V7 Trip to Deal's Gap and Robbinsville NC

[bpreynolds]

In Sum:
Trip - From Louisville to Robbinsville NC
Duration - 3 nights in Robbinsville NC with 2 full days riding the area and barely even scraped the surface
Total Miles - around 1100ish
Main Roads Ridden - Cherohala Skyway, Wayah Rd, 28, 74, Foothills Parkway, Dragon
Smiles - unquantifiable
Bike performance - Simply Outstanding.  The V7 in my opinion is the perfect bike for MOST roads in area
MPG - 47 overall with 2 tanks over 50 and several others 48 or better
Prizes - On the way there I won a 14"x11" pink commendation from a TN State Trooper for achieving a high rate of speed in a 55mph zone.  Was in too big a hurry and travelling smaller town roads.

Just got back late Saturday afternoon from this 3 night trip to the Robbinsville NC area.  All the leaves had fallen and color gone but even still, it was the most vast quantity of gorgeous landscape and incredible roads I've ever seen.  The ice cream on the cake was that virtually no one was there.  First time I rode the Dragon in daylight (see below) I passed maybe one bike.  On the Skyway I passed maybe 3 bikes in the entire length.  Peaceful.  Quiet.  Wonderful.

As others stated prior to my trip, the Dragon was not even remotely my favorite but I do feel it's a special road and adds to the variety of the whole area.  Because I got there late my first ride on the dragon was after dark - a necessity since no other way into Robbinsville where my stay was.  Not fun and glad I had a GPS.  I especially love the Cherohala Skyway.  Sitting on its peak overlooking it all - those "rolls" below are actually tall mountains in their own right and continue all the way to the horizon - I was overwhelmed by it.  I just sat there for about 40 minutes or so in a kind of zen, spiritual peace, humbled by it all.  Haven't done that in years with regard to landscape - maybe not since the first couple times I saw the ocean or when I danced around on those same Sound of Music mountains in Austria.  I'm not kidding, the place is fantastic.  Take any road anywhere and you'll wind up at a lake or on top of a mountain, or by a whitewater stream, or in a different National Forest.  Simply amazing.  So many places I could have or did actually stop and just try to take in the sounds (or lack of them) or just listen to the water.  One day soon I will certainly go back to this area when I'm not consumed with seeing so many roads, take a book, and just sit by the stream.

On the way there stopping by Sergeant York's Residence in Pall Mall TN was a real treat and helped me get over all the excitement of my Commendation.  Also, at the Forbus General Store I briefly met Eugene with the Jesus Rocks truck.  He was actually a very kind and sweet soul and gave me a Jesus Rock as pictured.  Won't post all of the pics but I'll put links to the albums in case you'd like to view the whole of them.  Managed to label the vast majority of the pics as per locations, but you must click on the pictures to see the labels, I think.

Also, because I don't think you can embed video here on wg I'll post this link to some very gorgeous and very short videos (15 seconds or so each) I made while there.  Make sure your volume is turned up so you can hear the water.  The vids are nice, short, and convey so much more than the photos. 
Link to videos.
http://s212.photobucket.com/user/bpreynolds/library/V7%20Stone/Robbinsville%20Short%20Videos

Pics "on the way" to Robbinsville.  For whole album to these, go here http://s212.photobucket.com/user/bpreynolds/library/V7%20Stone/Bardstown%20Lebanon%20Columbia%20Pall%20Mall%20TN















Pics around Robbinsville including this fairly bad MotoWhere map/sketch I made of major roads ridden.



















































If you dare want to view all the pics in this folder go here.
http://s212.photobucket.com/user/bpreynolds/library/V7%20Stone/Robbinsville%20Area

[Guzzistajohn]

Sweet ride! 

[oldbike54]

 That made me smile , thanks Bipper 

  Dusty

[elvisboy77]

Fantastic!  Love the pics and videos, too.

I left Durham about 9 am Saturday (cold!) with a buddy on his Harley, me on my Eldo.   We rode up to Asheville and then over to Cherohala Skyway, spent the night in Tellico then rode back.  Great trip!  No pics though....

[bpreynolds]

Fantastic!  Love the pics and videos, too.

I left Durham about 9 am Saturday (cold!) with a buddy on his Harley, me on my Eldo.   We rode up to Asheville and then over to Cherohala Skyway, spent the night in Tellico then rode back.  Great trip!  No pics though....

Cold indeed.  While it made up into the mid 60s all days I was there mornings would see upper 30s and the day I returned started off at 33.  Glad I had the Gerbing's liner and gloves.

[menzies]

Thanks for the report and pics, I have ridden by that Forbus store but cannot place in my mind the location, can you refr4eesh my memory. The area up in north Tennessee around Sgt York's is special.

[bpreynolds]

Thanks for the report and pics, I have ridden by that Forbus store but cannot place in my mind the location, can you refr4eesh my memory. The area up in north Tennessee around Sgt York's is special.

It's in Pall Mall off route 127.

[jas67]

Great ride report and pictures -- thanks for sharing!

Both the Dragon and Cherohala Skyway are on my bucket list.  I hope to incorporate both into a tirp before I'm too old to enjoy them.

[Chuck in Indiana]

BTD(most of) T.  Thanks for the vicarious return to one of the prettiest places in the US. Great trip! I love moving water, too.. should go in the favorite things thread.

