Excursions pour la Journee avec Gaston

Seriously, I don't speak French, but feel free to post comments in whatever language you like.






I never tire of this spot.






For those who are interested: Old Jonas Ridge is getting fresh pavement on the 181 end, and the sawdust/salt residue has been mostly swept off of the Parkway end.

School started this week for real. The weekend forecast was looking good, so Lucky and someone who doesn't have a screen name and I headed out Friday after work for some commando camping and dual sporting.

We got things going with a little bit of Old 105. As many times as I've done that road, I think that this was the first time I'd ever expressed it end to end. Great fun!




A few weeks ago, I found a different place to cross from NC into Tennessee, and I have been wanting to work it into a ride for a while. On the way out there we ran into this:




We were a few minutes behind the 7:30 time, so we got served what was left.




The food and fellowship at the Bethel Baptist Church are both prodigious. The dual sporting aint too bad either. We wended our way up Mountaindale and over Locust Gap into the Volunteer State. The plan was to cross Doe Mountain on Fire Tower Road. It doesn't appear to exist as a public right of way any more. What's the opposite of eminent domain, and when did it become so prevalent?

Anyway, back to the trip. We were forced to go to 421, but we steered clear of Mountain City. We crossed Iron Mountain on Spear Branch/Cross Mountain and rode the crazy, cliffside curves down TN 91 in the dark. Adding to the technical difficulty were the random red eyes and flapping wings in the headlight beam. You couldn't swing a dead cat by the tail without hitting a whippoorwill. I think they're getting ready to head south.


We camped at the Holston Mountain Freewill Missionary Mosque.




We toured the minaret.










Speaking of red eyes, the pollen was really taking its toll.





Morning in America





The main dome of the mosque.









We got right to work.










We had to attend to a sticky throttle actuation issue. Not a good place to have a sticky throttle.

I think I heard Lucky muttering something about coffee.


















Set the controls for biscuits and coffee.







We had to do some running around to find Big Creek.








Denton Hyatt Harr

The night pics just dont do the view justice, wish we had a camera that had a really long shutter speed.

Wow, change your email and it's easier to hack into the NSA than get back on! ANYway... just a few adds to Gaston's post; it's hard enough to keep his rear wheel in view let alone do the happy snappy thing. A welcome rest here at Bethel.

C'mon, kids on Christmas morning don't look this happy!

These church folks were the best. Offered to pay our way since we came in at the end, but 5 bucks for a good cause is not to be denied. It was double delish!

A semi restful night...

...followed by a spectacular morning. Did someone mention a firetower?

Breakfast? We don't need no stinkin' breakfast! Nebo gets right to work...

as does Gaston!! And all this sans coffee... which indeed made Lucky grumble a bit.

A welcome rest after the sickest gravel run THIS dude's been able to pull off... if a rider's laughing in his helmet while hauling a$$ thru the woods, can anyone hear him?

"make warp factor 5, Mr. Spock." "Aye aye Captain."

I would have enjoyed myself if the weather had been a little nicer...

The mandatory over-the-shoulder as we head home. A wicked good weekend! No-Fear Nebo and GG are big fun! And like Brian Wilson says, "let's... get together and do it again." Slainte Mhe!

Started that way yesterday but found myself longing to ride the ORV area at Brown Mtn. After 3 hours of wrestling a stock geared KLR650 where I use to blast through on a YZ I was shot. Had to save a little for the ride home.
Nice report of a nice ride.....Al

Witness all of the fun stuff we *could* have been doing.




Instead:





























The things ya see out in the woods when you don't have a gun.

Hey!

Those would be some really Nice pics!! Except I'm not in any of them!

It feels like forever since I've been on a good "thumper ride"


BTW.....You guys suck!
(maybe not as much as that Hayduke feller but still) oser

This past weekend's weather was amazing... seems we were all on the same page of the DeLormes at the same time! Sorry no pics of 209 but it was both hands on the bars for that one... until the last two miles when the Goldwing Trike Association slowed things up a bit...:ddog Still, a fine fine day... Holla!

Hey Gaston!

I chopped a sign from my stooopid thread for ya!



Sorry about the size and quality....it started as a cell phone pic.