malibu_dan
New member
Thanks ATX and 3 Wheel! Texas is in da' howse!
Charlotte is the perfect Spyder name, just sayin'.
Charlotte is the perfect Spyder name, just sayin'.
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Ride Report - Charlotte on Charlotte
- Thread starter malibu_dan
- Start date
malibu_dan
New member
So, it was hot. Baby-girl was an electrical engineer extraordinaire. She deserved a chilly prize, so frozen yogurt hunting we go!
She thought the googly-eyed frog was sublime. The yogurt was good as well, with fresh fruit for topping!
Truth was, we had some time to kill. In Charlotte. And all the police were back at the hotel. But... let's not get reckless, so we just hung out for a while until it was time to meet some friends for dinner. We visited some of the municipal parks, and found a beautiful one--but we only shot video there. Sorry. Trust me, it was beautiful, and we were funny (on video).
Thunderstorms threatened, so we retreated to the hotel, and had our friends pick us up there. Destination? Some Vietnamese restaurant... 200 yards from the hotel. Guess we're not going to see much of Charlotte.
Is that a giant communion wafer?
It's actually the rice paper you use to wrap a fresh spring roll.
You dip it in this skinny fish bowl with hot water in it. Then you fill it with the tofu, fresh veggies, and soy/peanut sauce. Wrap it up, and enjoy. It's actually much harder than it sounds. Paper is really sticky and uncooperative.
Ken is an old friend who goes back to the days in Memphis. His girlfriend wasn't feeling well, so we cut the evening short and decided we'd meet up for breakfast in the a.m. before Ellen and I headed out of town.
...to be continued...
She thought the googly-eyed frog was sublime. The yogurt was good as well, with fresh fruit for topping!
Truth was, we had some time to kill. In Charlotte. And all the police were back at the hotel. But... let's not get reckless, so we just hung out for a while until it was time to meet some friends for dinner. We visited some of the municipal parks, and found a beautiful one--but we only shot video there. Sorry. Trust me, it was beautiful, and we were funny (on video).
Thunderstorms threatened, so we retreated to the hotel, and had our friends pick us up there. Destination? Some Vietnamese restaurant... 200 yards from the hotel. Guess we're not going to see much of Charlotte.
Is that a giant communion wafer?
It's actually the rice paper you use to wrap a fresh spring roll.
You dip it in this skinny fish bowl with hot water in it. Then you fill it with the tofu, fresh veggies, and soy/peanut sauce. Wrap it up, and enjoy. It's actually much harder than it sounds. Paper is really sticky and uncooperative.
Ken is an old friend who goes back to the days in Memphis. His girlfriend wasn't feeling well, so we cut the evening short and decided we'd meet up for breakfast in the a.m. before Ellen and I headed out of town.
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
Start the day with a good breakfast and good conversation! I'm sure there's some Chinese proverb about that one.
Yes, my daughter is wearing her Sugar Tit Moonshine tshirt. :banghead: She got lots of attention from that. Lots of stolen cell phone pics, thinking her father won't notice.
My buddy Ken was making fun of the sheepskin seat covers.
Okay, let's hit the road! Miles and smyles to go! Next stop, a giant peach!
...to be continued...
Yes, my daughter is wearing her Sugar Tit Moonshine tshirt. :banghead: She got lots of attention from that. Lots of stolen cell phone pics, thinking her father won't notice.
My buddy Ken was making fun of the sheepskin seat covers.
Okay, let's hit the road! Miles and smyles to go! Next stop, a giant peach!
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
Someone told her about a giant peach, so off we go. At least it's in the general direction of the mountains...
What is that girl taking a picture of now?
Yup, it's a giant peach.
We were running back roads, but the Peachoid (or so it's labeled on Google), is by the interstate. We came up over the overpass and it looked like it was on the left side of the interstate. So, we turned around, found the service road, and tooled along to find the monstrosity. Nope, the interstate curves near Gaffney, SC, and it's actually on the north side of the interstate. Miles and miles of service road.
The plaque calls it Millwood Park, but I like Peachoid better!
Let's throw a little lens flare in for good measure.
In the background of the first pic you'll notice a building. It's a restaurant, called Fatz (no comments from the peanut gallery, @red bud), with some of the best chicken fingers ever. They call them Calabash chicken. Try 'em, you'll see.
No pictures of the chicken, it didn't last long enough. Here's some salad for ya' instead.
And a roll.
...to be continued...
What is that girl taking a picture of now?
Yup, it's a giant peach.
We were running back roads, but the Peachoid (or so it's labeled on Google), is by the interstate. We came up over the overpass and it looked like it was on the left side of the interstate. So, we turned around, found the service road, and tooled along to find the monstrosity. Nope, the interstate curves near Gaffney, SC, and it's actually on the north side of the interstate. Miles and miles of service road.
