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Iron Horse Lodge and Western NC
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:44 pm
by wncbmw
I managed to take 5 hours to do a 2 hour ride (not the direct route

) and arrived at the Ironhorse Lodge shortly after noon. The campground is nice and the Lodge, with the dining hall, big screen TV and pool table is in the background.
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193884
After setting up, I did Deals Gap, no pictures but lots of crazy riders and sports car drivers. Then on to the Cherahola Skyway. Check out the Skyway along the ridge in the background.
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193888
Michael (machew01) arrived Friday night and the next morning, there were two Roadsters in the camping area.
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193891
The next day's attempt at the Skyway was not as scenic!
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193893
We had to abandon the attempt and rode Highway 28 (lots of curves, no pictures!) to meet Boxer (Phil) for lunch at Fat buddies BBQ.
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193899
Boxer went back home from lunch. Yes, he just took a long ride through the mountains to meet us for lunch. Michael and I took off for the "road-which-will-not-be-named" for some nice curvy riding. Again no pictures, but I will be glad to show anyone this road in person! Just don't want it known out in cyberspace!
This is a shot from Wayah Road from Franklin. This is the first in a three shot sequence shot from the same spot in the span of about 10 seconds. Michael does the honors as the rider/subject.
Shot 1
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193904
Shot 2 - turn 90 degrees
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193906
Shot 3 - turn 180 degrees
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193909
A little bit of fall color on Wayah Road
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193913
And Michael does the riding again on a bridge on Wayah Road.
http://h2oman.smugmug.com/gallery/905913/1/41193916
As usual, not enough action shots, but on the good roads, either there is not a safe place to pull over or we are having too much fun to stop!
Good weekend and good company. Till next time!
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:09 pm
by Boxer
Nice Fall getaway pics! I would post the pic of the 3 Fat Buddies...I mean the three at Fat Buddies, but the girl who took the pic didn't give it time to focus properly and it made me look even plumper than I am in real life! So It was a no show!
I really enjoyed the lunch. I took off down 441 all the way through Clayton and down to Hwy 52 which I took over almost to Dahlonega. From there it was a quick bypass over to GA 400 and down to 369, 20, and home. It was close to 140 miles each way. I didn't really clock it, but thats what Delorme said.
I'm glad I don't have to travel 140 miles to lunch every day!

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:42 pm
by mnnden
wncbmw, What a great place to take a fall ride, All the pics are nice but I really like the one with the bikes in the fog, I know it is a "Bitch" to ride in but, I think it gives a nice finnish to a photo. Den
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:16 pm
by machew01
It truly was a great 900 mile weekend. Great scenery, fantastic riding, scrumptious prime rib at the Iron Horse, and I didn't get my a$$ whipped by the little brunette from Alabama - which she threatened to do.
mac
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:26 pm
by kbc68
Thanks for posting the photos , there's nothing like a fall ride .
The smell of the leaves . Those curves look awesome !
I haven't been that way in a long time . I should try and make my way down !
Bikes look great too !
Alabama babe
Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:29 pm
by wncbmw
Hey Michael - if she had known LSU beat Auburn in OT, she really would have been in a bad mood!
Anyone coming to the area, let me know and I will give some of the secret places to ride!
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:37 am
by machew01
Vann, I can't imagine her in a bad mood. I'll have to go back to staying at the Rider's Roost with the patch holders. It's safer there.
mac
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:03 pm
by DJ Downunder
Very nice...I like that shot looking down on Wayah road...it looks like you had to climb a tree for that one..
DJ
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:14 pm
by Boxer
No DJ, I'm sure he was on the side of the road around the turn...what we call a "switchback" here in the mountains.
It is a cool shot!
Re: Iron Horse Lodge and Western NC
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:04 pm
by JCsman
wncbmw wrote:
Boxer went back home from lunch. Yes, he just took a long ride through the mountains to meet us for lunch.
Are you sure he didn't have lunch with you just to take a long ride through the mountains?
Great ride. Jealosy reins.
shots
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:54 pm
by wncbmw
Bill - you are right. Boxer's ride was the reason, not us. Or the BBQ!
Next time I go with some people on the Wayah Road, I will go ahead before that switchback and shoot some more shots. It was perfect, with the road climbing steeply to allow the downward angle, then a simple turn to the right to get the switchback and turn around to shoot the going away shot.
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:04 am
by Boxer
I went one route to get up there and another to get home. 140 odd miles each way. On the way up was north Georgia nirvana, passing the last of the warm Fall colors along challenging twistie roads and two passes through the lower Blue Ridges. The best was zipping by Brasstown Bald and circumventing Lake Chatuge into North Carolina. There it was smooth sailing along the beautifully scenic NC highway 64 into Franklin...and pulling into Fat Buddies, just seconds behind Vann and Michael......
Oh! And how dare you suggest I rode to meet you guys just to make the ride!

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:55 pm
by sshallen
OK Vann, so it seems Killboy snapped a zillion photos of you on Friday:
http://tinyurl.com/deqdf
Yet only three of me on Saturday, though I passed him FOUR TIMES:
http://tinyurl.com/azwyk (I'm pics 13 through 15).
The fog wasn't THAT bad on the Skyway... 38 degrees at 4,000 feet and about ten foot visibility. Colder and denser than that at the top.

This was shot at about 10am!!!
Killboy
Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:35 pm
by wncbmw
Hey Sam, I am actually on page 11, 12 and mostly on 13 of the link you posted. The first set, I was pretending to stifle a yawn for the camera since I was caught behind cages but it didn't work!
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prs ... 1130783881
About the fog, we slowed down and felt like we were creeping along, then I glanced at the speedo in a curve and realized I was still speeding!

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 2:12 am
by boxermania
Van....nice outing. The Iron Horse camp is definitely a place to stay. Im glad that brother Boxer and Machew joined you......
I still remember the ride during the first day of Beakster Bash I when a few of us ventured out late on the first day to Fat Buddies for dinner via Hway 28....and what happened to tthe leaders....chuckle....chuckle.....do you remember that far back......
That was a very enjoyable time and I shall cherish it for the rest of my life.....

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 3:31 am
by NoRRmad
Wow. I was riding the Cherohala Skyway four days later, and it was much nicer.
But there was ice and snow at the top.
What a nice place for a ride!
Skyway
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:02 am
by wncbmw
boxermainia said:
do you remember that far back......
Al, my oldtimers isn't that bad! I remember it well. And who the "leaders" were on that ride!
NoRRmad - you were in the neighborhood and didn't give me shout!? Hey man, we could have skipped all the Playhouse fun and I'd show you some good backroads!

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:55 pm
by NoRRmad
Sorry; I was letting the weather determine my route. Wanted to ride the Appalachians going south, but the weather kept closing in as I went -- about an hour-and-a-half behind me, with fog on the Blue Ridge. I was in Nashville going west, thinking about finding the Big Bend ride, when the weather showed rain ahead, and clearing behind me, so I turned around and went up the Cherohala/Blue Ridge/Skyline roads. I didn't have a computer with me to PM anybody.
Next time!

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:01 pm
by sshallen
Wow. I was riding the Cherohala Skyway four days later, and it was much nicer.
Beautiful shots... Bald River Falls?
Four DAYS later? It can look 180 degrees different four HOURS later!!!
Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:30 pm
by NoRRmad
Thank you!
Yes, Bald River Falls.
(If you want to see them full-size, they're here:)
http://r1150r.smugmug.com/gallery/943326
Select 'original' size when you click on the pix. I'll try to upload some more soon. (Whoops, I just tried to view them; maybe you should select 'large' instead. They're pretty big.)