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Scoop

Scoop

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I don't care if anybody reads this or not. I find it helpful if I write down goals because my memory is measured in hours. So these are reminders of what I want to do this year scooting around my neighborhood.

2015 plans
1) Red Boiling Springs, TN for the MC museum. www.cyclemos.com/
2) Birmingham, AL for Barber's Motorsport Park and Museum www.barbermotorsports.com/higpa-home.php
3) US 129 [Deals Gap] in TN and NC Tail of the Dragon tailofthedragon.com/. This is too near me to ignore for another year.
4) Nashville, TN Antique Archaeology, TN home of American Pickers. www.antiquearchaeology.com/antique_archaeology_nashville_tn.php
5) and some non-destination roads in north GA, west NC, north AL.

PROGRESS REPORT [Nov 2015]
Target
1) Running out of days this year. Won't make it to CycleMos.
2) Just got back from Barber. It was a fantastic experience. I didn't take the scooter down because my wife showed so much interest in the museum she wanted to go also. My recommendation to you is that if you ever get within 200 miles of Birmingham you should bend your route to get there. I've got to go back again!
3) Running out of days for Deals Gap too. Won't go while the leaves are falling. I'll put it on next year's list.
4) Made it to Antique Archaeology. It was a stop on my van trip from east TN to STL.
5) Yup. Made it to all those states [GA, NC, AL] , but none of them are too far from me. But it is a check-off.

Score
3 for 5

THIS YEAR [2016]
1) Red Boiling Springs, TN for the MC museum. www.cyclemos.com/ 319 East Main Street. I'll try again.
2) US 129 in TN and NC Deals Gap tailofthedragon.com/. As soon as the temps at altitude are good, I'm off.
3) www.wheelsthroughtime.com/ Wheels Through Time is a antique MC musuem in Maggie Valley NC about 110 mile from home. They have a TV series called "What's in the Barn?" that tell the stories of how they acquire some of the old cycles and cars.
4) Veterans of All Wars Museum in Chickamauga GA.
http://chickamaugan.com/index.php/what-to-do/museums/113-veterans-of-all-wars-museum
I've been by it, but it was closed. I shall return.
5) and some non-destination roads in SC, MS, and KY. Might as well hit VA while I'm going north.

What do you have in mind?

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Cyclemos

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Wheels Through Time Museum
 
Pick a day where they're calling for 70's in Robinsville NC, and it'll actually be warmer at Deals Gap, even tough it's higher in altitude. It gets very hot in the peak of summer, and the humidity doesn't help any. I've spent my share of seat time there, and been known to lose 3-5lbs in a day from sweating my ass off.

I'm so close to the Wheels Through Time museum it isn't funny, and still haven't been. That's a damn shame I suppose, as I've heard they're great people and a really cool place to visit. I have some really good off the grid stuff in western NC if you're over this way, and ride something that doesn't weigh 1100lbs. Nothing against ginormous cruisers for those that want them, but you'd hate the stuff I ride on one.
 
WNCmotard said:
...I'm so close to the Wheels Through Time museum it isn't funny, and still haven't been. That's a damn shame I suppose, as I've heard they're great people and a really cool place to visit. I have some really good off the grid stuff in western NC if you're over this way, and ride something that doesn't weigh 1100lbs. Nothing against ginormous cruisers for those that want them, but you'd hate the stuff I ride on one.
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OK. I'll take you up on the offer. My Kaw weighs about 390 wet. I'll buy you dinner and we can share the WTT experience. I'll call the museum to make sure of their schedule. Mid April earliest. We can work around your schedule since I don't have job. It's about 150 miles for me via 74 and 19. Say 4 hrs, so easy noon arrival.
 
Sounds good to me Scoop, what part of TN (if memory serves) you coming from? Might be able to hit some twisties on the way over instead of slabbing it all the way. Nothing I hate worse than straight stretches of road, the DRZ doesn't care much for them either. It'll be May for me at the earliest due to work.
 
I'll be coming out of the southeastmost county [Polk] of TN. There are 2 ways for me to get to Maggie Valley.

Shortest is via Murphy and Cherokee on US74. There is about 30 mile of slablike road from just west of Murphy to about Andrews NC.

The most entertaining way is coming over via the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville. Then grab 129 to 74. Or maybe 143 and 28 to hit 74 near Almond. I'll admit I'm ignorant about that portion east of Robbinsville.

Where do you start from? I'll take my cue from you for a meet-up.

May is no problem. Any time before November.
 
Okay, I'm familiar with all of that area. I'm from that area of NC, and lived in east TN for about 12 years. Best ride would be the Skyway > Dragon > NC28 S through Almond> 74 and meet me at Kings Grocery about five miles up on the right, then we can ride double top secret awesome stuff from there. :D. Shot you my contact info also, looking forward to it.
 
WNCmotard said:
... meet me at Kings Grocery about five miles up on the right...
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OK. I am going to Kings next week to check the routes. I'll go east via Robbinsville/143/28/Almond/74 and return via 74 so I can log the distances and times.

The museum has various days in May when groups are invited or encourage to show up.
See http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com/category/events/ for the schedule.

