Category: My Travel’s

September 2018

Day one

At 9 o’clock on the morning of September 24, Bill and I were all packed and ready to roll. Question was; ‘where to?’ We both pulled out our phones and checked the weather networks. The local forecast showed several days of clouds and showers followed by a couple of days of downpour and then perhaps some more rain. Pretty depressing. We had decided last week that we both had the time to take a week and see if we could avoid this forecasted wet stuff. We  wanted to head south but Pennsylvania was no better and Virginia was in the middle of their 3^rd or 4^th major storm this summer. ‘Hey,its not raining in Michigan’. ‘OK, lets go’. And so it was decided.

I hopped on my 2014 Harley Ultra and Bill jumped onto his 2008 BMW 1200. Both bikes were packed, luggage strapped down and fuel tanks full. We waved a goodbye to our wives and off we went. Bill and I have traveled together a fair bit and we rarely plan where today will end or what road we will take to get there. I preferred getting ‘lost’ on the less traveled secondary roads and Bill was content to follow along, using his GPS just so he could tell everyone where he went today.

I decided that since we knew all the local back roads, that we would hit the hiway until we crossed the border at Sarnia. The 403, 401 and 402 are the most boring roads in Ontario, but they get you somewhere quickly. By 11:15am we were at the border, sitting in that dreaded long line-up on the Blue Water bridge. This bridge is the main route for transport trucks heading west. But the only alternative is the tunnel or bridge at Detroit, and we wanted to head northwest today.

Finally in Port Huron, we stopped at Tim Horton’s. Bill rarely eats breakfast until noon, and Tims serves breakfast late, and it was right there when we got off at the first Michigan exit. Neither of us had ever really explored Michigan and decided to just take route 25 up the coast of Lake Huron. Route 25 is a fairly commercial and busy road, not exactly what we were looking for, but not entirely a waste, there are some very nice views over the lake and several ‘cottagey’ little towns. We cut inland on hiway 142 just so we could go thru a town called ‘Bad Axe’. Then turned north and up to Port Austin and back onto hiway 25 making a stop at a combination laundromat and coffee shop in Caseville. Excellent free-trade coffee and home made butter tarts, while listening to the dryer and washing machines rumble in the next room, the proprietor told us that this was his last week before him and the packed up and headed to Florida for 4 months. Pretty eclectic place.

Back on the road and south toward Vassar and then west to  Frankenmuth. They are very proud of its large German population. The downtown is chock full of Bavarian architecture and is one of those places that sport the spirit of Christmas year round. Frankenmuth is also the birthplace of the new rock sensation ‘Greta Van Fleet’. The town centre was packed, the traffic inched along, there was no convenient place to park and it started to rain. Just a light drizzle, but it was the dreaded wet stuff we had been trying to avoid. It was only 4pm so lets just keep rolling.

We wandered around in a generally north and west direction avoiding major roads and the city of Saginaw. By 6:30 we had arrived at Mount Pleasant. Time to look for a hotel. Just after I pulled down the main street, I spotted a Comfort Inn with a restaurant attached. Perfect. We checked in, got a decent rate ($115usd) and were told that the manager was hosting a small reception in the breakfast area until 7pm, here are 2 tickets for wine or beer. Munchies are free as well. We tarped the bikes, threw the luggage in the room and went down to take advantage of the free goodies.

Then it was over to the in house restaurant. I let Bill lead the way. He made a wrong turn and ended up at the swimming pool; should have used that GPS.  I back tracked and found the hall leading to Bennigan’s Pub. The waitress greeted us like we were old friends and sat us in the corner so she could stand and talk to us away from the eyes of her manager. Very odd old bird, but friendly. Food was okay, I had a mediocre veggie burger; Bill seemed to enjoy his cheeseburger. After 2 beers each we were back at the room by 9pm. We flipped on the TV and sort of watched the Monday night football game, before agreeing to switch off the lights about 10:30. All in all a good start to this road trip. About 610kms.

Day two

At the free breakfast we checked out the weather networks and google maps. The sun was getting ready to peek out from behind the clouds and forecast was for 20c and sunny in north-central Michigan. It was still raining in Indiana and Virginia; so north it was. But not too far north, the forecast in Sault Ste Marie was only for a high of 14C.

We hit the road about 9am and headed north thru town. Mount Pleasant appeared to be a very pleasant little university city, but I never did see the ‘Mount’. At the downtown intersection I decided to head west on what turned out to be a real nice bendy back road. Route 20 wandered around a bit thru farms and small towns. I headed north on Rte 37 and then east on Hwy 10 to a pretentiously named Kings Hiway which meandered around and lead us back to Rte 37. We headed north and into Traverse City. Nice place.

Downtown Traverse City has a wonderful waterfront park where we stopped for a photo op. A couple of older gents in a beat up Ford pick up parked beside us and started to chat. The driver told us of his rickety old Road King sitting in his son’s garage for several years now. When they found out we were from Burlington they acted like we had ridden around the world to get here. Wow. When I told them we had no particular plans for today’s ride,‘just avoiding the rain’; they suggested hwy 22 up to Northport and down to Leland. Why not…..

Just up hwy 22 we passed thru the village of Sutton’s Bay. The main street is chock-a-block with eclectic touristy shops, galleries and cafes. I had to stop and take a few photos of a shop with about 1000 garden variety windmills out front. Totally awesome. Good thing we were on the bikes and not in the SUV, we would have purchased several.

Hwy 22 was a lovely little road that followed along the coast and up a peninsula, thru several small cottage towns and old fishing villages. Most of the villages had that ‘off-season’ feeling and were almost deserted. The cutest of which was Peshawbestown. Not much there, but it was pretty and the view over the lake was great. We did find a small mom and pop café. Nothing special but the coffee was hot.

We carried on up hwy 22 thru Northport and up hwy 201 to Lelanau State Park. We were disappointed to discover that access to the park was limited and required payment of a parking fee to get past the gate. We had hoped to at least see the point and lighthouse, but the trees along the roadblocked all views. The road dead-ended here and we had to trace our route back down to hwy 22. Oh well.

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The highlite of the day was the old fishing village of Leland. Leland is kept alive by the ferry terminal and the tourists stopping for lunch at one of the 3 cafes. The ferries run twice a day and service the 2 islands offshore in Lake Michigan. The ferry terminal is shiny and new with big beautiful public bathrooms. The old fishing village, called Fishtown,  has about a dozen old huts converted into touristy shops peddling beach wear, souvenirs of the fishing era, smoked fish,local beer and knic knacs. The huts are all perched along the Lelanau River which connects Lake Michigan to Lake Lelanau. There is a walking bridge leading over the river and the falls to the Falling Waters Inn. I had to check it out.The Inn looks to be about 100 years old and is perched along the river’s eastern bank. The rooms are small but all overlook the river and waterfall. The rates are rather steep in the summer, but reasonable in the fall and with the 3 local pubs, could be an interesting place to spend a day or two. But not this trip. We decided not to stop but did sit and eat the bananas we had taken from the free breakfast area at the Comfort Inn this morning. While we were sitting there a man came over to tell us about his Street Glide. His wife hated riding so he was in the car today. I did ask if he knew where the closest gas station was and he pointed us down hwy 22, turn right on E Duck Lake Road. Thanks.

After fueling up at the Duck Lake BP, we continued on down hwy 22. I pulled into a little plaza in Glen Arbour with a big sign promising local ice cream. It was closed. Very disappointed. A teenager walking past laughed and reminded us that it is September, off season. I told him that we were Canadians, ice cream is rarely ‘off season’. Oh well.

