::: Viethorse experienced riding Texas and Smoky Mountain

[VietHorse]

Day 3 with VFR - Sunday.

Good morning:


Morning, we divided into groups.


There were three of us (Ed, Sy and me) in the Cabin and ready for the ride to Blue Ridge Parkway:


Tracklog for the Sunday:



A bit chilly in the morning, but then it was sunny day around Robbinsville:












I don't remember exactly if we turned right for this exit?!


However, this was the exit we took:




Morning fuel:


He seemed still sleepy. LoL...


We headed to the Smoky Mountain, to the Blue Ridge Parkway:


Stopped at a small village (Cherokee, I think) for some photos:






Right, that was Cherokee. I was missing some chances to visit and take photos of the Cherokee/Indian museum, which is quite near to the street:


We were passing Cherookee:

...

[RedRockRider]

Glad you had a great time riding in the USA!

Enjoying all of your ride reports! Thanks.

[VietHorse]

Originally Posted by RedRockRider

Glad you had a great time riding in the USA!

Enjoying all of your ride reports! Thanks.

Thank you very much. It was unforgettable time to me. Not easy at all to have such kind of riding trip again. I love every moments, miss every friend and nice roads...

-------------------------

I heard about Blue Ridge Parkway many times, all the nice words, except about the Po Po...


The road to BRP started to be wonderful. It was quite chilly and a bit wet.


I was thinking of taking lots of photos that day, as I went riding with Sy and Ed, who may not too aggressive with speed.
At an overlook:


Awesome fall color:


@4160ft high:
You will never see this signboard in real, as we already threw them away - or may be it has been rebuilt, I don't know:


We kept continue riding up the mountain. The roads seemed weter and weter as long as the higher elevation, it was more and more foggy as well. We could not go fast and have to be very careful with the wet road. We stopped at another overlook area:




We were discussing of wearing raincoat and also heading back with incompleted BRP:


Whatever it is, It was nice experience to me though:


(to be continued...)

[VietHorse]

Left the Overlook area, we kept continue for some miles then come back. Too bad that the weather did not permit us to enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway on that day. We took exit to US19 (Soco Road) and back to Cherokee.
Some more nice view on the way back:








Arriving Cherokee:


Stopped for a rest at a gas station:


The big building at the background of the two above photos is a big Casino in Cherokee. People say that Gambling is kind of biggest income for this area.

I was hopping that we could see some sunlight from the sky. If so, we could come back to Blue Ridge Parkway and do the rest of exploration. Especially myself and Ed never been there. However, the cloudy and dark sky made us to come back Robbinsville.


Sy helped to save the riding day by making a round trip. We did other route back to the Cabin.




Another stop, beside the Nantahala Outdoor Center.




I don't really understand the first three lines on the board:

Is that the Export gate #3 of the Commercial Silvermine?



Cold water but it is more enjoyable than the mist on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was played canoeing for a while :




(to be continued...)

[VietHorse]

Three of us back to the Cabin, that time was till quite early.



Some nice shots around the Cabin:






Then I myself headed to the Dragon. It was almost no traffic on the Dragon. This time, I done the Dragon for two times without any issue.
I put my team's logo (ACE MTSG) here:


And I even have time to stop at some places to take photos and chit chat with Killboy and US129photos cameramen.





Very few motorcycles at Deals gap:


This bike is really sweet, he passed me sometimes on the Dragon:


Back to the Cabin after two rounds of Dragon, I stopped at the bridge which lead to the Deals Gap resort:




Well, that's it for the Day 3 at the Smoky mountain:


(to be continued...)

[VietHorse]

Most of the friends have left the Cabin that evening for their work on the next day (Monday).
It was two of us, Ed and me in the cabin that night. We did not cook, we went to Robbinsville to have dinner.
Chit chat entire evening while we all packing up for the day after.

Monday morning, after saying good bye, Ed headed back to Atlanta.
I had my plan for the Monday, 4th day with the VFR.



I would do a round loop, from Robbinsville thru the Dragon to Maryville (Tennessee), Townsend, then follow the Hwy71 crossing the Smoky Mountain down back to Cherokee, Glenville, Cashiers, Highlands, Franklin and back to the Cabin in Robbinsville.

Amazing fall color that morning:


VRF always amazing, too:




First riding day alone, I can stop anywhere to feel the air, see the things and take photos:


What could be more beautiful? I would never mind keep posting such kind of awesome look:


This hill is on the way to Dragon:




I don't know what kind of the houses, it looks more like a store:


A nice and clear lake:


What the color:


There were almost no traffic on the Dragon on Monday morning. I really enjoy slaying the Dragon for two times.
(to be continued....)

[achesley]

Enjoying the many fine pictures of the places you have been to. Sad to say, my only trip up the Blue Ridge was a foggy affair also. Hope to return someday if I can make myself head East instead of West when I leave the house.
Thanks for the time and work to share your journey with us.

[VietHorse]

Originally Posted by achesley

Enjoying the many fine pictures of the places you have been to. Sad to say, my only trip up the Blue Ridge was a foggy affair also. Hope to return someday if I can make myself head East instead of West when I leave the house.
Thanks for the time and work to share your journey with us.

Thank you for watching. Stay tuned, I have done the BRP in the next couple of days. Weather was awesome! I can't wait to come back there!

[SR1]

Glad you enjoyed riding in my back yard, man!!!

[VietHorse]

Originally Posted by SR1

Glad you enjoyed riding in my back yard, man!!!

Dude, your backyard is awesome. Did I miss any of your back yard stories?

[VietHorse]

First time passed the Tabcat bridge, heading to Tennessee. I saw this dam pretty close:




The cliff beside the dam was nice too:


Lonely road:


The roads from Dragon to Maryville was narrow, but clear, not so many twisties. I had to ride on the freeway for about 15 mins to reach Maryville:




I think I did quite zig-zag route within the Maryville as I wanted to see things around. However, that was not so easy for me to take fotos as there were lots of traffics on the roads.



Left Maryville, I rode on the 73 for around 10miles before getting into the Smoky Mountain area:




(to be continued...)

[SR1]

Originally Posted by VietHorse

Dude, your backyard is awesome. Did I miss any of your back yard stories?

Yeah, you missed a lot, so you'll have to come back (when I'm in the US of course)!

[VietHorse]

Originally Posted by SR1

Yeah, you missed a lot, so you'll have to come back (when I'm in the US of course)!

Doh, that sounds very tempting offer. Take your words SR1. Gotta be there again!

[VietHorse]

Yes, it seemed to be the starting point:






The traffic started to be crowded. There were a lot of cars who go for traveling toward the Smoky Mountain. Easily see the cars stopped at a large pull-off area or overlook area.
However, I did not bother much, as I planned to spend my day easily and I can head back to cabin anytime I wanted.

A nice stream along the road:






(to be continued...)

[VietHorse]

It was not easy to park the bike on the soft shoulder, but the place was so nice, so I have tried to find the stone to aid the side stand:


A calm upstream:


But a different look of downstream:






Just took a silent moment, at the middle of the forest, beside the stream and the VFR. I was wishing my family being there with me....


Well, sun was shining, and my family was asleep at home...


Back to the road again:


Fall was all around...


Some milestone:


Nice view from an overlook:


A bit different type of trees:




A bit different look with a crowded tourist campsite:




Yeah, you can stop anytime when riding alone. I have another stop at another overlook:




RWB VFR between the golden fall:


Awesome day for ride:


(to be continued...)