Do you want to avoid days like that or hit 'em?
 
I'd prefer to avoid them to be honest. The less traffic the better when I'm on the bike IMO. Not to mention both the museum, and the local eateries won't be as packed.
 
We agree. Also, I've found my best museum experiences when there were very light crowds. The directors and staff are eager to share and you can get some good behind-the-scenes peeks if you take the right approach with enthusiastic personnel. I'll put together a calendar for the next couple of months and you can make the choice of dates that suit you.

I did go to Kings today. Via the Skyway and R'ville it is 125 miles and tad less than 3 hours. I can cut a little bit off that because we took a real winding route to Telico Plains, and Larry leads a little slower than I fly when I'm solo. If I'm short on time I can take 64/74 all the way. That's 105 miles in 2:10. You pick the date and time [let's say after 10:30am] and we will meet up.
 
Sounds good to me Scoop, and that makes sense on the smaller crowds in the museum also, and I've heard just that about WTT also. How about meeting up around 11 - 11:30AM? That way you're not pushed to leave early, early and be riding in the risky hours just after sunup when critters are moving. I think I have a good route laid out to get us there, with very minimal highway, and lots of A+ backroad scenic stuff. Need to check the mileage and time estimate though.
 
My mind was somewhere else as well.

I need to build a collapsible Target stand I can take on my motorcycle to the gun club.
 
WNCmotard said:
... makes sense on the smaller crowds in the museum...
...How about meeting up around 11 - 11:30AM?
... I think I have a good route laid out to get us there, with very minimal highway, and lots of A+ backroad scenic stuff.
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WTT event schedule for May 2016 is not too restrictive. Here are blackout days:
May
10 Jury duty - personal
16 Jury duty - personal
19 WTT Road Hogs Motorcycle Party
30 WTT Memorial Day Celebration

There is a exhibit, American Motor Drome Wall of Death there from May 19 to 23. The 23rd may not be to bad since it is a Monday.

Scenic route will be great. Not too many miles of gravel tho'. That wears me out.

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Yeah, sorry, been absorbed in all kinds of things, none of them moto related Scoop. The rest of May is shot for me for sure, and waiting on some stuff for the bike anyway so it looks like June it is. I definintely want to to go though, and no gravel at all if I can help it, it wears me out on street tires too. The route should be fantastic, it'll be somewhere around 150 miles of our best stuff IMO. Looking at my calendar, how about the 4th of June? My scoot should be ready to roll by then, and the weather should be just right.
 
WNCmotard said:
... Looking at my calendar, how about the 4th of June? My scoot should be ready to roll by then, and the weather should be just right.
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Sure, that would be OK. The museum is open Thu-Mon. Does your work schedule allow a push into the weekdays if we have to adjust for weather?
 
I need to get on the ball. It has been over 2 months since I took the ride to NC and Wheels Through Time Museum.

First, I want to thank WNCmotard for a great job of planning the route and leading me on a most entertaining trip. He is a fantastic leader and guide. It is a challenge to find a speed that doesn't bore me but doesn't lose me by miles. Following the Motard was a pleasure. The meet-up was right on schedule and the route to the museum was fantastic.

The motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley was much larger than I expected. It was on two floors. The displays were divided into themes, like racing, military, oddballs. The ages of cycles ran from 1910 to the '50s or '60s. Every so often the owner, Dale Walkser, would come on the floor and stand by a bike and give a short lecture about its history. He'd answer questions then straddle the bike and crank it up with a kick right there. After about 45 seconds he'd shut it down. Ten minutes later you could here another bike start up.
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Dale Walksler, WTT Founder/Owner kicking an engine to life.


I should have taken more pix than I did, but it is really hard to convey the real beauty of the terrain by photo anyhow. Terrain to a cyclist is best when rushing by his shoulders, or in sudden reveals after topping a crest, or wagging backing and forth at 45-degree angles when leaning thru the S-turns. I don't wear a GoPro so all I have to share are these two shots.

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North Carolina 6/4/2016

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A guy I followed around for a while.

There was somebody else that took pictures of this trip. Maybe they will show up here later.
 
Scoop, first of all, sorry it took me so long to get around to posting up. Life's been a bit crazy here this summer.

I really appreciate the kind words. Leading folks around is always a challenge to find that pace, I'm really happy to hear you think I did a good job of that. You're a great rider, and I had a blast, come back anytime!

Here are a few of the pics I took, and a link to the entire album.

That spot looks familiar

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Highest point in NC other than Mt Mitchell

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It looked like this all day, and we both dodged it all day, until we both got caught in a frog strangler on the way home after parting ways.

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There are a TON of pics in the album, and I can't really pick a favorite from all the cool stuff we saw that day, so I won't. I was especially interested in the flat track stuff though, always have been.

Here's the entire album, roughly 90 pics total


http://imgur.com/a/dyEse
 
Made that ride two years ago from OH. Great scenery and the museum was fantastic (even though I was hung over, walked a half mile to see it and forgot my clear glasses...anniversary trip coincided with Thunder in the Valley ;) )
 
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