::: Viethorse visited GA and ride on Smoky Mountain

[Tourmeister]

I have some really special... and not so special... memories from the Cherohala Skyway. It is a superb road, best enjoyed during off times when it is not so crowded. Also, Hwy 68 running South from Tellico Plains on the Tennessee side is a fantastic ride!

Hate to see that your buddy scuffed up his VFR. The old white ones are really sweet. Looking at that photo though, he is lucky it dit not result in a high side and do a LOT more damage to him and the bike!

 

[Viethorse]

Looks wonderful. Great scenery this time of year.

Thank you. My friends told me that's best time in the year to ride there. Lucky me.

I have some really special... and not so special... memories from the Cherohala Skyway. It is a superb road, best enjoyed during off times when it is not so crowded. Also, Hwy 68 running South from Tellico Plains on the Tennessee side is a fantastic ride!

Hate to see that your buddy scuffed up his VFR. The old white ones are really sweet. Looking at that photo though, he is lucky it dit not result in a high side and do a LOT more damage to him and the bike!

Cherohala that time was very less traffic, weather was really good as well. I wish I can do it again next year.
As you said, my friend was luckly. More than that, he was at the edge of the abyss. If he or his bike slided a bit more, around 20inches, they may be down there for at least 150ft deep.

 

[Viethorse]

We stopped at the beginning point of the Cherohala Skyway. They have the information board which has very Asian look:

Kimball may say something which Kevin and Adam never know!!

This point is not too high:

I think Adam haven't got any photo since we met - he loves his new BMW1000RR so much:

Group photos for all the ppl riding that time:

We started moving:

And I continued with the photos:

Nice road, nice weather so there were a lot of bikers:

Adam told me that he loves Cherohala the most, nice scene with the long curve, he can lean his bike for much longer time than on the Dragon:

I love them all !!

Don't know why they have the white lines on the road:

(to be continued...)

 

[Viethorse]

Thanks for Dave who has been standing sacrifices behind me to make sure I don't have any more issue
Sometimes need him at the front for photos:

14hrs, we stopped for lunch:

It was my dish:

Kimball invited me to try the soup there, I don't remember the name but it was really nice.

Then we returned with the same route:

I was stopping there to wait for taking pix of ridding buddies:

I had been waiting for too long. I think they were waiting for Bill (with Multistrada).
Took the time for shooting around:

Really clear, deep sky:

Nice VFR, however the sun was going down:

Then the guys came in when I was about heading back to find them:

...

 

[Viethorse]

We all headed back to the Cabin. The road near the Bear Creek also very nice:

I stopped outside of the cabin to take some photos:

Reached the cabin:

BMW1000RR seemed so attractive:

For sure the VFRers did give lots of jokes to the Bimmer:

...

 

[Viethorse]

second night in Robbinsville. Sy and Ed were super good cooks.

They made awesome foods for us and ready as the time we comeback from Cherohala:

That night was really chilly outside, but I was so happy. It 's really kind of bikers spirit. We had Hot tub available there, but who cared? We have lots of things to talk with each others:
The dinner prolonged until Midnight. We moved outside as a big fire had been lit up:

Just sitting around, drink, chit chat...

The cabin was looking great at night:

I was also so brave and happy that Kevin (ST1300) brought the VFRD Flaf there for me to sign - that's awesome, a Vietnamese member been there and physically sign on the Flaf which only presented in US. I may be the furthest member on VFRD to sign on that.

Slept tight that night....

 

[Tourmeister]

I'm thinking I know Kevin...

Arkansas, Memorial Day Weekend 2004 - waiting for ferry at Bull Shoals Lake

Kevin and Doug

Kevin and another guy's wife...

Eating lunch at a 50's style cafe in Southern Missouri

I believe this is his VFR. We were letting some local kids sit on our bikes while waiting for the ferry to arrive.

And here we are loaded on the ferry - That is my new R1150GS next to his VFR

Here he is on AR 123, a fine road!

