Trip Summary

Point-to-point mileage - 2969 Miles (4788 Kilometers)
Total Mileage - 3343 Miles (5392 Kilometers)

Fuel usage - 39.67 Miles/U.S. Gallon

Trip Hero - Betsy.  As usual, she never missed a beat. 

Day 12 - Spring, TX

661 Miles

Pulled out of Henderson about 7:30 am on Hwy 100 connecting with one of my favorites Hwy 64 after about fifty miles.  Connected to I-40 in Memphis and booked it southwest through Little Rock to Texarkana, switching to Hwy 59 there.  A short connection to I-45 in The Woodlands and then home again, home again jiggity-jig.  Got home about 8:00pm.  My butt was reminding me why I don't do Iron Butt runs: it requires just that.

Day 11 - Henderson, TN

 426 Miles

Pulled up stakes (literally) about 7:00am and was on the road by 7:30 heading west.  The initial ride down Hwy 28 along the Little Tennessee River is beautiful as reflected by the following photos.

A very pretty ride to start off the day.

Where Hwy 28 meets Hwy 129 begins the famous, or infamous, Tail of the Dragon (going upward).  A twisty road consisting of 318 curves within 11 miles, it's everything a bike rider could want in terms of thrills...and some.  The "and some" refers to the crotch rocket riders who endanger everyone on the road as they spiral down the mountain toward you as fast as they can.

At the bottom end there is the famous Tree of Shame with pieces parts of all kinds of bikes which haven't "completed" the trip.  Inside the store there is a poster board replete with photos of injured riders, most sporting very painful looking "road rashes."

As usual, your intrepid reporter accepts all challenges, fears no dangers, and forges ahead safely conquering the "Tail of the Dragon."  (Going up...and at speeds allowing me to see around the corner before gassing the bike, i.e., "putt-putting"...but I made it.)

After a nice stop in Vorone, TN for Hardee's Ham Biscuits, I resolve to ride mostly what I like to call "middle Tennessee" roads.  These are usually two-laned and pass through the wonderful towns of Tennessee.  This is absolutely one of my favorite places in the Union.  The people are some of the most friendly I've encountered anywhere on any of my trips.

Just outside of Nashville and needing to head toward Memphis I get on I-40 and slab my way south and west.  About 4:00pm I couldn't stand the slab any longer and turned back "inland" toward Henderson.  My timing was perfect.  I checked into a motel just outside of Henderson just in time to turn on the TV and get the weather alerts informing us that a gigantic string of thunder storms, complete with 80mph wind shears and one confirmed tornado was bearing down on us from the southwest at 45mph.  I parked Betsy under heavy columns at the motel and took my road shower just before the rains came.  Fortunately, the storms petered out in my area moving mostly to the north of us.  Worked for me. 

Unfortunately, my computer didn't work for me.  Wanting to put this together while in the motel I re-encountered the start up problem I ran into back at the MTF get-together.  Evidently, my battery is on the fritz and the system can't even get enough power plugged in to start up.  I have later determined I can charge it for several hours and bring it up connected to a power source, but if I shut it down I'm out of business.  A new laptop battery is on order and due in tomorrow.

In the meantime, tomorrow it's homeward bound.

Days 9-10 Stecoah, NC

82 Miles

In preparation for my Alaska trip in 2006 (Alaska 2006) I joined a motorcycle tourer forum on the internet.  It is, appropriately, called the Motorcycle Tourer Forum (MTF).  Founded by Alan Deluc, this is an all around great site for riders needing information, or wanting to meet people with like interests.  Shortly after my trip my friend Rita M. introduced me to her childhood friend, Claye C. who rides long distance motorcycle.  Turns out she, too, was a member of this forum and has introduced me to many others through Facebook.  This weekend the MTF was having their annual Founder's Feast at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah, NC, and Claye was there working on the event.  I'd told Claye on FB I might make it and she was sitting in the lodge as I rode up.

