- Week Solo NEBDR ... No, scratch that, Smokey Mountain 1000 instead!

[Pdsmith505]

So, here I am, and, yeah, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted a trip plan or a ride report. Last one was south MABDR, SEAT, and SM500. Totally didn't report on my trip to the north half of MABDR

But, hear me out… how may of you can, with correct grammar, place 7 commas in two sentences?

I think that makes my narrations worthwhile entirely on their own, no? (that makes 8 in 3, by the way)

Any who… the time has come to conquer the great north east. It’s the land of the founders and birthplace of freedom. Except… it’s damn hard to find ‘public’ land to camp in freely.

In fact, I haven’t been able to find lodging in/around Hancock, NY for the dates I was planning on (21-30 July).
Hancock House was nice enough to provide a list of alternate lodging, but nothing was available. Regardless, Hancock House is willing to host my truck for the week.

Whatevs, good news, that fits into the vagabond lifestyle. New plan: Drive up from NoVa with the pickup to drop out of Hancock, NY around 8 AM. That means a NoVa departure around 2 AM. Good news, I miss rush hour traffic. Bad news, day 1 on the trail is gonna be grumpy.

From there, it looks like I can set up dispersed/primitive camps all the way to the end. Had a little trouble finding suitable stuff in ME (due to the lack of National Forests),but then I found out about ‘public reserved lands’ in ME, and connected the last leg of a vagabond NEBDR.

Any thoughts to make things run smoother? Or are you all gonna just let me roll of into the abyss?

 

[Alan F.]

Subscribed

 

[woods]

I'll follow this. Especially since the route is about two miles from my house.

 

[Pdsmith505]

I appreciate the enthusiasm so far. This is very much a work in progress (and probably best posted in the trip planning section at this point).

In preps... I've gutted the suspension on the bike, installing appropriate springs for my... 'American' ... frame and ended up spot on the money for race sag after setting rest sag. Thanks to Slaven's Racing for getting the numbers right for me. Why didn't I do that before? Well, I was waiting for the xTrig preload adjuster to be in stock. I'm only ripping the bike apart once for this effort, damnit.

Don't mind the disheveled garage... I'm still recovering from a move.

Also, yes, there is dust and dirt on my 690 Enduro. Go ahead and fight me. She's a work horse, not a beauty queen.

 

[Simmons1]

Really looking forward to your updates.

 

[Pdsmith505]

With the suspension sorted, it was time to un-sort it by packing on all my luggage and supplies. That is, it was time to get my money's worth out of the preload adjuster. 100 turns on the adjuster with an 8mm socket and I was back to 19mm of static sag. At least I was smart enough to count it so I know how many to take back out when the adventure is over.

So, what is it that I've got packed on the bike? Well... a lot... as evidenced by how much preload adjustment was needed. I had been using some Nelson-Rigg Sierra dry saddle bags, and they worked great. Held up to abuse just fine, stored all my crap (and kept it dry), were easy to get on/off with the back plates for the luggage racks, and the price was absolutely reasonable (Mosko Moto, I'm looking at YOU). Downside... it made the bike wide, which would be OK if I was on the GS (I mean, that bike is already a big ol' pig), but on this nimble little pussy cat, it was cramping my style.

Plus, I wanted the versatility of being able to use my gas and water rotopax.

The solution was a new product from Nelson-Rigg... same general welded pvc construction with a roll top. Meant to mount without a rack... but it just so happens they can be nicely mounted on the luggage rack and top plate while leaving room for the rotopax. Bonus: the top bag I had been using wedges in between the side bags super snug.

In the bags I've got a rain tarp, haven lay-flat hammock tent, 20* bag, bag liner, inflatable pillow, a change of clothes, tire irons, tool kit, mess kit, camp chair, plexus, chain lube, basic first aid, food, toiletries, bug repellant... everything I need for a week in the woods. Well, not enough room to carry all the food I need, but I'll be stopping for gas and water anyways. Easy enough to pick up vittles before camp. Food, tools, and chair are easy access in the top bag for interim stops. Top bag flops forward by unclipping two rok-straps for easy access to the fuel cap. Rain tarp gets it's very own bag so it can be set up before anything else in the event I'm setting up camp in the rain.

