Jocassee skips church, rides thru WNC

Hi All, a great thread. I live a little east of the area Jocassee describes, where hwy 11 & hwy 14 cross. I got back into bikes about a year ago on a KR 650 to get my license, then got a Wee Strom. My girlfriend and I love to ride these areas, and often run the area with a group of BMW riders on Sundays.
I'll be retiring at the end of Nov this year (Whoopeeeeee !!!) and my girlfriend got me a DR400 - to get me out of her space I think.!!
So with so much more time on my hands I'll get to know these roads even better.
You got any plans this weekend Jocassee ?
Bob

I love that ride along 11, with the mountains looming close by to the north. You can take just about any turn that direction and be in the midst of a lot of fun riding. My brother lives in Inman (very close to scbob), so I get up in the area quite a bit. Whole family is going up in a couple weeks for Thanksgiving, unfortunately, I will only have a car.

Cheers,

Mike

I go through Gowensville all the time riding my Saluda/Tryon loop

Check your PMs

OR: "Why am I the only one out here?"

I woke up yesterday morning and called Travis, my usual riding buddy. Travis's only flaw is that he doesn't like riding when it's cold or rainy, which in this state is about half the time.

*phone rings*

"Hello?"

"Travis. It is 50 degrees outside. Is that too cold to go ride? It's dry out." (this wasn't so much an outright lie as an incorrect assumption. It was soaking wet outside. I didn't know that because I hadn't left my bed. Apparently neither had he.)

"Uhhh...I'm laying tile today."

"Really."

"Yeah. For the bathroom." (Travis isn't married...the only reasonable assumption is that he would rather lay tile than ride in the cold and wet. With friends like these...)

"Alright. I'm headed out. I'll see you tomorrow."

And that's how I ended up on the road by myself...

Didn't see another bike for 4 hours. In Upstate SC and WNC, that's pretty unusual.

The long and lonesome highway....



I had a rough plan to hit Deal's gap then head down to Suches and spend the night at TWO. All that was left was to pick a route. I opted to go over escarpment on 178. I've already sung the unbounded praises of 178, but it was nice.

I've got a new Michelin Road 3 tire on the rear. It's a dual-compound tire that's harder in the middle and sticky on the edges. Thanks to a hard rain, 178 and most of the roads yesterday were wet but not slick, and the Road 3 handled them with ease. Since there wasn't a lot of other traffic I focused on smoothness and picking good lines. I didn't lean in quite as hard as I do when it's dry, but the Road 3 did everything I asked it to do with no drama. I have a Pilot road 2 on the front with about 6 thousand miles on it and it kept the front end planted just fine. On a 300 mile or so day there were no real scary moments or close calls.

Once I got to Rosman, I got on 64 and headed west. Usually I tell people to stay off 64 because traffic is so slow, but it was almost deserted at 9:30 on a rainy morning so I had free reign, and pushed pretty hard all the way to Cashiers. I did take a short detour up 281 but a side road popped me back out on 64 at Lake Toxaway.





Cont'd...

I stopped for lunch at subway in Cashiers. I would have liked to try something local but was short on time.

The SV taking a break...


From Cashiers, I rode north on 107. 107 is a beautiful drive. Most of the time though, there's just too much traffic to go quickly. Instead of taking it all the way to Cullowhee and Silva I turned left in Glenville on Pine Creek Road, which turns into Walnut Creek road, which runs over Walnut Gap and dumps you back on 64. Walnut Creek is one of the hidden treasures of the area. The surface is pretty good and there's not a lot of through traffic, and the descent on the west end of the road is quite beautiful.





Then I came up on Franklin...



And followed 28 up to Bryson City (with a couple of short detours)

I finally popped out on 74. I had a wish to go back into the woods and check out Waya road, but by the time I got through the Nantahala Gorge I was bingo fuel and thought it would be best to keep going to Andrews. That turned out to be a good call since I had less daylight than I had imagined.

Couple shots from the gorge:





Andrews was an unexpected treat.





A little bit of exploring brought me to the head of the Tatham Gap trail, which I learned at the Andrews visitor center is part of the Trail of Tears.

I checked the time in Andrews. Daylight was running short, so I hauled on down to the Georgia line. Not long after I crossed the Nottely Dam.



And a vanity shot...



I finally came out on 60 by way of Skeenah Gap. As I turned toward Suches the rain that had been holding off all day set down in a drizzle. The Road 3's continued to perform perfectly and I made good time toward the lodge.





Day 2 to be posted later

I arrived at the lodge at dusk on Saturday. I'd logged about 250 miles since I left Greenville. Route here.

