WE'VE GOT GEORGIA ON OUR MINDS

IRONHORSE MOTORCYCLE RESORT

STECOAH, NORTH CAROLINA



Who doesn't like a three day weekend. Particularly if you are going camping. Especially if you are going camping on your motorbike with your spouse! And so it was, three blissful days in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a stones throw from Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and beautiful roads into North Georgia and East Tennessee.

Ruth and I always bookend the "summer season", Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, with a stay at Ironhorse Motorcycle Resort in Stecoah, NC. A beautiful, upscale campground, surrounded by gorgeous Appalachian mountain scenery interspersed with the creme de la creme of motorcycling roads east of the Mississippi. The perfect venue for me and my dance partner; no, not my two legged partner, Roo, but my two wheeled partner who leads me around this twisty, curvy, unpredictable dance floor!

FRIDAY, MAY 25 - LET THE DANCE BEGIN

Packed and ready to go, we left home and pointed the ST's shnoot north. There won't be much in the way of straight roads on the way to Ironhorse; the route chosen was specifically to wear the outer edges of the tires and keep Roo and I grinning in our helmets. Besides, this is a dance weekend for me and MyST, and after wearing down the middle of the ST's tires riding the straight roads of South Georgia at the rally last weekend, we were ready to do some Tengo! So, off we go with our first stop being about 100 miles up the road on the Blue Ridge Parkway.



Our rest stop on the BRP - who's that sweet lookin' thang back there?



A right hand drop-off on the BRP - See ya!

Most of you know my affinity for the Blue Ridge Parkway. I love this road, and ride it frequently throughout the riding season. Ruth and I rode the entire length of it back in 2006, and must do it again soon. In a few weeks, I head to Tennessee to ride a portion of the Natchez Trace Parkway, which is similar to the BRP, and the plan is for Roo and I to ride the entire Trace next year from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS. But I digress........
Back on the Parkway, we head towards Ironhorse. A couple of hours later we arrive, check in, and eagerly set up camp.



The entrance drive to Ironhorse



Beautiful landscaping is prevalent throughout the property



Creekside camping



These ain't no shabby accomodations - cabin rental anyone?

After setting up camp, we settled in for a relaxing late afternoon. Temps were perfect, the sun was getting low in the sky and starting to hide behind the mountains surrounding us. After catching up on some reading, chatting with Roo and other moto enthusiasts, and having an adult beverage or two, we decided to take a walk around the grounds before dinner in The Lodge.
Ironhorse is a motorcycle resort, but cars, trucks, campers and motorhomes are allowed to "camp" here as long as they are carrying a motorcycle with them. So, you can see all shapes and sizes of vehicles here. Like this one:



Jeeeezzz! Look at the size of that thing!

In the teeeney, tiny trailer behind that monstrosity is a teeney, tiny, Harley Davidson Sportster (Harley's smallest motorcycle). They probably could have put it in the living quarters of the motorhome with room to spare. Watching this behemoth try to wiggle it's way into the campground was very interesting. But hey, they fulfilled the requirement of having a bike on board.
As we turned and continued walking with our backs to the campground entrance, we heard this beautiful, throaty sound coming down the entrance drive. But it wasn't the sound of a motorcycle engine. We turned to look, and both our jaws dropped. Wow!


Oh, James, darling. Where are you?



No words needed

Gawwwwd, that's beautiful! Ruth and I are classic car enthusiasts, but especially the European cars. Straight out of the old James Bond movies, you could just see Sean Connery tearing up the mountain roads here. This is one beautiful Austin Healey! Yes, James drove an Aston Martin, but maybe an Austin Healy before he became a 00?
After the car ga-ga was over, we strolled into The Lodge for dinner, then sat around the fire pit with fellow motorcyclists and listened to the days riding stories. By midnight, the fire was low, and so was our energy level. Off to our sleeping bags for a good nights sleep in the cool mountain air. The stars and moon were beautiful this night - leaving the rain fly off the tent, we could see the stars as we lay in our sleeping bags. Tomorrow, we ride to Blue Ridge, GA.

Saturday, May 26 - Passing Through the Land of the Noon Day Sun to Blue Ridge, GA. 
We woke up to another beautiful day that promised to be sunny, but a bit warmer than yesterday. A "bit" is relative, as it did hit 90 degrees briefly in the afternoon according to the ST's thermometer.
After a leisurely breakfast at the tentsite, we donned our riding suits and headed for the "Land of the Noon Day Sun", the Nantahala Gorge.
You can guess how The Gorge earned it's nickname, right? Ok. Our favorite stop in the Gorge is the Nantahala Outdoor Center, a rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, outfitter mecca. We love to eat breakfast or lunch here, browse the Outfitter's Store, and watch the kayakers play in the old Olympic Games slalom course



Our favorite place to eat at NOC. River's End-great food on the river's edge!



Play boating on the Nantahala



Heading towards the slalom course!



Surfing the hydraulic. Very cool.



Lot's of water dogs here.

Back on the road after about an hour at NOC, we head for Blue Ridge, GA., about an hour's ride down the road. The ride west is not very exciting, but lunch awaits in Blue Ridge, and we have the perfect place to eat.


Welcome all y'all



No, I didn't take the pic because of the young lady standing there. Really. Really!

 The L&L Beanery Coffee Cafe in downtown Blue Ridge, GA. Our new favorite coffee house in this town.  Their lunch menu is just mouth watering, and the sammiches are biker size! Coffee's are delicious too, all served up in a warm, comfortable atmosphere. Dine in or al fresco (Al who?).




Blue Ridge's topiary moose, behind the outfitters' store



Chillin' in Blue Ridge. I kind of like the helmet hair style, don't you Roo?



Some beautiful architecture in Blue Ridge.

 After lunch, then strolling through and around Blue Ridge for a while, it was time to head back to camp. We retraced our route and got back to Ironhorse in the late afternoon. It was hot today, so a nice shower with cold mountain water was a great way to finish off the day and freshen up for dinner in The Lodge. Tomorrow we head back home.

Sunday, May 27 - Going Up in order to Go Down
Today we awoke from a restful sleep and began to pack our gear. No rush to get anywhere, we took our time packing as we watched the sun come up over the mountains. No matter how many times I see that, it is always a beautiful sight.
Finishing breakfast by the campsite, we washed our cookware and stuffed them in the panniers. On with our riding suits, fire up the ST, and off we go back to the BRP. Once on the Parkway, it is a steady climb to Richland Bald, the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway and always an obligatory stop.



Looking north on The Parkway



View from the top

Mounting up, we have about 30 miles to go on the Parkway, then it's southbound and downhill all the way into South Carolina and home. Another great moto camping weekend comes to a close. Give the ST a rubdown, stow our gear, and get ready for the next adventure........next weekend!

Info:
Ironhorse Motorcycle Resort: http://www.ironhorsenc.com/
Nantahala Outdoor Center: http://www.noc.com/