Smokie Mountain trip

[choptop]

Booked a room in Maggie Valley for 7/28/17 - 8/4/'17. Going to go w/the Lost 202, the group I went to Yellowstone last year, Pennsylvania this year and Sturgis many times. Should be a good time.

[jm21ddd15]

Hello ChopTop. Trip sounds fun. Is Your group planning an interstate ride to get there? Your trip is about 1000 miles, by the interstate, and that's going thru Chicago, Indianappolis, Louisville, and a few more cities. Sounds like a couple days ride, if your going to avoid those places. About like the route to Franklin, NC, a couple years ago. How many in your group?

[choptop]

Hey jm21ddd15, how are you doing ? Their plan is to trailer down, drive straight threw, they have 5 rooms booked now, it is in the planning stages. I just booked mine on my own and at this point am planning on taking a couple of days riding down. If something else comes up and I change my mind I don't screw things up for the others, that's a long way off. I here they book up fast, motels that is. Hoping to have the party again this year w/a band. Maybe you can make it.

[jm21ddd15]

Doing fine, Chop Top. Really enjoying the warm November weather. Getting lots of late season Wisconsin riding. But, all good things come to an end, as possible snow by Saturday. Keep us posted on the trip to Maggie Valley. I'd like to get down that way again, and maybe continue on to the coast. Love the fresh seafood.

[choptop]

Will do !

[wjduke]

May I suggest...The Cherohala Skyway, The Smokey Mountain National Park, Foothills Parkway, The Blue Ridge Parkway, The Dragon, Rt 64 between Highlands and Franklin and The Moonshiner-Highway 28, as beautiful rides you won't regret.

[Bigcityd]

Chop Top, not sure where you're staying, however my riding mates and I stayed for a few days this past summer at the MicroTel in Maggie Valley, where we "Shamrocked" to local roads. They are very bike friendly, have a bike wash set up and rags for you to clean the dew off of your ride as well. They have a nice pool and a decent complimentary breakfast each morning. There is a little coffee shop across the street next to what was touted as a new distillery. The coffee was very good. Here is a map of some of the rides we did. I highly recommend these in addition to the others mentioned above.
Attachment 24637Attachment 24638Attachment 24637

[choptop]

Staying at Travelowes in Maggie Valley, looks like they have a pool, note to self to bring speedo, and a picnic area w/ a couple of tables and a grille... The gentleman that is putting together the trip picked out the place to stay.

[ReserveBum]

In Gatlinburg, what a mess. Smoke all day yesterday. About 8 last night resort office calls saying shutting off gas, no hot water but all else OK. Less than hour later all hell breaks loose. Alarms, yelling, people running. Look behind the building and the hill is on fire! Already packed so throw our shit in the car but road closed and we can't get out. Take a very small single lane forest trail barely wide enough for the car with dropoffs either side. Don't know if we are going into or out of fire. Finally snakes us out to a real road where fire on both sides. Plus heavy winds knocking down trees. Park closed, only way out is North. On way to Pigeon Forge smoke heavy with flames both sides of roads. Evacuating so traffic is standstill. Reserved room in Johnson City, took almost 5 hours but safe. Our clothes and bags smell like smoke. What a night!

[ReserveBum]

In Gatlinburg, what a mess. Smoke all day yesterday. About 8 last night resort office calls saying shutting off gas, no hot water but all else OK. Less than hour later all hell breaks loose. Alarms, yelling, people running. Look behind the building and the hill is on fire! Already packed so throw our shit in the car but road closed and we can't get out. Take a very small single lane forest trail barely wide enough for the car with dropoffs either side. Don't know if we are going into or out of fire. Finally snakes us out to a real road where fire on both sides. Plus heavy winds knocking down trees. Park closed, only way out is North. On way to Pigeon Forge smoke heavy with flames both sides of roads. Evacuating so traffic is standstill. Reserved room in Johnson City, took almost 5 hours but safe. Our clothes and bags smell like smoke. What a night!

Home at last. After leaving Gatlinburg spent a couple of days in Johnson City. Saw a red F6 with a top box. Then on to W. Virginia then to Buffalo to visit friend. Car still smells like smoke and found out place we were staying at burned down that night. We were some of the last ones out of that place and were pretty fortunate.....a vacation (35th wedding anniversary) to remember. A lot of folks down there are hurting, having lost everything.