All Roads lead to Wing Ding (Saturday June 29th)

Tail Of The Dragon

We head out this morning to find the Tail of the Dragon.  Chuck and I have ridden this stretch of road a couple of times.  Seems like we always have a trailer on the back of the bike when we do, but that is just the way it works out. 

The weather is really nice, and the ride was the same.  We see that same strange sign we saw in Hendersonnville along the road again, only this time, there were words under the little guy...It says grooved highway...Ok, so we aren't water surfing on the bike!!! 

We make it Maryville, and turn towards the Dragon. 

Amazingly we are only about 5 minutes into this highway, and pass a bike wreck.  Not sure what happened, but it really wasn't even a bad area....who knows, but it looks like the girl was able to get back up, so that is a good sign.

As we ride the switchbacks and tight curves, paying attention to each and every piece of the highway, we pass by several of the guys that take pictures of you riding the road.  I am on the phone taking notes on what time we rode what area, and which photographer took the shot.  We will look at the finished pictures online in a day or so. 










You know we are connected via our blue tooth headsets to Diana & Chris.  Chris told us that his little guy on his GPS just puked.  Oh my gosh...where does he come up with this stuff...I laughed so hard I about wet my pants.









We stop at Deals Gap and get our pics taken and buy a t-shirt.  They had some food vendors there, so we go ahead and grab some lunch while we are stopped. 

We get a little chance to do so people watching and bike watching.  Interesting watch people pull out and head towards the curves. 

Diana made note that we rode Hwy. 129 on the 29th....and we all survived as well!!

We have rooms reserved in Robbinsville North Carolina for the night.  Great day of riding some really beautiful roads.  Floorboards are a little scraped from the sharp curves, and YES...that noise scares me to death.  Finally by the time we scraped a couple of times, I was ready for it, and didn't bother me as badly.  Guess like everything, you get used to it.  We "flatlanders" just don't have curves like that around Oklahoma. 






















We pull into our home away from home for the night.  We even walk to a local restaurant to eat some of that local food.  There is a wonderful sitting area outside the motel, and the weather is perfect for watching the bikers pull in and either unpack or ride on.  I think we could have sold our rooms quite a few times this evening.    This little sleepy town stays alive because of the bikes that frequent their little town.  The population is only a little over 700, and I bet in the winter it is really a very quiet town.  But today, it is very busy with motorcycles. 

We had a good area to sit and just watch what was going on, and this guy pulls up with a bike on the back of a flatbed truck.  Looks like one of the riders had gone down on his bike.  The bike didn't look very pretty on one side.  The rider was walking but had a limp.  I bet he is going to be sore tomorrow!!!
We overheard that he was riding the Cherohala Skyway.  That is the direction we are heading in the morning. 

Time to get some sleep...goodnight world. 

All Roads lead to Wing Ding (Friday June 28th)

Day 3. Nashville Goodlettsville

We have Breakfast at hotel, and will be meeting up with my sister and brother in law today.  They lived in one of the Ville's and we will be having dinner with them tonight. 

There is a mall across the street from the hotel, so we decide to go ahead and check it out.  We have nothing but time to kill this morning so we took advantage of it.  There is a place that offers massages, and foot massages.  They had tried to pull Diana & I in there as we walked by.  On our return pass by, the caught us.  Diana wanted to have her feet massaged.  I convinced Chuck he needed a back massage.  Then before I knew it, I was sitting in one of their chairs too...Where is Chris!!!!  He says there is NO way anyone would be touching his back ,and for sure not his feet.  About 20 minutes later, Chuck and I manage to get out of the chair
I think we both felt like we had been run over by a Mack truck.  Lordy, lordy what have we done!!!! 
Diana emerges with "happy feet"....so glad!!!!  I think Chuck and I will never  be the same  :S

It is getting time for us to find a place to eat.  As we walked over this morning I noticed a place called Baily's.  Its a sports pub...it's a cool spot to sit and relax...maybe our backs will heal while we sit!!!  LOL  We have a really good burger there, and we didn't feel rushed to leave, so we just took it easy.  We could get used to This vacationing thing.  Of course Diana & I had to use the rest room...As we emerge, all we could talk about was the mouthwash they have in the bathroom.  There were little white cups, and a dispenser with mouthwash on the wall....YUCK!!!!!!  You don't even want to know where our jokes went from this point.  Of course we had to come and share our find with the guys.  Their bathroom didn't have mouthwash....Hmmm, wonder why??!! 










As we walked back to the hotel, we spy a sign that made us laugh.  Will leave it to you to decide what you think it is supposed to mean...LOL













We are meeting Kay & John around 3pm, so we have time to chill at the hotel, and cool down.  It is really warm and humid here in the Ville!  As you can see by the candid pic...."some of us" got a little shut eye....LOL













We are picked up around 3ish.  So wonderful to see these guys.  Amazed that John was able to take off today, and chauffeur this crazy group around.  I guess the Sonic he has will survive without him for a day!!!
First time for Diana & Chris to meet John & Kay, and I have to say from the time they picked us up, until they dropped us back off that evening, we all laughed and carried on.  It was a wonderful visit.  John drove us to Nashville.  Drove us by all the hot spots.  Got to see the original Reiman Theater.  This is all happening around 4:30 and people are all over the place.  We didn't stop, as we had placed to go....The plan is to go to the little town of Franklin.  Supposed to be the town where all the stars have moved to.

