Coast to coast

We'll that's it. Not done in the most spectacular way. Done in under 3 weeks something that took me 5 in the other direction. Fleeting views of things that we would have loved to see more of (Tahoe being one of them ;0). Not done all the way by bike but who can blame the Lovely Girl for being spooked by tornadoes when the bike is blowing across the carriageway and people have died less than a hundred miles away. A thousand miles is an achievement for someone who had never been on a bike before (I don't think a 6 mile round trip to Llanidloes counts). She had to deal with cities, freeways, mad drivers, Mack trucks, desert heat and cold mountain ranges, and was just brilliant.

We also didn't make Ocean City or stand in the Atlantic. But who cares about a few miles here or there? We crossed the continent and had a lot of fun with some great and old friends. What more can you want from a road trip?

Done..... Until the next time.

To Washington via New Market battlefield

Stopped in South Wales for Gas. A good trick if you can do it!

To Lexington via the Natural Bridge

Fontana to Boone via Cherokee, right past Santa Land and Asheville

Spent last night in a 'cottage' overlooking Fontana Lake, Barbequeing under the porch and watching the sun set. We spend a lot of time on this trip with a fist full of beer (or wine or Jack Daniels). Its a filthy job, but someone has to do it.

Off in the morning heading for the start of the Parkway via Cherokee (much less exciting than you might think) and past the monstrosity that is Santa's Land. Open almost all year round you can Santa's village, Zoo land, Fun land, the North Pole and a gift shop. Wow! All for the princely sum of $21.16 (?) plus tax. If you are 2 years old you have to pay. Presumably ANYONE who might get the slightest pleasure has to stum up. Managed to resist the temptation however and headed on to Asheville.

Ashley and Rachel were there a few weeks ago for her birthday weekend. That's another opportunity to meet up missed. Ash, if you're reading this, we're still waiting to hear what Rachel would like for her birthday. Let us know soon and we'll give it to her next year ;o)

Into the Appalachians

I like the Appalachians, and I like the Great Smokey mountains. The drive along the Cheraloha skyway was brilliant but must have been exhausting on the bikes. Mile after mile of hairpin bends. It's in the same area as the Dragons Tail which has more bends in a shorter distance, but the Cherahola is so long and relentless. Later Mark complained that his tyres seemed to overheat and had lost a lot of grip. I'm not sure if it's the tyres or the road surface melting. I'll have to do a little research....

Stopped at Grandfather Mountain towards the end of the day, dropping off the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway. Bit of a tourist trap but we arrived late and there were few people there. Rachael was happy to see the bears. These were a female who used to come up to the top of the mountain to be fed. As she wouldn't leave it was safe to create a caged area where the public could see her safely. She has since had cubs so there were more than one for Rachael to admire. "Teddy bear!" "No Rachael, savage animal...."

Machine Falls Tulahoma

"We are never walking in the woods again. In fact we are never getting out of the car again!" A bit of an over reaction :o)

On the recommendation of our waitress last night we went to look for Machine Falls and found her directions pretty good. We headed into the woods on the one and a half mile trek down hill. It was a beautiful little fall that could only be accessed by a difficult clamber along a ledge. Things went a bit Pete Tong when there was a sound in the bushes on the track back. There, 15 feet away were stood two very large dogs, stopped, their ears up and hesitating what to do. When one of them barked Rachael was off. And there was no stopping her until we were back to the car.

By the time we pulled out of the car park, Rachael was convinced that the waitress was a murderer and the dogs were hers. "We'll get shot any moment now!"

Tullahoma via Alabama and Jack Daniels

Left the city on the Natchez Trace Parkway and stopped at the Jack Daniels distillery to purchase a bottle of Gentleman Jack which we had engraved. "I'm not sure we have a dragon sir, but I can check". Everyone else had chosen from a standard selection of clipart and took a minute or two to etch. The Waen Design took about 15 minutes and I'm not sure the manager was impressed as the queue mounted behind it.....

Entered the home straight. Davey Crockett house tomorrow then on with the Great Smokey Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 Tombo's on the State Line on the Natchez Trace Parkway