I was the only person from out of town at Two Wheels this weekend. Everyone else that wandered in for supper was local. We had a good evening talking and the food was delicious. I called it a night around 2130 and sacked out...

After a sound sleep, I woke to the same thing I saw the previous night--low-hanging, clingy, impenetrable fog. At 0730 it wasn't raining, and I hoped it would hold off a little longer.

It didn't.

However I did get a good breakfast in, which is worth something.



The Lodge is quite cozy and I really didn't want to leave.



I rolled out at half past 8, hoping to make it back home in time for lunch.

It wasn't really raining...more of a southeastern fog with fat, sticky water droplets hanging in the air that stuck to my visor and killed my visibility.

Coming over Wolf Pen Gap on 180 wasn't so bad. I took the uphills relatively quickly, letting the rear tire grab the wet asphalt. I picked my way through the hairpins coming down, not trusting my front tire to survive a brutal combination of wet leaves, gravity, and an uneven surface.

I came out on 129. The could ceiling had lifted just a little and visibility was better. I lit out with a good pace for the Richard B Russell Scenic Byway, foolishly counting on the continuation of improved conditions.

The west end of that road is a nice little climb from 2000 ft to 3200. The machine was running like a scalded dog and traffic was light (wonder why, LOL).

I passed a female hiker at the top of the ridge. She waved sympathetically at the only motorcyclist stupid enough to be on that damned mountain...but I don't do sympathy. I beeped at her, gave the and hauled ass down the other side of the mountain. And that was when things got sucky.

The fog lay on my glasses like a blanket. Visibility dropped to about a hundred feet as little droplets hit my skin like ice picks. I had to slow way down. I wasn't afraid of wrecking so much that they wouldn't find my body if I did.

I finally dropped down on 75. The air was still saturated, and would be until I got over the line to South Carolina.

I followed the signs to Lake Burton, then Clayton. It's a very, very nice ride, and I found myself having a genuine good ole time despite the fact that I was getting very, very wet (my gear is water resistant, not waterproof and it usually does just fine). The plus side was my new AlpineStar gloves and an improved snap arrangement kept the wind out of my jacket so it was much more tolerable than it might have been.

I stopped for gas in Clayton. I've been battling a terrific cold, and the wet and wind made my nose run like crazy. I had about 4 nose-blows worth smeared all over my face and backed up into my ears. I got that cleaned up and managed to fuel up the bike without taking my gloves off. The linings had gotten wet from water dripping down my sleeve and I wasn't sure I could get them back on. I was tempted to take a breather and get some coffee, but with 70 miles to go I decided to go like hell instead.

I know 76 pretty well. Traffic was a little heavy, but the road surface was clean and wide so I made good time.

From there home was pretty anticlimactic, but I enjoyed being in the cold and wind. The harsher the elements, the louder I sing. And being the only ballsy or stupid enough to ride entitles one to a small amount of pride.

Living on the road my friend, keeps you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron, breath as hard as kerosene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKnoKSDwY3A

All in all I had an excellent weekend. My personal drama is still ongoing, and is challenging my faith and making me grow as a person. The motorcycle is a welcome, if temporary reprieve. I don't think too hard, mostly just worry about how not to wad the machine up in the next corner, and surviving a November rain with my hide intact.

Y'all keep riding.

Lousy weather, flat tires, and dead batteries have all conspired to keep me out of the mountains for the last two months and I am irritable as all hell.

Here's hoping for sunshine soon.

I haven't been out in two months. Everything I've tried to ride either wouldn't start, wouldn't stop, or had a flat tire.

I took my new ride out and did a little ADV work this afternoon. Still not sure how I feel about her. She may be a little bit much bike for me. I call her the Infinite Lean Machine.

Saluda Watershed Road

I enjoy your pictures. We both ride the same general area, but you're able to stop and enjoy the journey.

JIMINY CHRISTMAS it was cold today...but I managed to do a good loop. Pics to come!

Only a couple weeks late. I'm ensconced in my office while the rest of the city plays in the snow, so you guys get pitchers...

I started out that cold saturday by slabbing it down 123 to Seneca, then turning up 28 to Walhalla.

I met a friend of mine at the Walhalla rifle range. I didn't stick around to shoot but we had a good little visit.



I then turned back onto 28 and then got on 107 in Mountain Rest. I followed 107 all the way to Wiginton Road then went over the ridge to 130/281.

107 is a good road and possibly the most scenic in South Carolina. The overlooks on the west side are great. The asphalt is a little rough in some patches and a little corrugated. The skinny front tire on the SV wandered a little, but I took it easy and focused on picking good lines and had no major issues. I hope to try that road on a DS machine soon.

