A Most Excellent Motorbike Vacation - STAR 2011 - Day 3

MR. Snake - US Hwy 421's mascot

Day 3: Monday, June 27 - 140 miles

The Snake Revisited - A Motely MSTA Crew invades Mountain City - A 60's Dining Experience

I was up early, being anxious to get on the road again after being rained out yesterday. Man, I was really hungry too for some reason. Got to fuel up for a lot of mountain riding today.

I shook Roo awake, and although not a morning person, she slowly rolled out of bed with a smile on her beautiful, round Irish face. What's not to smile about? The sun was shining and it promised to be a great day on the motorbike. Geared up, we went down to the hotel restaurant where I promptly devoured a fantastic skillet breakfast that hit the spot right on. Sitting at a table next to us was another couple who immediately introduced themselves as Marcela and Don from Atlanta, and asked us where we were heading this morning. I told them our route plans and they asked if they could ride along with us. Absolutely! This is how the MSTA works. Total strangers with a similar passion for motorbikes who just come up and ask you into their lives in that particular moment. Fantastic.

We agreed to meet in front of the hotel at 9:30, ready to ride. Ruth and I finished our breakfast (Marcela and Don had already eaten), then met our new friends out front at the appointed time. Our bud Jon, was staying behind today to ride the wheels off all the demo bikes that were provided for MSTA members by Kingsport Cycles.

Who says Martians are green?
"Take us to your twisty mountain roads, Earthdude."



Our buddy Jon giving Roo the Rhode Island send off

Don rides a Suzuki SV650 and Marcela was on a Suzuki Burgman Maxi-scooter. Roo and I mounted the beaST, and the three motorbikes rolled out of the parking lot for another stab at "The Snake" and on into the state of Virginia.

Approximately 15 miles into our journey, I spot another ST up ahead, same year and color as ours. As we come up on and pass him, I give a loud honk of my airhorn and a thumbs up to him. He waves, and promptly pulls in line behind Marcela and joins our group. I figured him to be a MSTA member, but had no way of knowing in that moment. Interestingly, a Mini-Cooper pulled in line right behind him and stayed with us until our first stop of the day. Hmmmm...........

Once again, we cross over the Holston River Bridge and turn onto US Hwy 421, entering the fanged mouth of the "Snake". Twisting, turning, weaving, leaning right and left - I felt "on" today and was pushing the envelope just a bit. Not a straight piece of road climbing or descending until we are shot like rockets out of the snakes mouth in Shady Valley and into the parking lot of The Shady Valley Country Store once again.

Holston River Bridge - Gateway to "The Snake" - US Hwy 421





Shady Valley Country Store



Curves like this can spell trouble for the un-wary motorcyclist

 Coming to a stop and dismounting, Roo and I remove our gear and approach the other ST and Mini Cooper that had joined us on the road. As it turned out, Gordon, the ST rider was indeed a MSTA member. He had got turned around trying to decipher a route sheet and just decided to do a pot luck ride when we came upon him. So he just latched on to see where we were going. The Mini Cooper driver - Tom - Gordon's friend and MSTA member, had an interesting story. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and active member of the club until he suffered a stroke a few years ago which left his right side partially paralyzed. After therapy, he purchased the Mini Cooper and tricked it out to accomodate his paralysis and enable him to drive the twisty mountain roads with the club. And he has become quite proficient at this I might add! A really nice guy. Wish I had known him before the stroke.

Shady Valley Country Store is a motorcycling "Mecca" - drawing enthusiasts from all over who want to challenge the "snake" and are in need of respite, food and drink - as well as the obligatory decal and T-shirt (yes, we did)




Motorcycling Mecca - Shady Valley Country Store
No, I don't know who Big Blue is.



The beaST paying homage to Mecca. That's Gordon's ST right behind ours.



Aaawwww! Where's dat wascally wabbit?

