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Blue Ridge Parkway Today...

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Spiked Olive:
Well I get up and go to work as normal. I am a factory sales rep. Worked at Panera Bread a couple of hours, had two meetings with customers and watched the temperature rise to the upper 70's and top out at 85 degrees without a single cloud in the sky.

I could not stand it any longer and called my wife who was home working in the yard. I asked if she wanted to go ride this afternoon as as usual the answer was "YES".

I got home at 3 pm and she was ready to go and had the garage door open. I changed cloths and we headed North on Hwy 421 toward Wilkesboro (the moonshine capital of NC). First stop was at Crossroads HD for a birthday gift for my brother and some new light weight summer gloves for me. Then we continued North a few miles and hit Hwy 16 up to the Parkway. We were up there four weeks back and it still looked winter at the 3000 to 3500 foot level. Lots of trees still down along side the parkway from the ice storm over the winter. Well today it was GREEN and beautiful and you could see where crews had done a lot of tree cleanup.

We ran North on the Parkway over to the intersection of Hwy 18 where Stations Inn and Freebornes Motorcycle Resorts are. Stations Inn was open and there were five bikes there. We stopped and had some chicken wings and enjoyed conversation with the few other riders out. Then we headed South down 18 back to Wilkesboro and on home to our bunker West of the Twin Cities that Tobacco built.

Total round trip was 150 miles and we were home well before dark. Love that it stays light now till after 8 pm.

The 2017 CVO 114 ran perfectly and with 15k miles the stock exhaust is really sounding good as it wears in. Of course a little hard to hear over the awesome stereo that we had cranked up pretty good. County music going up the mountain and 70's Rock & Roll on the return trip. Not as many bikes out as I expected and traffic in general was light which made for an enjoyable ride.

Ride Safe

Supershooter:
We rode the parkway this past summer and got rained on for 85% of our time on the east coast and in the mountains. Vacation got to be a long pull. We stayed at Stations Inn, mid week, the last week of July/ first days of Aug. We were one of two rooms rented for the night and almost the only ones that ate there that night. From the website I was expecting more bike traffic. Did we hit the slow time or did we miss the more popular place to stay?
I wouldn't be in a hurry to stay there again. Thoughts?
Supershooter

Spiked Olive:

--- Quote from: Supershooter on April 24, 2019, 10:23:58 PM ---We rode the parkway this past summer and got rained on for 85% of our time on the east coast and in the mountains. Vacation got to be a long pull. We stayed at Stations Inn, mid week, the last week of July/ first days of Aug. We were one of two rooms rented for the night and almost the only ones that ate there that night. From the website I was expecting more bike traffic. Did we hit the slow time or did we miss the more popular place to stay?
I wouldn't be in a hurry to stay there again. Thoughts?
Supershooter

--- End quote ---

I can appreciate the ride in rain. We did a week long trip with three days of heavy thunder storms year before last, and road back from York, PA last year all the way in the rain. Suit up and enjoy! LOL

Stations Inn is not what it once was. About 8 years ago now the owner ran into financial trouble and it was forsale and shut down. Then his former wife opened Freebornes up across the street. Then Stations Inn opened back up on a smaller scale. Then the wife buys SI and owns both. Right now SI is open every day and Freebornes on Thursday through Sunday. We were up there a few weeks back on a Sunday afternoon and had to wait for a table. It was busy. The food is good and it is a convenient stopping point in that area. The motel at SI is outdated. Freebornes has better rooms and also has king sized beds. There is covered parking however at SI. A give and take.

Normally in the summer, especially on weekends there are 200 to 300 bikes, live bands and it is a happening place even today.

For us it is just over an hour away and a very nice ride so we are up there a lot. Our favorite place is Little Switzerland Inn. Much more expensive but really nice, awesome views, fantastic restaurant and close to awesome roads and Linville Falls. Come back and give that a try next time.

smkymtnboy:

--- Quote from: Spiked Olive on April 24, 2019, 10:45:00 PM ---I can appreciate the ride in rain. We did a week long trip with three days of heavy thunder storms year before last, and road back from York, PA last year all the way in the rain. Suit up and enjoy! LOL

Stations Inn is not what it once was. About 8 years ago now the owner ran into financial trouble and it was forsale and shut down. Then his former wife opened Freebornes up across the street. Then Stations Inn opened back up on a smaller scale. Then the wife buys SI and owns both. Right now SI is open every day and Freebornes on Thursday through Sunday. We were up there a few weeks back on a Sunday afternoon and had to wait for a table. It was busy. The food is good and it is a convenient stopping point in that area. The motel at SI is outdated. Freebornes has better rooms and also has king sized beds. There is covered parking however at SI. A give and take.

Normally in the summer, especially on weekends there are 200 to 300 bikes, live bands and it is a happening place even today.

For us it is just over an hour away and a very nice ride so we are up there a lot. Our favorite place is Little Switzerland Inn. Much more expensive but really nice, awesome views, fantastic restaurant and close to awesome roads and Linville Falls. Come back and give that a try next time.

--- End quote ---
do not forget the Brown Mountain lights!!

Spiked Olive:

--- Quote from: smkymtnboy on April 24, 2019, 11:00:59 PM ---do not forget the Brown Mountain lights!!

--- End quote ---

We don't want to scare anyone away!!! LOL

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