The plaque calls it Millwood Park, but I like Peachoid better!
Let's throw a little lens flare in for good measure.
In the background of the first pic you'll notice a building. It's a restaurant, called Fatz (no comments from the peanut gallery, @red bud), with some of the best chicken fingers ever. They call them Calabash chicken. Try 'em, you'll see.
No pictures of the chicken, it didn't last long enough. Here's some salad for ya' instead.
And a roll.
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
Our favorite leprechaun, @red bud, said to take Rte 11 back toward Gawja. He is many things, but I've never known him to be a fibber. Beautiful road. Not a ton of photos of the scenery, hopefully got some good video of the road. One interesting stop along the way was Strawberry Hill. A little crossroads with a strawberry farm on one side of the road, and an ice cream parlor on the other. Sounds like a marriage made in heaven, but we weren't really hungry yet. However there was a clutter of Spyders, we must investigate.
They must be chasing some brain freeze in here...
Oh, look! They came out to wave.
A few of them followed us for a while, until we made a questionable right turn on red. Miles and smyles!
By the time we got to our destination, Toccoa Falls, baby girl was exhausted. She crashed in the hotel room while I offloaded footage and snaps from the cameras. I let her sleep a while, but by the time she woke up hungry, the town had rolled up the sidewalks. When all else fails, there's a Taco Bell open somewhere.
The hotel had a semi-adopted stray tabby, so she had to bring back a dang chicken case-a-dill-ahhhh for the flea farm.
No, you can't bring it home in the trailer.
Best hotel in town. Mostly because the other one is torn apart for remodeling.
...to be continued...
They must be chasing some brain freeze in here...
Oh, look! They came out to wave.
A few of them followed us for a while, until we made a questionable right turn on red. Miles and smyles!
By the time we got to our destination, Toccoa Falls, baby girl was exhausted. She crashed in the hotel room while I offloaded footage and snaps from the cameras. I let her sleep a while, but by the time she woke up hungry, the town had rolled up the sidewalks. When all else fails, there's a Taco Bell open somewhere.
The hotel had a semi-adopted stray tabby, so she had to bring back a dang chicken case-a-dill-ahhhh for the flea farm.
No, you can't bring it home in the trailer.
Best hotel in town. Mostly because the other one is torn apart for remodeling.
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
I had pinged my buddy--yes I call @red bud a buddy. Sometimes I call him my favorite leprechaun, but I don't want to offend anyone's sensitivities; not worried about his, just the rest of y'alls. He said he was coming up to the area for a visitation, he had lost a riding friend when someone crossed the double yellow and hit him. I hate that kind of news, but was looking forward to seeing Mark for breakfast, even if it was not the best of circumstances.
This was the second recommendation in town for breakfast, the number one spot wasn't open on Sundays, so...
Ready to tackle a day in the mountains after a hearty breakfast!
...to be continued...
This was the second recommendation in town for breakfast, the number one spot wasn't open on Sundays, so...
Ready to tackle a day in the mountains after a hearty breakfast!
...to be continued...
Fjrwillie
Member
Great read so far and thanks for taking us along
Title says it
My Spyder's name is Charlotte. Yes, it's a literary reference--and a movie we all cried at (admit it, it will make you feel better to be honest). However, she can't read. So, she wanted to visit the town that's her namesake.
Okay, that's not true. The trip is to go pick up a new (to me) used trailer from a bloke named Jerry, yes over in Charlotte. It all kind of happened quickly, first a buddy asked if I wanted to go to a Rally in Maggie Valley. Room was already paid for, and his wife bailed on him (foreshadowing). Speaking of domestic disturbances, see below... more on that later.
But the tale really revolved around me finding a trailer to pull behind Charlotte used... in Charlotte. Seemed like fate. Rally in NC. Trailer in NC. Charlotte... you get the idea. Feels like kismet. So, let's tear the Spyder apart and rewire stuff, and I don't know. It just seems every time a trip is on the horizon, the bike has to look like this a few days ahead of time!
...to be continued...
Title says it
malibu_dan
New member
So, baby-girl wanted to stop...
At this antique mall place.
But apparently, no one buys antiques on a Sunday in the mountains.
Lots of historicalicular towns up here in dem hills.
Don't think this tractor would have fit in the trailer anyways...
Well, let's jump back on the scooter and check out the waterfalls--I bet they're open!
...to be continued...
At this antique mall place.
But apparently, no one buys antiques on a Sunday in the mountains.
Lots of historicalicular towns up here in dem hills.
Don't think this tractor would have fit in the trailer anyways...
Well, let's jump back on the scooter and check out the waterfalls--I bet they're open!