Just down the road I got tired of the same scenery and decided to take ‘Mountain Road’ running off to the left. It wound up the hill and around a golf course, past an aging resort and back down to the hwy. Oh well, a small scenic diversion at least. At Arcadia we pulled into the Dunes State Park. Again we were met by agate requiring us to pay for parking. I explained to the guard that we were not going to park, just wanted a picture of the dunes. OK, just stay in the first lot and exit that way. The ‘dunes’ are a natural phenomenon towering about 100 feet above Lake Michigan. Several people were climbing the dunes and sliding back down. Looked much like the Sand Hills near Port Rowan on Lake Erie.Obviously very popular in the summertime.

We carried on down hwy 22 til it ended at Hwy 31. We pulled off at the next road which only went about 5 miles before it dumped us back onto Hwy 31. We did this a few times before I decided that we might as well stay on the Hwy and head down to Muskegon for the night. We had discovered that most of the motels along the coastline were closed for the season; Muskegon was large enough to have a choice of hotels.

We got off Hwy 31 at the main Muskegon exit and followed it downtown past all the regular tacky shops and cafes. This is not a very prosperous looking place. We reached the downtown core without passing a single motel or hotel. Bill checked his GPS and found us a Holiday Inn. Quite pleasant with an in-house restaurant and bar. The bright sunshine of the lovely afternoon had given way to overcast skies and the threat of rain. So, Holiday Inn it is. The meal was mediocre, I don’t recall what it was, but it was not great. We had intended to check out a bar down the street but as we finished eating, it started raining. We settled on the Inn bar. It was cold and uninteresting. Back to the room by 9pm. Mr Trump had been up to his usual antics that day and it was quite interesting to watch CNN and Fox News to get the different takes on the adventure. Its amazing how a preordained view point can interpret one sentence in a tweet so differently. Quite amazing.

Day 3

The $125usd for the room did not include breakfast. We declined the $8.99 special at the restaurant and opted to find something down the road.I headed south on business 31, stopping at the Majeir Gas bar to fuel up. There was a McDonalds next door so I guess its time for breakfast. We carried on down Lake Harbour Hiway primarily to avoid Hwy 31 and the morning business traffic.I managed to keep us on the secondary roads until we reached Ferrysburg where we had to hop on to Hwy 31 to cross the Grand River.

I jumped back off the hwy as soon as we were over the bridge and entered the upscale tourist town of Grand Haven.  The main street lead down to the harbor and was lined with trendy shops and cafes. Nothing that interested us and we rode to the end stopping at the waterfront park. The wind had picked up substantially,the sky was partially overcast and the temperature hovered around 15C. We parked and walked along the boardwalk. Out in the surf along with the 3 foot waves, was a one windsurfer trying to get his board out past the breakwall. He was edging along the pier attempting to avoid the severity of the near gale force winds. He was determined, but eventually gave up about 100 feet out and laid down on his board and rode back to shore. Back on the bikes, I keep us on the Lakeshore Road most of the way down the coast of Lake Michigan until we were forced to jump back onto Hwy 31, then along hwy 43 and 40 thru PawPaw and eventually into Indiana.

Somehow we ended up on rte 13 and managed to avoid Fort Wayne. Then rte 9 to avoid Indianapolis. Rte 9 is flat, straight and boring;resembling a miniature prairie landscape. About 3:30pm we passed thru the small village of Fountaintown where we found a delightful little ice cream shop. I’m sure it must have been the centre of this village since the 50s. The bulletin board on the outside wall proudly proclaimed that the high school football team had beaten the neighbouring school last Friday. The schedule for the rest of the season was there for all to read. The weather was now bright and sunny,about 25c and several car loads of kids freshly out of the local school were being treated to a cone by their moms. We sat at a picnic table on the side of the road with about 6 kids enjoying this special treat. Two of the boys eyeballed the bikes and wanted to inspect more closely. ‘Don’t touch’instructed Mom. We just smiled and nodded.

We headed east along 52, 43 and then 27. By 6pm the skies had become overcast again and we started looking for a hotel. We crossed over into Ohio and found a Comfort Inn in Oxford. There was a gas station across the street, fuel and beer. OK. The hotel was adequate and was full of construction workers. All friendly especially ‘Ted’, who regaled us with his tale of riding his Kawasaki to New Orleans and back last year. When the girl at the front desk found out we were from Canada, she was amazed. She has never been outside Ohio and Indiana. We asked her where we should have dinner. Definitely don’t go to that Chinese restaurant next door. (it was actually a Japanese/Thai). She said there were several places downtown, but it was 3 blocks away and we might not want to walk that much. She obviously thought it was too far. It was starting to drizzle and we didn’t want to ride, so the Bob Evans a few doors down would have to do. What a mistake. The fish was overcooked and the fries were cold.The coleslaw was fine. Back to the room, a couple of beers and to bed by 10:30.

Another great 650km day.

Day 4

Up early, free breakfast and a quick walk downtown. Oxford is a very quaint little university town. The downtown is ideally suited for the 20-something crowd and old retired people. It was not that far to walk after-all; we should have ventured over last night. The local coffee shop was packed with old guys telling each other tall tales; the cobble stoned main street was just starting to congest with young adults rushing to class or office or shop.

The forecast for today is ominous. We don’t think there is anyway to avoid the rain. There is a huge cell coming in past Chicago with a swath that is roughly aligned in a narrow path from Milwaukee to Louisville,heading toward Washington. We think that if we head east for a few hours we can stay ahead of it til about noon. Then we will make a right turn and head south trying to traverse the storm at its narrow point. Right now it looks to be about 100 miles across, so about 2 hours of nasty wet. That’s our plan, and away we go.

We traveled east along rte 73 stopping at the McDonald’s in Middletown for coffee. The sky was starting to show increased cloud cover but we were enjoying the rolling countryside and bendy roads.  Rte 73 turned south and I stopped at a gas bar in Bacon Flats. The sky was looking more scary and I decided to put on the rain gear. Good timing, the drizzle started just as we pulled back on the road. By the time we got to Portsmouth it was a torrential downpour making it very difficult to see the road signs. I made an incorrect judgement turn and went south on hwy 8, which wound back around to hwy 10. I assumed that if I was going south on 8 and turned left onto hwy 10 that I was going east again.Wrong. It said west, so I turned left on hwy 7 to go south. Wrong. I ended back on hwy 23 at Portsmouth. An hour doing a circle in the pouring rain. Great. Perhaps a GPS would have helped today. But, hwy 23 is a major hwy heading south thru the Kentucky hills. It is a great ride in the sunshine, not so nice in the pouring rain. After another 3 hours of this steady downpour we still could not see any light at the end of the road. My rainsuit had started to leak at the seams and I was cold. The water was running down the road off the hillsides and pooling in huge puddles. At one point the cars in the far curb lane splashed us, 4 lanes away. 4pm. Time to find a hotel.

I saw a billboard for a Quality Inn, 11 miles ahead, with a BBQ bar. Perfect. About 20kms later I pulled off at Prestonburg, still no sign of the Quality Inn. Bill checked his GPS. It showed a Comfort Inn downtown, so off we went. We toured around the 3 blocks of the downtown area 3 times. No Comfort Inn. No inn of any kind. We did see a Super 8 at the hiway interchange.Oh well. The Super 8 was cheap, only $67, including breakfast. But it was dry and reasonably clean. There was a plaza next door with a WalMart and a Little Caesars take-out. I put on my dry little nylon shell jacket and pulled up the hood. Bill borrowed a small purple umbrella from the lady at the check in counter. Real cute Bill. We grabbed a large pizza and a 12 pack of YuengLing at the WalMart. OK, we were set for the night. Watched some dumb movie, ate the pizza, drank 3 beers each.

Only about 400kms today. And about half of them very wet.

Day 5

Breakfast was about what you might expect for a cheap inn. I had the sausage gravy and biscuits with my scrambled eggs. It was like eating salty Elmers Glue. Yummy. Bill even relented and had the scrambled eggs. They did not have any fruit for us to snag for our elevens’s.

Back onto Hwy 23. About 2 minutes down the road we passed the Quality Inn with Mosby’s Bar and Grill in the front. Oh well. I’m sure it would be more expensive.