We make our way to the main street of Franklin.  Did a couple of drive bys to see where we might want to eat dinner.  There was this little quaint place that caught Johns eyes.  Dotson's Restaurant it is!!!  More local flavor.  The place has been there a very long time.  Looking on their walls, there have been a lot of "famous" people eating here as well.  Sure would be nice to see one of them this evening, but that wasn't going to happen. 

We ate our dinner, and enjoyed all the laughs we got to share with two really awesome people.  So glad that Chuck planned our trip to make this little stop!!!  Making memories can be so much fun.

John gets back behind the wheel, and takes us for more site seeing.  He drives us to the field that he flies his model airplanes at.  The hills, and trees are beautiful in the area.  I for one am very impressed with the lush Tennessee area.  John attempted to find Garth Brooks old house, but wasn't able to find it, but we did get to check out some nice neighborhoods. 

As the final treat of the evening, John drives us to his Sonic.  We place an order.  I think with his thick Chicago accent the girl that takes orders would know him, but I guess she wasn't paying any attention.  The car hop brings out our drinks and ice cream, and about drops it as she looks and realizes she is delivering her tray to her boss.  It was a really funny little moment.  More laughs as we pull out from the Sonic. 

We are dropped back to our hotel about 9:45 all safe and sound.  We had a really fun afternoon to with 2 wonderful people.  We appreciate their hospitality....Thanks again to John & Kay for making our day so much fun! 

Time to get to bed, we have to get back on the road in the morning!!!  Some great ones have our names on them.  Look out Deals Gap....we are coming your way.  

All Roads lead to Wing Ding (Thursday June 27th)

We are up and eating breakfast at the motel.  Diana has made her a blueberry waffle.  She said it wasn't that good...have to say the color would have turned me off!!!

The weather is pretty nice today. The temperature is 76 as we head out.   We ride through an area that has quite a few Amish people on the roads.  Dickens Missouri to be exact.  As we rode by, the kids in the back of the wagons waved.  I wonder if they really have the best world???  Not as much hustle and bustle that is for sure.  I guess that is really what you call "living off the grid"!!! But then, remember the reality show "Amish Mafia"....so I guess everyone has their own set of problems. 

We continue on down the road.  There are signs of fires all over the place.  Seems the farmers are burning their recently harvest wheat fields.  I guess that is one way to get them cleared.  It was an interesting site to see.  The winds are very light today, so I guess everyone is taking advantage of the good weather.  I have to say we have seen a lot of corn fields, and hay along the way as well.  

We are feeling hungry and I for one feel like I could drink a gallon of tea.  We drive through the town of Dexter.  Decide that we will eat a little local flavor.  We pull into Dexter BBQ, sounds pretty local, don't you think!!! 

The lunch was very good.  Not sure if we looked so good or bad when we drove up, because we sure did get the looks from the people that were sitting by the windows at the restaurant.  You know the feeling !!!!! 

We ate some really good barbecue.  The locals did good!  As we sit there, one of the guys that had been staring as we drove in, told Chuck that he needed to buy his trailer for his bike.  Well buddy, I don't think we would entertain that thought, as it is just too early in this little adventure to do without it. 





We see more corn fields than you can imagine.  The farming must be really good in this area, because that is all you can see.   The burning of the fields continue as we reach the Mississippi River.  We are officially in Tennessee...Look out Nashville, Goodlettsville and any Ville along the way, because here we come. 









We make it to the hotel, unpack, and decide to walk to the local Mexican food restaurant for dinner.  I would love to say something like "its the best we have ever had"....but you will not hear that.  In fact...it was OK, even though Diana didn't get what she ordered....and our waiter really could have cared less that he was actually waiting on us.  So with that said, it was OK...Just OK...

Back in our rooms, we decide it is time to get some rest.  Tomorrow we see John & Kay....so have to get some rest!!! 

All Roads lead to Wing Ding (Wednesday June 26th)

Sooo, we are packed, and ready to go.  Has been a little more difficult to get things all lined up so we are able to take this vacation.  Sometimes it just takes a little more planning and effort to get out of town.  You know the old saying....the best made plans of mice and men oft times go astray.  Well, not sure how astray these plans will go, but we are on the bikes and ready to get out of town.  These Flatlanders are heading for the hills.  In fact the mountains!!!

It is a hot day, and we are starting out around 3 in the afternoon.  At least we are heading east, so we will have the wind to our backs.  Chuck and I have on our hydration vest, and we are all wearing our mesh jackets.  Not sure that I have mentioned this, but it is HOT!!!! 

By the time we make Tulsa, the evening rush hour has called down, and it was pretty much a breeze going through the town.  We stop on the outskirts to get some food and something to drink.  We are really trying to make some miles today, so we make a quick stop in the Wendy's over by the Hard Rock, Tulsa.  The tea tasted so good.  I was really thirsty.  I also look like a drown rat, as my bottom and back are quite wet.  Oh well, that's what you get when you ride a bike in Oklahoma. 

The one nice thing about riding later in the day is that it cools off.  Actually was a nice ride.  We made a gas stop at the same spot we bought gas a couple of years ago, when we ran Diana & Chris out of gas on their spider....Yes, we did!!!!  

We continue through Joplin.  Amazing how a town can recover from such a terrible tornado!   The new hospital has moved to the other part of town, and it looks like it is about ready to open.  I know we will see this same progress in Moore, OK. in the coming months, and even years.  We are an amazing bunch of people. 

We stop for the night in Springfield, MO.  The guys clean off the bugs that have hit the bikes.  Chuck says it was time to stop, as his windshield was so speckled with bugs and it made looking through it a little rough. 
Sounds good to me...I am ready to get some rest.