Primary navigation is an 8" Samsung Active 2 in a screw-locked ram mount running Gaia GPS. That's hard mounted to an adventure spec mini fairing. I can also mount my phone on the quad lock, or attach the mount for my Garmin 66i as a last resort. I like to keep my sat-com attached to my water pack in case I take a tumble away from the bike.

Now, obviously these pictures weren't taken from my wreck of a garage. No sir, I needed to take the newly reconfigured bike out to see how getting the suspension right helps with low-speed manuvering. I figured the handy-dandy motorcycle safety course on base would do the trick... and give me a chance to take some glamour shots with some cool background features.

Danger-zone baby. Danger. Zone.

You might have noticed the monkey hanging on the back of the motorcycle. That's Moto Monkey. My only companion for the ride. After two or three days, his witty banter really starts to pick up.

Now, lets see if the video functions are working on the forum... The bike, despite the added weight of luggage, really felt planted and easy to maneuver. Yeah, I know it's not like riding on the trail, but the lack of good riding around where I live is precisely the reason I'm trucking my but up to the NEBDR in the first place. This is the best I can do for now.



Side note, these little foldable phone stands are the cat's meow for getting awesome glamor shots of riding through inch-deep 'water crossings'

Next up on the list of things to get ready is injecting some more mousse-juice into the tires. Yup. Running mousse. It was absolutely awesome on MABDR last year, and I laugh in the face of nails. I figure the paved road connectors on NEBDR have a speed limit at or below 55 mph anyways.

 

[Pdsmith505]

So, wifeboss... wifeboss is as into crafting as I am into motorcycles. That is to say... she has a whole room dedicated to crafting like I have a whole garage dedicated to motorcycles.

Crossover time.
Everywhere I camp, I'm going to leave one of these. Wifeboss painted them.

Yes, some folk get upset about the idea of painted rocks. But, I'm also only going to stop and leave them at locations that are already clearly established as camp sites.
If you find one of my rocks... which should be easy enough with Lat:Long tagging... please share with the group where you found it, then add where you put it.

I had at least one person find one of them on my "Have a SEAT" ride...

 

[Pdsmith505]

Been thinking about the best way to get back to Hancock once I make it to the super-climactic end of the NEBDR. Not going to jump on the interstate since I'm running mousse and avoiding high speed on pavement.

I managed to stumble across two other routes people have worked up and posted... The Hamster in NH, and the Dirty Dog in VT.

I'm hoping to make the end of NEBDR midway on day 6, then I'll turn around and go south on the Hamster (pink) until I'm north west of White Mountain National Forest then detour into the forest to set up camp. Day 7 will jump across to the Dirty Dog (purple) with planned camping in the southern part of Green Mountain National Forest for another primitive camp in the wilderness. Finally, Day 8 will be a more relaxed ride on mostly paved roads from SW Vermont across NY (blue), camping in the NY state forests outside of Hanckock.

Day 9... load back up in the truck and drive my tired (but happy) butt home. Maybe stop at a truck stop for a shower.

If the NEBDR looks like it's running long, I can always hop off either the Hamster or Dirty Dog to gain some time on paved secondary roads. With any luck, I'll get a chance to have fun riding back and not run the same things twice... though I hear NEBDR is very different SOBO v NOBO.

I probably could just jump over to the Dirty Dog right away and head south... but I couldn't identify any convenient camping on the northern half... the way I understand it, in VT, you have to be 1000 feet from a road and primitive 'car camping' is prohibited on VT state lands... leaving me to look for national forests.

Looking ahead to the weather... I picked Claremont, NH as a 'middle' of the NEBDR and looked at an extended forcast.

Other than Day 1, its looking pretty choice. Hancock, NY's extended forecast looks about the same. With any luck, that rain will be earlier in the morning and I can dry off before getting to camp.

 

[Pdsmith505]

Day 0, Part 1: Hauling to the Start Across The Slabs

I have done many silly, stupid, things in my younger years. I like to think that as I get older, I get smarter...

Things like planning ahead are important and prudent.

Not burning up knobby tires and personal motivation by running several hundred miles on the slab to get to the good stuff shows good judgement.

