Headed to the Smoky Mts.

Howdy guys, first trip on my SW happens next week when Deb and I depart for NC. A bit far for her on the scooter (1000 miles from East Texas) as we're trailering it out for a motorcycle M&G. We're hooking up with a Goldwing Group that we still ride with and hope to do the Dragon, Cherohala Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway and visit the Wheels Through Time, motorcycle museum. About 40 of us are coming together in Maggie Valley for a much anticipated weekend.

Ride safe and have a great trip.

But bikes on a trailer----SilverWing designed to ride....If other rider in-experienced, road trip good way to gain experience, in my opinion.

DanB, did that ride about 5 years ago on a Goldwing 1200. Great ride and I even set a speed record for a 1200 Wing. (The SLOWEST speed even) You should drop down to Alabama and go by Barbers Motorcycle Museum. When you are at the Wheels Thru Time tell Dale that I enjoy his What's In The Barn show. Dale was a great host and started and showed us several of his cycle. You do know that his claim to fame is that ALL his cycle will run!

Enjoy your trip.

SteveO

Thanks Hi Yo. John my wife used to ride pillion on our 95 Aspencade but it bothers her hips to be in the saddle very long. At least she's willing to ride a little.

Steve, the area sounds gorgeous and plenty twisty. I'll let y'all know how it all went for us.

+++ on SteveO's suggestion for the Barber Motorcycle Museum in AL. It's worthy of a serious detour. There's a decent BBQ joint right around the corner too.

I agree with Mr Grinsel's 'Silverwings designed to ride' [not trailered] comment...but if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody gonna be happy.

I hope you all have a safe, enjoyable trip.

Tim

DanB,
You are in my back yard....when are you all going to be in Maggie Valley and Where are you going to mee;, if it`s open for others, maybe my wife and I can meet up with all of you.

Pastor Ron wrote:

DanB,
You are in my back yard....when are you all going to be in Maggie Valley and Where are you going to mee;, if it`s open for others, maybe my wife and I can meet up with all of you.

Hi Ron, yes open to all. Most of us are staying at the Clarkton Motel and a few others across the street at the Alamo. Most of us will be arriving next Thursday afternoon but nothing planned group wise for that day. Friday visit the Wheels Through Time museum and probably an afternoon ride. Friday night we'll all probably go out and eat (Uncertain yet where that might be) and all get together for an outside fire and meet and greet at the Clarkton. Saturday will probably be a BRP ride. Sunday folks head home. There may be alcohol consumption but this is a tame group. Riders coming are members of the Goldwing Owners Forum. They give me allot of grief for riding a scooter but in a fun kind of way.

DanB,
Thanks for the info, if we can, I`ll try and meet up with you on Thursday, however, since we observe the original Sabbath from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, we will not be able to attend the rest. I pray you all have a wonderful time.

Happy to have you Ron. We plan on being in MV around 6pm Thursday and after check-in, eat dinner somewhere local and probably have the usual tire kicking afterwards. Just look for a heap of Goldwings and a really pretty red SW.

Ron, appears we may all be eating at the Moonshiner on Thursday night (all 36 of us and several couples too).

Have fun Dan and stay safe! A ride report with pictures would be awesome too!!!

Awesome,
Donna and I will try and make it.

Thanks Glenn and pics/report forthcoming. Ron, hope to see you and Donna. Just look for the bald guy with a pretty wife (Debra).

Dan,
I`m sorry that Donna and I could not hook up with you and Debra; being a pastor is all consuming at times. I pray you all did not get soaked all week-end and that you had a safe journey.

Sorry we missed you guys too, Ron. Figured the rain that moved in Thursday evening might keep you away too.

We left last Wednesday for Canton, Ms. trailering our Silverwing to the ride leaders house to spend the night. Thursday at 4am we left out following Mark on his GL 1800 headed for Chattanooga to rendezvous with other riders joining us. At Telico Plains at the beginning of the Cherohala Skyway, I unloaded the bike and rode tail behind about 20 Goldwings with my wife behind me in the truck. Weather was gorgeous and it was a righteous ride. Somehow we got separated from the group and instead of ending up in Maggie Valley we rode into Deals Gap at the Tail of the Dragon. Darn, missed out on the Dragon as it was starting to get dark so we loaded the scooter back up on the trailer and headed to MV where we all stayed at a local motel. Upon arriving in the early evening after dark, it began to rain and never stopped except for brief times during our entire stay. Someone said that's why they're called the Smoky Mountains....always in the clouds.

On Friday we all headed over to the Wheels Thru Time motorcycle museum.
If you love HD, they have a huge collection of old stuff and mostly barn finds. Most of us just hung out around the motel under the roof overhangs and did allot of visiting. About 40 of us met and filled up the motel.

On Saturday, seems like folks were going in every direction as Deb and rode up on the Blue Ridge Parkway at the north end of MV. Someone in our group told me, "if you can't see the top of the mountains don't go up on the BRP". I figured it was because one wouldn't have the scenic views. Actually though, we found out what he was really talking about ; poor visibility. As we ascended the BRP the clouds closed in on us and we had very poor visibility. The bigger problem though was that my extra tall Givi windshield would not shed the water and it was nearly impossible to see thru. I had stopped once and cleaned the windscreen with Pledge hoping the waxy residue would bead the water. We never got over 40 so we couldn't blow it off with higher speeds. Before this trip I had intended to cut it down but ran out of time. Frequently I was bending my head around the side and looking around it to see the lay of the road.

We decided to turn around and head back down and ride somewhere else at a lower elevation. As we descended back to where we got on, I saw a group of riders in a pull out led by our trip leader, Mark. We stopped and he told me a motorist told him that further up the BRP it cleared out. So we followed the group back up the Parkway and yes, it cleared out for a short ways but became worse. We fell further behind the group of Goldwings and finally pulled off and suited up our rain gear as it began to rain. Just after we put on rain gear we rode over Mt. Mitchell, the highest point on the BRP and tallest mountain in the eastern US. at 6,684 ft.  It was raw, cold, windy and just plain nasty up there as Deb and I decided it was time to take the next road down off the Parkway. I suppose we rode about 50 miles in the clouds and couldn't see squat. When the sign for Hwy 215 popped up we took it back down without hesitation.

As soon as we started dropping elevation, we were back out of the clouds and it was much easier to see through the windscreen. We had a new problem though; wet leaves on the road and lots of them. It was a bit trepidatious riding the switchbacks back down but we took our time and never once did I feel the SW slip. The new Pirelli Diabolis were the cats meow too. The ride down 215 to Waynesville was gorgeous as the leaves were changing color and waterfalls were to be seen several times. Hwy 215 follows the Pigeon Fork River.

On Sunday we headed back home and drove the 950 miles straight thru. Averaged 17.5 mpg towing my SW with our Duramax diesel 2500.

I'll need to downsize my photos before downloading so will do later.