Smoke On The Smokies

June 12, 2012

Day 11

Best night sleep of the whole trip! All of the other hotels were comfortable but the beds at the Azalea Gardens were just perfect. It rained during the night but this morning it was clear so we headed for the Blue Ridge Parkway and what a difference from yesterday! This morning was sunny, clear and the air was crisp. It is easy to see why these mountains are called the Great Smoky Mountains; the view appeared as if the whole mountain range was on fire and smoke was billowing up; such a captivating view. Only 11 miles on the parkway and we take 421 heading for Roanoke Rapids NC; Andy’s old stomping grounds. He was born and raised in this area and has promised to take us to the best Bar B Q place on the east coast. Route 421 is now in my bag of best roads to ride; dual and well maintained no stop lights or towns and a fair amount of dipping and diving as you climb 3000 to 4000 feet and then decent at 8 and 9% grades. Route 40 and 85 are nothing to brag about but they get you where you want to go and then we take 158. Now we are in the back country roads of NC with tobacco fields and old drying barns and new fields of cotton planted. We travel past little country homes with metal roofs installed way before the red, green and blue metal roofs of today became popular. We pass through cross-roads with names and maybe what passes as a garage but that’s it. I’m beginning to wonder if our destination is bigger than these places and will we actually find a motel. Well Interstate 95 runs very near Roanoke Rapids and the city had or has some large manufacturing so yes we found a good hotel at a very good price.