Cumming to Stecoah
28 May 2015
Master Map
Ride4now's generosity extended to trailering SanPete's CB1100 from Florida to Cumming so SanPete could travel up with his family, attend the rally, then ride on northwards to rejoin them. When he arrived after our excellent breakfast of French toast, I was not to know what a brilliant ride he would have from the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge (IHML) to his destination in Virginia. His wife suggested we ride with him up the Blue Ridge Parkway after the rally. I thought I'd been slightly non-committal, but I was later to learn — very much to my embarrassment — that she had set about trying to organise accommodation for us. Americans I discovered are keen to be generous.
SanPete needed fuel so we stopped. I was excited by the American petrol bowsers which allow you to pay by card at the bowser. I like all this automated stuff. Alas, you have to have a credit card attached to an American postcode or it simply doesn't work. Worse than that, if you want to pay by card, you have to head inside, take a stab at how much fuel you need and either not get enough or get too much and have to get a refund on your card. If you want to pay with cash you have to pay for more than you need and then go and get change. Don't worry US forum members, the US is not alone in this practice; I've had the same problem in the UK. For some reason the custom does not seem to have arrived Down Under yet.
On the road to North Carolina
After a bit of stuff on big roads with lots of traffic, we soon found ourselves on Route 129. I think. I didn't know it at the time but, had we stayed on it we'd've ended up on the Dragon. We made our way through Neel Gap where we stopped for coffee. Well, sort of coffee. I found it hard to get coffee in the style we drink it in Australia. We drink plenty of espresso-based coffee. It's hard to imagine a modern Australian café without an enormous espresso machine — and not simply one where you just press a button. These are big things with dials and levers and spouts that blast vicious gouts of steam about the place. Many Australian homes have small espresso machines. The Bunn-style coffee maker is becoming a rarity, except in hotel dining rooms and conference centres. And, in my humble opinion, that's a good thing. Stewed, faintly burned coffee is not for me.
Neel Gap is, I learned, a staging point on the Appalachian Trail. The shop sells all sorts of goodies, including boots. This tree is a resting place for old boots.
From Neel Gap we made our way north and, much more quickly than I expected, we were in Robbinsville where we paused for food and fuel for the CB1100s. It was different for me riding the ST which needed refuelling much less often. Still, I rather wished I'd had the CB with me for this ride.
Actually, that's not altogether true. I was astounded to learn that ride4now's bike had actually been out of the show room and on the road. It was pristine. Indeed, it probably still is. I think I might have been slightly embarrassed to have been riding mine with 37,000 kms of pretty solid use and its owner's policy of benign neglect.
On the road north
From Robbinsville it's a short ride to the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge where we were to spend the coming days.
We checked in, found our way to the cabin where we were sharing a bathroom and a balcony with Mike Neal and his brother. It's a beautiful setting. Our cabin overlooked a stream running through the middle of the property; the entire place is surrounded by steep, verdant hills. In spite of the occasional outburst of loud motorcycle, it is a serene and peaceful place. And it has the internet.
Not long after we arrived, there was a mild commotion at the bottom of the steps and there stood the Ferret. Finally, after endless communication on the forum, it was the man himself. There was to be plenty of handshaking and working out who was who during the rest of the day.
Ferret and Pterodactyl
Our riding day was not quite done. Graham County, home of the IHML, is, as Pterodactyl and I were warned by EmptySea, a dry county. The IHML can't sell alcohol, but you're welcome to buy some and take it there to drink. It even helpfully provides information on how to get to the nearest sources. I'm sure someone can explain to me why a dry county is so blasé about allowing people to consume alcohol there.
Bryson City was the closest source. So ride4now, SanPete, Pterodactyl and I took to the saddle again and headed east. On the way Pterodactyl was overtaken by a bike going very quickly. It pulled in ahead of him and slowed down fast; the rider insouciantly joining our line. Moments later, a police car appeared and waved people over. Pterodactyl confessed to being a bit concerned, but he was quickly waved on and his new found friend was asked to stay behind. The officer knew exactly which biker he wanted a chat with.
Not long afterwards we were overtaken by a couple of CB1100s. SanPete, SCCBrider and dUh! had a conference in the middle of the road before SCCBrider and dUh! disappeared in the opposite direction. I've no idea what they all talked about.
We stopped at the liquor store in Bryson City. I learned another lesson: liquor stores sell only distilled spirits. Judging by the size of the place, I could have bought almost any form of spirit known to man, but I wanted none of it. The man told us to try the service station if we wanted beer and wine.
We got beer at the service station, but not without incident. I paid for the beer I'd bought and the young lady put it in a plastic bag. I picked it up and the bottom promptly fell out of it breaking two bottles of beer on the floor. I helped as best I could in cleaning up the mess and she replaced the beer for me. Kind.
But there was no wine and we headed round the corner to the supermarket which sold both beer and wine, but not spirits.
Suitably fortified for the evening, we made the 20 mile trip back to IHML for a well earned beer, dinner and conversation with US CB1100 owners.