And here is his bike, attempting to shelter from a passing storm that dumped some serious hail on us!

That was a crazy weekend. We had some NASTY weather roll through with hail, torrential rains, insane lightning, and tornadoes. But it was a LOT of fun. That was over nine years ago and I've not seen or ridden with him since. When I had my VFR's I hung out on VFRD when they first started up, but I sold mine just before this trip to Arkansas. He knew me from the VFR mailing list and VFRD.

 

[Viethorse]

Hey Scott, it's him. So the world is too small, right?! It's so great to hook up with the guys like you and the VFRD people. Lucky me.

 

[Viethorse]

Day 3 with VFR - Sunday.

Good morning:

Morning, we divided into groups.

There were three of us (Ed, Sy and me) in the Cabin and ready for the ride to Blue Ridge Parkway:

Tracklog for the Sunday:

A bit chilly in the morning, but then it was sunny day around Robbinsville:

I don't remember exactly if we turned right for this exit?!

However, this was the exit we took:

Morning fuel:

He seemed still sleepy. LoL...

We headed to the Smoky Mountain, to the Blue Ridge Parkway:

Stopped at a small village (Cherokee, I think) for some photos:

Right, that was Cherokee. I was missing some chances to visit and take photos of the Cherokee/Indian museum, which is quite near to the street:

We were passing Cherookee:

...

 

[Viethorse]

I heard about Blue Ridge Parkway many times, all the nice words, except about the Po Po...

The road to BRP started to be wonderful. It was quite chilly and a bit wet.

I was thinking of taking lots of photos that day, as I went riding with Sy and Ed, who may not too aggressive with speed.
At an overlook:

Awesome fall color:

@4160ft high:
You will never see this signboard in real, as we already threw them away - or may be it has been rebuilt, I don't know:

We kept continue riding up the mountain. The roads seemed weter and weter as long as the higher elevation, it was more and more foggy as well. We could not go fast and have to be very careful with the wet road. We stopped at another overlook area:

We were discussing of wearing raincoat and also heading back with incompleted BRP:

Whatever it is, It was nice experience to me though:

(to be continued...)

 

[Tourmeister]

Even on a beautiful day, you can hit a low cloud on the BRP and go to white out conditions almost instantly. That can be a bit unnerving if you enter it right as you come around one of those tight corners and are getting back on the gas and you happen to be pushing the hard side of that ridiculous 45mph speed limit... Or so I have heard...

 

[cdc]

Seems the weather was just perfect. Nice pictures!

 

[Viethorse]

Thanks Brothers.
I did not dare to ride so aggressive on such wet road, Scott. Just slowly follow my buddies.

Left the Overlook area, we kept continue for some miles then come back. Too bad that the weather did not permit us to enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway on that day. We took exit to US19 (Soco Road) and back to Cherokee.

Some more nice view on the way back:

Arriving Cherokee:

Stopped for a rest at a gas station:

The big building at the background of the two above photos is a big Casino in Cherokee. People say that Gambling is kind of biggest income for this area.

I was hopping that we could see some sunlight from the sky. If so, we could come back to Blue Ridge Parkway and do the rest of exploration. Especially myself and Ed never been there. However, the cloudy and dark sky made us to come back Robbinsville.

Sy helped to save the riding day by making a round trip. We did other route back to the Cabin.

Another stop, beside the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

I don't really understand the first three lines on the board:

Is that the Export gate #3 of the Commercial Silvermine?

Cold water but it is more enjoyable than the mist on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was played canoeing for a while

:

(to be continued...)

 

[Viethorse]

Three of us back to the Cabin, that time was till quite early.

Some nice shots around the Cabin:

Then I myself headed to the Dragon. It was almost no traffic on the Dragon. This time, I done the Dragon for two times without any issue.
I put TWT and my team's logo (ACE MTSG) here:

And I even have time to stop at some places to take photos and chit chat with Killboy and US129photos cameramen.

