(April 30, 2014) Kevin, Jim, & the rest of the crew at Jockeys Cycles (Morrisville, NC) found the problem with my bike last week and fixed it.* I am very grateful for the perseverance, curiosity, and enthusiasm these gentlemen bring to their work. It’s clear that what they do each weekday is their passion not just their job.
With my bike running properly, I was eager to take it for a worthy test ride. The weather cooperated last weekend and I rode to Hendersonville, North Carolina where my daughter and her husband live. In addition to the beautiful scenery out that way, there are many great places to eat in the area.
Geography
From where I live in Cary (just southwest of Raleigh), Hendersonville is about 265 miles and takes four to four-and-a-half hours via I-40 and I-26. That’s the fastest way to get there from here.
There are also more scenic ways to get there. The city of Hendersonville is located where US 64, US 25, and Interstate 26 cross one another. Riding into town on US 64—from either direction—is the most scenic way to arrive. US 25 from the south is pretty, but from the north does not come close to the beauty of 64. I’ve tried multiple routes and recommend these two:
- I-40 to NC 9 south (exit 64) at Black Mountain/Montreat to US 64 west, or
- I-40 to US 64 west (exit 103) at Morganton
NC 9 offers hairpin turns and some steep climbs and descents. It’s not for the faint of heart. It competes with the Diamondback for technical riding challenges. Features along this route include a natural spring that’s been tapped with a pipe and spigot. The spigot sits right alongside the road and if you’ve got enough nerve to park nearby you can sample the mountain water. This route ascends up to over 3,000 feet and crosses the Eastern Continental Divide. At that elevation you may find the air significantly cooler than you experienced on Interstate 40.
Ride NC 9 to the village of Bat Cave, where you make a left and then a quick right across the Broad River onto US 64 west and then on to Hendersonville by way of Edneyville. You can expect to add 15-30 minutes to your travel time over the I-40/I-26 route.
On the other hand, if you get off I-40 at Morganton and take US 64 west from there, you will add 30-45 minutes to the trip but will enjoy a fun road, especially once you get west of Rutherfordton. None of this route is particularly challenging, but there are some twisties west of Rutherfordton. The ascent into the mountains is much more gradual on this route.
A sign alongside the road, similar to the one you would see on the NC 9 route, tells you that you're crossing the Eastern Continental Divide. The two primary features of this route are (1) Chimney Rock State Park— and Chimney Rock itself, and (2) the resort town of Lake Lure. Both of these places are very popular with bikers. Last weekend, I stopped waving to the other riders because there were so many of them. I saw at least a couple hundred over the weekend, more than half of those in these two places.
In the autumn, I urge you to take this second route so you pass through Edneyville. There you will find an abundance of apples. Henderson County is North Carolina apple country, and Edneyville is at the heart of that industry. If it can be made with apples you'll probably find it in Edneyville in October.
Hendersonville Eateries
I try to arrive in Hendersonville hungry because I love the restaurants there. For breakfast, it’s a no brainer for me—I go to Joey’s New York Bagels. Joey’s is located on Haywood Road (NC 191) just off US 25 Business. They make the best bacon-egg-cheese sandwich I have ever tasted. I thought I was going to have some kind of culinary orgasm when I ate my first one. My wife, Sam, was sitting with me and began wondering if it was for real or whether I was trying to imitate Meg Ryan’s restaurant orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally. They are that good.
The place is always very busy in the morning. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, in particular, you may have to eat in your car or take your food home with you because all of the tables inside are taken. We used a large flat rock at the edge of the parking lot last weekend.
For dinner, my favorite place is what I refer to as the “meat palace” but is actually named Flat Rock Wood Room. Technically, this place is not in Hendersonville. It’s on US 225 south, just across the city line, in the town of Flat Rock. If you like meat, you'll love this place. The ribs and brisket are amazing, and the chicken and pulled pork are also very good. The service is excellent and the prices are fair. In the nice weather, you can sit outside on the front porch and enjoy your meaty feast.
If you want veggies or a wider variety of choices, try Never Blue on Main Street in town. Last Saturday, I told the waiter, David, that I was a meat-and-potatoes guy and he immediately referred me to Mama’s Pot Roast. It was excellent. I got the veggies on the side and Sam ate them. The beef was lean and flavorful and the mashed potatoes were seasoned just right. I left no trace of either on my plate.
Main Street is packed with tourists and locals in the evenings from April through October. Be prepared to park and walk a distance. Most of the restaurants have outside seating, so you can people watch—and Harley watch if you’re like me—while you enjoy your dinner. I saw some very nice bikes cruising Main Street last weekend.
You have many choices for something sweet after dinner, but my favorite is Kilwin’s Chocolates, also on Main Street, near 5th Ave. There you can purchase chocolates of all kinds, fudge, and very tasty ice cream. You can also find tasty ice cream at Gop’s on Kanuga Road near Willow (along side the railroad tracks). It’s about a ten minute walk from the south end of Main Street.
There’s also a Marble Slab Creamery on Main Street near 4th Avenue and frozen yogurt with a huge selection of toppings at Sweet Frog’s on Main near 2nd Ave.
I’m already looking forward to my next trip out there.
As always, keep the shiny side up.
-The Long Rider
*I’ll discuss the fix to my bike and repairs I made this week (April 29) in my next blog post.