[O]

Thanks for sharing.  Great pics, and I just went through the video clips as well.  All of that running water is very peaceful, but I especially liked the clip of the lake with the burble of the V7 in the background.  Sounds like a great trip.  Way to take advantage of the mild November so far.

[Nic in Western NYS]

Great report and pics, thanks.  Where did you stay in Robbinsville?

[bpreynolds]

Great report and pics, thanks.  Where did you stay in Robbinsville?

Microtel but there are a lot of small and neat places to stay in the area as well as unbelievably lavish and scenic if you want to go that route as well. 

[PJPR01]

Fantastic ride...all those twisties...have ridden some of those in a car, but not yet in a moto.

[toaster404]

Rode right by the marina where my SO used to live on her boat.  All those roads are standard for us.  I imagine the Dragon is more fun on a V7 than with my 1400, which is happier on Cherohala!

Glad you had a good time.

[Triple Jim]

I imagine the Dragon is more fun on a V7 than with my 1400, which is happier on Cherohala!

The smaller, the better for the Dragon.  I've had the most fun on that road on my Yamaha DT100 that I set up just for it.

Some friends stayed in the 2-Wheel Inn in Robbinsville.  I liked it because each room had a small lockable garage attached, just for motorcycles.  Also, it was clean and inexpensive.

[leafman60]

My stomping grounds!

Thanks for the pics!  I need to get back up there ASAP.

[bpreynolds]

My stomping grounds!

Thanks for the pics!  I need to get back up there ASAP.

Sooner the better maybe; like I said the roads are your own right now.   

Some friends stayed in the 2-Wheel Inn in Robbinsville.  I liked it because each room had a small lockable garage attached, just for motorcycles.  Also, it was clean and inexpensive.

Yup, I looked there too but they were closed for the season along with many other small spots; perhaps I'll stay there next time I go! 

[johnr]

That made me smile , thanks Bipper 

  Dusty

It made me smile too.

[bpreynolds]

That made me smile , thanks Bipper 

  Dusty

It made me smile too.

 
Hey, if I've made one person smile today then well I guess...uh...then.. .mmm...uhhhh...if I've made one person smile today then maybe...hmmm...they should give me a dollar?           
Kidding.  Glad you guys enjoyed it.  I sure did.

[tonUPRacer]

  Did the Gap on my SS900 years ago, also collected a "commendation" from the local authorities!

[lost]

The area around the dragon is fantastic riding. I usually go in September after school starts and it's not too crowded and not likely to run into snow on the way home. The Two Wheel Inn is a great place to stay. If you have time you should go to Maggie Valley to see the Wheels Thru Time museum. Have never seen another quite like it. Thanks for the pics.

Jim

[JProdun]

Prizes - On the way there I won a 14"x11" pink commendation from a TN State Trooper for achieving a high rate of speed in a 55mph zone.  Was in too big a hurry and travelling smaller town roads.

Got me laughing pretty hard 

[mojohand]

What a great trip report!

I rode the Dragon  for the first time 10 years ago (really?! Man! How time flies!) on my way back from Italy, TX, with Bob & Matt. Fun on my Breva 750.


I rode to the Dragon later that year but enjoyed NC 28 instead of riding the Dragon.


Always a fun place to ride.

[bpreynolds]

What a great trip report!

I rode the Dragon  for the first time 10 years ago (really?! Man! How time flies!) on my way back from Italy, TX, with Bob & Matt. Fun on my Breva 750.


I rode to the Dragon later that year but enjoyed NC 28 instead of riding the Dragon.


Always a fun place to ride.

Thanks, Mojo.  It was super fun.  You know a V7 would look nice parked next to a Street Triple 

Prizes - On the way there I won a 14"x11" pink commendation from a TN State Trooper for achieving a high rate of speed in a 55mph zone.  Was in too big a hurry and travelling smaller town roads.

Got me laughing pretty hard 

After going years and years without being honored for my driving, it would appear this past year and a half has been catching up as I've been awarded in KY and 2 states around for my skills.  The KY and Indiana guys, they were great.  Very nice and while they both ticketed me, I wasn't annoyed with it.  They spoke to me like I was a decent human being and they were perhaps bikers themselves.  I even thanked the Indiana guy.  But that TN fellow.  Lotsa attitude and odd authority stuff.  I liked him better the first time I saw him in that movie Smokey and the Bandit.   

[oldbike54]

 I actually had a Missouri state trooper say to me "You're in Missouri now boy"  Of course when he read the DOB on my license the "boy" thing kinda changed .

  Dusty

[PJPR01]

They do make very nice cordless radar detectors you can mount on a RAM mount...gives a pretty good verbal signal at full volume...it's saved me quite a few times from the 

[Two Checks]

I got THREE performance certificates coming off the Skyway into TN about ten or so years ago.
The ink on the trooper's birth certificate was still wet. Nice guy and we had fun with him as I was riding a friend's VTR and he was on My C10 Kaw. Another guy was on his own C10. It was like an episode from the Three Stooges when we produced papers and two sets didn't match the bikes we were on.
That day cost me $288.

[toaster404]

Thinking about setting up my place for airBnB for motorcyclists.  Would be really fun for me, although the "turn off the paved road" part might not be fun for city people.  I get the Cali 1400 in and out just fine, but visitors sometimes get big eyed watching the beast roll over grass, gravel, and railroad ties!!  I'm 50 miles from the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, with great riding to north (Devil's Triangle), west (scenic US 70), and south (Ocoee gorge etc, and N. Ga.).