So, with the bike loaded in the back of my truck, I took off to the start of my well planned, documented, and researched NEBDR Ride...

Wait just a second... This is supposed to be a well planned and documented solo trip on the NEBDR... Why did the blue dots go to TN!?!?

Well...

After watching the reports of flooding damage to the Backcountry routes through Vermont the last few weeks, plus a check of upcoming weather, I made the executive decision to execute a hastily selected alternate plan: The Smokey Mountain 1000!

No potential campsites, daily progress plans, or food stops were determined. This went from a meticulously planned BDR run into a fly-by-night tour of the southern Appalachians. The extent of my preparations were telling my buddy in Chattanooga that I was going to leave my truck with him for a week and downloading the gpx files.

What could possibly go wrong?

Day 0, Part 2: Who's Idea Was That?

The drive was uneventful. Mileage on my 3/4 ton diesel was in the high teens. I found fuel on both ends for $3.30/gal. It rained at the end.

The only oddity was this onramp to I-64 in VA...

I'm sure there's some Civil Engineer out there who got his Doctorate designing this atrocity...

Tomorrow starts off around 8 am after breakfast for a CCW run. I just hope it's cooler at altitude... I had been expecting a more northern climate, after all.

 

[Simmons1]

I rode the Smokey mountain 500 a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

 

[Pdsmith505]

I rode the Smokey mountain 500 a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

I did the SM 500 + sections of SEAT and MABDR last year...

The 1000 will overlap a lot of that, for sure, but I'm going the opposite direction this time, so it's like a whole new ride!

 

[Pdsmith505]

Alright... Started on Saturday... Made the loop already. Call it 48 hours of actual riding time.

I've got daily updates written in my phone... But am too daggum tired to post em right now. Not to mention posting from the phone is a pain.

Teaser from Witt Road this morning... Everyone says the deep side is the easy side, so I gave it a go.

I think I liked the 'hard' side better when I went through last year.

 

[Gravelcruiser]

After looking it over, I chose the "hard side" as well

 

[Pdsmith505]

Author's Note - Just before I left for the trip, I spilled beer on my laptop. The laptop did not appreciate this, and decided to die. That was actually part of why this trip was so poorly planned. After getting back, I managed to find an exact replacement on eBay, that happened to only be ~1.5 hrs away, bought it, set up the local pickup, moved my hard drive to the new computer, and got back up and running. This should explain the long delay between getting done and getting the things posted. So, without further delay...

SM1K Day 1: Sections 7 and 6 (mostly)

Part 0: Unloading

You know how in the mornings, there's dew on everything?

You know how slick pained metal can be?

Daggum trip was almost over before it started when the front wheel didn't grab like I wanted it to as I was unloading... luckily I didn't have an uncontrolled trip down the ramp.

Grumble.

Part 1: Rituals

The execution of certain rituals is important, I suppose. Brushing your teeth before bed, goodnight hugs for the kids... Those sort of things.

So, when I set off this morning to start my way around the SM1K, I did what I always do before a big ride. Eat a big breakfast.

Normally, that would be some kind of omelet, in homage to the story that sparked my interest in "adventure" riding: 'Riding to Alaska for breakfast on a dirt bike'

But, alas, no such luck. Turns out Cracker Barrel doesn't have omelets on the menu anymore. Steak and eggs then.

Moto Monkey: Boss, this isn't going to do.

Me: What's that?

Moto Monkey: Well, first off, no omelette. Second off, what kind of two bit restaraunt doesn't have omelettes for breakfast?

Me: Don't ask me. Nick wanted to go here, and he let us sleep on his couch last night.

Moto Monkey: Classy kind of person you hang out with.

Me: Pot, meet Kettle.

Part 2: I'm Back Baby! Section 7 of SM1K

The hop over to Parksville Lake to jump onto SM1K Section 7 from Chattanooga was uneventful. But, once I got sight of the lake and the promise of all the neat things I was going to see over the next few days, I started getting really excited. The first dirt road and the first overlook offered the same excitement. Even Moto Monkey had a smile

Nothing terribly eventful on section 7 from where I started (going Counter Clockwise)... A decent mix of dirt and tarmac. It takes you past the start of the Appalachian Trail and past an Army Ranger training camp. The forests sure did seem to be packed with people. Must be getting in the last hurrah of summer before kids go back to school.