As I said, Hwy 23 is a wonderful roadway thru the Appalacian Mountains. Just a few miles down the road from Prestonburg is Pikeville, home of the infamous Hatfields and McCoys. The weather was still unsettled and I was eager to get further south and into the promised sunshine. I made a mental note to schedule a road trip here in the near future.  I peeled off at Alt58 and made my way down to Abingdon, Va where we stopped for coffee at the McDonalds. The sun was shining.Time to take off the rain gear.

Sitting at the McDonalds, utilizing the free WiFi, we checked the weather. The next few days looked fabulous. I am very familiar with this region of Virginia and decided that we should stay in the area a couple of nights. I booked the Best Western at Wytheville. I have stayed there several times.

One of my favourite places in the area is Shady Valley. Rte421 thru Shady Valley is the heart of the great roadway known as the ‘Snake’.Bill had never been in the Tennessee mountains and I was thrilled to start him off on this great road. The Snake crosses a mountain on either side of Shady Valley. Make sure you stop at the General Store at the crossroads in the middle of the valley, pick up a patch, shirt or sticker. Both mountains have their fair share of switchbacks, vistas and tight turns. A good challenge for his BMW. In his youth Bill did some Moto Cross racing so I was sure he would enjoy the challenge. He was thrilled.

From there we headed along 421 to Big Laurel Road and onto Hwy 88. I don’t think there is a bad road in this whole region. Bendy Roads Rule.. It is a thrill to ride in the sunshine on these great mountain roads. WooHoo. Out thru Warrensville and onto Hwy 16 and then Hwy 58 to Independence.

One of the things I do when here is head over to Independence and grab a new set of gloves at Fox Creek Leather. I found these deer skin gloves several years ago and now won’t wear anything else on the bike. I particularly like the tan gauntlets with frills. I wear them all the time, they are cool in the summer heat and warm in the fall and spring. And the style suits me just fine. They have become my signature gloves.

The girl at the counter was amazed that we had ridden fromBurlington to buy these gloves. She checked the computer and found that this was my 3^rd visit to the store and that I had also ordered online twice. My gloves are $75us. She gave me a 15% discount. I bought my regular gauntlets as well as a pair of driving gloves for the car. Bill bought a pair of regular driving gloves and got the 15% discount as well.

It was only 3pm and we had already booked the room for tonight so I decided to take Bill to Mayberry. Well actually Mount Airy, NC,but made famous as the set for the Andy Griffith show in the 60s. I went down Hwy 21 to rte 18 and onto Hwy 89 into Mount Airy. I parked on a side street downtown just as a 1963 Ford police car passed. Bill grabbed his phone and chased the cruiser to the corner to get a photo. Apparently his first car was a 1963 Ford Fairlane.  We walked onto the main street and found 3 more old police cars. They were being used as tourist attractions and touring people around the sites, for a fee. Still cool.

We walked down the street checking out the overpriced Mayberry crap. I did buy a ‘Barney’ t-shirt from a street vendor for $10 and stopped at the Main Street café for an ice cream. On the way back to the parked bikes we ran into ‘Barney’; well actually a look alike dressed in the classic uniform. We noticed that all the tourists were our age. Makes you wonder what will happen to this town in 20 years when there won’t be anyone alive who ever watched the Andy Griffith show.

We headed north out of town intending to hit Hwy 52, but I missed the turn and stayed on N Main St. That turned into Wards Gap Road, real nice.  I figure any road that is a ‘Gap’must be good. Gap means it passes thru the gap in the mountains to get to the next valley. I then turned off Wards Gap onto Orchard Gap road. Good choice.Amazing little twisty with a couple of short switchbacks. That road ended at the Blue Ridge Parkway; cool. We turned on to the parkway and followed it over to Hwy 97 and then up to Galax. It was 6pm and I decided that we should get to the hotel and check in, so over to hwy 77 and up to Wytheville.

We checked into the Best Western, put the left over beer into the fridge and headed over to El Puerto Mexican restaurant. This is a great little Tex-Mex place. Wonderful ambiance, good food, inexpensive with excellent family service.  We each had a combo and a Dos Equus. Total bill was less than $30. Back to the BW by 9pm. One cold one each and into bed.

A great 650km day.

Day 6

Today was just for wandering around in the mountains. So out 61 and down thru Fort Chiswell, down 94 with a quick stop at the old hydro plant in Fries. Turned right on 221/58 and over to the Grayson Highlands State Park. Time for some exercise; we hit the hiking trail. About 5km up and down the mountain. Very scenic, very strenuous. Not bad for a couple of old guys. Rested in the parking lot for a drink of water and to eat the stolen bananas.  Back onto Hwy 58 and over to Damascus following a large group of bikes at a leisurely pace for the last 20 miles. At the gas station I noticed one of the guys on a new Harley examining his bike, the left side hwy peg was missing. I asked and he explained that a large cube van going the other way hit him on one of the corners. It contacted the end of the hiway peg and it snapped off. He was extremely lucky it broke instead of bouncing him sideways. His buddy who was riding behind him said that ‘Greg’ was over the centre line on the corner, it was not the trucks fault. Greg disagreed. We filled up with gas and decided to forgo the ice cream so we could get on the road in front of the group and keep a better pace.

I headed out 91 and onto 605 east. I wandered around, back and forth until I reached 601. Hwy 601 is a county road and one of several rte 601s in the state. It is one of those smaller back roads that meander around the mountains and you have to pay special attention at each intersection to make sure you follow the signs to stay on the route. It is well worth it.Wonderful scenery and twisties. Great stuff. I made my way out to Hwy 11, past Wytheville and went north on 77  to 52North and Bastian.  Then west on 614 and 61 to 623 and Burke’s Garden.

Burke’s Garden is a special little hidden valley with only one access road. Hwy 623 climbs steeply up the side of the mountain with several tight switchbacks and a few outstanding vistas. Then down a steep drop into the Valley. Burkes Garden was settled by Mr Burke in the 1700s. He discovered it on a hunting trip and returned later with his family. It is now a thriving Amish community. Unknown to us, today was a special day in the valley and a festival was underway. The circular road around the valley was packed as was the General Store parking lot. We did manage to find a parking spot in front of the Telephone office but we were too late for the festival, they were tearing down the vendor tents. We had to  suffer the slow ride back over the mountain with the other tourists.

Back on Hwy 61 I turned right and over to Tazewell. Tazewellmarks the top end of the roadway known as ‘The Back of the Dragon’. The Back runs down Highway 16 from Tazewell to Marion, over 3 mountains and thru scenic valleys. Just as we entered Thompson Valley 2 sport bikes raced past us; a fairly common site here. Thompson Mountain is the furthest north and is the tallest but each mountain has its own special features. The best view is from the pull off at the top of the middle mountain. Part of that section sweeps down a bendy road with green Kudzu vines encroaching on both sides then the road climbs from the valley with sharp rock cuts on one side and the valley below on the other.  Just as we were leaving the valley floor we saw one of the sport bikes parked in the Kudzu on the far side of the roadway. He waved that he was fine and we carried on. His pal had pulled over at the lookout spot half way up the hill. We pulled in beside him. A few minutes later the other bike pulled in. He claimed he simply pulled off the road to take pictures, he had never seen anything quite as amazing as this vast valley and had never ridden a road with the Kudzu encroaching like this. He was from Georgia where they have lots of this invasive vine but nothing like this.

