Great Chilly Ride Today

I finally got to ride Big Red today. It was only an hour long ride, but it was worth it. Checkout my photo.

New Big Red Photo

Just created this photo of Big Red. The bridge is located in Asheboro NC and is one of only 2 covered bridges still remaining in NC.

Pappy's Place

Just added a new edition to Pappy's Place. It looks good in the "man cave".

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.

4th of July Ride

Slick and I just got back from our motorcycle ride to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Stone Mountain Park in NC. We started about 9 am and hoped to beat the heat. Our ride took us from home and west on highway 421. We followed highway 421 to 21 North. 21 North took us up toward Stone Mountain Park in NC. We enjoyed that park of that ride. 21 North allows you to start enjoying the nice country roads and has very little traffic. We didn’t stop at Stone Mountain Park because we had driven our car up there before. After passing the park entrance continued to head north on 21 until to we got to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance. It was a great day to ride. There were motorcycle and old guys driving their classic cars everywhere. We saw all types of bikers. Here is the route we took.

We always enjoy riding the parkway. Slick came up with a good ideas to pack a picnic lunch for us. That was nice. We ate some awesome P&J sandwiches and chips. She also made us a nice chocolate chip cake too. We had our little snack, enjoyed the scenery and laid on a blanket on one of the overlooks and enjoyed the day. It has been a long time since Slick and I just relaxed in the park. As a matter of fact, the Blue Ride Parkway was the first place we went on a date over 28 years ago. Here are a few photos from our ride:

We always enjoy riding the parkway. Slick came up with a good ideas to pack a picnic lunch for us. That was nice. We ate some awesome P&J sandwiches and chips. She also made us a nice chocolate chip cake too. We had our little snack, enjoyed the scenery and laid on a blanket on one of the overlooks and enjoyed the day. It has been a long time since Slick and I just relaxed in the park. As a matter of fact, the Blue Ride Parkway was the first place we went on a date over 28 years ago.

After our picnic, we headed west through the park. Our exit out of the park was 18 south toward Wilkesboro NC and back to 421. It was a about 20 south from 18 to Wilkesboro. The ride was nice. We went through several some towns and enjoyed the scenery of the wide open farm lands.

One we got back on 421, we headed south back toward home. By that time it was getting a little toasty, but Slick hung in there. The ride took about 4.5 hours. It was a great way to enjoy park of our 4th of July weekend.

If you get a chance check out the route. We plan to do it again. Of course we want to stay longer.

Until next time and remember to not be so busy making a living you forget to make a life.

Pappy

Nice 5 Hour Ride in the Country

Yesterday was a very nice ride day for me. After being on the road for several weeks it was really nice to get a chance to take a longer than usual ride. See, most of the time I ride an hour or two and that's it. That is due to having to ride at least an hour to get to the good locations. Yesterday was a different story.

The weather was awesome! At the start of the ride, the temp was around 60. I ventured out around 0930 and headed southwest to Uwharrie National Forest. I have been through there before and I have always enjoyed it. Most of the trip is long and peaceful country roads. Throughout the trip, I road through some very small towns that I had never even heard of. It was actually pretty fun to post my stops using my Loopt application and tell let those that were following me know where I was at. The funny thing is, they had never heard of the towns either.

Once I got into Uwharrie National Forest I took a several roads off the beaten path. Mainly because I got lost. I really didn't mind getting lost. I got the chance to see some very nice roads and scenery that I would have never gotten to see. Besides, on a bike, if you have plenty of gas, you are never lost. I call the off road events "exploring".

After traveling through small towns like McGlead, Pee Dee, Denton and Wadeboro, I headed toward home. On the way home temps reached near 87 and getting a little toasty, but who cares; with the sights and sounds of small hometowns, country roads, fellow bikers and beautiful landscapes, how could I complain.

Below is a map of my route. If you get a chance, take a trip on the same route. I am looking forward to repeating the same route in the fall when the leaves change. Now that will be worth the 5 hr trip again.

Until next time and remember, don't be so busy making a leaving you forget to make a life.

Pappy

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