Lake is bloody big and hard to get to the other side without having to go round and round and round.

[NewValker]

Thanks for the ride sir,
Craig

[hubcapsc]

Check this out... maybe Shady Valley isn't a lost cause...

https://www.thetomahawk.com/local-news/daniel-and-avery-dugger-are-new-owners-of-shady-valley-country-store/

-Mike

[..]

i rode Hwy 91 into Shady Valley from Elizabethton.

I rode Hwy 421 away from Shady Valley to Bristol

I rode Hwy 421 into Shady Valley from Mountain City

I I rode Hwy 133 away from Shady Valley to Damascus

 

[Bighead]

Great ride and report Paul I rode most of those same roads the week before Inzane. Always great roads throughout that area. And as far a finding those roads u took and said u couldnt find again.....trust me u will happen on them again......I have done that so many times in a that area.....hope to get out in that area next weekend

[..]

Check this out... maybe Shady Valley isn't a lost cause...

https://www.thetomahawk.com/local-news/daniel-and-avery-dugger-are-new-owners-of-shady-valley-country-store/

-Mike

Yep they've been there long enough. About a year!

https://www.facebook.com/shadyvalleycountrystore/

[..]

I tried to use the BRP where possible but the crap chip and seal defeated me again near Hwy 276 where it crosses the BRP.

The tar looked "wet" in the sun and most of the "chip" had already been lifted off by traffic in 2 wide swathes. It also smelt like a petro refinery. I did a U turn and got the hell away from it.  

[DirtyDan]

Looking good

Dan

[Jess from VA]

Funny you mention this.  In my aging skin, I am trying extra hard to not get any sunburn anywhere anymore.  No more short sleeves (I hate greasing up my whole arms), always sunblock face and neck.  But I had been getting sunburn on my wrists below my shorty gloves, with the long sleeve T's blowing up (not just a strip, more like 3-4 inches of burn).  The gloves have Velcro male (for little straps I cut off), so sometimes I can stick my cotton sleeves to it, but it doesn't stay stuck (Underarmor microfiber shirt sleeves stay stuck, but not cotton).  So now I am greasing sunblock on my wrists.  Rather than getting sunblock on my clothes, I now grease up pre-ride shirtless, and let it soak in before I leave.  Double dose on the nose.

Yeah, I'm still not wearing riding jackets in hot weather (even though I got a great deal on a new mesh jacket last winter).  Old habits die hard.  


Thanks for sharing the rides with us.    

[DDT (12)]

Paul,

I love to ride around that area! Thanks for taking us along with you...

DDT