Chief Slithering Snake making eyes at Roo



After a brief rest, talking, hydrating and bike shopping, our now group of five mounted our motorbikes (and one car). Glancing back up the mountain the way we had come, I was glad to see nothing but blue sky and sunshine. No monster storm today! The sun was shining, temp was great - let's ride! Rolling out of the parking lot we head north on Hwy 133, a beautiful ribbon of asphalt that will take us to the Virginia state line in short order. But first, a stop at Backbone Rock Park.
Backbone Rock is a long, narrow block of stone that engineers blasted a tunnel through in the late 1800's to accomodate the railroad to Damascus, VA. Today, Hwy 133 goes through the tunnel following the old rail alignment. The park has numerous hiking trails and is surrounded by beautiful new growth forest. We climbed up to the top of Backbone Rock, which is barely 6 feet wide, standing over the tunnel looking down at the highway. No fencing, no railings, no guardrails. Whew! Gives me the willies!

Bikes coming through the tunnel

Roo on top of Backbone Tunnel - very, very narrow!



Looking down at Hwy 133. Jeez! I was holding my breath
while leaning over a bit to get this shot!



Top of the tunnel - barely 6 ft wide! Yes, I walked across
to get this shot and then to get out of there! Notice no rails of any kind!
You slip - you're done!



 The Rooster. Just stay on the double yellow babe.
Everyone will go around you.



On the way to Virginia

 Gladly hiking back down to street level, I collect my wits before getting the beaST on the road again. I'm not a big fan of heights where the dropoff is mere inches from your feet. Ok. Cool, calm and collected, I bring the big V4 to life, Roo jumps on, everyone is ready and away we go through the tunnel to Damascus, VA, home to the Virginia Creeper Bicycle Trail. We've not done the Creeper yet, but hear it is a real blast. Just another reason to return to this beautiful area.
We ride through Virginia for a short while, then dip back down into Tenessee for lunch in Mountain City. Mountain City is a quaint little Tenessee town, but it's claim to fame for us is the Coffee House Cafe.


A beautiful old house turned cafe, each of the rooms is decorated in a different theme for a very unique and intimate coffee/dining experience. The coffee and food here is superb.



The Coffee House Cafe - Mountain City, TN

Stopping here for lunch, Ruth gets a text message from Rhode Island Jonny. He wants to know where we are so he can meet up with us. Turns out he's only 11 miles away and he'll be with us shortly. But these are twisty, mountain roads, so shortly is a relative term. But true to form, a little while later, here comes Jon pulling into the parking lot on his Honda VFR. He must have been screaming down the mountain to get here so quick (no surprise!). Introductions, drink, food, conversation - everyone having a great time - and now there were six.This is what happens in the MSTA. It's all about the bikes, the roads, the people and making new friends.

The MSTA crew:
Back row, L-R: Don, Marcela, Gordon (partially hidden by Roo's big head
Front Row, L-R: Tom, Bob, Roo



Oh! There's Gordon!
Photo's taken by Earthdude.

Finally, after a great meal and much frivolity, we decided we better start back to Johnson City. Onto the bikes (and one car), we head south on Hwy 67 to Hwy 321, two beautiful roads with soothing sweepers that make riding a motorbike smooth as silk. A short stint on I-26 takes us back to our hotel. Everyone says goodbye for now - Jon, Roo and myself put the bikes up for the evening, get cleaned up, open an adult beverage, and guess what? It's time for dinner at a super cool place, Cootie Brown's Restaurant. Walking into Cootie Brown's is to walk back in time to the 1960's (how does that saying go - if you remember the 60's, you really weren't there!). Peace signs, tie dye art, 60's graphic art, staff all wearing tie dye - very cool. Except none of the staff were over 25 years old. Guess they had to break open the history books. Oh, and the food was great - they serve everything - even organics and gluten free, and the beer list has to be seen to be believed. The food was so good, we ate there three times! Dinner done, the two amigos and uno amiga walked back to the hotel to party it up with our fellow club members. In bed by eleven, tomorrow is a big mileage day if all goes well..........

Next up: It pays to listen to your inner voice!