We wage slaves could not get away for the first day of the rally so we arrived on Day 2 in time for the Dragon ride. We began at 5:03 from Bugsplat’s house heading out to meet Kavinator in Douglasville – Kevin has been known to lurk around gas stations and that’s where we found him in time for a 5:41 KSU. Traveling thru downtown Atlanta before daylight in typical traffic is not fun but we did it and arrived at the host hotel in time for us to admire the bikes and to confirm our reservations for a late arrival since we planned to be out most of the day.

The 8AM Dragon ride began promptly at 8:20 and we headed north out of Gainesville. Our first stop was Owl Town on the north side of Blood Mountain. Kemo Sabe, our young friend from Florida who had never run twisties, had a grin on his face that was not to be erased all day. Our next stop was the Andrews Valley Inn where I donned my rain gear to keep the showers away – this is a public service only offered to select individuals. We rode on into Robbinsville without getting too wet. The group decided to eat before going on to the Dragon.

Kavinator and the calloused butt gang were not ready to stop because our plans included a return across the Cherahola Skyway so after bidding the group goodbye we headed on to the Dragon. Just a couple of miles across the TN line oncoming traffic started warning us of a problem ahead. We rounded a curve to find a bike down and the rider appearing to be seriously injured. There was plenty of help around so we were waved on thru. With the scene imprinted on our minds the trip thru the Dragon was probably a little slower than normal but far from sedate. We continued on 129 past the Dragon where we met the ambulance coming from Maryville and proceeded to the 129 Motorcycle Pit Stop for lunch.

We were to learn later in the day that the downed rider was the wife of the 2^nd Officer of the Savannah Chapter and that her injuries consisted mostly of a broken wrist and facial injuries. It certainly looked horrible shortly after the incident.

I had been dreaming of the grilled cheese at the Pit Stop all week – a grilled cheese makes an excellent riding meal. Not so filling as to make one lethargic and usually available in a local diner instead of a franchised burger den. This time I slipped up and ordered the mushroom Swiss burger which was on sale and excellent. One of the women who run the place was pregnant again – seems like every time Bugsplat stops in one of them turns up pregnant.

From the Pit Stop we turned west on TN 72 and went to US 411 where we turned south a short distance and turned southeast on TN 360 toward Tellico Plains. TN 360 is a newly paved road which passes Sequoah’s birthplace and historic Fort Loudon before winding into Tellico Plains.

In Tellico Plains we met one of our groups of Cherahola riders. They reported all was well so we set off across the Skyway. We had to stop at Hooper’s Bald where I donned rain gear again and Kevin checked his e-mail. We rushed on the edge of an advancing storm until it finally caught us south of Robbinsville. By the time we reached the intersection of 129 and 74 it had gotten so bad that we sought shelter at a gas station. This may be the storm that caught the Dragon group we had left earlier in the day. Boxcutter, our 2^nd Officer, rides without a windshield or rain gear. They were caught in a brief hail storm that bruised his upper body. Fortunately it could be covered with make-up so he could attend the party that night without anyone commenting.

The stop gave us a chance to ask Bugsplat about the strange molecular attraction between him and storms. He admitted that he had always admired the power and majesty of storms but that since taking up riding he like the fact that they cooled his tires and reduced the friction with the road making his tires last longer. It sounded almost poetic the way he said it but just shows that the centrifugal force from the rotation of the earth has affected the way his brain is wired.

Kevin left us in Blairsville as he headed for a HOG rally the next morning. Bugsplat and I continued thru the rain to Gainesville arriving just in time for dinner.

David and Mia had opened their room to the club and it was a happening place where we were updated on events of the day. We ate and then Mia opened registration so we could pick up our packets since we were projecting an early departure in the morning. After visiting for a bit we went down the hill to our hotel to pick up our rooms and unpack. We rejoined the party just at sunset where I captured this photo of Bob’s date:

After watching the beauty pageant, looking at all the bikes, and speaking with everyone we could, we gave it up and retired for the night.

5:30 the next morning found us cleaning the worst of the road grime from the bikes while we waited for the restaurant to open. Then we headed north to do a Highlands loop and Wayah Rd. Bob cooled his tires coming into Clayton and we stopped at the RaceTrac where I unexpectedly met a niece. After asking her to tell her mother we weren’t coming by because I didn’t want her to see the kind of people I hung out with, we headed north again. North of Dillard we turned right on GA 246 which becomes NC 106 before reaching Highlands. This road has numerous U turns and switchbacks as it ascends 3,000 feet or so up Scaly Mountain past Georgia’s only ski resort. We passed thru Highlands and Cashiers and turned north again on NC 107 to Cullowhee and Sylva. These were roads with grades and turns similar to WV. We passed an NC State Trooper parked beside the road outside Franklin. He ambled down to meet and counsel us and to get a cup of coffee when we stopped for gas. He was called away before he could check for outstanding warrants so after he got out of sight we headed for Wayah Rd.

We approached Wayah Rd from the east this time and it was almost a spiritual experience as we progressed thru the dappled sunlight beside the stream. We saw almost no traffic as we crossed the mountain and descended into Andrews on this 27 mile stretch of curves, switchbacks, U turns, and 90 degree turns. There was, as always, light scattered gravel in some of the tighter turns but it really wasn’t a big deal.

In Andrews we opted to stop at Cherokee County Cycles because their web site suggests they know secret local roads. Bob didn’t much want to go in because their sign said “Harley Specialists” but once he understood that anyone seeking to make a living in motorcycle maintenance had to work on Harleys, he agreed to come inside. It was pretty obvious that they thought a lot of the stock they carried.  It was staffed by a group of Yankees who appeared to know less about the area than I do but one of the guys did put us onto a road to the west called TN 30. They also had a ratty looking chopper out front with a short block V8 engine and chain drive. It didn’t look like much but can probably go in a straight line pretty fast.

Between Murphy, NC and Ocoee, TN lies the Ocoee River Gorge with all the congestion the rafters bring in the summer months. On the four lane outside Murphy a van drifted into Bugsplat’s lane but the judicious use of the new air horn and middle finger conveyed the message to stay in his own lane and invite us to his parents wedding if they ever chose to get married. As the river dumps into the lake at the bottom of the gorge and the lake opens up, Greasy Creek is to the right. Just past Greasy Creek TN 30 winds northward. It is like TN 68 on steroids. There is a cash only gas station about 4 miles north of US 64 where the sounds of silence are deafening and they have clean running water in the outhouse. It is an excellent road which joins the Hiawassee River near Reliance. In Reliance one can choose to turn right and follow TN 315 into Tellico Plains or continue on 30 a short distance to US 411 and a quick trip home. With the mercury climbing into the triple digits in the vicinity of Tellico Plains we opted for 411 and home.

The trip south was dogged with showers from Chatsworth to south of Temple. This thrilled Bugsplat but left me less than excited. We got home with a little less than 900 miles on the odometer and some good memories of time spent with friends and good roads. Our next scheduled rally in the KY rally in August.