At the top of the third mountain you enter the edge of Hungry Mother State Park. There is a pull over spot next to the sign and along a guardrail looking over the valley. A couple of other bikers were stopped here and we joined them. The view is spectacular. This is the one thing in which the Back of the Dragon excels over its more famous cousin, the ‘Tail of the Dragon’,the views. And this one is my favourite. The road down off this section of the mountain is full of switchbacks, sweeping curves and scenic views. At the bottom is the entrance to the camp grounds of Hungry Mother Park. Legend has it that the name comes from a time when a very young native boy was found alone wondering in the woods. The only words he could say were ‘Hungry’ and ‘Mother’. Hmmm. About 5kms past the park is the town of Marion. And just before you reach Hwy 11 there is an old Drive-In Theatre, arcade and Ice cream shop. Well, there used to be. The building is still there but it is closed. I was very disappointed, they had the best ice cream; Hersey’s dark chocolate raspberry truffle. Darn…

We turned right on hwy 11 and headed back toward Wytheville.The old downtown area of Wytheville is reminiscent of the typical 1920 architecture that many of the boom towns of that era enjoyed. It now shows signs of gentrification and renewal, but like all old towns has suffered. There is a museum here that displays the peak of the 1950s, before the super expressways, when hwy 21 was one of the main corridors for travelers from Cleveland/Detroit enroute to Florida. We stopped at Black Bear Harley just because and I purchased the mandatory long sleeve T-shirt. I don’t know why I bother, they are all overpriced and I have at least 20 in the closet. Were turned to the BW for a quick freshen up then decided to head back over to El Puerto for dinner. You just can’t beat good and inexpensive. Back to the room by 9pm, a quick beer and into bed. Tomorrow starts the long trek home.

Another great 620km day.

Day 7

Well, today we had to admit that the vacation is nearly over. Time to head back north. Heartbreaking, the weather is forecast to be nothing but sunshine and near 25C; and we are in one of the most amazing biking areas around. Oh well, as Bill said ‘it means we have to return next year’. Deal.

I decided we should treat ourselves to another ride up the Back of the Dragon. Like all great roadways, it presents itself quite differently going north than the trip you rode yesterday southbound. Today, its Bill’s turn to lead. I have been running the Harley pretty hard and am experiencing some slight noise from the front brakes when they get heated. So I will take it a little easier today just to make sure I make it home. Let Bill have some fun and ride at his own pace. So, over to Marion, past the closed ice cream shop and Hungry Mother Park. The Back did not disappoint. It was spectacular.

In Tazewell I took the front position again and lead us over to the official ‘Back of the Dragon’ store. Danny and his wife have purchased the rights to the name and over the past few years have been actively promoting the road and biking in the area. Plans are nearing the final stages for a café and inn in the vacant parking lot out front. Hopefully they will break ground in the spring of 2019. Danny is full of info and knows all the inns and cafe sin the area as well as all the repairs shops. If you need anything while in the area, just give him a call.

Hwy 16 is not just the Back, it stretches for several hundred miles from Ohio to North Carolina. Danny has promoted his section in Virginia,attracting biking enthusiasts from all over, but the hwy is just as spectacular for most of its length. So we decided to carry on and explore some of the northerly route. It is great. Hwy 16 continues up thru the mountains, down thru valleys, twisting and meandering along rivers, thru small towns. One of my favourite sections is the approach to the City of War, WV. The road is carved from the rock overlooking the river in the valley below. The best part is about 2 miles of sweeping twisties with that rock cut on one side and the guardrail over the river one the other. The view down the road is like a picture postcard demanding that you just let her loose and enjoy. The rolling twisties are gentle enough that you can see the whole 2 miles, so you know where each apex is and that no one will be in your way. I pushed the Harley hard. I am quite used to this type of riding and drag the floorboards on each side as I rock back and forth around the turns; but I surprised myself when I went past the floorboard on one turn, hit the mounting bracket and lifted the back tire.High-sided. Bill says I left a 2 foot gouge in the road surface. It was a bit of a shock but I gave the Harley a quick nudge and she responded with both tires on the blacktop without slowing down. WooHoo.

The City of War used to be the hub of the very prosperous coal mining industry in the 1920s. The old downtown core is pretty decrepit these days and because it is Sunday, nothing is open. I was hoping to stop by the War Café and chat with Obine again. Obine claims to have the best coffee in the area (not) and refuses to admit that she is a closet Democrat even though she has several pictures of John Kennedy on the walls. Oh well, next trip.

We stayed on Hwy 16 heading north, passing thru several small, old coal mining towns. Most were in a sad state. Many of the houses appeared to be abandoned, none of the shops were open. Extreme poverty has taken over most of the area since the coal mines ceased operations and most of the younger people have moved away to the cities. A few of the homes were obviously enjoyed by retired people with pensions; the well tended gardens stood out in sharp contrast to the crumbling structures next door. Sad.

We stopped in the village of Itmann, WV drawn by the massive old building on the side of the road. This huge structure was at least 25,000 sqft with a drive-in courtyard and arched-covered walkway. The sign posted at the foot of one of the two massive staircases proclaimed that it was built as a company store/offices by the Pocahontas Coal company in 1916. It was easy to imagine this impressive stone structure as being the centre of a thriving, booming industry. The doors were open and we took some time to stroll around, absorbing the atmosphere.

Back on the bikes and northward. At the first bump my phone flew from its ram mount and down the road. I guess I forgot to tighten it. I stopped and ran back picking up the pieces. The screen was scratched, the back panel bent, but when I put the battery back in, it seemed to work fine. But the back plate was bent too far to secure properly and the scratch was right across the face. Oh well, it was time for a new one anyway.

We carried on up Hwy 16, enjoying all the twisties and vistas. Well, until we got to Beckley and got stuck in the traffic. I veered off at hwy 19 and ran over to the New River Gorge bridge. It is spectacular and marvelous piece of engineering. The largest single span bridge in North America.Wow. On the tourist map in the parking lot Bill spotted a road leading down under the bridge and crossing the river in the valley. OK, but first a stop at the souvenir shop across the street for an ice cream.

The valley road was posted for travel in one direction,luckily we were headed the right way. It twisted as a single lane most of the way along the valley rock cuts, thru some maintained forests and under the massive steel structure. Very impressive view of the bridge from down there. At the bottom was a new looking Bailey type bridge spanning the river. We stopped and asked a young tourist to take our photo. Thanks Conchita from Cleveland.The road continued on the west side of the valley up thru the state park,exiting onto hwy 19. I turned right and then right again onto hwy 16 north again.

A few miles down the road I pulled into a parking lot crowded with other people enjoying a Sunday drive in this great fall weather,to view the Cathedral Falls. Truly stunning. Back onto hwy 16, then right at Gauley Bridge onto hwy 39 meandering our way back to hwy 19 at Summersville. It was after 5pm and I thought it best to run the highway for awhile; didn’t want to leave too many miles for the last leg home. North on 19 and east on 79 to Flatwoods. We decided to check into the Days Inn conference centre with its in-house bar and restaurant. Unfortunately this is Sunday, the restaurant is closed. There is a Mexican restaurant in the plaza across the street. Oh well,Tex-Mex and Dos Equus again. We can do that.

Day 8

The final leg….

At 7am the Flatwoods Valley was shrouded in fog, very pretty but not good for riding; so a relaxed free breakfast and on the road about 9am. For safety we agreed to stick to Hiway 79 until the fog lifted. About 10am the sun came out and I grabbed the next exit heading east. I thought perhaps Hwy 50 thru Grafton, then maybe onto hwy 219 and north.

Hwy 219 is a good reliable roadway with some nice riding and it goes directly North toward Buffalo. Just follow the road and we will be nearing home in a few hours. But I get bored easily and have been up that road many times. So, off onto Rte 72, then meandered and twisted north onto 26/982/286 stopping at a McDonalds in Indiana for lunch. Indiana is the hometown of Jimmy Stewart and the Indiana of Pennsylvania University. Instead of sticking to Hwy 119 I decided to ride the 954 north. A wonderful little track thru Pennsylvania Amish country, finally rejoining 119 just south of Punxsutawney. It was mid afternoon 26C and sunny. A quick check on the Weather network showed rain and cold at home. Damn. Oh well, north on 119 to Dubois and finally north on 219.  We stopped at the Sheetz in Rockway for fuel and a coffee break. And to put on a jacket. It was still sunny but was down to about 20C. We could see the cloud bank on the horizon.

