Labor Day at Kickstand Lodge

This past Labor Day I spent at Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. Riding there on Friday afternoon I passed a motorcycle fatality. It seems a man and his wife were riding their Harley in the passing lane up Soco Mountain and crossed into the oncoming lane head on into a car. The HD rider was going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit of 50 MPH. He and his wife were killed. I saw their bodies under sheets as I passed by. Incidents like this remind you that we are all vulnerable out there on our chosen mode of transportation. Let's take it easy and enjoy the ride! There is no need for speed.

On Saturday I rode to the Hiwasee Dam in extreme western North Carolina. This was one of the original dams built as part of the TVA project. It is still in operation today.
My next planned event is the Old's Cool rally in Tellico Plains, TN September 25-27. Stay tuned!

Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting

I spent August 21-23 at the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's Meeting in Stecoah, NC. This was my third traveler's meeting and I always learn something new at each one. This year I met travelers from the USA, Belgium and Australia. Many interesting tales were heard each evening. Tips on "living life on the road" were shared and demonstrated. Tales of travel in South and Central America, Europe and the "Stans" filled the evenings. My bike had been giving me a pain in my right shoulder after riding only a short distance. Grant Johnson, the founder of Horizons Unlimited, checked my bike's ergonomics. He found my bars were too low and advised me to raise them. Since I did... no more pain!

Each year I attend this meeting (it is NOT a rally) I am inspired to ride even further. The school year has started and it is time for me to start planning next year's summer trip. Newfoundland & Labrador?

Mountains to the Sea (and Back)

On August 7 I left Asheville and rode to Cedar Point Campground in the Croatan National Forest near Jacksonville, NC.

On the eighth I rode back to Jacksonville to visit the Marine Corps Museum, but it is no longer there. They are building a new one near the Beirut Memorial. I visited the memorial and saw the new Viet Nam Memorial. It has all the names of those killed in Viet Nam etched in panes of glass. Very moving to an old soldier like me.

On the ninth I rode to the Cedar Point Ferry terminal and to the ferry to Ocracoke Island. I camped at the National Park Service campground and returned to Ocracoke village to have lunch at the Jolly Roger. That night at the campground I had a wonderful sea breeze and slept comfortably.

On Monday the, 10th, I rode to Wanchese via the the Ocracoke Hatteras ferry. I had lunch at the Fisherman's Wharf and rode back down Hatteras Island to the Frisco campground. That night for dinner I had tuna steak!!
On the 11th I rode to to Hatteras Village and visited the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. On display was an original Enigma Machine From the German U-85 submarine. I was extremely interested in that due to my military experience.

The next day I left Frisco and rode to Hanging Rock State Park in North Carolina. I had a little rain on the way, but nothing really worth mentioning

The next three days were spent at the Daniel Boone Rally in Boone, NC. This is a nice little rally put on by the Tarheel Travelers BMW club. Sunday morning I packed up and headed for home.
Next weekend is the Horizons Unlimited Traveler's meeting in Stecoah, NC.

Not Exactly as Planned

Well, my little tour did not go exactly as planned. I did make it to TWO in Suches, GA for a weekend and then on to the Riders of Knoxville Rally in Del Rio, TN. Both were very enjoyable. The Riders of Knoxville really go out of their way to make sure you have a good time at their rally! If you have never gone to one of their events, you should make plans to.



Then it was on to the BMWMOA National Rally in Johnson City, TN. When arrived I phoned home and my wife informed me that my father-in-law had passed away in Bergedorf, Germany. She said I should stay at the rally since we could not fly to Germany until Monday. The rally was great as you can see from the photos. I did cancel the rest of my trip (RA National Rally, OBX).

Still Here!

Well the "family" vacation is over and I must say that the frau and I had a good time visiting with the Texas side of the family in Niagara Falls, ON and our subsequent trip to upstate New York. One of the highlights for me on this part of the trip was seeing the sight of the "Miracle on Ice" in Lake Placid, NY.

Now on to the motorcycle part of the summer. My new tires arrived today and tomorrow I will be mounting them on my GS. I will leave Friday for the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Camp in Cruso, NC and then on to the Riders of Knoxville Rally in Del Rio, TN. On Wednesday of next week I will ride to the BMWMOA National in Gray, TN and from there to a state park in West Virginia to rest up and get ready for the BMWRA National. From there I will either head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina or possibly ride the Natchez Trace in Tennessee and Mississippi.

I will NOT be taking the laptop with me as I want to get away from email and most other electonic media on this trip. But, look for a full ride report once I get back. As you know, I like to name my trips (Long Way Round, Solo to the Circle, etc.). This trip will be called Expedition Southeast because I will be riding over much of the Southeastern US. Check back the first week in August!

Gone Up North

I will be in Canada and the Adirondacks for the next two weeks. I will be traveling with the frau in a car. There will be no posts until I return. I do have a couple of motorcycle trips planned soon upon my return. After mounting new tires on the GS I may go to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. That would be a week long trip. Shortly thereafter, the Rally Loop. The BMWMOA National Rally is in Johnson City, TN with the RoK Rally in Del Rio, TN the week before. From there I will ride to Caanan Valley, WV for the BMWRA National Rally. So, instead of reading this blog... get out and ride!!

See you in two weeks!!

A Weekend in Western North Carolina

The photo above was taken Sunday morning on my ride home. I shot it from the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live in this area and ride motorcycles. Some folks spend their whole vacations just getting here to ride. I spent the weekend at Kickstand Lodge in Stecoah, NC. There was good food and good friends, some old and some new. Below are two shots I took along Wayah Road. The first is the Nantahala River as it leaves the Nantahala Lake. The second is Wayah Road. This road was made for motorcycles!

This weekend I will be picking up the frau from the airport, so no riding this weekend. Soon I will be headed to Canada for a few weeks, but in a car. Keep checking back. This time of year you never know what will happen!!

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!