Day Four Saturday 9 June 2007

The plan was to do a zig-zag pattern of SW/NW highways with the mid-day goal of Clayton, GA.  Hwy 276 and 151 were first on the route.  Bill was becoming very familiar with hwy 151. With Steven filming from the rear of the bike,  the pace was set for performance touring – Bill chasing Chan down a beautiful country road unabated by traffic. 

We had some navigational difficulties in this area.  We were trying to head east, from 215 over to 107, between the Blue Ridge Parkway and 64.  The map showed several roads that went that way, but did not indicate if they were paved or dirt.  Bill was not wild about dual-sporting his pretty black RT, especially 2-up.  We tried 281.  It went to dirt.  So we went back to Tanasee Gap Road.  It, too, turned to dirt.  A little examination of the maps and the GPS showed only one paved route to our destination...Charlie's Creek Road.

The three jumped on a road as twisty as the Dragon – but without the hoards of enthusiasts – Charlie's Creek Road.  Charlie's Creek is an east/west corridor bracketed by Hwy 107 and 151, so with morning sun to our back, we motored briskly west.  Charlie's Creek is simply phenomenal – five stars. 

Hwy 107 leads to Sylva and  Dillsboro NC., both well-kept, quaint towns that speak anti-big city. With more time in the trip, a stop in either town would undoubtedly produce favorable memories.  We hopped onto Hwy 441 south and stepped up the pace.  As four lane highways go, 441 does not offer much in rider excitement; but in no time we were in Franklin where we made a dodge onto Hwy 64.  Highlands NC was now in our sites.  A beautiful scenic highway, 64 gets better, the closer one is to the town of Highlands.  As the three approached the outskirts of Highlands, Bill noticed a dam and waterfall. Seemed like a good idea to pull over and see what was what.  Around that same time, a car load of ladies pulled over, jumped out, and asked if they could have their picture taken.  Bill obliged and got the photo, and asked if they would reciprocate in kind.  All parties departed – the ladies heading north, Chan, Bill, and Steven heading south into Highlands for lunch.

Video of 64 to Highlands, 1 minute 34 seconds, 6.3 Mb, WMV format

So we pull into Highlands.  A nice little main drag, cute shops.  A cigar store.  Cool, a Boxter.  No, two.  Make that three.  Nice little wine bar over there.  Wow, haven't seen a new Lotus in public in a while.  We pull into a parking spot.  A nicely dressed gentleman approaches.  "I am sorry, sirs, this is valet parking."  So sorry.  Let's go look for another parking spot.  Dude, that's a brand new Bentley over there!

Highlands is doing well.

Looking for a lunch spot, I fell back to my time-tested strategy called "Ask A Local".  We found a National Parks Service forestry office.  Usually plenty of friendly folks in there.  I approached the 60-ish man at the counter and said "Where could three hungry travelers find a good lunch here in Highlands?"  Then, noticing a fridge in the corner, I pointed and exclaimed "Maybe you could share!".

Crickets.

Complete deadpan.  The formerly friendly eyes now registered loathing and contempt.  Obviously, my little joke had not been taken well.  Bill and Steve, seeing my predicament, did what any good friends would do.  They ran for the door.  I was on my own. 

An eternity passed before a faint smile flickered on the old man's lips.  That faint smile then erupted into a full grin, and he handed me a menu for a place that he liked.  "Tell them I sent you", he said, "and they might even let you sit down!".

We went somewhere else.

The three settled on what might have been the most expensive lunch-time restaurant – which more than adequately impressed young Steven.  For those that like the up-scale life-style, Highlands might just be the place for you to plan your next mountain vacation.  Rodeo Drive, Los Angeles, meets Mainstreet, NC style.  Very nice for those who like to shop. We were more interested in riding, and the next leg included two fabulous roads that Chan and Bill had ridden many times before: Hwy 28 south, and Warwoman Road, Ga. Not enough can be said about Hwy 28 – smooth, undulating, banked twisties, with just enough elevation change in the turns to keep you on your toes. With it being later afternoon, the warm Georgia sun and lower valley humidity was working on us. We arrived in Clayton GA, and pulled into the Dairy Queen for a cone.

We once again has some navigational problems.  The right turn on to Warwoman is easy to miss, and I got turned around and took the wrong turn.  We ended up on a steep little twisty road whose name i forget, but it was a cool detour.

An assessment of our remaining leg to Suches, GA led to the decision to take Hwy 76 west. Although not high altitude, nor the twistiest of roads, 75 was fun.  At times the highway widens into a one and two lane bi-directional highway.  If you’re lucky, and you have two lanes in front of you, the turns are really exciting – read lots of room.  We made it to Hwy 180 late in the afternoon.  This was the final segment of the trip and would bring our riding to a close. Chan suggested that an aft mounted camera on his bike could be used to video Bill and Steven as we ran Wolf Pen Gap.  What a great idea.  With the camera mounted, Chan proceeded in the lead position with Bill and Steven following closely behind.  Did we say closely?  The run took just under twenty minutes.  Not fast by sport bike standards, but for three who had just completed three days of mountain riding spanning seven hundred and fifty miles, they made descent work of the twisties.  Big Fun. Upon arrival at T.W.O. the three exclaimed their excitement for the potential video that had just documented their sprint.

Video of Wolf Pen Gap, 2 minutes 22 seconds, 9 Mb, WMV format

As the three made camp at TWO the Georgia Sidecar Club was handing out awards for a day of two-up parallel riding, while GT was basting a two hundred pound pig.  Following showers and a change of clothes, the three sat for dinner and reviewed the photos and video of the day. The last segment of hwy 180 turned out reaaaallly good.  With that, we retired for the evening, bushed from the day, but very happy.  A great dinner of steaks and burgers was followed up by a piece of German Chocolate birthday cake for Steven. Mimi came out from the kitchen with a candle lit (thank you Mimi) and we sang "Happy Birthday" to Steven.  Around 2-3 seconds later the cake was gone... Steven's birthday trip to the mountains aboard Dad's bike was a complete success.

GT spent the day smoking a hog for the Sidecar Club.

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