1700 miles --- 6 ½ days of riding ---6 states
Aug14th - Due to the heat, humidity and thunderstorms in Central Florida this time of year I elected to trailer the bike to Toccoa Georgia where I would meet up with my two riding buddies for this trip. The bikes to be used were to 2012 FJR’s and a 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner. I left at 5:45am and was in Toccoa about 1:30pm. My friends showed up just a bit later and we struck off for a circuitous route to Clayton, GA. Logging just over 110 miles instead of the 28 the map would send you.
August 15th - Clayton GA to Johnson City, TN --- 252 Miles Awesome weather – cool and clear. We headed right into the twisties of Warwomen Road out of Clayton followed by 28 twisting its way to Highlands, NC. Then following along the shores and nice homes of Lake Burton we made our way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a short burst of the parkway we dropped into Maggie Valley for the Wheels of Time Museum and lunch. After lunch with hit the Rattler or Snake (209) up and over Roan Mt and eventually to Johnson City, Tennessee. A nice salmon dinner for me at Longhorns.
August 16th – Johnson City, TN ---- Covington VA --- 286 miles and perfect weather. Apparently we hit the area in a dry spell of a few days and cooler than average temperatures. We worked our way to the Virginia border making sure the radar detectors were stowed as we passed Damascus and made for our side trip of the day at Grayson Highlands State Park. A nice place for some hiking and sightseeing. Leaving there we headed for Marion VA and lunch at Taco Bell. We were anxious to ride the famous “Back of the Dragon” and its 32 miles of turns. We enjoyed it
August 17th Covington VA to Beckley WV 252 miles weather –perfect
We hit a lot of twisty roads before getting to the New River Gorge. We went as far north as Snowshoe Ski area and then hit Scenic highway 150. It was a High, Long & mostly straight road.........WHOOOOSSSsssshhhh. We enjoyed the ride and then explored the gorge area both TOP and BOTTOM. Very cool it was our first time to see this spectacle. WOW!!
August 18th Beckely WV to Kingsport, TN 270 miles Weather- Rainy at the start and then mostly cloudy but nice & cool. We saw a lot of coal mines and coal towns. Hit the towns of Harlan KY and Appalachia. We had lunch in Jenkins KY and the girl at the Hardy’s summed up the area as far as living there. She was off duty but said..... “ Welcome to Jenkins, Kentucky....this place SUCKS” “Everybody is cranked and drawin here” Drawin’ is not artistic rendering rather Drawing on Government benefits. It was a bit depressing but good riding and interesting to see first hand the subject of so many country songs.
August 19th – Kingsport TN to Kingston TN (Via Virginia and Kentucky J )
297 miles Dry roads and cloudy skies. This was a day when my buddies and I parted ways due to weather and schedules. They wanted/needed to get back to Florida and I was not under the same time constraints. With bad weather to the south and east (where they needed to go) ---- I headed north and west to dryer terrain. The decision paid off and I had a great day of dry roads. They also had a good day just got a bit wet especially the last hour. I headed towards Corbin Kentucky via the Cumberland Gap – Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State park. Great ride ... I ended up staying with some clients of mine in Kingston. Awesome Day!!!
August 20th Kingston Tn to Toccoa GA 215 miles Perfect weather. Heading out about 7:30 by 9am I was waving to the Tennessee Highway patrol cars (six of them) who were staging up to set up speed traps on the Dragon. I went thru before them and rather briskly knowing they were behind me and my radar detector works rather well on those curves. Once down to Robbinsville I headed to Blairsville via some back roads then over the other part of 129 over Blood Mt to Cleveland Ga a nice section of twisty road. Once at my friends in Toccoa I loaded the bike showered, chatted a bit then headed south to I-75 and FL pulling in my driveway at 9:45pm.
Great trip!!!
here are some pics----https://sdrv.ms/171nhY3
Aug14th - Due to the heat, humidity and thunderstorms in Central Florida this time of year I elected to trailer the bike to Toccoa Georgia where I would meet up with my two riding buddies for this trip. The bikes to be used were to 2012 FJR’s and a 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner. I left at 5:45am and was in Toccoa about 1:30pm. My friends showed up just a bit later and we struck off for a circuitous route to Clayton, GA. Logging just over 110 miles instead of the 28 the map would send you.
August 15th - Clayton GA to Johnson City, TN --- 252 Miles Awesome weather – cool and clear. We headed right into the twisties of Warwomen Road out of Clayton followed by 28 twisting its way to Highlands, NC. Then following along the shores and nice homes of Lake Burton we made our way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. After a short burst of the parkway we dropped into Maggie Valley for the Wheels of Time Museum and lunch. After lunch with hit the Rattler or Snake (209) up and over Roan Mt and eventually to Johnson City, Tennessee. A nice salmon dinner for me at Longhorns.
August 16th – Johnson City, TN ---- Covington VA --- 286 miles and perfect weather. Apparently we hit the area in a dry spell of a few days and cooler than average temperatures. We worked our way to the Virginia border making sure the radar detectors were stowed as we passed Damascus and made for our side trip of the day at Grayson Highlands State Park. A nice place for some hiking and sightseeing. Leaving there we headed for Marion VA and lunch at Taco Bell. We were anxious to ride the famous “Back of the Dragon” and its 32 miles of turns. We enjoyed it
August 17th Covington VA to Beckley WV 252 miles weather –perfect
We hit a lot of twisty roads before getting to the New River Gorge. We went as far north as Snowshoe Ski area and then hit Scenic highway 150. It was a High, Long & mostly straight road.........WHOOOOSSSsssshhhh. We enjoyed the ride and then explored the gorge area both TOP and BOTTOM. Very cool it was our first time to see this spectacle. WOW!!
August 18th Beckely WV to Kingsport, TN 270 miles Weather- Rainy at the start and then mostly cloudy but nice & cool. We saw a lot of coal mines and coal towns. Hit the towns of Harlan KY and Appalachia. We had lunch in Jenkins KY and the girl at the Hardy’s summed up the area as far as living there. She was off duty but said..... “ Welcome to Jenkins, Kentucky....this place SUCKS” “Everybody is cranked and drawin here” Drawin’ is not artistic rendering rather Drawing on Government benefits. It was a bit depressing but good riding and interesting to see first hand the subject of so many country songs.
August 19th – Kingsport TN to Kingston TN (Via Virginia and Kentucky J )
297 miles Dry roads and cloudy skies. This was a day when my buddies and I parted ways due to weather and schedules. They wanted/needed to get back to Florida and I was not under the same time constraints. With bad weather to the south and east (where they needed to go) ---- I headed north and west to dryer terrain. The decision paid off and I had a great day of dry roads. They also had a good day just got a bit wet especially the last hour. I headed towards Corbin Kentucky via the Cumberland Gap – Daniel Boone National Forest and Cumberland Falls State park. Great ride ... I ended up staying with some clients of mine in Kingston. Awesome Day!!!
August 20th Kingston Tn to Toccoa GA 215 miles Perfect weather. Heading out about 7:30 by 9am I was waving to the Tennessee Highway patrol cars (six of them) who were staging up to set up speed traps on the Dragon. I went thru before them and rather briskly knowing they were behind me and my radar detector works rather well on those curves. Once down to Robbinsville I headed to Blairsville via some back roads then over the other part of 129 over Blood Mt to Cleveland Ga a nice section of twisty road. Once at my friends in Toccoa I loaded the bike showered, chatted a bit then headed south to I-75 and FL pulling in my driveway at 9:45pm.
Great trip!!!
here are some pics----https://sdrv.ms/171nhY3
not sure how to make them show on the pages
