The Dragon Again
1 June 2015
Master Map
I can’t recall now whether the slightly lethargic start was due a faint despondency or occasional showers of rain. Whatever. It was not a rapid start on Day 9. I recall it was helped by the delightful woman who served our breakfast every day who quickly grasped my need for multiple cups of hot tea.
Morning on Day 9 at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge
We decided to tackle the Dragon again — Pterodactyl was particularly keen; maybe it appealed to his racing spirit or it could have been he just wanted some GoPro footage for the Mad … Whoops! I wasn’t supposed to mention that. Never mind. The day was to be spent riding some fine roads, stopping and starting, and moving the GoPro from one mounting point to another so we could take and then re-take critical footage.
The ride from the Iron Horse along 28 to Deal’s Gap was probably better the second time. We stopped at Deals Gap for photo opportunities and coffee.
There is no happier sight than a line of enthusiastic squid
The jaws of the Dragon
The Dragon was fun again. I recall I rode it with a GoPro stuck to the rear pannier and pursued by the Pterodactyl. At one point we pulled over to allow the squid to pass. They thundered past with the splendid roar of expensive machinery and the smug and cheery wave of people who know they’re kings of the road.
Moments later, shortly before Killboy corner damme if there wasn’t a squid in the ditch. We stopped on a pull out around the corner and I went back to make sure he was OK. He and his mate didn’t want to know me, although when I wasn’t heading off without an answer they assured me he was OK. Actually, both he and the bike were a little dented — in pride and bodywork respectively — but they were soon on their way.
Pterodactyl awaits a report
Killboy corner
We rode on and found some of North Carolina’s finest admiring the view at the end of the road.
Being a bit keen to try the River’s End Restaurant that Ferret and others had recommended, we returned along 128 pausing just after failing to catch site of Richard Kimble to make a technical adjustment to the GoPro.
As we tinkered beside the road, we heard the roar of a racing motorcycle in the distance. Moments later, a bike hove briefly into view. On this gentlest of corners he had the knee down and must easily have been making 100 mph or better. After passing us, he dropped a couple of cogs in short order, pulled out to the centre of the road and took the corner at the bottom of the hill magnificently. We heard him howling towards Deals Gap. As luck would have it my camera was turned on.
After a couple of stops for filming purposes (one at Wheelers Cycle Shop which will feature again in our story) we found our way to the Rivers End Restaurant where we had a most excellent lunch while the rain thundered down outside. I didn’t realise until I was writing this that Appalachian Trail passes over the bridge at the front door of the restaurant. I noted the general store and beer shop immediately over the road, but didn’t realise it was the go to place until EmptySea mentioned it here.
The rain obligingly stopped as we turned around and rode back alongside the Nantahala River before turning west-south-west on 1310, an obscure looking road I’d discovered on a map. It was a pretty road that took us through lovely hill country.
Pterodactyl seemed to have developed a sudden penchant for gentle riding. I can’t tell you what an unusual state of affairs that was and is. I’m not being modest; he rides more quickly than I do and is generally sets the pace while I play catch up. Anyway, I pulled up at the junction of 1310 and 1442 to figure out exactly which way to turn and to make sure he was OK. Turned out the FJR was extremely low on petrol and he was getting so worried about making it to the next petrol station that he’d rolled all the way down the hill in neutral. We had this conversation in the forecourt of the abandoned Loafer’s Glory Big D where abandoned petrol bowsers seemed to laugh at us. Would we make the 5 or so miles to Franklin?
We did make it to Franklin where we found petrol, coffee and an Ingles supermarket where we replenished the red wine supply before setting out north along 28.
I was leading; riding carefully as many of the corners were wet from the day’s showers and I wasn’t sure how greasy they were. I don’t like wet roads much and I suspect I’m over cautious. Pterodactyl, however, seemed to be travelling more slowly than usual. The showers continued and we alternated between being wet and drying out. But there wasn’t much traffic and I enjoyed the trip back to the Iron Horse.
I was back in the cabin before Pterodactyl. He arrived and announced that his rear tyre was, in the vernacular … er, no, I won’t use the vernacular … the tyre was no longer in good condition. Indeed, its slickness would have been an ornament to any race track. Clearly beer, food and good red wine would be required to solve the conundrum of what to do.
We set about the task with the sort of diligence I hope you’ve come to expect of us and, showing the benefits of experience and practice, reached the bottom of the bottle and a conclusion simultaneously.