The place was full of OFOMs so I felt right at home.  It was so full, in fact, that there was only bunkhouse and tent site space available.  Fortunately, for me and the boys in the bunkhouse, this is why I always carry a pack with tent, sleeping bag and pad on the bike with me.  Why would one sleep in a bunkhouse shaking a single room when one can sleep in a tent and keep the bears away?  Opting for the safety for the entire group...a sacrifice that I think has not been properly noted by the many involved...I chose a campsite, put up my tent, and immediately made a beer run to Bryson City.  Like many places in Texas you can cross a street up here and go from wet to dry.

Got a 12-pack, rented a cooler, filled it with ice and I was ready to meet these folks.  Claye introduced me to a ton of people and, as would be expected, they are wonderful people who, like me, just enjoy the road on two-wheeled vehicles.  A key group within the group, as it were, are Iron Butts, people who not only ride long distances, but do it in a relatively short time.  The usual criteria for certification is 1,000 miles within 24 hours.   Some have done the Four Corners, Key West, California, Washington, Maine, and Key West.  Now that's a trip I'd like to do.   In a reasonable (for me) amount of time, of course.




Driving up a welcome sight: bikes and bikers.  This place is made for bikers.  Note the kick-stand strip on the asphalt in the parking area.

Another day, another shot of bikes.

The main area of the lodge.

My campsite was just to the left of this picture adjacent to the creek.

Claye checking in yet another rider

I mentioned these are motorcycle touring riders, did I not?  On Saturday, eschewing the officially sanctioned "Flower Sniffin'" ride because we assumed it might be too long, Sylvia and I elected to go off on our own and come back early to keep Claye company at the lodge.  I thought this meant a ride of a couple of two or three hours.  Six hours later we returned (but before the other ride, anyway). 

Sylvia leading us out

Betsy, basking beautifully on the bridge.

Sylvia, safety swathed, stately standing on the structure.

Hence the name, Great Smoky Mountains

Sylvia at our highest apogee.

Bald (somebody or something) Falls

I have a new heroine.  Please meet Ardys K.  Ardys is a youthful 79 years of age and was recognized during the MTF Founders event for achieving her 1,000,000th mile (yes, you read it correctly, one million) on BMW motorcycles.   There are several people here who have been riding for a long time and have accumulated amazing numbers of miles. Makes my small efforts puny by comparison, but I've enjoyed every one of them.  CONGRATS ARDYS!  You rock!!

The Group

Day 8 - Asheville, NC

251 Miles

Nothing but rain forecast for the Raleigh area for the next three days.  A quick review of the weather map said, "Go west, young man...and meet the incoming rain."  So that's what I've done.  The good news is Fall appears to be coming behind these bands of low and high pressure that's creating all the thunderstorms and rain.  I'm in Asheville tonight working out the next legs of the trip.  Perhaps something interesting and photos.  Huh?

Day 7 - Raleigh, NC

394 Miles

Got up and rode in and out of rain showers all day.  Sorry, no "travel" pictures.  I'm on a mission and until completed I don't have time for photographs.  "We don't need no stinkin' scenery."



Worth the rain and push.  Got a family "fix" for dinner tonight.

Dinner with Zaine, Lisa, and Wil

Day 6 - Brunswick, Georgia

195 Miles

Short ride today.  I took Betsy in for and oil change and a new pair of shoes.  Hey, that's pretty good.  The last time I was on Betsy I and stopped for a new shoe I ended up kicking her to the curb and buying this one.  No change coming here any time soon.

By the time I left the dealer and hit I-4 it was 2:30 pm and overcast.  I dodged rain showers until I reached Jacksonville then rode in alternating heavy/light showers until I reached Brunswick where I said enough and packed it in for the evening.  Called my daughter and have a date for dinner with her and the grand kids tomorrow night.  Does it get any better than that?  (The answer is no.)