Spyder Adventures in Maggie Valley, NC

[BajaRon]

BajaRon: thanks for the info and updates as they occur. I'm scheduled for rear rotor replacement at your shop Tuesday PM and am hoping the roads will improve. My route will be thru Boone to 321 to Greenville where we plan on staying the night before heading on the Maggie. Will check in with you Monday.

My sister (lives in Wilkesboro) couldn't get past Boone. I would definitely check road closures before you leave. Check with us as well as we are in a bit of limbo right now.

What I'm thinking now is that if they still won't cancel the reservation by noon on Monday, I'll pack my stuff, and on Tuesday morning I will be headed to Maggie Valley in my AWD Honda Ridgeline, and the Spyder will stay at home in the garage.

I'm pretty sure I'll have to take a completely different route, as the most direct route, I-40, is closed.
The secondary route I found, I-40 from where I live to Kodak, TN and then South on 441 to Cherokee, and then 19 East to Maggie Valley won't work, as 441 is also now showing as closed.

Somewhere I found a reference online that suggested 411 as an alternate, but that just seems crazy, as it heads Southwest from Knoxville, TN, and Maggie Valley, is Southeast of Knoxville.
So I may be wandering the backroads of Tennessee on Tuesday.

Frankly, I"m not sure there is a way into Maggie Valley for non residents at this point. I would check with Value Accessories as they should be on site by now if getting there is possible.

 

[Woodaddict]

This afternoon I40 westbound at intersection of I77 Statesville has been closed, not letting people venture westbound to mountains. If your a resident of westbound area might be able to make it. But main routes and minor side roads are impassable. How long this closure will be maintained???

 

[Woodaddict]

This copied from F3 Facebook post. Maggie Valley and Waynesville forum page

Hopefully this goes though.

Folks, you need to to realize that Maggie Valley, Waynesville and Western NC in general have been devestated.

There are literally areas of these mountains that do not exist anymore. Flooding has caused significant damage, loss of homes, and crippled the infrastructure. I-40 into TN is closed.

Many don’t have power, nearly all cell service is gone, and land lines are down.

Roads have been closed and inaccessible since yesterday morning.

It is going to take some time for cell service, power, and roads to be restored.

For some perspective, even 911 is down.

I have tons of messages I can barely respond to. We have a 10x10 section in our home where we have marginal cell service. Many don’t have it at all.

Please be patient with us. This county is living through a deveststing nightmare. Some are stranded in their homes.

Information is scare, people are scared, and even food is hard to find.

Questions about your vacations and whether certain businesses are open or impacted frankly just aren’t a priority right now. We will not be approving them. Our focus is on making sure people are safe and being cared for.

Please understand that we are doing the best we can to keep this group moving to help everyone, but it’s hard.

Please be patient and understanding with us. Being safe and providing for our families and neighbors are our top priority.

I know many of you want to help and donate. We will get some information out about that as soon as we can, but the infrastructure issues are holding that up. We are hoping to provide a way to donate money so we can a get it to legitimate organizations. Understand that many are taking advantage of this form to steal and take. We need time to put the right process in place to make sure the money and assistance goes to people who need the help.

Again, please be patient, we are doing the very best we can, as is most everyone in this amazing community.

Thanks!

 

[djh3]

I dont see this being resolved any time soon folks. I'm thinking my B plan may be go over to Savannah for a few days. The wife's brother has a place over by Wilkes, and a condo for rental in Sugar. Both places are OK but man the reports of the surrounding areas is BAD. Boone and Blowing Rock are not accessible. The whole Waynesville/Maggie area is a huge sand mire.

 

[Valkrocket]

Before & after Rt #40 near Rt #74. Also, another section that has one direction impassable. This is going to take months to repair. Ashville is devastated. Prayers for all affected.

 

[troop]

So very sad

 

[racoon]

So I'm still going round-and-round with Choice Hotels about canceling my reservation, which they refuse to do until they talk to the hotel manager. The latest support person actually told me I may have to wait until the end of the week or next week to contact the hotel. They had no response when I reminded them the reservation started on Tuesday.

They also ignored my pointing out that the State of North Carolina is now saying:

All roads in Western N.C. are considered closed. Non-emergency travel is prohibited.

https://www.ncdot.gov/

I'll be visiting my bank on Monday morning to talk to them about the hotel charge.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

So I'm still going round-and-round with Choice Hotels about canceling my reservation, which they refuse to do until they talk to the hotel manager. The latest support person actually told me I may have to wait until the end of the week or next week to contact the hotel. They had no response when I reminded them the reservation started on Tuesday.

They also ignored my pointing out that the State of North Carolina is now saying:



https://www.ncdot.gov/

I'll be visiting my bank on Monday morning to talk to them about the hotel charge.

Did you ask them if the Motel is even open ?????? ....Mike :thumbup:

 

[racoon]

Did you ask them if the Motel is even open ?????? ....Mike :thumbup:

They tried multiple times to call the hotel manager, and were not able to get through. :|

 

[Mikey]

From what my friends and brother-in-law's telling me most of that area don't have power, phones, or supply's. Roads are gone, it's a $%#@ show!! So, you not getting to talk to the hotel don't surprise me a bit. I told my friends and brother in-law I was waiting till the county has straightened out before I was going down to visit!! Last thing they need is a bunch of tourists stumbling around.

