Ride across the USA

[Houtman_imp]

Django arrived safely at our home at 6 pm Sunday evening , will post tomorrow.

[Inhouse Bob]

Y'all have fun!

[Inhouse Bob]

Looks like Django is at the top of Mt. Mitchell this morning. I hope the weather is clear so he can see the awesome view.
Django, do you know yet whether you will be near the DC area and when? I will be headed to Asheville tomorrow and returning Sunday night so we will cross paths at some point. But I'd feel terrible if I missed the opportunity to see you/ride with you/put you up for the night if you like.
Meanwhile, have a great adventure!

[dbarkdoll_imp]

Scolding myself for getting so far behind on all of this, especially since you came right through my own backyard, but I was knee deep in trip prep/planning of my own. I'm really glad to see that all is going well and I'm all caught up now, ride the hell out of those Appalachians while you're there! Such a beautiful part of this country.

[The A-man]

OK guys, here's a brief ride report form today, call it a "micro rally on the Blue Ridge Parkway". I met up with Houtman and Django just before 10:00 am this morning at the Folk Art Center on the BRP in Asheville. We headed north to visit mount Mitchell, the tallest peak in the Eastern US. (Apologies, as most of the pics are on Django's camera). Stopped at a few overlooks, including this one.

[url=https://imgur.com/z8cS0Ro]

Beautiful day, with great visibility, and low humidity. We visited the summit of Mt. Mitchell, then headed north, with a plan to have lunch in Little Switzerland. Here's a pic I took of where I live (see the blobs of water in the center of the pic, about 30-35 miles away).

[url=https://imgur.com/k8YkgHe]


We decided to take the "long way" to lunch, and headed down the mountains on HWY 80, then over to Rte 221, then up the mountains on 226A ("The Diamondback) to the Switzerland Inn in Little Switzerland. After a nice lunch on the outdoor patio overlooking the valley below, we said our goodbyes, though we headed off together.

[url=https://imgur.com/HYfeCnw]
[url=https://imgur.com/HYfeCnw]

My plan was to break off at HWY 80 again to go back down the mountain and back home while Houtman and Django continued on South to Asheville. That all went well until I got about halfway down the mountain, and I found the only rain squall in all of Western NC. It literally rained on me for 15-20 miles while the sun was shining most of the time. Good news: the jacket I bought from Ferret at last year's rally is really water resistant (thanks Mickey!). Bad news: my jeans, socks, leather boots, underwear, etc are not water resistant!


Anyway, great day of riding, great to meet Django, and it was really fun to share a little bit of our world with him, and to hear about his adventures on this cross USA journey! Safe riding on the rest of your trip my new friend!


Hopefully, Django will post some of the better pics we took using his camera.

[dbarkdoll_imp]

Awesome pictures. Having just been there I know that they do no justice, but they look great nonetheless.

[Django]

Sunday morning when I started my ride from Two Wheels of Suches to Houtman, I met those beauties and had to stop for a picture.



Then again had a gorgeous ride thru the hills and valleys of the south Appalachians.



Finally reached the Blue Ridge Parkway.



After passing the highest point of the Blue Ridge Parkway, I exited and started to surf down and up the sideways which was really fun. This is a waterfall at highway 275.



At Houtman we changed oil and got new tires. Thanks a lot to Houtman for the great hospitality! I'm really overwhelmed!



Monday was a day without riding. We visited Biltmore Estate, very impressive!







Today we met A-man at the Blue Ridge Parkway to ride to Mount Mitchel. Here 2 Bikes are waiting for the third, but just a few minutes.



We stopped at some outlooks



and made it to the highest point east of Mississippi.





Good idea of A-man, to surf the Diamond Back. That was fun. Then we had lunch at Little Switzerland, enjoying the view.



At the way home a black bear crossed the road in front of us. A small one, probably not a year old. Remarkable as I've never seen a bear in the wild before.

Houtmans wife cooked us a very good dinner and now I'm planning for tomorrow, to go West to the Smoky Mountains.

For details of the route of the last days see my track so far:
[url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1yUVNuRsgkiYc58a5-RcWWJSI6WQmmJqU&ll=39.57337354220577%2C-81.24732203718838&z=6]https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1...718838&z=6
@Inhouse Bob: I head west tomorrow to visit the Smoky Mountains the next 2 days. Guess I will camp at Iron Horse for 2 nights. I will not be in the Washington DC area before weekend. I have to be in Elisabeth near New York City in the morning of July 15 to ship my bike.

@Cormanus: The tire made it for 7,384 km. It was not as dead as the last one, still street legal, but worn out enough to change. At Houtman was the perfect place to do so.

[Django]

After packing my things and having a breakfast coffee at Houtman I headed west on the BRP.
It was so nice at Houtman, that I considered for a short time, to stay here the rest of my time and head directly to NYC.
But then, have to see the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway...

Enjoying the view at BRP.



On the main roads there was quite a traffic today. But then on the back country roads was no traffic at all.



I enjoyed a lot the ride along the Wayah road from Franklin west to highway 129. Finally I arrived at Deals Gap and did the Dragon down and back. Not bad!





From there I followed 28 to the Iron Horse. The route put me along a nice lake.



Enough space at the campground Iron Horse. Most here are Harley riders and stay in the lodge. I liked Two wheels of Suches a little more. There was more contact to other riders.





However, the camping lot is $ 20 and very good hot showers and facilities. Had a dinner for around $ 10, but no beer!

Zoom in for the bloody details of today's route: [url=https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1yUVNuRsgkiYc58a5-RcWWJSI6WQmmJqU&ll=39.096211779786685%2C-81.24732203718838&z=6]https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1...718838&z=6

[Stichill_imp]

[url=https://129slayer.com]129slayer.com is another site. Found Django at 3:20 PM July 3, 2019.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Found this one for yesterday:
[url=https://xtremesportsphotography.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK03E30A0487&po=483&pc=528]https://xtremesportsphotography.photoref...483&pc=528

and today:
[url=https://xtremesportsphotography.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0QAK03E40B0436&po=432&pc=890]https://xtremesportsphotography.photoref...432&pc=890

Today I had a close call at the Dragon. I was in a left corner with about 110 degree. A toward coming Harley rider was too fast, crossed the line and came as far as to the mid into my lane. Riding outside of my lane, as I do before I can look thru, saved my a...

Yikes. That must have felt annoying, and then "chilly".