May 18, 2007 Lucy and I headed
south for a couple of weeks and spent 4 days in Maggie Valley,
NC to enjoy some riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a section of
U.S. Hwy 129 known as "The Tail of the Dragon" and the Cherohala
Skyway (TN Hwy 165/NC Hwy 143) before heading to Beaufort, SC
for our granddaughter's graduation from high school.
Riding the areas listed above was
a grand experience with the scenic mountain views and the
leisurely pace without having to put up with a lot of traffic
during the weekday riding.
Monday May 21st we headed out
from our motel, The Abbey Inn in Maggie Valley, to the Blue
Ridge Parkway. We followed the Blue Ridge east for 75 miles and
then southeast on Hwy 276 to Brevard, NC. We sought out some of
the scenic waterfalls around Brevard and then back onto 276
north to Waynesville then back to Maggie Valley. Covered about
180 miles that day.
Tuesday May 22nd we headed west
on Hwy 19 to Cherokee, NC then over to Bryson City where we
stopped for breakfast. After a good meal we got back on the road
and headed to Hwy 28, a nice twisty road and made a rest stop at
an scenic overlook where you could view Fontana Lake off in the
distant valley. Took some photos, and then back on the road to
Deals Gap, NC.
We stopped in Deals Gap for a
lunch break and chatted with some of the other bikers and when
things started to slow down a bit with the traffic, we headed
north onto the "Dragon". A great ride thru all the winding
curves. About 7 miles from Deals Gap is an overlook where we
pulled into and took a break, had a soda, took some video and
photos, then continued our way north to TN Hwy 72, then west to
Hwy 360, another good curvy road, and followed it south to Hwy
165 at Tellico, TN then east on 165 which took us to the
Cherohala Skyway (NC Hwy 143). We stopped for a soda and fuel
just outside of Robbinsville, NC and then headed back to Maggie
Valley. Covered 220 miles of some twisty roads this day that
provided for a great ride on the Harley.
Wednesday we took it easy and
hopped in Blazer and went up thru the Smokies and made a loop
back down thru the Cherohala again. Had a bit of rain that day,
so it was a comfort to Lucy to be riding in the Blazer after all
the cruising the two days earlier.
Thursday was pack up day and down
to Beaufort for our granddaughter's graduation.
May 31st we left Beaufort to
start our trek home, but stopped for two nights in Crossville,
TN to spend some time checking out properties for our future
relocation,
We left Crossville June 2nd and
stopped in Kingston Springs, TN to visit some friends we made
while staying in Maggie Valley for a couple hours, then back on
the road north and arrived safely at home Sunday afternoon.
All in all, it was a great 2 week
vacation and we're ready to do it again come September.
Check out some of the photos
from our Trip.