At Ellicottville we had to pull over and don the rain gear and extra layer. It was just a light drizzle but the temperature was down to about 15C.  Onward up 219 and onto I-90 and I-190 to the border. There was very little traffic on the bridge and we sailed thru. The Canada Customs guard asked me ‘Purpose of trip, how long  were you away and where have you been?’ I smiled and recited ‘8 days, 4000kms thru Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York states. Just cause’. She smiled and handed me my passport.

We arrived home about 8pm. Today was about 700 kms, thru fog,sunshine and rain. But still a great ride.

8 days and about 4100kms. Good times.

Thanx Bill.

Avoid the rain tour 1, 2018

For weeks I had been pestering my son to talk his wife into letting him get away for a week and go for a big boys ride. Rob and I had done this a few times in the past, but he has had some employment issues and money can be a concern. So the boss at home has to keep him reigned in. Understood.

I had also asked my grandson if he would like to get away with us for a week of his summer vacation. Aric would be 16 at the end of August and loves to ride with me any chance he gets. His mother grudgingly approved and his dad, my youngest son Jeremy, was only too happy to get rid of him for a week so he would stop being a typical teenager to his two younger brothers.

My neighbor Bill had recently retired and was anxious to put a few kms on his BMW 1200. So, the only thing to decide was when. I am semi-retired, self-employed and working only about 80 hours a month, so its relatively easy for me to arrange time away. Finally, after much negotiating, phone calls, pleading and cajoling, it was agreed that everyone was available the second week in August. Perfect.

I was all set to head south. I wear these fancy deerskin gauntlets that I purchase from Fox Creek gloves in Independence, Va. I have worn nothing else for about 10 years and they have become part of my riding image. My current gloves have about 40,000kms on them and could last another season, but any excuse for a ride. Now, you can buy these things online, but I get 10% off if I purchase in person. The only problem, the weather was looking pretty gloomy to the south. Virginia has suffered some very severe weather this summer, and next week did not look hopeful. The plan was to ride in any direction where it was least likely to rain. So, after a quick look at the weather maps, I booked 2 rooms at the Otanabee Inn in Peterborough  for August 7. I love riding the Haliburton Highlands, so that’s where we would start. This would be the only preset destination.

Day 1

I had a few things to take care of in the morning so we didn’t get underway until almost on August 7. As usual, I lead the way with Aric on the back seat of my Ultra, Rob on his Kawasaki Nomad and Bill on the BMW following. The day was a pleasant 25C and mostly sunny. I was determined not to take any major hiways and lead the gang up past Georgetown, out along Mayfield Road and thru Bolton to King City then north to Hwy40. Then along 47 to Goodwood and 21 to Port Perry. I followed hwy 7A to Blackstock then up 57 and over toward Omemee.

Just before Omemee I turned down Ski Hill  Road (rte 38); I wanted to show the guys the giant Buddha statue. We pulled onto the gravel driveway and parked in front of the chain link gates. About 500 meters from the roadway a massive stone Buddha sits on the hillside surveying the driveway. I was telling the guys what I knew of the statue and the Buddhist temple being built in the valley beyond when a car pulled in and an Asian gentleman stepped out. He introduced himself as Michael, the gatekeeper. He had a very monk-like appearance even in t-shirt and blue jeans. He explained that the Buddha had been built in China from a single stone slab mined from a quarry owned by the Buddhists. It weighed over 75 tons and was shipped in 3 pieces to be reassembled on this hillside. The temple was being built in this valley chosen from several sites around the world for its beauty and serenity. The Buddhists hoped to make this a special, peace garden for all to enjoy. In fact, there will be a ceremony next Sunday to bless the placing of the final roof timber. Michael extended a personal invitation and told us to be here about 8:30 when he would open the gate. If we were here, he would personally escort us in. The ceremony was scheduled to start at 10am and would be attended by several thousand. Amazing.  We agreed to try to be there and left. I continued south down Rte 38 to Hwy 7a, onto hwy 115 and into Peterborough at the B-W about 7pm. A very pleasant afternoon’s ride.

The Otonabee Inn is at the east end of Peterborough on Hwy 7 and my wife and I have stayed there several times. It is situated on a branch of the Otonabee River within an easy walk to one of the famous Trent-Severn lift locks. I asked for 2 rooms on the river side. These rooms have a walk-out to little decks over-looking the river. It is very picturesque and sitting on the deck you can pretend you are at someone’s cottage in the Kawartha’s. I rode over to the beer store, about 5 minutes west on hwy 7, returned, popped the beer into the fridge and lead the gang over to Marty Moos for dinner. Marty Moos is a local landmark and is famous for its comfort food at family prices. We returned to the room about 9pm just as the rain started. And it didn’t just rain, it was a torrential downpour. We heard the next morning that a few funnel clouds were spotted in the area. But it was all pleasant on our little deck as we enjoyed a couple of cold ones. Life is good.👌

Day 2

Over the standard free breakfast the next morning we surveyed the weather and maps. Not very promising. The severe weather was south of us, but not far, so we decided to head east and north. There are plenty of interesting roads in the area, so not a concern about that. I kept an eye on the clouds and tried unsuccessfully to avoid the rain. It was just a drizzle, but unrelenting. We rode around in circles for an hour or so, stopping at the Tim Hortons in Lakefield for coffee. Hmm, what now? I was hoping to ride the highlands today, but this drizzle was not going away, so let’s  go further north.

It was Bill’s turn to lead, maybe his GPS would lead us away from the rain. He headed south then east before turning north on Buckhorn Road. He turned left on 22 to later realize that it dead-ended at the Curve Lake Reserve. So much for following his GPS. I turned us around and back out to 23, right at Buckhorn, over to Burleigh Falls and left at hwy28. Then north on hwy 62 stopping for lunch at the SunRun Café in Maymooth. The small, old cafe was jammed full of  campers trying to get dry. Even with the cold and clouds, everyone was still smiling while enjoying their bowls of steamy corn chowder. Yummy with homemade sour dough bread.

We headed up 62 to Barrys Bay and across 60 then 41 to Pembroke and onto hwy 17 north. I circled off the hwy at Petawawa so the boys could get a quick peek at the barracks, etc. Somehow the sight of multiple uniformed soldiers doesn’t seem out of place here. They look at home strolling down the street. Duh.. it is their home, Petawawa being one of the largest armed forces bases in the country.

By 4pm it was sunny and warm so we stopped at the Canadian Tire in Deep River for gas and to peel off the rain gear. There was a Marks Work Wearhouse  attached to the store and Rob decided to buy a new pair of boots. The old boots he was wearing were not waterproof, he left a puddle on the road with every step. Squish, squish…. While Rob was shopping Bill and I searched the maps, weather network and hotels. We decided to head to North Bay and I booked a couple of rooms at the Best Western. Hwy 17 from Deep River to North Bay is one of the more scenic ‘highways’ in the area. Most of the way you have the Ottawa River on the east and rocky crags of the Canadian Shield on the west side of the roadway.

The clerk at the B-W reception gave us the special Harley discount rate, thanx; and booked us into the ‘motorcycle’ rooms. We could park our bikes in the small courtyard right outside our window. And there was a bucket, tap and a few old towels handy in case we wanted to wipe the road dirt off the bikes. I guess they get a few riders thru here.

There is a very nice Italian restaurant in the hotel and it was discount Wednesday, so Italian food it is. We each had one of the specials, about $10 each; all were very good. Back to the rooms, a cold beer and bed. Another good day on the road.

Day 3

Bill and I were up early and took a stroll along the shore of Lake Nippissing before heading back to clean some of that grime from our bikes. We managed to embarrass Rob sufficiently enough to get him to make a feeble attempt at cleaning. We even took a photo to send his wife. There is no free breakfast at this BW and we declined the menu presented in the restaurant. We decided to head down the road, stopping at the Tims a few blocks away. Over breakfast we again checked the maps and weather. It was going to be mostly sunny and cool today just about everywhere. Well, none of us had ever been to Val D’Or, so that’s where we headed.

