Father & Son Trip

Thursday I packed the frau off to Germany and on Friday my youngest son, Niels, and I rode to the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground situated on the east fork of the Pigeon River in Cruso, NC for the Memorial Day weekend. After enjoying a rib eye steak dinner we joined the crowd around the campfire and Niels fit right in with his tales of international travel. On Saturday we rode Highway 215 to Brevard and had lunch at the Cardinal Drive In. I had always wanted to eat at this diner. It has the classic look of an old American Drive In diner. It also had classic American greasy food. We then returned to the campground via Highway 276 through the Pisgah National Forest. After a quick nap we had dinner at El Pobre Mexican Restaurant just up the road from the campground. We again spent the night at the campfire swapping tales of motorcyle bravado with our fellow adventurers. There were also some Harley riders there.

The campfire session was shorted by rain (of course). It rained most of the night. Sunday morning we were able to pack up and ride the short 30 miles home to Asheville. The Mt. Pisgah area of the Blue Ridge was foggy and damp as usual. It began to rain on us the closer we got to Asheville. Niels, being an extreme minimalist, had no boots or rain pants. He was soaked by the time we got home. This was the first time he and I had ridden and camped together. Time will tell if he enjoyed it enough to do it again. He is still young and most of the crowd at these things are older.

Next week the plan is to go to Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. Tune in later to see if it happens!

Eastern Rendevous 2009

It was another rainy event, but the Eastern Rendevous was great again this year! I arrived Friday after work. The location for the event this year was a horse ranch (resort) outside Parrotsville, TN. On the way to the Rendevous I looked at my GPS and there was just the triangle (representing me) and nothing else.


Saturday morning I awoke early and rode back to Asheville to watch my youngest son graduate from Warren Wilson College. Then...back to the party.
















There was a BBQ dinner and a blues band for Saturday entertainment. It began to rain Saturday evening and rained the entire night. It was still raining when I awoke Sunday morning for my ride back to Asheville. But I slept like a log in my dry tent.

The frau is heading off to Germany Thursday and I may get a couple of weekends in with my son at the local motorcyle campgrouds. Check back next week to see!

Georgia Mountain Rally

The first weekend in May is always reserved for the Georgia Mountain Rally. This year it was held at a new venue and we had plenty of room to spread out. The rally site was the grounds of the Georgia Mountain State Fair in Hiawassee, GA on the shores of Lake Chatuga. Of course, to many BMW riders this rally means one thing...RAIN!!!! This year was no different. Rain fell most of Saturday and most all of Saturday night. The venue was an improvement! The vendors had covered stalls from which to hawk their wares and there was a 2,400 seat auditorium Tom Crain and the Crosstown Allstars. Tom Crain played for the Charlie Daniels Band for decades. Skert was there to do her dropped bike demo. I think I have seen this about a hudred times now. There was plenty of time to socialize and meet with old and new friends. All in all it was a great rally and the rain has become a tradition!