What a Welcome

Day 1 & 2

It was a surprise to see Lucy roll into the parking lot of the Hardee’s Saturday morning.  Like Renee, she came to see us off.   Saturday’s ride was some secondary roads and some major highways totaling 340 miles as we pulled into the Econo Lodge at 5:15 p.m.  The plan was to meet another group of UTR members there for the night and then we would all ride together on Sunday into Paintsville.  They arrived at 5:30 just in time for dinner.   The weather was hot with just a few sprinkles of rain not enough to even get the bikes wet.  

 

Breakfast at 7 and then we pulled out at 8:10 traveling some really great roads through VA, WVA and then KY; route 460 is a great road, mostly dual with sweepers that can easily be taken at 55 and 60 mph.   The morning started out cool with fog hanging low over the fields then the sun came out and the world heated up.   Just before our planned stop for lunch around 12:30 some dark clouds began moving overhead and suddenly the sky opened up and buckets of water poured over us.  Thank goodness we were within a mile or two of a McDonalds but the rain didn’t last long and by the time we finished our lunch the sky was bright and the roads had even dried.  240 miles brought us to Paintsville by 3:10 p.m.  and as we pulled into the hotel’s parking lot and rolled up to the front door out comes a man with a TV camera.  As we enter the lobby there is a large poster with our logo and a welcome sign with a table set up with representatives from the local Tourism office giving us gift bags and the mayor is on hand to welcome us to Paintsville.   Everyone is kind of stunned to be receiving this type of welcome; after signing the guest book; receiving our gift bag and registering we head outside to unpack.  I was surprised to have the TV man stop me and ask for an interview for the local TV station.   It’s been a long day and we head for dinner at 5:45 and again get caught in a downpour and thunderstorm as we leave the restaurant.  

Heading Home

June 13, 2012

Day 12

Heading home today and should arrive by 3 or 4pm. Left Roanoke Rapids by way of route 58 and then 168 avoiding major highways as much as possible. We passed lumber mills and pulp mills with the smell of cut wood heavy in the air; I was surprised to see whole sections of woods cleared of every standing tree because pulp mills can use the little trees that are no good for making boards. We shared the small back road with log trucks carrying cut logs to these mills. Later we would pass new growth timber that will probably be ready to harvest in 20 years. We passed field after field of cotton and even a cotton gin in one of the small cross-roads of a town. The sun was bright and the air warm just perfect for riding. We finally reach route 64 and fight our way through the traffic to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and once we cross that body of water we know we are almost home. We traveled 295 miles today and 2320 miles total for this trip.

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.

June 11, 2012

Day 10

Still raining this morning but we pulled on the rain gear and headed out for the Blue Ridge Parkway. After 25 miles of traveling in rain from a light drizzle to heavy and fog so heavy at times you couldn’t see more than a few feet we decided this just wasn’t fun. The Blue Ridge Parkway is beautiful and fun to ride when it is clear but a real nightmare when the conditions are as they were today. A minor change in Gabby and we headed for Blowing Rock by way of the Great Smokey Mountain Expressway, route 40; other local roads and finally Blowing Rock Parkway arriving at the Azalea Garden by noon; only 155 miles today but that was enough in the rain. The motel is just as I remembered; lovely gardens, flowers everywhere, white wicker furniture on the front patio and under the gazebo. This time Bob has joined the motel staff; a bob-tail orange cat that at first wasn’t too interested in us but warmed up to us later in the afternoon and decided my lap looked pretty darn comfortable. Reminded me of holding Lucky; if I stopped rubbing his head Bob would reach out with his front paw and grab my hand and pull it to him. Don was sleeping or I would be hearing “Sheila, get that cat down you don’t know anything about him.” The rain stopped and we walked the half block to Knight’s Restaurant for a great lunch and then walked up or down town (not sure) and checked out the many small shops especially targeted to tourists but it is a very pretty town. If you want to really shop there is a mall just a few minutes outside of town. It’s about 4 pm now and there are about 10 cars in the parking lot but I’m afraid we frightened off at least 4 others. It amazes me to see people pull in and drive back to the end of parking lot where are bikes are and Bonnie and I are sitting outside; they stop and then slowly turn around point at the bikes and pull out of the parking lot and go to another motel. It really is sad that bikers have such a bad rap when 99% of us are decent people from all walks of life and professions. I have to laugh because we are riding a GoldWing touring bike; a GoldWing Trike and a Suzuki and not one of the 1%ers would be caught dead riding any of these bikes. But to anyone who doesn’t ride a bike I guess a bike is a bike. Well the rain has stopped and the sky is beginning to lighten. I hope tomorrow is clear but we probably won’t get on the Blue Ridge. Need to head for Emporia VA which is at least 235 miles; I would like to find route 58 and avoid the interstates if possible.

Welcoming patio with fresh coffee

Gazebo to relax

Private cabin for rent

Bob

A Day In Cherokee

June 10, 2012

Day 9

Woke to a light rain so the bikes stayed covered while we sat on the rockers on the front porch and watched some really nice antique cars pull in and out of the parking lot on their way to the lot designated for the car show. Later we walked the Shunooke Village looking through the shops and walking out with a bag or two and some really cool hand-made native jewelry. Just a nice relaxing day.

Cherokee Here We Come

June 9, 2012

Day 8

Left at 8 am under sunny skies and while the temp was cool the weatherman predicted hot with possible T-storms so we wanted to cross the Great Smokey Mountain State Park before the rain. Heading east on 40 for 169 miles was a pleasant ride and just 45 miles out of Nashville and the mountains were looming in front of me. We headed south on 66 towards Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and straight into TRAFFIC. I had thought about checking out a hotel for a possible UTR rally in Pigeon Forge but after riding an hour in the bumper to bumper traffic I changed Gabby to go directly to the hotel in Cherokee because there is no way we could enjoy spending a week in Pigeon Forge trying to get in and out of town for rides. But exit the towns and you are in heaven riding the Smokey Mountains for 30 miles but even that had a lot of people and hikers to watch out for. Miles traveled today about 247. We’ll spend tomorrow in Cherokee.

One Word - WOW

June 8, 2012

Day 7

Visited the Hermitage today and it was very interesting. When I tell Gabby shortest and no highways she takes me very seriously – took us right through a shopping center as a short cut. Oh well we needed to stop and get water – do think this thing is beginning to “think”? Planned to take the wagon tour of the plantation but they cancelled the wagon rides because there was so much activity on the grounds the horses were getting a bit hard to handle – good idea since I’m not fond of runaway horses. Grand Ole Opry tonight and one word sums it up WOW! Awesome artists most of them the older ones I remember and a great Blue Grass group. This is our 4th time at the Opry and every time is wonderful. After the flood in 2010 the Opry was filled with water up to 4 feet above the stage so everything had to be replaced and many times that changes the atmosphere of a place but not the Opry – oh no it is still country at its best. We have changed our plans and are heading to Cherokee tomorrow so we can spend one full day there before heading for the Blue Ridge Parkway.