Lake James and Mt Airy Ride

The last 2 days of riding have been great. After weeks of not getting to ride, I finally got to ride Big Red for about 500+ miles. Monday I met up with my brother-in-law at his home to ride around Lake James in NC. Slick and I had visited the lake on one trip but that was in the car (boring ride). Kevin lives closer to the lake so he lead the way and we rode around the outer edge of the lake. It was a nice day and the ride was great. However, there aren't too many good places to park to get a good photo or two. That didn't stop us. Below is a nice photo of the lake and Table Rock. The other photo is Kevin as my lookout for our get away. We are born outlaws!

Table Rock at Lake James

Yes, We Stopped! Call a Cop!

After riding around the lake, Kevin lead the way to route 268 toward Wilkesboro NC. That was a nice ride through the county. We actually rode for miles before seeing any vehicles. We rode through some old towns such as Roaring River, Knottville, Elkin and of course, Ronda. I know what you are saying, "I have never heard of those towns". Well, neither have I. The towns were very small and you could tell that many of the old mills and factories have come and gone. Nevertheless, the ride through those old towns was very nice and relaxing.

After a good nights rest after me riding for about 8 hours on Monday, Kevin and I headed out to Mount Airy NC. Mt Airy was place where Andy Griffith lived as a boy and is a popular tourist area for those that grew up watching the Andy Griffith Show and like to see the changing of the leaves in the mountain in the fall. The place really packs in the tourist for the Mayberry Days events that just happen to be going on at the end of this week. Many of the old actors from the show are no longer with us, but those that are still kicking usually show up. Andy Griffith actually showed up last year.

Kevin and I visited the major attractions like the Andy Griffith Museum. If you get a chance to visit there and liked the show, you need to go there. The cost is only $3.00. Of course no visit to Mount Airy is complete without visiting Snappy's Lunch for a heart stopping pork chop sandwich and a hair cut at Floyd's Barber Shop. I know, I don't have hair, but I can still get a few pictures of those with hair getting haircuts; including my good old biker buddy, Kevin. There are hundreds of photos on the wall of those that got there hair cut at Floyd's. We asked one barber there how many photos they had and she said there are probably over 35,000 photos.

Kevin's Snappy Pork Chopped Sandwich

Kevin's Haircut at Floyd's Barber Shop!

I also got a few other pictures that I thought were pretty cool.

Andy Griffith's Old Home

Popular Statue of Andy and Opie

Town Tours in Old Car From the Show

Downtown Mount Airy (AKA, Mayberry)

Floyd's Barber Shop...$8.00 Haircuts

Memories of Mayberry are Everywhere

Veteran's Memorial

So if you get a chance to visit Mount Airy or ride route 268, go for it. It was a great ride. The next trip will be Slick and I riding the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend. We plan to visit Asheville and Cherokee NC. More to come on that trip, so stay tuned.

Twelve Important Things My Motorcycle Has Taught Me

Twelve Important Things My Motorcycle Has Taught Me

1. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror.

2. Four wheels move the body; two wheels move the soul.

3. I'd rather be riding my motorcycle and thinking about God, than sitting in church thinking about my motorcycle.

4. Life may begin at 30, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 75 mph.

5. Midnight bugs taste just as bad as Noon time bugs.

6. Sometimes it takes a whole tank full of gas before you can think straight.

7. A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.

8. Young riders pick a destination and go; old riders pick a direction and go.

9. When you're riding lead, don't spit.

10. Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 75 mph can double your vocabulary.

11. If you can't get it going with bungee cords and duct tape, it's serious.

12. Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

13. (Bonus) I've never seen a Motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrist's office.

Enjoy the ride!

Pappy

Mt Airy and Blue Ridge Parkway Ride

Yesterday was a great day for a ride. Slick and I got up in the morning and we were not too sure if the weather was going to hold out. It was cloudy in the morning but after checking the weather forecast it seemed we were going to be okay.

We got on the road around 11:30. By that time it was getting a little toasty and the temperature was suppose to get near 90. It wasn't too bad if we were moving on the bike and it turned out to be nice. We headed toward Winston Salem to highway 52 north and the VA state line. By the time we got there the weather as improving. Not long after we entered VA we headed west on highway 58 west toward Fairy Stone State Park. The bad thing was the park was not on highway 58 west. It turned out it was on some off road and of course we rode right by it. We just said, "Oh well, we have gas, keep riding".

