June 10th Cherohala Skyway

June 10th
Before starting toward home, we headed out to the Cherohala Skyway just south of the Dragon Tail.

Lake Santeetlah

The  valley below is where the Overhill Cherokee settled during the 17th & 18th century

Big Junction viewing point

View from behind bars :)

June 9th Riding The Gauntlet

June 9th
Taking the Appalachian Highway around Hiwassee Lake and riding part of The Gauntlet loop.

Hiwassee Lake (many camping areas to select from)

Helen, the Alpine (German) style village with Troll Tavern just off the The Gauntlet riding loop

Chattahoochee Forest 

Cherokee County Cycles "Home of Big"  near Andrews, NC

Highway 19 in between Bryson City and Cherokee

Lars with his 2002 Gilroy Indian Roadmaster at the Spring Rally in Maggie Valley

June 8th Rally in the Smokies

June 8th

Today is the beginning of the Indian, Victory, Slingshot Rally in the Smokies.

Into the the Nantahala National Forest along the Cullasaja River Gorge where we took a part of the Moonshiner loop in the the Chattahoochee National Forest in Norther Georgia. Lunch at Caffe REL part deux and absolutely delicious.

Cullasaja Falls located along a "dangerous" stretch of Hwy 64. The 250' falls and cascades can be seen from the road through the for3est. The easiest way to get to it is from the Franklin side.

Glenville Lake area (Hwy 107)

On the way back to camp on the Blue Ridge Parkway where the sun is filtering through the clouds as if the heavens were touching the mountains.

Bill, Patty, and Lars closing the day out with Butts on the Creek BBQ.

June 6th & 7th (Georgia Stones)

June 6th
Blue Ridge Parkway through Smoky Mountain National Park toward Gatlinburg and into
Townsend via Little River Road for lunch. On to Happy Valley on the Foothills Parkway to the Dragon tail and around Fontana Lake.

Views from the Blue Ridge Parkway

View from Clingmans Dome observation area

Along the Little River Road heading to Townsend

The Tree of Shame at Deal's Gap when you don't beat the Dragon Tail. Luckily, we have all our motorcycle parts. 

Another view of Fontana Lake

June 7th Georgia Stones

Today we went from North Carolina through South Carolina and into Georgia to see the Stones of Reason. These four granite stone slabs in rural Georgia were placed in 1980. Each of the vertical stones are about 20 feet tall arranged in a cluster with small stones on top. The message is the same on all the carved stones in eight languages. These guidelines range from common-sense advice (Balance personal rights with social duties) to new age thoughts about maintaining humanity. The stones are carefully placed to align with solar solstices and equinoxes. There is still no definitive explanation for what the Georgia Guidestones mean, who actually commissioned them or when the Age of Reason is due to be ushered in. See additional statistics at wikipedia.org.

Lars is giving you a point of reference as to how tall (or not so tall) the granite slabs are.

Lake Keowee, South Carolina - beautiful lake area off Highway 130.

Wolf Creek Lake area

June 3rd (Blue Ridge Pkwy) - 5th

June 3rd - Blue Ridge Parkway to Highland for lunch

Friends, Bill and Patty at Woolyback Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Kim and Lars taking in the view 

Views from the Blue Ridge Parkway coming out of Maggie Valley 

Highest elevation on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 6053 feet. 

Lars running through the Bridal Veil Falls in  Nantahala National Forest on  Highway 64 (Moonshiner 28) between Highland and Franklin, NC

Sunset in Maggie Valley, NC - Overlooking the Slingshot rally

June 4th and 5th Rainy days in Maggie Valley
Lazy days at the RV but we did go to lunch both days. On Sunday we went to Maggie Valley Restaurant where they had Carolina trout. On Monday our big outing was to Walmart and then out for lunch at Cataloochee Ranch restaurant where the views were beautiful (even if it was a little rainy). If you are looking for a neat setting for renting a cabin this would be the place.

June 1st Museum Day & June 2nd

June 1st  - Wheels Through Time

If you have ever seen the TV show, What's in the Barn?, then you've seen the 38,000 square foot museum housing 300+ rare motorcycles with all kinds of other exhibits, photos, art, and other memorabilia. See more at wheelsthroughtime.com

Museum entrance

Dale Walksler is the host and curator of the show. Lars asks Dale a question about the Indian.

On the walk over from our campground to Wheels Through Time Museum

That would be tough to be a passenger on the back of the older bikes

Early Indian Motorcycle

Some of the artwork included Indian motorcycle. Girls like Indians too.

Meanwhile back at the campground...

Camping kitties want to come out and sit in their chairs

June 2nd Out & Riding to Hot Springs

Getting ready to take off on the Rattler (Highway 209)

After ice cream in Hot Springs a beautiful ride back to the campground

Here comes Tim and Sherry in a Polaris Slingshot

May 30th -31st Dragon Tail & Moonshiner

May 30th Tail of the Dragon

Today we went through the Nantahala National Forest.

Ted Jordan Lake

Time to ride the Dragon up and back on Highway 129

May 31st Moonshiner Route

Taking Moonshiner Highway 28 to lunch today

Caffe Rel in Franklin - The food was fabulous a French restaurant connected to a Hot Spot gas station. We will need to go back for more. Check them out on FaceBook

After lunch on Wayah Road along the Nantahala River Gorge Corridor, curvy and beautiful with little traffic

Bartram Trail at Beechertown

A short break from riding at Beechertown