Featured Summer Almost Gone

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.

 

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.

 

You could always build a wall

 

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.

 

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!