As we headed west we did see a nice lookout called "Lovers Leap". So he had to stop and get a photo or two. I had been there before. I had rode highway 58 west as my first solo ride about 3 years ago. The overlook view was nice and a popular stopping point for those heading toward the Blue Ridge Parkway.

After leaving Lovers Leap, we headed west to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We noticed a small park off the road and decided to check it out. It turned out to have a nice view of the mountains and some picnic spots. We stopped to take a view photos there. While there, we notice a grave site. It was kind of strange to have a grave site at the park. We noticed that a USAF veteran was buried there. He must have loved the mountains to have asked to have been buried there. You could tell from the site that he was not forget by the flag at his grave site that someone placed there.

After a few photos and quick break we headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway. As usual, the parkway was a nice relaxing ride. Slick and I had been on that part of the parkway before, but it never gets old riding that parkway. We look the rolling hills, farm lands and very lite traffic on the parkway.

After exiting the parkway, we headed to highway 52 south and headed toward Mt Airy. We decided to look for some lunch. We decided to eat a place that wasn't a chain and so we decided to pick the Wagon Wheel Restaurant. It was old restaurant that had been there for many years. Actually the waiters had been working there 27 years. It was an old place but the popcorn shrimp, hush puppies and tea was awesome! After lunch Slick wanted to take a tour of downtown Mt Airy. That took about 3 minutes. It would have been shorted but we had to stop at a couple of stop lights.

Once our bellies were full we headed south toward home. By this time was had been gone about 5 hours. We finally made it home in about 6 hours. Overall, the ride was great. Slick stated it was one of the most relaxing and fun rides she had had in a long time. I had to agree.

If you would like to see photos of our trip just click on the link below and remember, don't be so busy making a living you forget to make a life.

Mt Airy and Blue Ridge Parkway Ride

Pappy

Hanging Rock State Park Ride

Today was a great day to ride. I took a little ride to Hanging Rock State Park near Pilot Mountain. It was a very nice day to ride. The temperature at the beginning of the ride was in the low 50’s and the sky was clear as a bell. Slick decided to stay home and dog sit. So I took advantage of the great winter weather and took off for the mountains and country side.

I decided to head out on highway 311 from Jamestown NC. I headed east to highway 52 in Winston Salem and then north to Pilot Mountain. The traffic wasn’t too bad. I did see a lot of other bikers taking advantage of the nice weather too. As I got to exit 134 on highway 52, I decided I was getting a little too low on gas. So I decided to fill up. Thankfully I did, because getting to Hanging Rock State Park was a little further off of highway 52 than I thought.

My map (not GPS) showed I needed to head on 268 East. Little did I know that I would be out in the country and it would be very remote. I actually rode east on 268 for what seemed like forever. I decided to pull over to use my GPS. Of course, that didn’t work out in the country. So I rode, and rode and rode some more. Then I found a school parking lot that I could pull into so I could check the paper map. The funny thing is I thought I was lost and was heading in the wrong direction. When I stopped to check the map I stopped at exactly the road for the Hanging Rock State Park entrance. If I would have stopped earlier; I would have probably turned around and went in the wrong direction thinking that I missed a road along the way. Actually, I wasn’t too worried about getting lost, because as my old biker buddy Craig says, if you have a full tank of gas you are never lost.

After I finally found the entrance to the park I headed to the top of mountain. I was pretty nice there. They have some very nice hiking trails, a man-made lake and the scenery was very nice. I took a few photos of some of the stuff at the top. I am planning to take another trip back there later in the year to do some hiking. It was that nice.

After taking a few pictures and a little break I headed down the mountain and toward home. The road to the park on 268 is very curvy and it was fun to ride. When I departed the park I decided to head east on route 8 east bound (no need to take the same route, right?). I had been on that part of the road before. It is a nice country route with lots of curves. I stayed on route 8 until it finally linked back up with highway 52 in Winston Salem. Below is the photo of the route I took and some photos of the park.

All-in-all the route was very nice and took about 4 hours. I could have not asked for a better day as far as the weather. Today was a nice sole trip. Tomorrow Slick will join me on a ride to Pilot Mountain State Park. It is supposed to be around 68 degrees and sunny tomorrow. Take a guess where Slick and I will be?

Until next time and remember life begin at the end of the off ramp.

Pappy