Cherohala Skyway, Dragon & Foothills Ride

[Yellow Jacket]

When: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Where: Tennessee and North Carolina

Dave Jones (davidjones1) and some of the Tennessee VROC group had planned a ride across the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, TN to Robbinsville, NC.

Ron (coacha) and his wife Tammy had ridden from Florida to Cleveland on Friday.

I left Fayetteville, GA at 06:50 Saturday morning and met Dave and Andrea and Ron and Tammy in Cleveland at 09:30. Another Nomad rider met us there also. I think his name was Joe but Dave kept calling him Vin, or something similar to that. Sometimes I don't hear real good or else I don't pay attention like I should. :)

We left on our four Nomads and arrived in Tellico Plains around 11:00 or thereabouts where we met up with the others.

There was Jax and his wife (or significant other), Mike and Linda on their 1500 Classic, Beth riding a Suzuki and Randy on his Goldwing.

After some visiting we started out on the Cherohala, eight bikes altogether.

We rode the Skyway over to Robbinsville, NC with a couple of stops at overlooks. If you've never ridden this road, you really need to put it on your list. I've ridden it three times now and it is one of my favorites!

We had lunch in Robbinsville with part of the group choosing a Mexican restaurant while a few of us opted for Wendy's, I like mexican food but Wendys was cheaper!

After lunch since Ron and Tammy hadn't been on the Dragon we all rode up to Deals Gap resort. Tammy was intrigued by the fact that the dam at Tapoco was the one in the movie "The Fugitive."

After a short stop at Deals Gap for some photos and souvenirs Dave and Andrea, Ron and Tammy, Joe (or Vin?) and I headed north on the Dragon. We successfully conquered the Dragon but we did decide to give Joe a new nickname, "The Edge!" I'll let you ask Dave why sometime. ;)

When we got through the Dragon we then rode across the Foothills Parkway. I had not been on it before but it is now also one of my favorites! There are some really great views there. Of course, you really need to be a passenger to see most of it since when you're riding you need to keep your eyes on the road!

We then rode on up to Marysville where we split up. Dave, Andrea, Ron and Tammy took the scenic route back to Cleveland while Joe (The Edge) and I jumped up to I-75 and headed towards Chattanooga. Joe dropped off as we approached Chattanooga and I continued on south through Atlanta, GA and back to home. I pulled into the garage at 9:20 pm, fourteen and a half hours after I had left that morning.

It was great getting to meet KawaNOW members Dave and Ron, their wives and the other folks. We had some really good riding and fellowship.

Here are some photos:
At the overlook on the Cherohala









Below, At Santeetlah
LR: Joe (Vin? or The Edge!), Beth, Jax’ wife?, Mike, Linda, Randy, Tammy, Ron (coacha), myself (Bob), Andrea, Dave (davidjones1)


Making some snowballs!


Ron and Tammy at Deals Gap


On the Foothills Parkway

[coacha]

Dang Bob, thanks a lot for posting the pictures and the dialog. You are a much better writer than I am. Tammy really enjoyed the ride...except the Dragon, lol.

[coacha]

Oh by the way, his forum name is Fin on VROC, lol. Heck, you got all the rest of the names...I only remembered Jax.

[Yellow Jacket]

Originally Posted by CoachA

Oh by the way, his forum name is Fin on VROC, lol. Heck, you got all the rest of the names...I only remembered Jax.

Well I feel a little better! Vin is pretty close to Fin! LOL.

I agree with Tammy on the Dragon. I've ridden it twice now from South to North and once from North to South. As dkdixie says, "I've ridden the Dragon all I need to."

I would love to take my wife over the Cherohala and the Foothills Pkwy (in our car) but I would have to figure a way to get around the Dragon. Those turns would make her car sick in a heartbeat!

Edit: I think I found Joe on the VROC forum, spells it Phin.

[coacha]

Phin it is then. Hopefully he will come over here and introduce himself. He has an awesome ride...still, lol.

[davidjones1]

As Ron said, thanks for posting the pic's and the write up, Ron I am Glad to see you posted on vroc, its been so long for me posting there I will have to fine my password to sign on to post LOL. Thanks again Bob.
ride safe.

[audiogooroo]

Looks like everyone had a great time! Wish I could have been along. :)

[revmrq]

great pics Bob. I would have loved to have been there. Maybe next time.

[gopjohnny]

I love that area to ride in. I dont enjoy the dragon as much as I once did because of the Troopers with the radar. I cant help but think that 30 mph is too slow for lots of that road

[coacha]

Too slow? I kinda thought it was kinda fast, lol. Different strokes for different folks I guess. I can now say I rode it and I probably won't again...got the patch, sticker and bell (THANK YOU DAVID!) to prove it.

[nomad1600]

Hey, looks like everbody had a great time. Good pics too Bob, glad to see everyone out and meeting other Nomad members. Wish I could have been there, maybe next time.

[Kawhead]

OMG !!! So beautiful. I wish I had been there. Something would have messed me up anyway. Thanks for the pictures fellahs :)

[dragon57]

Those areas have long been among my favorites; but, I avoid them this time of year; so many "leaf lookers" that I can't get anywhere without a lot a slow traffic in front of me. In a couple weeks, I'll be back up in the mountains again, and doing some camping. I pull a trailer, so, we have everything we need to camp comfortably from the bike.

[dabull]

Those are some awesome pictures....looks like ya'll picked THE perfect time to ride