Or maybe it was just the nice weather.

That being said, this is how you know things are about to get fun:

Moto Monkey: Hey boss, what's that sign say?

Me: Says we are going to have fun.

Moto Monkey: I may not be able to read, but I can count, and there's more words there than that...

Me: Sigh... It says you need a tall vehicle to get through here...

Moto Monkey: What happens if you are too tall?

Me: You leave parts behind. It's a 'Jeep thing'

Part 3: Water Everywhere... Section 6

Section 6 takes you through some of the notable water crossings from the SM500 (Witt Road will come later). I planned on taking some awesome water crossing videos for everyone to watch, but...

What was really notable today was how many people were wading, swimming, or lounging in the water right in the middle of the crossings. Annoying to dodge them, for sure. But probably also annoying for them when they realize motorcycles dont just slowly plod through the crossings like cars/trucks/jeeps...

Moto Monkey: Did you see her face! That was hillarious!

Part 4: Lunch/Dinner... Try to find a bed... Section 6

Having missed out on the opportunity to take some totally awesome water crossing video, and with breakfast wearing out, it was time to find dinner before finding a campsite.

Blue Hound BBQ at Scaly Mountain was solid.

Trying to find a campsite at this end of Section 6 was not solid.

Between these being all over the place in the southern half of Pisgah National Forest, and the sheer number of people out and about, I didn't find a place until after dark. And that was just a turnout from the road with trees spaced correctly. Nothing like setting up at 10pm... the folks camping down the road apparently get excited when your headlamp is dancing around their trees. 🤣

But, hey, I knocked out ~250 miles and 90% of two sections. Not a bad start.

Moto Monkey: Yawn Are we there yet?

 

[Pdsmith505]

SM1K Day 2: Sections 5 and 4

Part 0: Pack Em Up, Roll Em Out!

Here's the first rock drop of the trip at Day 1's camp:

You can find it at 35.28771 N, 82.93396W

Now, before I get lectured on 'leave no trace', I can assure you my actions overall were a net positive impact. You might say I left a ‘negative trace’.

Blegh, who just dumps garbage in the woods? Now to find a trashcan...

Just my luck, finally find one and the door wont open... Grumble.

Part 1: Slabbing ... Section 6 cleanup and Section 5

Having packed up my camp, plus the remains of some chucklehead's party, I set off to finish up section 6. From where I was, 6 jumped on the Blue Ridge Parkway Pretty quickly. Before I stopped the night before, my low fuel light had come on and I used the spare gallon I was carrying.

Beautiful vistas on the Blue Ridge, but you probably know that already.

Prior to taking off to slay sections 5 and 4, it was time for a resupply. Fuel, water, lara bars (those things are delicious).

Of the 155 miles in Section 5, about 140 of them are a combination of windy and twisty tarmac, which is great... Unless you are like me, running mousse in aggressive knobbies on a bike that'll vibrate you to death even with street tires. Can’t really slog the bike through the turns with that setup and survive.

The last 15 miles though... Yeah buddy! Made up for the rest. For sure.

Moto Monkey: We were all, UP! Then, DOWN! Then rocks and ruts and bouncing and...

Me: I'm just glad I got to stand up and give my butt a rest... That slab is killer...

continued below, picture limit

 

[Pdsmith505]

SM1K Day 2: Sections 5 and 4

Part 2: Revenge of Nature ... Section 4

Section 4 rolls right from the end of Section 5 on the dirt and does not disappoint. This takes you through the northern part of Pisgah (which, oddly, doesn’t have the no camping signs, go figure).

Once again... Lots of Jeeps... Jeeps who decide to take up the left side of the blind corner to dodge a rock that checks notes Jeeps are designed to drive over.

Grumble

Moto Monkey: Learn to drive! Buddy! You're gonna kill someone!

(OK, maybe I said that… loudly… to the Jeeper…)

Aside from dodging jeeps and just the sheer number if people visiting Wilson Creek to swim, this section is a dirt lover's dream.

