Nice ride....Tennessee / North Carolina / South Carolina

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Took off yesterday with my ridin' bud Paul ( Wimp ) . We had no plans whatsoever other than to ride all day and stay wherever we landed that night. We crossed The Great Smoky Mountains into North Carolina.



The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains and the name is commonly shortened to the Smokies. The Great Smokies are best known as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which protects most of the range. The park was established in 1934, and, with over 9 million visits per year, it is the most-visited national park in the United States.

The Great Smokies are part of an International Biosphere Reserve. The range is home to an estimated 187,000 acres of old growth forest, constituting the largest such stand east of the Mississippi River. The cove hardwood forests in the range's lower elevations are among the most diverse ecosystems in North America, and the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest that coats the range's upper elevations is the largest of its kind.The Great Smokies are also home to the densest black bear population in the Eastern United States and the most diverse salamander population outside of the tropics.








Nantahala Power and Light's West Fork Tuckasegee River Project  
This project consists of two developments, Thorpe and Tuckasegee, on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River, in Jackson County, NC. Thorpe impounds the second largest lake of NP&L's system, Lake Glenville. It is a diversion dam, and just downstream of its powerhouse is the Tuckasegee Dam, also a diversion dam. This project was built by NP&L: Thorpe was started in September 1940 with first generation in October 1941. Tuckasegee was started in April 1949 with first generation May 1950.

Thorpe Dam...Hwy 107 is a outstanding road to ride if you are in this area. We had no traffic to deal with this entire trip .







Since we was in the hood we thought " Let's go see Mike ( hubcap ) he live in Seneca , South Carolina.



We stayed the night in Seneca and had a nice meal with Mike and his wife Carolyn at Applebee's....Thanks Mike and Carolyn for the ride to and from the motel ) .

On the way home today we zig-zagged all over the place and hit some great roads for motorcycling.




Lake Keowee is a man–made reservoir in the United States in the state of South Carolina shaped somewhat like a Christmas tree. It is notable for having been created to serve the needs of a power utility (Duke Energy) as well as public recreational purposes. It is approximately 26 miles long, 3 miles wide, with an average depth of 54 feet , and a shoreline measured at 300 miles in total, and is approximately 800 feet above sea level. It began in 1971 as a massive demolition and building project, including the construction of two large dams––Keowee Dam and Little River Dam––and covered 18,372 acres  of the state.






We had thought about taking The Blue Ridge Parkway only to find it closed no big deal really " Let's see where that road goes " and off we went.





" The Money Shot "   Keowee Lake in South Carolina

[Gavin_Sons]

Great report Joe. Glad someone is getting some miles in. Up here in yankee land it is too damn cold or snowing, or raining. Bout time to pack up and head south.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Looks like it was a great ride

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Great report Joe. Glad someone is getting some miles in. Up here in yankee land it is too damn cold or snowing, or raining. Bout time to pack up and head south.

I was killin' bugs with my windshield yesterday however today it was much cooler . I had my Gerbing heated gear in the saddlebag but never got cold enough to put them on..... Come on down ... Let's Ride 

[old2soon]

Always enjoy the history lesson the comes out of a lot of your rides.  Should be warm enough and dry enough Fri and Sat here to ride.  P M S suxx.  RIDE SAFE.

[hubcapsc]

It was tough to get Joe out of the Mini... Paul was indifferent...



-Mike

[GiG]

Looks like y'all had I good time at the International Biosphere Reserve
Wish I was there!

[Cracker Jack]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

[vanavyman]

Great ride report Joe, sure wish we lived closer to your area to ride these great roads more often.  Maybe after I retire.  Trying to convince Trish we should move to Asheville, NC.

Dan & Trish

[HayHauler]

Another great ride report Joe.   Thanks for taking the time to share the story and the pics.

Hay
Jimmyt

[Bighead]

Glad you caught some wind Joe

[RDAbull]

Nice report Joe.  This early winter stuff sucks big time.
Am praying for an early spring.

[hairyteeth]

Thank you for sharing the ride with us. HT

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

I echo this.........Still waiting for him to come out with a few books of his adventures. 

)

[Pepmyster]

Nice shots, thanks!!!!!!!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

When I'm on a ride and I see something that interest me I look it up when I get home and add it on " The Ride Report " . Some of the words in my report are mine , some are not. I think it makes it more interesting if I add some history or facts about the pictures and the ride. I got a PM from a member that I should make this clear to everyone.... DAMNIFIKNOW why however here it is  





All my rides are posted on Facebook on the fly with no fact checks , bells and whistles just a picture with a comment on where I'm at it's a hellofa lot easier to post there than here and 100% of the words are all mine.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

When I'm on a ride and I see something that interest me I look it up when I get home and add it on " The Ride Report " . Some of the words in my report are mine , some are not. I think it makes it more interesting if I add some history or facts about the pictures and the ride. I got a PM from a member that I should make this clear to everyone.... DAMNIFIKNOW why however here it is  





All my rides are posted on Facebook on the fly with no fact checks , bells and whistles just a picture with a comment on where I'm at it's a hellofa lot easier to post there than here and 100% of the words are all mine.

I'm glad you still post your ride reports here. I haven't become a facebooker yet. 

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

When I'm on a ride and I see something that interest me I look it up when I get home and add it on " The Ride Report " . Some of the words in my report are mine , some are not. I think it makes it more interesting if I add some history or facts about the pictures and the ride. I got a PM from a member that I should make this clear to everyone.... DAMNIFIKNOW why however here it is  





All my rides are posted on Facebook on the fly with no fact checks , bells and whistles just a picture with a comment on where I'm at it's a hellofa lot easier to post there than here and 100% of the words are all mine.

You Plagerist (sp?)   Don't sweat the small stuff......or people Joe  


PS - I keep telling you to put a book together of your adventures......I'd buy

[RNFWP]

Joe, thanks for the pictures and the information.
It's like home to me... has me looking forward to my next day off outting. Too bad that the Blue Ridge Parkway was closed, that is one of my favorites. Without having to find a place to spend the night I can venture out into western NC and north GA but mostly ride all over the SC upstate.
Keep on posting...
Ross

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Nice bike...I like the color 

[Skinhead]

Joe, I'm always impressed with your tremendous detailed knowledge of your part of the country. Also your writing style is very professional.

Thanks for taking the time to post the "lessons" for us.

What I Find Surprising Is That He Doesn't Write In Redneck.

[R J]

Joe you lucky turd, you get to ride in God's country, never thought I'd say that, but I did.

Thanks for the great report and the pictures.

It has been a long time since i rode in that area.    My riding partner at that time rode a Yamaha and the last InZane In Johnson City, cancer took him.  I got notified at the Luncheon of his passing.

We rode many many miles in the US & Canada together.

He loved the TN, KY, NC, SC, GA, FL area.   We spent many days and rode many many miles in those states.

I'll shut up before I hijack this post any further.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

Joe you lucky turd, you get to ride in God's country, never thought I'd say that, but I did.

Thanks for the great report and the pictures.

It has been a long time since i rode in that area.    My riding partner at that time rode a Yamaha and the last InZane In Johnson City, cancer took him.  I got notified at the Luncheon of his passing.

We rode many many miles in the US & Canada together.

He loved the TN, KY, NC, SC, GA, FL area.   We spent many days and rode many many miles in those states.

I'll shut up before I hijack this post any further.

No hi-jack at all in fact thanks for sharing