Tripn' in the Smokies I

Well, Desert Wife and I planned a trip to the Smokies to see the fall colors. We normally don't trailer but lately, Desert Wife can't ride more that 4-5 hours before her back and hip starts to bother her. To maximize our time in the mountains, A friend and I built a trailer for hauling the bike to get us there and back quick and spend 4 days there torturing her on the bike. We are now true WHOREs (We Haul Our Ride Everywhere). To be a little off forum, we took the Goldwing and left the GS at home but still had an adventurous trip so I thought I would share.



With the GW sitting atop her humiliating perch and the Desert Wife's FX loaded with all the comforts of home, I put the GS on the center stand, locked the steering head and set the alarm. As the garage door slid down I could swear I could see a single drop of oil drip from her left jug and the faint cry of "why can't I go" as she went out of sight. Oh well, off we go.







Managed to get from Santa Fe to Tuscaloosa and decided to call it a day. I got the rig jacked-knifed in front of the room, unloaded what we needed and set the alarms on the FX and GW.







To make sure the alarm worked I booted the trailer and set off the alarm on the GW. After hitting the disarm on the key fob, the alarm kept going and then smoke started boiling from under the seat. WTF... Running around like a confused dickhead I finally managed to get the tool kit from the car, yank a side cover off and disconnect the battery. As the smoke cleared I turned to Desert Wife who was looking at me in horror of our vacation going to shit the first night and said, "Grab that bottle of Crown and pour me a glass of it over ice".



After gulping down the smooth Canadian treat to calm my rattled nerves, I started removing bits of the bike to see what damage was done. Turns out that a circuit I added to drive alarm indicator LEDs was wired wrong and burnt up when I disarmed the alarm. I removed its charred remains and put the bike back together and checked it out. Everything was OK so I buttoned her up and went back to the task of empting the Crown Bottle.



Next day we arrived at the cabin in Bryson City NC. The road to the cabin made me wish for the GS as it was quite steep and had a stretch of gravel to traverse and should be interesting on an 800lb touring bike 2-up.



Got everything unloaded and the car, bike and WHORE wagon situated,







Time to check the place out. The Hot Tub was already hot.





Monday morning is cool with patchy fog, suited up and riding through the clouds by 9:00 headed for the Dragon. As the sun started peeking through we came upon a nice little spot, time for a picture.





While enjoying the view, two pickups pull in and two locals get out with a yaggi antenna and start to sweep the mountainside. When I ask them what they were tracking, one said, "Ma dog, we lost eem huntn bar, ok. Taint as many bar tiss yar, ok. We kilt too many last yar, so thars nat as many bar tis yar, ok." Desert Wife really got a kick out of his accent but hey, he probably got a kick a out of our Texas Talk as well. Turns out this would be a common site.



Further down US129 we reach Deals Gap and stop at the store for some trinkets and a whizz. Now it be time for the Dragon.

Time for a dam picture;





Soon as we cross into Tennessee the road get real smooth.





Traffic is light as this is Monday so I dig the spurs into our mount and proceed to grind some of the chrome off the Kury Iso pegs. Within a little while we come upon a HD Bagger putting along and have to listen to him for a while until we come to a lake overlook and pulled off.





Sitting there we see 2 R1200GSs pull in with Louisiana tags so I strike up a conversation with them. We BS a little about their bikes and the one pining away in my garage in Texas and then continue north on US129.



A nice little spot to enjoy a snack.





We continue on into Maryville then head East on US321 and stop at a little greasy-spoon outside of Townsen for a bite. Our quite little lunch is interrupted by two RUB couples as one see my Deals Gap t-shirt and then proceeds to talk loud so that everyone in the diner knows they are on Harleys and how successful they are in life bla… bla… bla… sheeeez, what a bitch. We did talk to another couple sitting in riding gear that rode in on a yellow 1150GS. Turns out they were staying in Bryson City as well. He then tells me that they have had the rear brake just flat quit working twice today. That don’t sound like much fun, hope they made it back home OK.



At the suggestion of everyone in the dinner we decided to go down to Cades Cove. The road down was beautiful but full of cages. Had to take this shot 3 times to get it without one.





After getting to the entrance we saw a sign the warned of 2-3 hour stop and go drive time through the loop. It was getting late and we were getting low on fuel so we turned back and headed to Cherokee and then back to the cabin for a beer, a grilled steak and a soak in the hot tub. Nice day.





Tuesday morning we had usual morning mountain fog so I made a pot of coffee and went out and cleaned the bugs off the windshield while Desert Wife copped a few more Zs. As the fog started to lift I grabbed the camera and snapped a shot off the neighbors deck.





