Set an alarm again to make sure I was up on time but when it went off I reset it for 8:00am. I’m not too worried about getting out on time as I will be getting an extra hour back today. I also don’t want to arrive in Nashville too early. My original plan for this leg of the trip was to run into North Carolina and hit the Tail of the Dragon, this was done on the trip Dad and I took back in 2014.
Dad was living in Madison, Alabama at the time, just outside of Huntsville. He flew me out to him with the idea that we were going to ride the Dragon on his bikes, Bertha (who is sitting in my garage) and Ruby. Dad and his wife picked me up at the airport and as we walk into the parking garage I notice both Ruby and Bertha in the very first parking spot. Our time together on that trip started on bikes.
The next day we headed off to Deals Gap, North Carolina where the Tail of the Dragon Motorcycle Resort is. Calling it a resort is a bit of a stretch. There’s maybe a dozen rooms that sleep up to six people I think. There’s a gift shop and a small restaurant (if you can call it that) but it closes early. And a camping area, no sites, just a patch of grass for tents.
By the time we get our tent setup and are ready to head to dinner the “restaurant” is closed. So we head down the road to a little resort town. The ride out isn’t long but runs right along a river lined with trees, it’s all forest there. Dinner is at an overpriced place that does have good food and then it’s a quick stop for beer and ice before heading back to camp. It’s dark by the time we start heading back and the river now has a blanket of fog sitting on top of it. It’s a little eerie, the only light being our headlights but still really cool to see the fog sitting just off the surface of the water.
Back at camp we sit at a picnic table and get just one beer in when the rain starts so we have to jump into the tent. It’s then that we realize that Dad has packed the wrong tent. It’s supposed to be a two man tent but he instead grabbed a two youth tent which is great for just him, not so great for two grown men. We have a couple more beers and then decide to call it a night. There will be no stretching out this night.
We also found out, in the middle of the night, that we pitched tent on a spot you should never pitch a tent, on moss. We both wake up just getting wet from the water running under and into the tent. We’ve got to get up and move the tent. Tent size and weather were both a comical situation, even at the time.
The next day the rain was gone and the roads were dry. We set out on the Dragon, 318 curves in 11 miles. It’s a beautiful ride with several switchback turns. We spend the next night somewhere else but get to enjoy riding the Blue Ridge Parkway which is a beautiful ride as well. I get a few more days back at Dad’s house before I fly back to Texas. It was a really great trip, hiccups and all.
Let’s get back to today. I didn’t wake up itching or covered in bites but still took a nice hot shower just in case. The bed wasn’t terrible and I slept well. After checking the weather I decide not to head towards the Dragon. There’s some rain in the area and riding the Dragon on Laurelin would be hard enough on dry roads, I don’t want to risk it on wet roads. This decision give me even more time to get to Nashville so I take my time getting the bike packed up and head out on the road about 10:00am.
It’s another chilly start. The sky is overcast and the roads are wet but it’s not raining. I might hit some rain today but it shouldn’t be a lot so I opt to keep my rain gear stowed away. But since it’s chilly, I’ve got to wear the my jacket.
We’re back on I-81 and the views are much of the same as yesterday, forested mountainsides. The highway twists and turns through the Virginia and Tennessee landscapes but the curves are all wide enough to maintain speed. We make quick work of the 150 or so miles to Knoxville. Traffic picks up a bit as we enter the Knoxville area and I skip my exit. Traffic on it is at a standstill so I continue to the next and let Google reroute me. Our only stop for the day is the Harley-Davidson of Knoxville dealership. After acquiring my chips and chatting with the sales ladies, I’m off to get some lunch.
One of the sales ladies at the dealership suggested a place called the Inskip Grill. It’s a few miles on back roads to get there but it’s a neat little place. There’s a small arcade area and the bathroom hallway is covered in psychedelic painting and dozens of differently shaped smiley faces. I order just a simple burger, they’ve got some that are six to eight inches tall but I just want something simple. After getting a good rest last night my appetite has returned a bit. I’m able to finish all of the burger and about half the fries.
By now the cloud cover has broken up and the sun is shining. It’s warmed up but still chilly enough at speed to keep the jacket. The ride back to the highway is about ten miles of country back roads. There’s some very nice houses out on these roads.
It’s about 180 miles to Nashville from Knoxville. It’s a long run but we make good time. A final gas stop is quite welcome and I take some extra time to walk around and stretch. Those minor back spasms have gone away today but my butt can only take so many miles in the saddle at this point. 80 miles to go at this point and I want to make another stop halfway through but push on to our end point.
The landscapes starts to change as we near the Nashville area. About 20 miles out I start to see the outer suburban businesses and homes. This thickens the closer we get. Traffic gets heavier but never slows below the posted speed limit. Last time Dad and I stayed relatively close to Broadway in Nashville but I am not looking to pay those hotel prices, especially on gameday when Vanderbilt is playing at home. I’ve picked a place just outside of town in Brentwood. I thought is was still in Nashville but it’s not. Close though, just about 500ft from the Nashville City line.
This hotel is just a bit better than last night’s stay. There’s a restaurant, bar, indoor pool and all the things. It’s four stories and has an indoor courtyard area. Oh and glass elevators. All of the rooms here are suites. Mine is the cheapest but has a living room, separate bedroom and bathroom that has both living room and bedroom access. And all the walls are consistently the same color.
I debated going in to town to wander Broadway but decide against it. It’s a great experience but it’s mostly bar hopping and that’s no fun by yourself. Plus, I don’t want to worry about finding parking for the bike. Dad and I were close enough last time to have shuttle service down there, which was good because we definitely imbibed.
Dinner is at the Corner Pub which is just about a mile away. It seems like it’d be a nice place to eat on a normal day but today is game day and the Tennessee faithful are here in force. The place is packed but I manage to find an open seat at the bar. Dinner is a country fried chicken dinner and it’s quite delicious and I’m able to clear my plate.
Back at the room it’ll be a couple more hours of football before another hot shower and heading to bed. Tomorrow we start for home. No planned destinations and maybe no dealership stops. My plan is to put home as my destination and ride as far as I can. We’ll see what happens.
The Motorcycle Diaries of an Easy Rider 