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
During the early morning hours of November 6, 1977, after five days of torrential rain, the dam that held back the waters of Kelly Barnes Lake broke, and 176 million gallons of water surged over the 186 foot falls, crashing through the Toccoa Falls College campus below in the space of a few minutes. Most of the college personnel who lived in the path of the flood were asleep at the time, and 39 of them were carried to their deaths in the raging waters of Toccoa Creek. The dam was not rebuilt. A quick check of the skies to make sure no rain...
This is one of the few buildings that survived the disaster of 1977.
I wonder if the trailer is buoyant enough to float the Spyder to safety...
Gate must be to keep out the skinny dippers at night.
I don't get it. Why is it called "thumb face"?
opcorn:
Our first glimpse!
Some folks claim that Toccoa Falls is the tallest free-falling waterfall in the Eastern United States, though at least four others are taller, including Crabtree Falls in Virginia which is a 1000 foot cascading falls, including one drop of almost 400 feet.
We almost had the place to ourselves...
not counting this guy.
But within moments that all would change.
Oh, no, here they come. "Look Earl, it's a waterful!"
Let's get out of here.
...to be continued...
This is one of the few buildings that survived the disaster of 1977.
I wonder if the trailer is buoyant enough to float the Spyder to safety...
Gate must be to keep out the skinny dippers at night.
I don't get it. Why is it called "thumb face"?
opcorn:
Our first glimpse!
Some folks claim that Toccoa Falls is the tallest free-falling waterfall in the Eastern United States, though at least four others are taller, including Crabtree Falls in Virginia which is a 1000 foot cascading falls, including one drop of almost 400 feet.
We almost had the place to ourselves...
not counting this guy.
But within moments that all would change.
Oh, no, here they come. "Look Earl, it's a waterful!"
Let's get out of here.
...to be continued...
malibu_dan
New member
Hmmm, engineer? Might work. She needs to make good money, as she gets her expensive tastes from me. Her mom (and her brother) are the frugal ones.
malibu_dan
New member
Time to bring it home! Thanks for following along with us.
"Okay, baby-girl, we can hit one more show-stopper on the way home. Do you want to go to Helen, GA and drink while watching drunk people tube by on the lazy river--or do you want to go where the real bikers go, and stop by Two Wheels of Suches, GA?"
Her choice...
I'll let the pictures speak.
"Yeah, so? I like fried pickles, and not those sliced ones. Wedges, baby!" (paraphrased)
Time to motor on. She said she was happy with her choice.
Okay, one last stop at an overlook. A spot shared by all those who love Aimee!
...that's all for now, until the next trip...
"Okay, baby-girl, we can hit one more show-stopper on the way home. Do you want to go to Helen, GA and drink while watching drunk people tube by on the lazy river--or do you want to go where the real bikers go, and stop by Two Wheels of Suches, GA?"
Her choice...
I'll let the pictures speak.
"Yeah, so? I like fried pickles, and not those sliced ones. Wedges, baby!" (paraphrased)
Time to motor on. She said she was happy with her choice.
Okay, one last stop at an overlook. A spot shared by all those who love Aimee!
...that's all for now, until the next trip...
Last edited:
Rattlebars
New member
Wonderful read. Thanks. From Youngstown Ohio to Greenville and back I rode and drove by Jimmy's peach many times both with the old skin and now the new on it. My grandaughter always said it looked like a butt crack with the old skin. The new skin with the leaf accents was needed to dispel that legend.
I do hate the 85 corridor between Charlotte and Greenville. Terrible road and not a place you want to be @ 4pm. My truck lost a fuel pump passing Gaffney. After a tow and the week long repair ($15000) and some crazy remarks about rust from the jobber who had never been above the Ohio river I got to drive that corridor 2 extra times. :sour: Now that I have my house in Taylors SC, I won't ever drive that road again. Instead I take 81 through Asheville.
Your daughter looks like a peach herself in the best sense of the word. Thanks for sharing.
I do hate the 85 corridor between Charlotte and Greenville. Terrible road and not a place you want to be @ 4pm. My truck lost a fuel pump passing Gaffney. After a tow and the week long repair ($15000) and some crazy remarks about rust from the jobber who had never been above the Ohio river I got to drive that corridor 2 extra times. :sour: Now that I have my house in Taylors SC, I won't ever drive that road again. Instead I take 81 through Asheville.
Your daughter looks like a peach herself in the best sense of the word. Thanks for sharing.
ARtraveler
R.I.P. Dwayne
Great report. :bowdown::bowdown:
easysuper
Active member
What a great story, thanks for sharing, our kids grow up so dang fast. My son is now 45 and it seems like yesterday he was 10. He got me back into riding after I had quit for a number of years. This Fathers Day He and my granddaughter went on a week long ride down the Oregon Coast and was a special treat for me.