Hwy 63 leaves North Bay, crosses the Ottawa River and runs up to hwy 101. We stopped at Temiscaming for a photo op and to gaze on the massive paper mill. Bill got out his new toy, a camera on a mount with remote control and took a group photo. The old rail station here is now a tourist shop and small museum. Very north-quaint. We continued up hwy 101 stopping at a small pull off in the National Park to stretch our legs. Bill parked his bike under a sign warning that this was Black Bear country so we didn’t wander away and didn’t stay long. We turned onto hwy 382 at Ville Marie and over to Lorraineville where we stopped at a roadside take-out for lunch. We all ordered poutine, just because. It was OK, but not great. We turned onto 391 and headed up to Rouyn Noranda. The town of Rouyn Noranda is surprisingly successful looking for a northern city, very shiny and clean, with congested traffic everywhere. I stopped at the Cdn Tire to get some Lucas Oil; the Harley was starting to make some strange engine noises again, sometimes this helps to quiet it down. We then rode around the corner to the local Harley dealer so I could by a T-shirt to prove I actually came here. This dealership also sells Hondas and snowmobiles. I guess you do what you have to do in a small centre.

Back onto hwy 117 and east to Val d’Or. I can’t say that the landscape is exciting, in fact it is km after km of the same old thing, rocks, trees and water; not many hills, so not very many vistas. And one thing about riding north, there aren’t many options for roads to travel. Val d’Or was a typical small city built on the promise of mining wealth. The gold rush is over and the forest industry is not exactly booming or exciting. Not much here to amuse us so we followed Hwy 117 as it swung south.

At Louvicourt we stopped at the Loriee d’Bois café for a second lunch. The café is a combination store, post office and poutinerie. The waitress was talking to another patron as we entered and with a casual wave invited us to sit at the counter. The café was just one long Formica topped counter with about a dozen blue Naugahyde stools lining it. The menu was written on a large white board on the wall, all in French. Our 15 year old high school student became our translator although we all knew what ‘Poutine’ meant. The man of the house came over and asked, in French,  if we wanted coffee, ‘yes please’. He immediately apologized and switched to broken English. His wife laughed and came over to assist. Her English was heavily accented but quite good and clear. Yes, poutine was their specialty, fresh cut fries with homemade gravy and local curds. 4 orders please. When Bill asked if the fries were really fresh cut he was invited to the back of the café where there was a bag of potatoes, a bucket and a knife. ‘If you want them fresher, you can cut them yourself’. We all laughed. Now this was real poutine, the way I remember from my first visits to Quebec many years ago. And the servings were immense, 2 orders to share would have sufficed, but we managed to polish them off with the bottomless coffee flowing. Very nice, Merci Beaucoup.

Back onto hwy 117, thru the National Park and onto hwy 105 south. We managed to find a gas station before Rob ran out of gas and stopped to look for a hotel. Rob found a listing on Hotels.com for an inn in Maniwacki. The Centre Chateau Logue is a modernized addition to the old mansion and out buildings of a man who made a small fortune on timber in the area. It is now a bar, inn, library, museum and conference centre. This was off season so we got very special rates. There is a pub attached to the conference centre which was not only handy but quite nice. The kitchen was closed when we arrived at 8pm, but they had sandwiches, a pool table and a very large selection of craft beers; and a very sweet young lady who spoke English. The desk clerk, hotel manager and bartender only spoke French and Aric’s high school language class wasn’t quite up to the local patois. The pub was small with a large deck overlooking the Maniwacki River. Very scenic. We taught Aric how to play pool, imagine 15 years old and never held a pool cue; what is the youth of today coming to. I guess its up to Grandpa to educate the boy…..

Day 4

In the morning Bill and I decided to head out about 6:30am for a walk. These old bodies get a little stiff sitting on the bikes for 10 hours a day. There was a woodland pathway leading from the hotel, along the river, over a foot bridge and across the golf course to the town centre. We circled back up the roadway, thru a little quaint village area, an outdoor kids marine exhibit and back to the hotel. A very nice little town. We got Rob and Aric up and out. The hotel did not offer breakfast so it was over to the Tims for coffee.

A quick check of the maps suggested a south-westerly direction and off we went east on 107 and south on Chemin de Ste Therese du Gatineau.  Just before the bridge was this curious display of farm equipment. The little park was well manicured, the equipment well tended, but there was no sign to say, why. We passed thru Nigger Falls, onto 105 then west on hwy 301 stopping at Otter Lake for lunch. As we made the turn over the river on Hwy 105, we passed thru a small town.  The Resto Rumours is a very small, hole in the wall café snuggled into the side of a mostly abandoned old factory building. We were surprised that everyone in the café spoke English, no accent. Apparently this whole area is Anglais, who knew. Rob ordered something called a breakfast poutine. It was a mass of home fries covered in gravy and cheese, topped with a fried egg. Oh my. He said it was good, I just had coffee and toast. The service and atmosphere were wonderful. A very pleasant surprise indeed.

Then it was down the 301 to Portage du Fort and across the Ottawa River. We made a quick photo stop on the causeway to snap a picture of the hydro dam, then out onto hwy 653 into Ontario. We managed to wander our way over to Calabogie and stopped at the Redneck Bistro for a snack. As we headed south on the infamous rte 511 a black bear ran across the road about 100 yards in front of me. I turned around as quick as I could and stopped on the gravel shoulder to peer into the brush along the river’s edge. She was long gone. We continued down the ‘Calabogie’ into Perth and stopped at the Dairy Queen. It was about 25c and sunny, an ice cream was in order. Time to find lodging for the night. Nothing was available anywhere near here at a reasonable rate.

Rob managed to find a motel in Cloyne, about an hour away. No problem it was still only 4pm. So we decided to just wander around for a bit. The backroads of the Haliburton Highlands are amazing. We wandered down hwy 10 and up 36 thru Maberly and Snow Road Station. After we filled the tanks with gas I decided it was Rob’s turn to lead, he lead us down a sideroad that turned into dirt and ended at an RV park on a river where Rob narrowly missed a porcupine ambling across the road. Back onto hwy 506. The next road he ventured down was more successful, Myers Cave Road meandered thru the highlands and around several small lakes before emerging onto Wintergreen and over to Hwy 41. Imagine that,  The Mazinaw Residence Inn is on hwy 41 in Cloyne. Avoid it if you can. But there was no other accommodation available in the area, this is prime vacation season in one of the most popular vacation areas in Ontario. Oh well. There was a bar and a restaurant. The bar only served the standard commercial bottled beer, Bill and I ordered Corona’s and sat on the deck watching the holiday traffic. The restaurant served an offering of barely edible stuff. The whole place kinda reminded me of that old TV show ‘Faulty Towers’. The owner was the desk clerk, bar tender, cook and waiter. We ordered fish and chips. The fish tasted like Capt’n Highliner and the chips were obviously frozen and cooked in the oven next to the fish. However, there was a general store down the street about 100 yards that served real ice cream.

Day 5

The next morning we headed up 41. At Debigh Rob informed me that he was almost out of gas. There was a Shell station right across the road from the Mazinaw Inn, he forgot he needed gas when we were leaving. A quick check on the GPS showed that Bancroft was about 25kms away, he might make it. Luckily we found a noname gas bar about 10kms along hwy 28. Bill and I decided to wait til we got to Bancroft. In Bancroft, after filling the tanks, we found Dave’s Place, a spotless little café, for breakfast. Great food, good coffee and wonderful friendly service. We decided to just wander around the area for the rest of the day.

