It’s the first day of September and a long holiday weekend for us, so I was able to get a good 200 miler in today. Perfect early Fall-like weather running to a little cool in the higher elevations. First pics are an area called Shady Valley in Easern Tennesse. It’s a small community surrounded by three mountains you have to climb to get there. The main road is called the Snake, US highway 421. It climbs and descends twice with over 400 tight twisty curves within the local area. A haven for bikes and fast cars. The Shady Valley store is right at a crossroads dead in the middle of the valley.
Next stop was Roan Mountain State Park, an area of about 2000 acres of mature hardwood forest, rocky ridges, and the Doe River at its lowest point. Tons of outdoor activities like camping, hiking, mountain biking, and trout fishing. There’s a lot of history here too, as the mountain was the site of an iron ore mine and smelting area as far back as before the 1800s. The next pics are of Roan including a working mill waterwheel at the visitors center.
Nice photos! Thanks for sharing Nice to be reminded what a blue sky looks like... It feels like it's rained every day here since about May.....
Wow, OsteKuste! These photos are glorious! What a place. I've lived in the US my whole life but have never been to this area. I think I'll be adding it to my US rides bucket list. Absolutely beautiful! I'll have to pull out my United States maps and figure out just where you are here. Thanks for sharing!!
Your recent thread about your trip to Sturgis inspired me to share a little more detail about where I ride. Check out the eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina area. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a definite must do in the area. If you make it I’ll be here to meet up with you guys for a ride.
Well I am distinctly unimpressed. Northern Britain has been subject to a succession of Atlantic summer depressions that washed out summer. As far as I am concerned you people can keep your own weather and stop importing the Mexican stuff. It even looks like Dorian is going to boomerang over here. Your generosity knows no bounds...... That said, I hope Florida and the Carolinas ARE spared the worst.......
Hey OsteKuste, I was reading about Hurricane Dorian in our paper this morning. Hope you are doing ok and are not in the path of the storm.
Well, actually I was due to go on vacation to the North Carolina coast today. I was 3 hours from my destination when they started mandatory evacs. I feel they were a bit early doing so but we will see. I changed plans mid travel and am now in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwest Virginia. I’m looking at alternative plans right now, and thinking about driving (not on the bike) the complete Blue Ridge Parkway. If I do I will report.
Will definitely add this to my ride bucket list. I will add additional stars if the BBQ sauce is vinegar based. What time of the year do the trees start dropping leaves there? Wet dew soaked leaves don't like bikes. Autumn colors are great with 4 wheels on the pavement.
Hope your alternative plans pan out. I'm sorry to read about the mandatory evacuations. But one of my mottos is better safe than sorry. Would love to meet up someday and have you show us the best of your riding country! Stay safe and enjoy Plan B!!
You usually have your choice of bbq sauces around this area, they range from Memphis and Texas styles to the Carolina vinegars. As for the Fall riding it’s usually windy enough and dry so the roads are clear of leaves. It’s one of my favorite times to ride in the mountains.
Plan B is turning into a great trip! Even though I do not have the bike this round I will continue this thread as an end of the Summer tribute. I am scouting some gorgeous riding areas that I WILL return to with the bike! Stay tuned!
As promised here’s the first stop for what will now be known as Almost Gone, Plan B. We were headed to the North Carolina coast, which was expecting hurricane Dorian. Not good planning on our part. We got within three hours of the beach after driving five hours when we got the notice that mandatory evacs would be starting. In a mad rush we constructed Plan B. Go north and drive almost two hours to the Blue Ridge Mountains mentioned earlier in this thread. We arrived at a campground well after dark, not really knowing what we were getting into but we were near several possible places to spend some time.
The morning brought a wonderful surprise, we were only a short drive from Natural Bridge State Park in Southwest Virginia. It was originally surveyed in 1750 by George Washington, and later sold in 1774 to Thomas Jefferson by King George lll. It included 157 acres and cost him 20 shillings. No joke. It stayed in private hands until becoming a new state park in 2016. I am not really able to upload photos right now as I have a very weak signal, so I will update with more entertainment and photos as a can. Stay tuned!
Success! Here is the Natural Bridge, carved by Cedar Creek for the last 500 million years, give or take a few. From the bottom to the top it is taller than Niagra Falls, and is over 40 feet thick. Virginia state route 11, a two lane road runs across it with daily traffic including large trucks. You can’t even hear them from the ground.
The trail leading up to the bridge The Dino is China, he goes on trips with us and is on Instagram under #chinaa18. It is stamped on his underbelly so it must be his name, right?
This is a geodetic survey marker that was installed in 1984, marking the original survey point placed by George Washington in 1750. The road and river valley leading up to the state park. There is some wonderful riding to be done here. I will be back! We are hitting the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway tomorrow, hopefully I will update later in the evening! Thanks again to SandiT for her great write up of her Sturgis trip recently! If you are here and haven’t checked it out do so!
"Almost Gone, Plan B"--awesome, OsteKuste! Sounds like quite an adventure! And your ability to quickly change your plan is a great example of the psychological principle of Cognitive Flexibility. I suspect the prospect of facing a hurricane is also pretty motivating.