Very few motorcycles at Deals gap:

This bike is really sweet, he passed me sometimes on the Dragon:

Back to the Cabin after two rounds of Dragon, I stopped at the bridge which lead to the Deals Gap resort:

Well, that's it for the Day 3 at the Smoky mountain:

(to be continued...)

 

[Tourmeister]

Please tell me you rode Hwy 28 down to Franklin at some point in this trip!

 

[Viethorse]

Please tell me you rode Hwy 28 down to Franklin at some point in this trip!

Hahah... You must have some great memories with the Hwy 28?!
Hmm... let's see if I have passed the US28 to Franklin.

------------------------

Most of the friends have left the Cabin that evening for their work on the next day (Monday).
It was two of us, Ed and me in the cabin that night. We did not cook, we went to Robbinsville to have dinner.
Chit chat entire evening while we all packing up for the day after.

Monday morning, after saying good bye, Ed headed back to Atlanta.

I had my plan for the Monday, 4th day with the VFR.

I would do a round loop, from Robbinsville thru the Dragon to Maryville (Tennessee), Townsend, then follow the Hwy71 crossing the Smoky Mountain down back to Cherokee, Glenville, Cashiers, Highlands, Franklin and back to the Cabin in Robbinsville.

Amazing fall color that morning:

VRF always amazing, too:

First riding day alone, I can stop anywhere to feel the air, see the things and take photos:

What could be more beautiful? I would never mind keep posting such kind of awesome look:

This hill is on the way to Dragon:

I don't know what kind of the houses, it looks more like a store:

A nice and clear lake:

What the color:

There were almost no traffic on the Dragon on Monday morning. I really enjoy slaying the Dragon for two times.

(to be continued....)

 

[Tourmeister]

Weekday mornings are definitely the best times to ride the Dragon!

Have you retouched the photos? The tree color is amazing! I am green with envy

 

[ekms377]

I was always fond of the 3rd gen white VFRs. That is until the rwb ones came out like yours. The anniversary edition. Very cool on Hondas part. Thx for sharing. Great pics and story.

 

[Viethorse]

Weekday mornings are definitely the best times to ride the Dragon!

Have you retouched the photos? The tree color is amazing! I am green with envy

You r right, Scott. Almost none was on the road. However, you have to make sure no mistake along the way, otherwise none can see and help you.
I have nothing to do with the color of the photos. Just resized and put the watermark (batch edit).

 

[Viethorse]

I was always fond of the 3rd gen white VFRs. That is until the rwb ones came out like yours. The anniversary edition. Very cool on Hondas part. Thx for sharing. Great pics and story.

Thank you. Here is my VFR in Vietnam, taken last weekend - my first ride here after coming back from US:

 

[achesley]

Have really enjoyed you photos and report on your trip though the US. Thanks for the work of sharing.

 

[Burg650]

+1 on enjoying your pics and write-ups. You have visited places that I have not been and I live in the good old USA. Looks like you had a great vacation.

 

[Viethorse]

Thank you guys. Let's move on....
--------------

First time passed the Tabcat bridge, heading to Tennessee. I saw this dam pretty close:

The cliff beside the dam was nice too:

Lonely road:

The roads from Dragon to Maryville was narrow, but clear, not so many twisties. I had to ride on the freeway for about 15 mins to reach Maryville:

I think I did quite zig-zag route within the Maryville as I wanted to see things around. However, that was not so easy for me to take fotos as there were lots of traffics on the roads.

Left Maryville, I rode on the 73 for around 10miles before getting into the Smoky Mountain area:

(to be continued...)

 

[Viethorse]

Continue with the trip. I think I was coming down South on 441:

Then saw this:

Well, save that BRP for the next day.:

Reach Cherokee:

I still feel regret that I did not take time to visit the Indian museum there.
And did not buy any shirt, even with good price:

A busy little town:

We don't have this in Vietnam:

But we have such kind of power lines:

 

[Tourmeister]

We don't have this in Vietnam:

Do you have public/government funded/run schools?