Another Pre-TMAC Adventure - Reptile Roads

Gentlemen, Ladies and, of course, fellow VFRD members,

Have a three day pre-TMAC trip planned; riding up and back along the well-known "Reptile Roads" in North Western North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.   The Diamondback, The Snake and Back of the Dragon plus other interesting roads along the way (proposed itinerary in the Word document below).  Making it back in time to do the Dragon on Wednesday before the weekend Pirate Parade. 

Have a week's spring vacation in the greatest roads on earth and want to take advantage of the riding opportunity as much as possible.

My plan is to leave the Microtel on Sunday at the crack of 9:30am or 10:00 :wink:  at the very latest to get gas head North.

Want to ride a 6+ hour ~240 mile day each day - enough to hit the interesting bits but not enough to make it work getting there.

If you are interested let me know and we can sort the hotel nights in Marion and Little Switzerland.

REPTILE ROADS - Mapped Itinerary Ver.01 2017-02-15.docx

Ahh yes,  The Snake...

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Cheers Gradus!!!  :beer:

I so want to do this. I'll be working towards making this happen.

I've been wanting to do a real sport tour for years.

2 hours ago, Sweeper

I so want to do this. I'll be working towards making this happen.

I've been wanting to do a real sport tour for years.

Fantastic!  Wasn't sure on the group's temperature towards this kind of thing.  I used to do this kind of trip on 5-day snowmobile excursions around Algonquin Park in Ontario (pre-GPS) and that was always a good time for a bunch of guys.  

With time available before the main event, 3 days to do those roads up and back should be achievable without it becoming work.

Posted the trip itinerary without dates:  Sunday May 14 to Tuesday May 16.  Plan is to bookend these three days to the Spring Ride.   

Below are my reservations - date and hotel:

Great idea Rob, I'm in.

Would love to, but as the schedule sits (pesky work) I am only available 5/16 through 5/24.  I wasn't planning on being at the Microtel until the 17th but that can be changed.

SE, that's too bad.  There is nothing like local road knowledge.  And, you know, your company is good too.

How about a 5/17 mid-week Franklin 28 to The Dragon day...?  

Hopefully the Tapioca <sic> Lodge will be finished renovating the patio and be ready and available for lunch.

VFRpwr, 3/6/2017 at 2:27 PM

SE, that's too bad.  There is nothing like local road knowledge.  And, you know, your company is good too.

How about a 5/17 mid-week Franklin 28 to The Dragon day...?  

Hopefully the Tapioca <sic> Lodge will be finished renovating the patio and be ready and available for lunch.

I will need to know my call schedule before I make any wild plans.  A long day on the 16th may not be in the works.  Plus there are the hooligans from Raleigh that tag along on the best day of riding ever, going to and from Franklin.  However, if you are amenable to modifying the Day 3 ride to meeting at 151 West of Asheville in Candler around noon, we can hit some of the fun roads east of Franklin.  I can't get enough and ride them on the way in and out of town.  Map below also includes roads going around Franklin that make for less highway traffic.

WS Ben 151 Pisgah 281 215 Elijay Franklin Backroads 28.gpx

Modified!  Absolutely would join you and the Raleigh hooligans for a ride along those roads.  Wasn't sure about the route for Day 3 and if you like 215 and Wolf Mountain how could a visitor to the area pass up such an opportunity?

 - See you in Chandler on Tuesday.

Forecast of mid-sixties and mostly sunny in Franklin Sunday says the Weather Network (by speaking of good weather did I just invite rain?).  Still going to pack the rain gear JIC.

Paring-down the road tool kit to the bare essentials otherwise I'll have a red 3-drawer top box on the back of the bike.

Is it only Monday night?!  C'mon Friday!

What time are you rolling in to Franklin on Saturday?

Targeted time will be 6:00-7:00 pm ish. Likely will unload and get the bikes pointed in the right direction before morning, BS a bit, and drink one or two celebratory beers. Likely the beer will come first after truck is parked  :wink: .

See you there!

Bad news, I unintentionally lit up the rear on my track day and high sided over some wet pavement, then tumbled down the road for a good ways.  I'm ok, and should make the Spring ride, but will probably be leaving Wednesday or Thursday while the bruises heal and swelling goes down.  You guys enjoy the local roads I sent and make sure they are in good shape for when I come through.  I seem to have difficulty staying upright of late.

Glad you are ok.

007, Licence to thrill eh?

Steve, glad to hear you are all right and not laid up in some hospital  :wink:

Take it easy and get well.  Look forward to seeing you in Franklin!

Bummer. If you can still lift a beer, you can enjoy the festivities. If you can't, I'll get you a straw.

See you next week.

Maybe you should just say NO to BMW's Steve.

Steve.bmp

16 hours ago, Dutchy

Glad you are ok.

007, Licence to thrill eh?

It was thrilling until it wasn't.

15 hours ago, VFRpwr

Steve, glad to hear you are all right and not laid up in some hospital  :wink:

Take it easy and get well.  Look forward to seeing you in Franklin!

Should be a blast as usual!

9 hours ago, Sweeper

Bummer. If you can still lift a beer, you can enjoy the festivities. If you can't, I'll get you a straw.

See you next week.

My main concern is pain distracting the riding along with proper throttle control.  Beer drinking is much simpler.

8 hours ago, Sweeper

Maybe you should just say NO to BMW's Steve.

Steve.bmp

Sometimes I wonder...

The worst part was it was wet that morning.  Granted, I wasn't flat out, but I was still on it fairly hard.  That afternoon, the track was dry except for in a few places where water was seeping from a high water table.  There was something about the pavement / fluid there that didn't agree with adhesion from a wicked 200hp. 

EPIC!  Rob is a genius. Pics when I get a minute. 

STILL sorry I missed this one due to track day carelessness, but glad I could lead / follow the Northerners around some of the finest roads NC has to offer.  Sorry for all the wrong turns, but I wanted to give the full kebrider experience.  The Canadian / Wisconsin crew is wicked fast.

I've decided that my grey hair is holding me back. Next year I'm going to shave my head. Yep, that will do it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

May 22, 2017 at 8:37 AM, Sweeper, Monday

I've decided that my grey hair is holding me back. Next year I'm going to shave my head. Yep, that will do it!
 

Nooooo!  No one should sacrifice irreplaceable folicals for anything - enjoy it while you got it!

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Rob and Rick greeted me with a frosty beverage upon arrival in Franklin.[image: IMG_3814.thumb.JPG.f8d19fede16bff67badd68df664593d4.JPG]

These were not the aliens that they seek.

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Once you've had Rick's....

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Pre-ride day two.[image: IMG_3820.thumb.JPG.9275cd9ffb0b14fa75f1aec2769b273b.JPG]Ran into SamW and Don at Shady Valley Store.

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Carver's Gap is so fresh and so clean. Never pass up a chance to visit.

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We never went over 50....ever.

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Bike parking for night two at Little Switzerland Inn.

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The view at dinner.

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Real food.

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After dinner checkup.

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Lunch day three.

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We found a sweet jump. 

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End of day three. On the fourth day, we rode the Dragon.

Thanks again Rob for planning an epic event!

I was hoping to run most of that going home, but the weather didn't cooperate the past two days.  I'm sure there will be a next time!