Wheaton weekend-Thanks to Big B and all who helped organize. I wish I had remembered my camera. I made a ride out of getting there on Thursday. Via points included Walhalla, Highlands, Dillard, Clayton, Lake Burton (where, if I'd brought the camera I would've taken pics of the tornado damage), Helen, Suches, Morganton and then to Murphy. Friday-Rode the Cherohala with El Toro Joe, Powerman and company until I got carried away and separated myself from the group ( the fjr that I chased, thinking he was leading our group, turned out to be unconnected with the Wheaton weekend group-talk about an awkward conversation). My sincere apologies for any trouble or lost time that I caused the group. I have always wanted to ride the Cades Cove loop through GSMNP. I figured now that I'm solo, and the weather was less than perfect, and it was a work day, and school day, I would be able to cruise right through. So I turned north on the Dragon.
Mooching photos from commercial vendors now:
If this truck had been driven like the flatbed wrecker hauling a suv that we followed up Hwy 68 was, the ride up 129 would have been good.
DRAGON TRAFFIC
Three Wheaton Weekenders in one pic if I'm not mistaken. I'd be buying this one if it was me and my son in the same pic.
MORE DRAGON TRAFFIC
I had the Foothills Parkway all to myself. Encouraging. I turned down 73 into the park WTF! How can this place be bumper to bumper traffic on a work and school day? It's 64 degrees and I've even run through a few sprinkles. And there are people swimming in the river. Man that's got to be cold. Wish I had remembered my camera. I bailed on the Cades Cove idea and tried to escape the park asap. 441 through Cherokee-Yippee.
Back at Crawford's it should've been dinner, socializing and another night sleeping by the babbling brook BUT I'm married…with children…and pets-big pets. So it's time to strike camp and haul ass back to the house.
Mrs. 1911 and the youngest daughter can handle going to the horse shows by themselves, but I'm still nervous about them riding all over in a 14 year old truck with someone else's horse.
Saturday morning- Big pet, not mine:
Youngest daughter is training and showing this fellow to make him more marketable for his owners. Nobody believes me when I say that a left side photo in a Craigslist add in the heart of NASCAR country will be the best marketing strategy.*
Memorial day-THANK YOU VETS!
The Empire Strikes -Balloons dropping in on Freedom Weekend Aloft
The sound of the burners coming through my wife's intercom mike makes it sound like Darth Vader is my pillion
Hwy 215 waterfall break
The livestock around here are shortlegged on one side
Yea, though I ride through the valley
Don't overshoot this turn
Sergeant York was all over the tv this weekend so I was hungry for a little slice of Tennessee. There were a lot of flags out this weekend, but the only one that I noticed at half mast was in front of a residence outside of Rocky Fork. Wish I had taken a pic.
Maybe if I give the camera to Mrs 1911 she can take pics while we're riding. It's easy hun, just point and push this button
Pensacola Valley-or whatever they call the valley that NC197 runs through
Hwy 197 running through somebody's yard
NC197, we were just down there? (pics from moving bike are better than no pics at all)
Up to Craggy Gardens
BRP
Chimney Rock-could easily been named something else
Lake Adger
Hey Hun, get me a pic of those girls in bikinis tubing down Green River…Yeh, right, here's your pic
Green River Valley
Hold the camera over my shoulder and video this ride up this twisty ass road
Clicking hear will make you appreciate all of those hard mounted camera, pro quality, soundtracked videos that others post
Visit with vet
THANKS AGAIN VETS
*Dale Earnhardt #3-Big #3 on side of horse
Edited by 1911, 05 June 2011 - 06:49 PM.