Finished breakfast and suited up and ready to ride again. I told Desert Wife that we would ride a short loop today so she could have time to browse around the stores in Bryson City this afternoon. We headed east on US74 then south on SR107 out of Sylva. After a short ride we hit a detour sign that sent us up over a mountain with some really neat 10 mph switchbacks and elevations changes. When we got to the top the GSP showed 5500 ft. We rode the ridge for a while which had some really nice farmland and then back down the other side with some more great curves and switchbacks. Sure was glad 105 had a major landslide, would have seen that road otherwise.



Stopped at a gas station to have a look at the map to see where we go from here. A local fellow came over to see if he could help. After asking where we wanted to go, he points out a route with much better roads and scenery than the one I had chose. I took his advice and again was not disappointed. The road didn't even show up on my map but had been resurfaced lately and went up and over 2 mountains before bringing up to Franklin. We continued up SR28 to us 19 and then west to the Nantahala Outdoor Center to eat our lunch and watch kayaks in the river. Being the weekday, there wasn't any kayaks so we just ate our lunch and watched the river flow. Desert Wife started talking about how much she like the Dragon so I said we weren't too far and would she like to ride it again so off we went. Headed up SR28 and stopped at Fontana Dam to have a look.





Power House.





Continued up 28 towards the gap and got stuck behind another loud bagger. Finding a spot I buzzed by him just before the road started to get steep and curvy again. Climbing a mountain I come into a curve only to find coming down the mountain, in the curve,,, in MY lane, a vintage Harley. I decided to test the ABS and was glad they worked. I got slowed down enough to let this douchebag by as he gave me that I'm on a Harley, Fuck You� look. You know, I like those bikes but the attitude it bring out in some of the people on them just puts a bad taste in my mouth to make me never want to be a part of that brotherhood, just like jet-skies, don't get me started on jet-skies.



We got back to the gap and rode north to the lake overlook, sat and watched a few posers arrive and depart and then headed back south back down 28 and back to the cabin. By the time we got back to town, Desert Wife is starting to get pretty uncomfortable, I can tell it as I feel her twisting in her saddle and I here the sighs in the headset. Heading up the trail to the cabin, she snapped this shot.





Time for a beer, some of my hot-wings and some more hot tub.

Tripn' in the Smokies II

Wednesday morning I wake before dawn, as I do every morning, put on the coffee and open the door to see what the weather is like, damnit, rain. It doesn't look like it will let up as the morning goes on so I decide to we could do a little touring in her car. After all, on curvy roads, that thing is a pure hoot to drive. We head up to Cherokee and the hit the parkway. I hold the FX at the speed limit while using the on-demand shift feature ad get some nice Gs going through the curves. At the top of the first mountain we come upon three Beamers and have to slow to 35-40mph in the curves until they hit a pull off and let us by. I thought they were being cautious due to the road conditions.



Mid morning the rain stops and we take a few more snaps.













We get off the parkway at Waynesville to grab lunch, stop at an antique mall and the decide to get back to get back and use the rest of the day to poke around town.



Back at the cabin we put on the casual leathers and hop on the bike and head back down the driveway.





Out of our driveway we turn right on Fontana Road and head down the road to nowhere. This is a promise that was broken back in the 40s between Tennessee and North Carolina. NC built a road into the national forest and after going through a tunnel, stopped.









Well the road coming from Tennessee never made it so the asphalt dead-ends into the woods.





Oh well, back to the cabin for some beer, hamburgers and hot tub.



Thursday morning I am up making coffee before dawn and check the weather. No rain as of yet. This is our last day to ride this motorcycle heaven so rain or not, we were going to ride. After breakfast we get out lunch and snacks packed in the bike crank her up and off we go in just a slight drizzle. Before we get to town the rain has stopped and patches of blue are showing. We head back to Cherokee to do some of the Parkway on the bike.



We stop at the visitors center to take in some of the view.





Headed down towards Balsam Gap we grab a couple more shots.













Me again;





We continue down the parkway until we get into the clouds so thick we have to turn back.

See this phunny sign;









Riding back we get into one pretty good shower but don't stop for rain suites and the JR gear kept us dry enough. Stopping in Cherokee for gas, I get off and it looks like I pissed my pants as the rain had run down the front of my jacket and soaked my crotch.



Back in Bryson City we cruise up Deep Creek Road to check out the park and ride up some gravel road for a mile or so and turn back and head to town. As we get there we are in time to see the train come in so I park the bike and get some shots while Desert Wife takes in a few more stores.









Again, back to the cabin for beer, more hot-wings and hot tub.




Friday Morning I was planning to ride and let Desert Wife pull the WHORE Wagon but with a pretty good rain falling, I rode her (the bike, not Desert Wife) onto the trailer, packed the car and we were off like a herd of turtles. A good day and a half of caging lay ahead.



Saturday afternoon we get home and unpack everything and unload the bike. Desert Kitty (AKA Bubba Kitty) was so glad to see us he just keeled over.




Sorry for the non-dual sport report. Next one will be from my GS.



All you cat people out there; He really didn't die, he is just a lazy bastard.