During our meandering we found ourselves on Hwy 60 and heading into Algonquin Park. The road was under construction and was probably the bumpiest 10kms I had ever ridden on a touring bike. We pulled into the Muskoka Grill for lunch and found about 50 motorcycles in the parking lot. A quick glance showed that many were wearing H-A patches. I took off my SCRC vest and we strolled in. The place was packed. It was obvious that we were not part of the party, we were not going to get served here. So we decided to head down hwy 31 and stopped in Dorset.

Dorset is one of those little villages that has become a very trendy tourist trap. There are a few restaurants, the old General store and of course the lift lock. We squeezed the bikes into the gravel parking lot and headed into the first café. They were closing the doors so they could clean up after the ATV crowd that was just leaving. The waitress was not pleased with all the mud tracked in. We walked out onto the street just as about 20 ATVs roared past. Across the bridge was another, larger bar with a guy playing guitar on the deck; but the lineup was out onto the street. Oh well, across the street to the bakery and a sandwich to go. We sat on a bench next to the river enjoying our lunch, the sunshine and the atmosphere.

I headed south on 35 and then east on 118 to sideroad 3. The stretch of #3 to Gooderham and then down 507 is one of my favourite rides in the Haliburtons. They curve and twist, up and down, roll and sweep over typical highland terrain for about 50kms. Very nice especially on a sunny day like this.

Aric is a budding rock n roll musician and wanted to visit the legendary ‘Hip’ locale, Bobcaygeon. No problem, a turn onto rte 36 and there we are. Bobcaygeon is one of those very picturesque little towns that has managed to survive long enough to become trendy. The 2 blocks of the main street are chock full of tourist shops and cafes. Bigley Shoes owns about half the stores downtown and sells everything from beach wear to ice cream. We parked, grabbed an ice cream and walked over to watch a few very expensive boats go thru the locks on the Trent Canal which bisects the town.

Mid afternoon; time to plan where to stay Its Saturday in tourist town and we wanted to be near Omemee so we could visit the Buddha in the morning. Rob found us a Knights Inn in Lindsay. Fine.

After settling into the rooms we headed downtown to find supper. We settled on the Olympia for Greek food. It was tasty and generous. The restaurant was crowded but the service was excellent and the craft beer was cold. Another great day with the boys.

Day 6

The following morning we headed out to find a quick bite before running over to the Buddha. The Harley barely turned over but did start. After coffee and a bagel at Tims I climbed on, hit the start button and got that dreaded click, click, click. Dead battery. Shit. Bill had his trusty little jumper cables; but we couldn’t get the Harley to bite. I called CAA and we waited for the truck. About 30 minutes later it arrived, he hooked up the cables and it started first try. By now it was too late to think about attending the temple ceremonies and I could not risk turning the Harley off. And its Sunday, so no where to stop to buy another battery. We’ll have to head home. Oh well.

I did manage to wander around the backroads and make a decent day of it on the way home. I’m sure the boys were disappointed about missing the special Buddha event, but they did not complain.

I parked the Harley in my driveway and called our neighbor Ben, a mechanic and avid bike rider. He is very proud of his 20 year old Yamaha Venture. I explained the issue and Ben hurried over with a battery tester as well as one of those mobile boosters similar to the ones used by CAA. ‘Yep, the battery is toast. This should get you going in the morning. Any problems, give me a shout’.

It started just fine in the morning and I took it into the dealer. Bill escorted me and gave me a ride home.

All in all, a very good trip with the boys; just over 3500 kms. Quite a nice little adventure and only one morning of rain. It was great to have Rob along for the ride again; Aric took about a thousand pictures and would have a few stories to tell his friends; Bill was hooked and looking forward to our next road trip. Yep, it’s a good life.

‘Hey Ralphy, wanna go see the total eclipse?’ it was buddy Ken on the phone. ‘It’s gonna cross the Smokie Mountains not far from Maggie Valley. We can check out that museum and ride some great roads. Watcha think?’

That’s all it took. My arm was twisted far enough; The Wheels thru Time museum, some wonderful branded roads and a natural spectacle all in one road trip. ‘When do we leave?’ Our good friend Katrina heard of the expedition and decided to tag along.

We researched the event using the Nasa site. Lots of info there, including towns in the area with special Eclipse events, best locations to view and weather forecasts, as well as a whole lot of scientific facts. The eclipse was on Monday, August 21 and would cross the Cherahola Skyway about 1pm. We scored two pair of special viewing glasses from my wife’s eye doctor, packed our luggage and headed out Friday the 18^th at 8am. Depending on our route it would be approximately 1600kms each way. But there was no way we were going to ride straight there and back. There were several outstanding roads to ride in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

We decided to ride hard and fast on day one so we could get to some bendy roads sooner. 11 hours and 900 kms later we arrived in Chapmanville, WV. It was a boring ride on 4 lane interstates but here we were in the mountains. Settling in to the Best Western, we spent a couple of hours with a six pack of Yingling,  realigning Ken’s GPS to make sure we stayed clear of as many 4 lanes as we could.

First destination, the Back of The Dragon. The ‘Back’ is on hwy 16 from Tazewell to Marion Va, but hwy 16 is just as fantastic further north, so we headed for Welch, WV on hwy 52 and turned south on 16. We immediately climbed a mountain, twisting and turning up and over. We pressed the Harleys hard, enjoying the thrill of riding as quick as we could with little or no traffic. After  the second mountain and valley we decided to stop in the town of War for a break. ‘The Coffee Shop’,  in the ancient downtown was the pride of Obri, a little old lady who regaled us with some of the history of this once booming coal town as she served her ‘famous’ coffee with sausgage gravy and biscuits. They may only be ‘famous’ as something to avoid; but the atmosphere and conversation was wonderful.

Then back out and onto Hwy 16, twisting and turning over another mountain and down into Tazewell. If you have never ridden the ‘Back’, make sure you add it to your next trip. Absolutely marvelous roadway, sweeping turns, tight twisties and fantastic vistas. so, after a quick stop at the official ‘Back of the Dragon’ store, a chat with Danny, we were off to renew our acquaintance with this marvelous stretch of back road. 3 mountains and 32 miles later we arrived at Marion and the best ice cream stop in the area at the Park Place Drive In. The absolute tastiest ice cream is dark chocolate raspberry truffle. Worth the trip to Marion.

Our planned stop for the night was in Newport, NC. On our way I wanted to stop at Fox Creek Leathers in Independence, Va. I needed another pair of their fabulous deerskin cavalry gauntlets. I always buy the ones with the fringes, just because I like to make a fashion statement. This is my 3^rd pair of these gloves. I get about 100,000 kms per set. They are cool enough to wear in summer and warm enough to wear well into late fall. The most comfortable gloves I have ever worn. I had ordered my previous pair online, but prefer to actually try them on first for that perfect fit.

Now off to Newport via the infamous ‘Snake’. Hwy 142 climbs steeply over a mountain, twists down the other side and across the Shady Valley. We made a quick stop at the General store for the mandatory patch, sticker and T-shirt then off over the next mountain. The Snake will remain as one of my favourite rides. It has plenty of challenge plus excellent scenery.

Next, out past Bristol then over to Hot Springs and down ‘Shiners Run’. After a quick stop at the Trust store for a cold drink and to buy a patch, we were off to finish the trail. The Shiners Run gets its name from the infamous moonshiners who used parts of this route to elude ‘revenuers’. It is another great ride and more than worth the trip. We arrived at the Best Western in Newport about 7pm having completed the first real day of back road riding, completing almost 600kms in 11 hours. 3 branded roads plus several other great rides. A very satisfying day.

The plan for Sunday would get us to Maggie and the museum. That would only be about 100kms if we went directly there, but that aint our style. So we headed out in the opposite direction, wound our way over to hwy 151 leading up to the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah Forest. This is one of those roads that you happen on once in a while just by chance. Ken and I had been riding the Blue Ridge in June this year and the traffic started to bog down, so Ken decided to get off the Parkway. It just happened to be onto hwy 151. What a wonderful, exhilarating set of switchbacks and elevation drops. So we just had to try the climb this trip. Just as much fun. A local told us that they call it the Devil’s Staircase if you are going up and the Devil’s Drop if you are going down. It is only about 10 miles long, but worth both names.

