Tales of the Dragon

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TOD Continued:

A Strong Shot of Moonshine Before Another Attack on the Dragon

We loved our accommodations at Two Wheel Inn. The owners are originally from Florida and one particularly hot summer there about 15 years ago, they were invited by friends to visit the mountains of North Carolina to beat the heat. By that fall, they had bought an old tobacco farm and begin transforming it to a motorcycle hotel. The rooms are pretty simple, but they are clean, the shower was hot, and each room has its own bike garage! If you're in the area, really consider staying here.

The CTX got the garage (obviously) but the overhang provided shelter for the CB


A somewhat important note to some of you: Robbinsville is in a 'dry' county. If you want an adult beverage, you need to bring it in when you come or you can pick up some good local craft beer at the general store at The Nantahala Outdoor Center (US129 South then US74/19 north toward NC28). Since this was our route for the day anyway, it worked out perfectly.

Our goal was to do a "Bike and Hike" in the Nantahala National Forest and then take 28 back to Fontana Dam for lunch. The Tsali Recreation Area off 28 of was recommended by Linda, our host at Two Wheel Inn as a nice trail into the forest. We headed down 129 to check it out.

US129 from that point south to US74/US19 is nice enough but fairly mundane. Then we turned left onto74 and WOW! the river roars along most of the left side as you sweep through the woods. After a few miles, we came around a turn and this little "village" opens up to us. The Nantahala Outdoor Center is not, I don't think, an actual village, but there's a general store (with beer), a place to rent kayaks, canoes, and rafts, and a training area for whitewater kayaking. I think it is also where the Appalachian Trail crosses the river. Lots of hikers and kayakers hanging out. Everyone was very social. Very cool place.

My daughter called this our "prom picture". LOL


Next stop was the hiking part of our "Bike and Hike". The girls in our crew like the hiking part of the bike and hike experience. The guys simply tolerate it, although, truth be told, it is a great way to stretch the legs.





Moonshiner 28 is an amazing ride with several places to pull off to see scenic vistas, dams, or to take a hike. The road is not as twisty as 129, but it has has more than its fair share of thrills built in. We were still keeping ahead of the rain and Glen, today's leader, stopped because...well..if you saw this as you came around a turn, you'd stop, too.


Beauty was everywhere we turned




We continued up 28 and we were enjoying our ride when it started to rain a little and it was also lunch time. We stopped at a place called The Pit Stop. A gas station converted into a diner, gift shop, and well, a gas station. Very cool looking place. Don't bother stopping. It looks cool, but the food is average, the souvenirs were boring and the gas was way overpriced. However, we did meet a young man who was hiking the Appalachian Trail. He was trying to hitch a ride to Charlotte to visit his fiance who was in the hospital. Nice guy. On leave from the military. He's going to finish his hike once he checks on his fiance. We bought him lunch. He was able to get in touch with a friend who was going to drive down and pick him up.

The rain cleared out just as we finished our nachos, which were topped with chili squeezed out of a plastic bag. We decided to head up to Deal's Gap, shop for some more patches and the like (I needed my Moonshiner 28 Jug patch), and head back to Two Wheel Inn. Cheryl and I had thought about heading over to Cherohala, but the weather didn't seem right (good call since we found out later it was pouring up there). Instead, Glen suggested that I take a solo run up and back on The Dragon since everyone else enjoyed the less technical roads more and didn't want to get stuck up there if it started to pour. Off I want, dodging Minis (it was the beginning of the Minis in the Mountains rally), and trying to get the rhythm of the road. I'm no Dani Pedrosa, but think I held my own and the CB handled marvelously.





Yeah. I know. I should be pressing with my left...


I had two cars and one bike pull off to let me pass and I didn't have any one catch me from behind, so all in all, 3 pretty incredible stabs at slaying The Dragon.

We made it home before the rain. We hung out for awhile and then went to our dining spot, Lynn's Place. Two words--"fried cheesecake". That should be enough said, but the place has really good food and large quantities and fair prices. Great, and friendly, service. If you go, park your bikes on the other side of the courthouse; it's flatter and there's no gravel. Rode home in the dark and in the rain -- Not as much fun as our earlier rides. From Two Wheel Inn, Lynn's Place is "...down the road to the stop light. Turn left and go up the hill. You can't miss it". Linda was right--we didn't miss it, but we do miss the cheesecake... (To Be Continued...)