Unless, of course, nature decides to punish you for complaining about the tarmac with a series of rain squalls... Time to zip up the vents and put on the tablet's shower cap.

View attachment 58814

Yes. It's a shower cap. From walmart. It keeps water out of the USB port. And you can see through it. Win. Win.

Finally got down out of the forest for gas... “Det finnes ikke dårlig vær, bare dårlig klær!”

Wasn’t long before I made it to Tennessee, Cherokee National Forest, and the end of section 4. The clouds had parted, the sun cast its rays upon me, and my gear's magical laminated fabric did its trick to help dry out the inside. Even found a secluded campsite near a stream for a quick rinse/bath before bed. The trees were a little too far apart for the hammock tent though, so, even though it appears to be hanging, once I got in I was effectively in a ground tent. Worked pretty well though.

That’s 275 miles, and two+ sections cleared. Nice.

Moto Monkey: Boss, you need to slow down the pace... You keep this up and we're gonna have to go back early!

Me: First, we aren’t going that fast... We are going long. Second, that’s not how vacation works.

Moto Monkey: How am I supposed to know that? I don’t have a job!

 

[Pdsmith505]

SM1K Day 3: Sections 3 and 2

Part 0: Roll out!

Here's the second rock drop of the trip at Day 2's camp:

You can find it at 36.24677N, 82.08731W. Gaia has labeled the location 'Frog Level'. Go figure.

Today, like yesterday, I apparently woke up just as the outside temperature hit 60° F, which happened to be around 4:50 AM... 10 minutes before the alarm I set. That in itself is pretty neat, but, functionally, waking up because you are cold sucks. I’ve been sleeping in a synthetic short base layer with just my sleeping bag liner. The bag would be too hot for these temperatures... and restuffing it is a pain. Tonight, I’m adding my spare merino base layer to the mix.

My allotted amount of sleep having been dispensed; it was time for a breakfast of champions...

Cookie Crisp Oatmeal and Nestle Taster's Choice French Roast instant coffee. The oatmeal is because that’s what my kids will eat, and it was easy to grab before leaving. The coffee is because the extra amount of enjoyment I'd get out of fresh brewed isn’t worth the hassle (storage, cleanup, etc.) or the added packing volume. Oh, and a lara bar. Because calories.

Breakfast done and camp picked up, that leaves just one thing...

I swear... I don't know what’s wrong with people, but apparently someone didn’t get the message... Pack your trash out.

Some people may sneer at parties in the forest, but I'm all for a raging fourth of July in the woods. Hell, plenty of folks probably want my hobby out of the woods too.

Just clean it up. That’s all I ask.

Moto Monkey: What's with you and trash, boss?

Me: Well, people leaving it just...

Moto Monkey: No, not that trash. The trash breakfast you eat when we do this.

Me: What the hell? What do you mean?

Moto Monkey: Instant coffee and cereal-flavored oatmeal. TRASH. Some people have REAL coffee... And bacon!

Part 1: As Above, So Below - Section 3

This may sound like a gripe, but I promise, it's not ... Section 3 is much like sections 7 through 4 of the SM1K. A mix of twisty and windy tarmac, then a mix of groomed and technical dirt. What I've always had fun with here (lots of overlap with other routes) is the approach, from either side, of the Unaka Mountain overlook. Relatively smooth dirt, a slight uphill, and long sweepy turns let you absolutely fly down the road.

Then you are rewarded with the view. Look at the tops of those clouds.

Doesn’t take long the see the clouds from the other side either.

Part 2: Familiar Settings - Section 2

It just so happens that I've been here before. I remembered the intersection at the start of the approach to the fire tower and got a little excited. I had camped not far from here last year as I headed down to the SM500 on the SEAT, and left a rock. Really great campsite. Time to see if it was still there.

Nope.

That led to me checking my old waypoints and realizing I had also camped at another spot on this section during my return from SM500... Campsite of last resort before a thunderstorm hit just before dark. Had left a rock, but that rock left too.

My notes also suggest I camped along Section 3 but didn’t notice today... Close enough to the road to take the truck to on the way back home. That campsite was a lot more secluded... Wonder if that rock is still there?

Moto Monkey: Boss, they don't want to hear you talk about your missing marbles...