 

[BajaRon]

I am sorry that there is so much confusion about this event. I think it should be quite clear by now that the handwriting is on the wall. Disasters (and unfortunately, this is the only way to describe the current situation) take precedence over a Spyder event. Most all of the roads are closed so there isn't going to be much opportunity to ride even if you are able to get there. Availability of fuel and basic necessities are questionable. It's going to be awhile before things get back to normal.

I hate to say it. But attempting to attend this event may simply add to their burden. Bridges are out, infrastructure is damaged. And we've had entire houses floating down rivers.

 

[ES44AC]

This should give you a good idea what's going on in WNC
https://youtu.be/BLKEerp75pE?si=eZGxfc6DurH5qXvW

 

[blacklightning]

I believe it is very relevant. They still think the rally should be on. Their reply is proof of that. And they have yet to announce a cancelation. NO ONE should travel to that area. That's my take! :thumbup: Tom :spyder:

I was hoping for more feedback from the event organizers myself, but that hasn't happened yet. Some people from my area are still planning on going, if they can get verification that the homes didn't get damaged. As for me, I will be going in 2 weeks if there is no damage to the resident. If we were in a hotel, I would give it a second thought, as I would not want to take shelter from the locals that might need the hotel space. But this is a private residence, and there is a no refund policy. If we go or not, no one would be staying there, and it would not help the locals. I messaged my pastor last night and we will be collecting items to take up with us to help where we can. We already know to take cash, and plan on not being able to get gas in the local area. The people from our group that are going this week are in the same situation. They have a home rented, so they will not be taking shelter from the locals. Just keep everyone in your prayers and help out however you can. As of now, we have plans (and room) to take about 4-6 large totes of supplies. Yes, we are going to do a mini vacation, but we are also going to help and give back to an area that we love so very much.

 

[JayBros]

The NC DOT is repeatedly putting out information that I-26 and I-40 are impassable in several spots and the following quote:

"We cannot say this enough:

DO NOT TRAVEL IN OR TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA."

My Bolding.

 

[Navydad]

Issued this morning here in Ohio.

Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1), one of 28 Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams within FEMA’s National US&R Response System, has been reassigned to North Carolina after completing critical missions in Pasco County, Florida, in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The team is expected to begin operations in North Carolina around noon on Monday.

North Carolina has been hit particularly hard by flooding from Hurricane Helene, with many small communities devastated by raging floodwaters. Some areas have been so severely impacted that entire towns have been “wiped off the map.” The true extent of the damage, along with the total loss of life, remains unclear as many rural communities in the southern part of the state are still inaccessible due to washed-out roads and collapsed bridges.

Seems pretty clear to me.
I sympathize with folks who have had vacation plans disrupted and those that have put out $$$ and are trying to recoup or even regroup, but compared to what is taking place in the area you really don't have a problem.

 

[CloverHillCrawler]

Did you ask them if the Motel is even open ?????? ....Mike :thumbup:

The question may be is the hotel even still there?

 

[racoon]

North Carolina Department of Transportation website has this:

Western N.C. All roads in Western N.C. are considered closed. Non-emergency travel is prohibited.

https://www.ncdot.gov/

 

[EdMat]

I'm sure many of you have stopped in Biltmore Village when passing thru. It's not the same any more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lruqWTU3Rqc

 

[Deanna777]

The crews from our region (Vermont) are hard at work lending a helping hand to the Southern States hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

The storm is now blamed for more than 100 deaths. Officials in the Carolina's describe the toll as Biblical, even apocalyptic! More than 2 million homes and businesses from Florida to Ohio are still without power. Our First Responders and Utility crews from here are either on their way or already on the ground there to help begin the road to recovery.

The Vermont Urban Search and Rescue Teams have been in Florida since Tuesday performing Swift Water rescues in the Pensacola, Orlando, and the Tampa Bay areas. Once they get done in those areas, they will head to North Carolina to continue the Search and Rescue work.

There are crews from New York who are headed South; the Govt from New York have sent 30 members of the New York Incident Management Team to assist with recovery efforts in Asheville, North Carolina. They have joined 17 National Guard members deployed there, and a team of 16 Swift Water Rescue Crews, along with 2 two dogs.

A Power Utility here in Vermont has sent 50 employees and line workers into West Virginia to help assist in the mutual aid to help restore power. The American Red Cross from our Region are also heading South to help with getting supplies to those in need. Government Officials and Aid Groups were working to deliver basic supplies by air, truck, and even by mule in attempts to reach the hard-hit tourism hub of Asheville and its surrounding mountain towns. Several main routes into Asheville were washed away or blocked by mudslides, including a 4-mile section of Route 40; and the city's water system was severely damaged, forcing residents to scoop water into buckets so they could flush toilets. FEMA officials said on Monday that hundreds of roads were closed across Western North Carolina that shelters were housing more than 1,000 people.

Officials implored travelers to refrain from coming into the region for the next several days, and to keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 Search and Rescue Teams have spread throughout the region to search for stranded people.

I have cousins who live in the Carolina's who say that the entire county is without power. Chimney Rock area is just GONE, and they have heard that Cedar Springs/Brevard is gone too. Also, they've said that many bridges have been affected. Some people are low on food, water, & gas.

Deanna

 

[Mikey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn_uo1_LVRE Why would you want to get into this????