Next stop Maggie and the Wheels Thru Time museum. Ken and I had arrived here on our trip this past June on a Tuesday. They are closed Tuesday and Wednesday so we did not get to visit. This trip we made sure we got there on Sunday in plenty to time to leisurely explore the treasures within.  If you have never been, it is a must for all motorcycle enthusiasts. Dale has collected a vast assembly of bikes from the earliest Hendersons to the latest Harleys. Almost all of the bikes have been repaired and are in running order. Most displays have story boards depicting their history. We spent 3 hours and finally had to leave because our tiny brains were popping with new found amazement. We will be back.

The town of Maggie Valley is a hub for all motorcycling enthusiasts. It doesn’t matter which direction or what back road you head out on, they are all twisty and scenic. Part of the fun is the sheer excitement of discovery. And at each restaurant, each motel and each gas station you will find another enthusiast who will only be too happy to tell you of his latest find.

The next morning we headed out to find our special spot to watch the Eclipse. We headed west on hwy 19, thru Cherokee and Bryson City and onto hwy 28 (part of the Moonshiner) and across Sweetwater Road. We made a quick stop in Robbinsville to stock up with some lunch supplies and off along hwy 129 to the start of the Cherohala Skyway. It was a beautiful sunny and hot day. Clear skies and 28C. Then just as we started the climb up to the Skyway, the clouds rolled in. The traffic was thick and cars were parked all along the side of the roadway and even in the ditches. Hundreds of people with back packs and coolers were trudging up the shoulder heading to the top and that ‘perfect’ spot before anyone else could get there. The Nasa site had suggested that the best spot in the area was the Bald Hollow scenic pullover, the highest place you could drive at about 5400 feet. But the site did warn that several locals had been camping there for a couple of days to reserve the spots. It was so congested as we rode along the Skyway that we decided to settle for any spot we could squeeze the three bikes into. The first few pull-overs we tried were over packed and state troopers and park rangers were evicting cars that had wheels touching the pavement. Onward we went. Finally we found a spot on the lead-in to the driveway at a pull-over scenic area. The wheels were on the gravel shoulder, side cases were almost touching the guardrail and the kick stands were just touching the edge of the pavement, well inside the white marker line. Whew, we made it. And, when I walked up and looked up at the sign post, we were parked at the Bald Hollow scenic overlook. Perfect; except for the totally overcast sky. Oh well, lets make the best of it. It was almost 10am, three hours before the event was to start. Too late to search for another potential site with no guarantee to find sun or parking.

We spent the three hours walking up and down and talking to our new neighbours. The fellow next to us was an engineering professor with a Louisiana college, who just happen to be originally from Newfoundland. In the pull-off parking lot was a local family who had taken turns camping here for the past few days to reserve two parking spaces and a site for there portable gazebo and picnic tables. There was also a professional photographer with an amazing camera set up that was mounted on a huge tripod, a massive lense and a motorized assembly to track the sun. He also had three cameras on his little table and around his neck. Everyone was talkative and friendly. A real festive atmosphere.

         Tensions rose as the moment neared and the clouds still covered the sky. Someone yelled out ‘its started, I’m watching it online’. A collective moan echoed into the valley. Then, a small window appeared in the cloud cover, and grew and grew. The clouds parted around our mountain as if a biblical hand had parted the seas. The collective cheer was heard along the mountain roadway. We donned our special glasses and sat in awe as the moon slowly edged its way across the face of the sun. The big yellow PacMan appeared to be swallowing the smaller moon. Amazing. We sat with our backs against the guardrail like little kids watching a magic show.

Then came the big moment. The moon sat completely in front of the sun. An eerie calm came over the area; it was suddenly nighttime. The birds stopped singing, the friendly chatter stopped, traffic came to a halt, the temperature dropped; the earth stood still for several seconds. It was as if the sun had suddenly set, midnight was upon us; but dawn stretched all the way around, dawn on a 360 degrees horizon.

 Then someone whistled, loudly; spontaneously a cheer rose from the crowd, followed by laughter and applause. The magician had succeeded. Strangers hugged and congratulated each other as if they had somehow caused this to happen. Goosebumps ran up my arms, several times. The professor was on the roadway calling us over to look at something. ShadowSnakes. A phenomenon only seen during a total eclipse. It indeed looked like grey snakes were slinking up the roadway. He explained that because the sun radiates in an irregular pattern and the moon surface has many mountains and valleys, the effect is shadows that appear on light-coloured surfaces. And because both celestial bodies are moving, the shadows move. ShadowSnakes. Awesome.

We stood there in the middle of the road absorbing this awesome event. It felt much longer than the 2 minutes and 38 seconds and will leave an impression on our psyche for years. The three of us remarked on how this moment will be part of our collective memory for many years. A truly unforgettable moment shared with great friends.

It seemed almost like a let down as we decided to head off the Skyway and on to our next event; the Dragon’s Tail. Most would consider the Tail a hilite of any motorcycle trip, but to us it will always just be the thing we did after we watched the Total Eclipse of the Sun.

So, back along the Skyway toward Robbinsville and hwy 129 up to Deals Gap. We did the mandatory stop at the store, took photos, bought another patch and headed out to run the twistiest 11 miles most bikers will ever ride. Perhaps its because I have ridden the tail about 10 times already, or maybe it was just because it was following the Eclipse but most likely it was because I was following several cars who seemed to be having difficulty with the turns; but it was not an exciting ride.

At the north end of the Tail we turned onto the Foothills Parkway. The Foothills is one of the best scenic rides in the area with multiple pull off areas to allow you to take some pretty amazing photos. There are a few spots where you can see several states down along the valleys and mountain ridges. Beautiful.

We finished our evening at the Best Western in that hectic tourist town of Pigeon Forge, birthplace of Dolly Parton and home to DollyWorld. I grabbed a sixpack and we lounged at poolside before heading next door to the Texas Roadhouse for a lovely rib dinner. Quite the day. It will be hard to beat this one.

During breakfast we decided that the objective today was to see how far we could ride without hitting any major roads on our way north. Like I said, there are so many nice scenic, riding roads in the area, its hard to be disappointed. I don’t think any of us remember exactly which roads we took, Ken and I took turns leading, just trying to stay in a generally north and east direction. We stopped for gas just past Bristol and decided that the Back of the Dragon deserved one more ride, and an ice cream would not be turned down. So over to Marion, lunch at the Hardee’s burger joint and a stop at Park Place for ice cream. It was closed. So disappointed. Oh well, the Back was here to enjoy, so it was definitely not a waste of kms.

We topped the first mountain and were twisting our way into the valley when Ken pulled his Street Glide off in a parking area. The look on his face told me he was not happy. Apparently he had lost his front brakes coming down the mountain. We did a quick inspection but could not see anything obvious. We decided to take Danny up on his previous offer of any assistance when in the area. We rode to the Back of the Dragon store and luckily he was in the office. He called his friend at HawgPit cycles and off we went. HawgPit Cycles is primarily a custom shop and the showroom had several of their creations on display. Trevor took about half an hour to put new pads on Kens bike. The pads were worn but mostly just overheated. Now they were good as new and off we went, back over to hwy 16 and up to Welch. This is a great ride. If you are ever in the area you must ride from Welch to Marion, and back again. Marvelous views, mountains and valleys, more than enough tight twisties and plenty of sweeping curves. Love it.

 

We arrived in Beckley about 7pm just as it started to rain. Got rooms at the Marriott and headed to the OutBack for steak dinner. Tomorrow would be a long stretch of 4 lanes all the way home.

 

Now  that’s a marvelous 6 day adventure. Thanx Ken and Katrina. Biking buddies for life.