Me: Rocks.

Moto Monkey: Rocks, marbles... Potatoes, tomatoes. Who cares. We're here for motorcycling!

Me: Fiiiine.

Part 3: The actual riding - Section 2

I always seem to have needed to fill up after I pass through Hot Springs, NC. The gas station there is one of the old-timey ones that have rolling numbers and you have to pay inside. Today was no exception. But, despite this, I elected to use the reserve gallon instead of going back. Why? Because I had just been stuck there waiting on a train.

The best part? It wasn't even a train. Nope... It was a track maintenance truck. Grumble

That being said, the sections really do start to bleed together at this point. I'm not saying that the 'green tunnel' gets boring... But it is easy to start daydreaming. Even the little rain storms find their way to the background. The exception on Section 2 is the optional, one-way, Heintga Loop. Treat yourself to this fantastic ride. How often do you get to cruise down gorgeous mountain roads without fear of a wandering Jeep coming around a blind corner on the wrong side of the road? I hardly saw anyone on the loop, which was a nice change, and it took me about an hour-fifteen to complete.

Worth it.

continued below, picture limit

 

[Pdsmith505]

SM1K Day 3: Sections 3 and 2

Part 4: An Ounce of Prevention

Yesterday's deluge wasn't done with me yet. Nope, not at all. Waterproof boots are great. Until they get wet inside. They are still waterproof, sure... But they take forever to dry out.

Wet boots mean wet feet.

Wet feet mean blisters.

My left pinky toe had developed a seriously painful hotspot that needed attention once I set up camp. After a quick, whole body, rinse in the river (summer adventures are great for this reason alone), I finally broke out the camp chair and sat down with a fresh pair of socks and my ouch-pouch.

I call it an ouch-pouch, because if I called it a first aid kit, the purists would have a conniption. No tourniquet? No quick clot? No body cavity seal!?!? Nope, wouldn’t know what to do with them even if I had ‘em. Being solo, it's also less likely that they'd do anyone any good even if needed anyways. I mean, if it's serious enough for any of those things, I'm probably not going to be conscious.

Anywho, the ouch-pouch... Band-Aids, mole-skin, gauze, scissors, emergency blanket, alcohol wipes, and anti-septic wipes. That I can work with. Who knows, combined with the pole sections of my hammock-tent and my paracord, I could probably even make a serviceable splint.

This campsite, despite being right next to the main road in the area, was very, very comfortable. I had met a group of ADV riders out and about who had set up camp at the last Appalachian Trail crossing. It was late, they were worried they wouldn't find anything soon... but I found this guy 10 minutes down the road.

Moto Monkey: Ouch-pouch? Is that some kind of joke?

Me: What about it is funny?

Moto Monkey: I didn't say your dad-joke rhyming was funny, I just said it was a joke.

Part 5: Gourmet Chef

Dinner is as awesome as breakfast. Ready rice and pouch chicken with a little bit of water to heat up on the backpacking stove. I only carried two of these meals on this trip but could have picked up more at any grocery store. There's plenty of options... beans, rice, chicken, tuna, pork... and at about $3/meal, it's a way better deal than mountain house. Tastes better too.

Moto Monkey: Boss, some people eat steak for dinner on these trips!!!

 

[Pdsmith505]

SM1K Day 4 - Section 1 and 7 Cleanup

Part 0: Up and at Em!

Here's the third, and likely last, rock drop of the trip at Day 3's camp:

You can find it at 35.22809N, 83.64315W.

Even with a base layer, I still woke up from temperature rather than my alarm. Safe to say that, on all but the hottest nights, just my bag liner will not do, but I still really don’t want to unpack and repack my sleeping bag when it’s only going to be 60°.

But hey, I was up bright, early, and invigorated. I had a new pair of dry (wool) socks on to help my poor toe survive, and it seemed like my boots finally dried out. Great start to the day.

Managed to get ready to roll around 6:30. Except one thing... Where'd I put that damn key!? Turns out, in my camp pants. Didn’t have to dig far, but still felt like a putz. Oh well, on the road before 7 AM is good enough.