Wiginton Road overlook



Lake Jocassee



US 64 near Sapphire



The temp had dropped to about 30. I was the only motorcyclist for a hundred miles. It was time to seek shelter and warm up, so I stopped at the new Gorges State Park visitor's center.

The view.



They had some cool displays about the ecology and geology of the region...I'm a bit of a geology nerd so I enjoyed it.





And they also had this going on. I put my feet up for a minute and thawed out.



I had the run of the place. Everyone with a brain was at home out of the wind.

From the Toxaway river bridge



East Bound on 11



I was almost back to G-vegas and decided to make a quick detour over Paris Mountain. Got this picture, which I love, but damn near froze to death in the process when the sun went down.

Great pics

Thank you sir. Did you ever get rid of that VFR?

This week was rather snowy here in the shadow of the South Carolina Blue Ridge.



Luckily by this weekend the snow had melted off the roads and the sun was out. The SV was sitting in the apartment parking lot, begging to be let off the chain.

Good enough...

I slabbed out to Clemson for a late lunch at Super Taco (they have a fantastic steak burrito) Then schlepped up 130 to Salem, following the shoreline of Lake Keowee.



Followed 130, up the escarpment into the sweepers. I'm stealing a line from Wes Siler (i think) but the torque on that SV kept lifting me out of those curves like the hand of God Himself.

It was a fantastic afternoon.

If you want to be a year-round rider. At least one with substandard gear--cold can not intimidate you. It can not be merely tolerated. You must make it your bitch. So that way when your brain says "The sun's about to go down...we should climb three thousand feet!"

You can say, "That's a good idea, brain!" and twist the throttle.

Then freeze your balls off.



After that episode, I decided to get back down to less freezey territory.

Lake Jocassee, my namesake.



I headed home after that. Very good day overall and a much needed ride in the sunshine.

I went out this weekend with the ever-stalwart KaosBandit (AKA Adam) and his friend, Jeff.

We started out the day on some mild twisties and some light gravel. For you locals--we cut across on the Green River road and came out below Dupont State Forest on 276, then took the East Fork road over to 178 (of which I have written).

I have ridden the East Fork road before and found it difficult. It saw heavy use over the summer due to 178 being closed and I believe the surface deteriorated, leaving it rutted and wallered out in places. I had also had my front tire wash out in gravel early in the day and the associated pucker moment led me to be timid on the SV with its questionable suspension.

Adam was in the front on his KLR, I was in the middle on the SV, and Jeff was pulling up the tail on his new-to him Wee.

Adam was flawless on the KLR, choosing good lines and powering through the apexes. I was having a less spectacular day and felt like I was really fighting with the SV. I couldn't see Jeff, but he sounded like everything was going well...

Ahead of me, Adam glided into a pretty gentle downhill decreasing radius corner. It wasn't a really scary stretch but I didn't set it up well and the surface was uneven. I screwed up and panic braked right in the apex of the turn. The SV and I got through it OK but all I heard over the headset is "I'M OFF I'M OFF I'M OFF!! And some other fairly predictable words. Jeff was a little too close behind me, and instead of hitting me ditched it in the weeds. It was a soft landing, but not soft enough. We got back to Jeff as quick as we could, and lifted the bike off his pinned arm and shoulder. He was able to walk, but not without considerable pain.

The corner:


The bike was mostly OK--some minor scratches and dirt.

We got the bike picked up and pointed the right direction. Jeff elected to ride home since his right ankle was the only damaged anatomy.

We carefully got back on the road and headed toward 178. When we reached the turn, Jeff elected to ride himself down to the Anderson hospital, a good hour's ride and a two thousand foot elevation differential. We offered to accompany him, but he insisted in his hardassedness so we let him go.

Jeff and the slightly wounded Wee



Adam and I were left to our own devices. Fortunately the rest of the day was pretty tame. For some reason I enjoyed the gravel more on the SV than I did the asphalt. It may be time to get a true ADV bike....

The odd couple


Yours truly posing at an old mill race back in the hills


Some friendly locals *queue banjo music*





Glorious gravel


Water hazard




After some BBQ in Brevard and a couple of navigational mishaps, we arrived safely back down in the Piedmont.

Adam later received a text from Jeff. He made it to the hospital OK but he broke his fibula and and will take some time to recover so keep him in your prayers.

Enjoyed the pics

Love N Ga and WNC. Can you tell me where this pic was taken?

Keep up the great work!

[/QUOTE]

That is the back side of the top of the Richard B Russell Scenic Highway, looking north. Just a tiny window through the trees.

I believe this is the spot:
34.726937,-83.841724

How about these two locations? I have seen the waterfall many times here but never knew where it was. I get down to see my dad just north of Waynesville every Father's Day and need to see these 2 places.