South Florida Beemer Riders Trip to NC

[Marc]

South Florida Beemer Riders October Motorcycle Trip

 

Believe it or not this is the abridged version…….

 

Bikes:

R1100RT Dave

R1150RT Danny

R1150RT Jeff

1150GS Jim

K1200RS Mike

K1200RS Carlos

K1100LT Alan

Honda?? Terry

Yours Truly k1200RS

 

Carlos, Terry, Danny, Dave, Jeff, Mike, Alan, Jim and yours truly all joined in on some of the best riding this side of the Mississippi. Also a Cameo by Robin & Mark.

 

Wednesday

 

The Trip began for most in the early morning hours on Wednesday the 9th departing Fort Lauderdale. The destination set for South Carolina. 28 hours later the meeting place was Touring Sport BMW in Greenville South Carolina.

 

Thursday

 

At about 9:30 a.m. 1st mission accomplished, everyone arrives safely at Touring Sport. Frank, Fred, Andre and the gang took excellent care of us even though Dave did not trade up to an 1150RT. We enjoyed our visit and could not resist buying some shirts, bags and other miscellaneous items. After a group photo, and some mis-starts on a Mille, we ventured onward to the hills led by Jim Ross. We briefly stopped for petrol for both the bikes and the belly. (note: Terry & his southern fried chicken) Passed the opportunity to fill with racing fuel at $4.00 a gallon and settled for 93 octane. After the pit stop we moved on to the wet hills of South to North Carolina. The road was wet but it did not stop us from some serious lean angles on our beemers & one Honda. Not bad for some Florida boys. We stopped for a stretch and release of fluids on 64. (mike with the sign). We traveled under the BRP and stopped for a photo op at the waterfalls. From there we moved onward to lunch at the Juke Box Junction. A supurb meal from the ladies at the diner.

 

The Echo Inn was our next stop to check in prior to the cookout at Jims house. Via automobile we went to Jims so we would not have to find the hotel in the dark after a drink. Shirley and Jim had a *&^% good cookout for us complete with baked beans, beer and you cant forget the Crown Royal. A few debates and some colorful stories were told for a great night at the Ross Residence. OOOHHHHH the beans were good and kept a few of us warm for a few days in the saddle.

 

Friday

 

Checked out of the Echo and went to the Dixie Diner for some grub. Made a pit stop for Carlos for a fried headlamp at the local Auto Zone. We then traveled up to Bat Cave via 64 and NE to little Switzerland for lunch. From little Switz I had to trek directly to Deals gap to apply some new front rubber while everyone else moved on via the Blue Ridge Parkway. I arrived at the Gap at about 3:45 and Mike over there swapped out a MEZ in 30 minutes. A few Gap McMuffins (like an egg McMuffin but 90 miles closer) and I was back on the road and scuffed it up in one ride.

 

The guys showed up at 6pm at Fontana via route 28 and we checked into our cabins. Some of the high maintenance folk need to have TV in the room and decided they could only rough it in the hotel. It is tough in the mountains isn’t it??

We had out 5 asterisk dinner at the Fontana Resturant. It was a complete buffet with desert dry fried Cod MMMMMMM!!! Mike was happy! Terry was lucky enough to have them re-cook a new burger, as it was practically still alive the first time around. I highly recommend eating anywhere but there for dinner.

 

Saturday

 

Breakfast on the other hand was a different story. We had a great breakfast spread at the same location courtesy of Danny prior to his departure back to the sunshine state. Dry roads in the early a.m. great news!! From Fontana we ventured to Deals Gap. The Gap was awesome!! It has been newly paved and was primed for a great test of skill.

Dave, Jeff, Alan, Carlos, Mike and myself all road the Gap. We took the great photo op at the top and returned only to pass the Honda twins Robin & Mark on the way back through. Robin & Mark were out form FL for about a week to ride on their own. They joined us for the rest of the day for the best riding of the trip. After the Gap we headed down to Robbinsville for Petrol and went to the infamous Wayah Road (1442) This was one of the best roads of the trip for me. 27 miles of winding curves through some amazing scenery. At the other end we found Loafers Glory for a well needed rest. It was at this point we lost a few riders as they headed back home in different directions. Danny and Allan were headed on the direct route to make it home in one day. Terry, Carlos & Mike were headed down to Stone Mountain for the scenic route while Jim, Dave, Robin, Mark and myself moved onward through the mountains.

 

From Loafers Glory we headed West on 64 to Ducktown. On the way we saw a 300 pound hog that had unfortunately become one with a vehicle. Lucky for us it was not our vehicle. Jim still to this day claims it was a black bear with huge cojones. I guess a bear would make for a better story but how could he notice it was a bear if he was only looking at the cojones at 90 MPH. I wonder?…..We took 64 to 68 north which was an awesome road well worth a visit next time around. It was the Tellico River Resort on 165 Tellico Plains that wins the vote for the best meal of the trip. Ribs, Chicken and Pasta for all, with fudge brownies and ice cream to boot. We stuffed our faces and added a few pounds prior to our trip up the sweeping Cherihola skyway. The skyway is always an adventure but I could do without the excitement of Frisbees being thrown in the road on a curve.

After the skyway we headed over to get robin a new pilot sport for the front. We ran into Mr. Floppy Flo who could have kept talking for hours at the mechanics shop with his FJR1300. Not an RT but still a nice bike!

We then picked up some beer for the evening and headed back to Fontana for the sunset ride on 28. We ventured over to the Dam and back to the cabin after sundown. We started our little fire had some popcorn and told some great stories prior to lights out. Robin & Mark headed back to Robbinsville in the darkness of night at 11pm.

 

Sunday

 

Roads were wet and breakfast was definitely in order. Phillips in Robbinsville hit the spot. Country breakfast and it was back onto the pavement. Dave and Jeff headed south on 19 while Jim and I forged onward to Cherokeee and Newfound Gap via 441. Through Gatlinburg on to an extension of the foothills parkway we ended up in hot springs for lunch. Country lunch and it was onto route 209 to 63 a nice way to burn off the calories.

 

I know I missed a ton of stuff but that’s for the people who were there to remember. Here is a tad more:

 

Close Calls:::

An RT fall is broken by another RT

A K rolls off the sidestand to be caught mid fall

Numerous rear end slides in the wet roads

Anyone like gravel

Frisbee idiots

 

Quotes:

Jeff: I will bring the good stuff to the party (customs agent)

Allan: Whats a holler???

Dave: I had to finance because he wouldn’t sell it for 20 bucks

Terry: When are we going to get some southern fried chicken?

Danny: I am leaving on Saturday.…?.?.?.

Jim: This is a dry county!

Carlos: I have never seen roads like this…

Mike: I like my riding boots.

 

All in all this was an unbelievably safe & successful trip and I cant’ wait for the next one.

 

Thanks for all that came out and a special thanks to Jim & Danny for help w/the the planning.

 

And YES pictures are up.

 

You can check them out at www.photoisland.com

Login: bmwmarc

Password: sfbr

 

[David]

Nice write up, Marc! The pictures, help, too. Even though Fontana Dam is small, there's something I really like about that place.

 

I rode through all those roads today, as a matter of fact.