Part 1: Extras, Cleanup, and a Chase- Section 2

I stopped the night prior with about 18 miles left in section 2. Good enough to call it completed for purposes of pride, but the riding still had to be done. Before that though, it was time to hit the bonus section through "Winding Stairs". Fairly short section that takes you up and around the lake. Worth the ride.

Back on the main trail riding down the forest road I came upon a man running with his dog. I realized the dog was unleashed when, as I passed, the dog took chase.

I slowed.

I stopped.

I killed the engine.

Man says, "Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite," smiles, and keeps running.

Since he didn't do anything to stop what was about to happen from happening, I had to assume he was OK with it. Turns out his dog was pretty fast. Must have been at least a half mile before it gave up the chase.

No regrets. On my part at least.

Moto Monkey: What is the dog going to do if he finally catches the motorcycle, boss?

Me: Question as old as time, buddy…

Part 2: Skyways, Byways, and... Wet Boots - Section 1

After gassing up in Andrews, section 1 presented a short trip through the forest before jumping onto part of the Cherohala Skyway. This is a popular enough spot for motorcycle riders that the State set up an information station just for us... and, like the adults we are, we covered the sign in stickers. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring an extra pickle sticker.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have though... running mousse in knobbies does not translate to high speed cornering on asphalt. Still seems like a good tradeoff for not worrying about flats on this sort of ride... Not to mention how well they work on the dirt, which is what I'm here for anyways.

And, section 1 definitely delivered the dirt. Lots of rocky climbs and descents, lots of switchbacks, and a few long sweepy speedy sections. Probably why it's only 137 miles long... with the bonus Wigg Meadow spur, it still took 8 hours to clear.

It also delivers the world-famous Witt Road Water Crossings. I had resolved to get some cool water crossing video here after being stymied on the other side of the loop by weekend crowding. Because what looks cooler than an awesome water crossing video? Four awesome water crossing videos. That's what.

One of these crossings (the first in my direction of travel) features a solid-rock bottom that has several meandering grooves along the direction of travel in the shallow part. You seasoned South-East US riders know the one I’m talking about. I went through this part last year and didn't dump it, but everyone says the deep line is the easier line.

Didn't goose it hard enough at the end, stalled, and had to sink my boots down into the stream for support while I restarted the engine.



My nice, dry boots. With my nice, dry socks. And, my poor, pre-blister toe. All of it, soaked in water. Again.

I decided to not try and show off for the camera any more. In fact... I grumpily stomped back across the crossing to retrieve my phone on foot, boots being wet and not wanting to tempt fate any more.

Moto Monkey: You tried to drown me!

Me: At least you’ll dry out... Grumble

Part 3: Dedicated to Completion - Section 7 Cleanup

At the start of this trip, I jumped on the SM1K around the Ocoee River and headed south (counter-clockwise). That left the northern half of section 7 to clean up on my way back to Chatanooga.

At this point, I was half way into the fourth 12-13 hour day in a row... I was also wet, smelly, tired, and grumpy. I took a look at the map and realized it was a short hop to get back to where I started if I just skipped this last part...

Momma didn’t raise no quitter though, so I made that left turn at Lost Creek Road towards the aptly named Lost Creek Campground.

Moto Monkey: Hey, check it out, a campground that's not slammed with people!

Me: Maybe they couldn’t find it?

Moto Monkey: Why wouldn’t they be able to find it?

Me: Because... It's lost.



But, seriously, this chunk of 7 is fun and technical. You guys on the big bikes will have extra fun. I don’t remember it being this rough last year, but my memory could be fuzzy. Hell, I think I was mostly fighting against downed trees on that ride.

Along this portion of 7 is a hydro-electric power station (at the end of a bonus spur), as well as an abandoned cement factory. Neat stuff

Moto Monkey: what in the world is that!?!

Me: It's a table... for Sasquatch.

Part 4: All Over but the Crying

With the loop complete in just 4 days, I started making my way back to Chattanooga where I left the truck. I was worn out. My tires were worn out (I used the same set for MABDR last August, plus some smaller trips). It was time to be done and off the bike.

But nature... nature finds a way. In this case, it found a way to get a final hit on me with one last thunderstorm.

Joke's on you, nature. I got myself wet already.

 

[Simmons1]

Enjoyed the report very much.