(August 11, 2015) Last weekend I took my new bike for its first out-of-town ride when I visited my wife in Hendersonville. We spent a great Saturday afternoon riding to Dupont State Forest (North Carolina) followed by a stop at YMCA Camp Greenville just across the state line in South Carolina. Sam wanted me to see a great view just past there but it was closed due to a wedding. What a great place to get married!
From there we rode US 276 into Brevard, NC and then into the Pisgah Forest. US 276, called the Pisgah Highway on the east side of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP), climbs up to more than 5,000 feet as it crosses the Parkway. This beautiful, twisty road takes you past Looking Glass Falls and Slippery Rock.
On a hundred-degree day a couple of summers ago, I got to try Slippery Rock. The temperature dropped 10-15 degrees as we descended from the road down to Looking Glass Creek; and then, the water was quite chilly. No wonder so many people were lined up on the muddy path for their turn at sliding down a large wet rock into a deep swimming hole. It was so naturally refreshing.
On the west side of the BRP, US 276 changes names to Cruso Road as it takes you to the hamlet of Cruso, which sits along the banks of the Pigeon River. That's the same Pigeon River that flows out of eastern Tennessee. If you're feeling adventurous, turn left onto NC 215, Lake Logan Road. Sam and I experienced that route on the bike earlier this year. That was the first time I ever heated a Harley's brake pads enough to smell them! From now, I use engine braking on those steep descents.
This time, we turned right onto NC 110 and headed north into Canton, NC. We were hungry and looking for some dinner. On the other hand, Canton has a way of stifling one's appetite. As I noted several years ago when I rode all 100 counties of North Carolina, Canton is the stinkiest town in North Carolina. A large paper mill gives the place an aroma only the locals can appreciate.
We had a nice dinner in Asheville and headed into Hnedersonville for ice cream on Main Street. The bike performed flawlessly. It handles great, the engine delivers plenty of power where needed, and the sound system is something else.
I'm looking forward to many more rides in the future. Next up, I plan to ride to Allegheny State Park in New York for the Labor Day weekend.
Keep the shiny side up!
-The Long Rider