bushrat
New member
I was dreaming of ryding my Spyder all the way from Peterborough, ON, to Central FL, this year, but it just got too cold before I could set out on Mon., Oct. 29. It snowed on the Sat./Sun., so I wound up hauling by trailer again, with stops planned along the way to get in some hills, twisties and fall colors mid-way to the South. I have not been disappointed.
Had to juggle my schedule back and forth a few times to accommodate a personal 'meet-up' along the way in PA, and to try to take account of weather forecasts - rainy weather on/off all along my route. Also, some long hauls interspersed with unloading/loading repeats. About 14 hours driving on Monday got me and the RAM hauling the Spyder to Harrisonburg, VA; then 3 hours Tuesday morning over to Bastian, where I unloaded and the Spyder and I navigated the "Bastian Loop", including the "Back of the Dragon". WOW!!! That was pure fun. Last year, I spent a couple of days just west of Maggie Valley, NC, in the Smoky Mountains and doing "Tail of the Dragon". I wanted something similar this year, and I got it. For me, the Dragon's 'back' was every bit as good as its 'tail'; my sense while ryding was that the turns were tighter and the drops and inclines even steeper/sharper on the 'Back'.
The fall colors are strong right now, for anyone hoping to enjoy that part. I even diverted and took a couple of other short forays around the hills on some back roads. I really wanted to spend more time and do the "Marion Loop", but time was short, so I loaded and moved on a few hours to Glade Spring for the night.
Left on Wednesday morning and headed for "The Snake" - Hwy 421 in northern TN. Would love to have been ryding the Spyder, but lack of time meant that I'd have to do this bit on 4 wheels, scout it out for another, later day. Well, the "Snake" was a DOUBLE WOW. Talk about twisties ... I don't believe there's a stretch of clear, straight pavement longer than 150 feet between Holston Lake and Mountain City, except maybe in the flats of Shady Valley, half way along. That road, with two mountains, is mostly one continuous series of curves and some of the tightest, meanest switchbacks I've seen in a while - steep climbs, sharp drops. The pavement looks to be quite new-ish, very smooth surface with obvious road-widening still being done. Makes for a great ride. The scenery is fabulous; the drop-offs at road side are dramatic - few guard rails and a long way down if you miss. It was great fun in the truck; I'll be back someday soon to do it on the bike.
About 2-1/2 hours hauling got me over to Banner Elk, NC, where I checked in, unloaded and set off to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway from Linville down to Little Switzerland and back. Already having had two really fun rides in the mountains, little did I expect another marvelous third, and even a fourth and fifth. Fellow SL member 'blacklightning' had encouraged me to take in the "226A loop" at Little Switzerland. Gorgeous ryding!!! More tight twists, turns, sharp descents, steep climbs. My biggest regret is that my Cyclops video camera malfunctioned and I have no pics to show - only memories in my own head. Anyway, I was too damn busy concentrating on the non-stop curves/climbs/drops to do much photography, and too occupied moving from place to place in a short space of time to stop for pics.
Have to say, the Blue Ridge Parkway itself was a pretty spectacular and fun ride in this area so, that included, gave me four nice events. After I got back to Banner Elk, and was about to load up again, I got greedy; there was still a bit of daylight left, so I jumped back on the Spyder and did a nice little jaunt on 194 over to Valle Crucis and back - more twisties and climbs. Sort of like desert!!
In the morning I'm hauling again, so I'll see the road from behind the wheel of the RAM rather than in the saddle of the Spyder. On my way down into GA, but I'll be doing another chunk of the BRP, down past Asheville, Skinny Dip Falls, and through the hills along 28 into northern GA. Love this part of the country; great ryding, lovely fall colors. Just fun to be alive and taking in the scenery and the people. Y'all should try it sometime if you haven't been here; come back again, if you have. I may even get tempted to stop, unload, go Spydering for another couple of hours before I leave the hills entirely.
My special thanks to Keith and others who gave me such great advice on where to ryde. And thanks to the Highways departments and road crews in the mountain areas for making it all possible. Cheers all.
Had to juggle my schedule back and forth a few times to accommodate a personal 'meet-up' along the way in PA, and to try to take account of weather forecasts - rainy weather on/off all along my route. Also, some long hauls interspersed with unloading/loading repeats. About 14 hours driving on Monday got me and the RAM hauling the Spyder to Harrisonburg, VA; then 3 hours Tuesday morning over to Bastian, where I unloaded and the Spyder and I navigated the "Bastian Loop", including the "Back of the Dragon". WOW!!! That was pure fun. Last year, I spent a couple of days just west of Maggie Valley, NC, in the Smoky Mountains and doing "Tail of the Dragon". I wanted something similar this year, and I got it. For me, the Dragon's 'back' was every bit as good as its 'tail'; my sense while ryding was that the turns were tighter and the drops and inclines even steeper/sharper on the 'Back'.
The fall colors are strong right now, for anyone hoping to enjoy that part. I even diverted and took a couple of other short forays around the hills on some back roads. I really wanted to spend more time and do the "Marion Loop", but time was short, so I loaded and moved on a few hours to Glade Spring for the night.
Left on Wednesday morning and headed for "The Snake" - Hwy 421 in northern TN. Would love to have been ryding the Spyder, but lack of time meant that I'd have to do this bit on 4 wheels, scout it out for another, later day. Well, the "Snake" was a DOUBLE WOW. Talk about twisties ... I don't believe there's a stretch of clear, straight pavement longer than 150 feet between Holston Lake and Mountain City, except maybe in the flats of Shady Valley, half way along. That road, with two mountains, is mostly one continuous series of curves and some of the tightest, meanest switchbacks I've seen in a while - steep climbs, sharp drops. The pavement looks to be quite new-ish, very smooth surface with obvious road-widening still being done. Makes for a great ride. The scenery is fabulous; the drop-offs at road side are dramatic - few guard rails and a long way down if you miss. It was great fun in the truck; I'll be back someday soon to do it on the bike.
About 2-1/2 hours hauling got me over to Banner Elk, NC, where I checked in, unloaded and set off to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway from Linville down to Little Switzerland and back. Already having had two really fun rides in the mountains, little did I expect another marvelous third, and even a fourth and fifth. Fellow SL member 'blacklightning' had encouraged me to take in the "226A loop" at Little Switzerland. Gorgeous ryding!!! More tight twists, turns, sharp descents, steep climbs. My biggest regret is that my Cyclops video camera malfunctioned and I have no pics to show - only memories in my own head. Anyway, I was too damn busy concentrating on the non-stop curves/climbs/drops to do much photography, and too occupied moving from place to place in a short space of time to stop for pics.
Have to say, the Blue Ridge Parkway itself was a pretty spectacular and fun ride in this area so, that included, gave me four nice events. After I got back to Banner Elk, and was about to load up again, I got greedy; there was still a bit of daylight left, so I jumped back on the Spyder and did a nice little jaunt on 194 over to Valle Crucis and back - more twisties and climbs. Sort of like desert!!
In the morning I'm hauling again, so I'll see the road from behind the wheel of the RAM rather than in the saddle of the Spyder. On my way down into GA, but I'll be doing another chunk of the BRP, down past Asheville, Skinny Dip Falls, and through the hills along 28 into northern GA. Love this part of the country; great ryding, lovely fall colors. Just fun to be alive and taking in the scenery and the people. Y'all should try it sometime if you haven't been here; come back again, if you have. I may even get tempted to stop, unload, go Spydering for another couple of hours before I leave the hills entirely.
My special thanks to Keith and others who gave me such great advice on where to ryde. And thanks to the Highways departments and road crews in the mountain areas for making it all possible. Cheers all.
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