The middle of nowhere

[BanannaMan]

Got away for a few days last weekend for a much needed break from work and some overdue riding time.
Same old place... The small village of Little Switzerland, North Carolina and surrounding area is slowly becoming my home away from home.
The only thing there is a few hotels and the "downtown" area (see pics) but if you want to get away from the rest of the world, this is the place. Great roads , great views, great people.

Bike at hotel

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01687.JPG



This year they were celebrating the village's 100th aniversary.
Like most small towns and villages in this area, 100 years is very old.
Most did not survive that long.
And like most, prior to a hundred years ago there was nothing here.
You lot are lucky to live in a land so rich with history.

Interestingly, for all the swiss flags and waitresses in swiss outfits and such that they carry on. ..No one here is Swiss.
The view here supposedly reminded the original landowner of the view from somewhere he had stayed in Switzerland and that's how it got the name. :lol:
Like the rest of this area in North Carolina, almost everyone here is of Scottish decent. :shock:

Little Switzerland downtown

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01751.JPG


Bike and overflow parking at the post office across the street.
A curvy still looks good in any crowd.

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01754.JPG



Approaching the top of Grandfather Mountain (5,946 ft) on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01769.JPG

[BanannaMan]

If you look in the center of this pic you can see the bridge on the other side of the mountain where you will soon be.

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01766.JPG


Grandfather Mountain from the south

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01759.JPG

[BanannaMan]

Bikes passing through Wildacres Tunnel.
There are 25 tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

At speed you'd swear that sign reads Wildar5e Tunnel. LOL

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01748.JPG


Clouds look odd here.

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01708.JPG


Troubled skies over a small town in the valley

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01734.JPG



Almost ghostly bits of clouds break off and head off down the mountain and settle like fog in the valley.

breaking off

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01715.JPG

and on down the mountain

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01716.JPG

[BanannaMan]

Near the top of Mount Mitchell (6684 ft.)

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01725.JPG


Mountain views
http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01740.JPG

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01741.JPG

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01719.JPG

Bikes in the carpark near the top of Mt. Mitchell.
(and NO , I wasn't riding with them)

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01726.JPG


Weather can change quickly here

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01730.JPG

[BanannaMan]

Postcard pic

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01727.JPG



Nice roads in the lower elevations as well.

(I've really got to get that **** light fixed) :rolleyes:

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01701.JPG



This looked like a lovely spot to stop and take a break and get a pic of the bike.


http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01695.JPG


I've heard people say they had a house on the lake but this is the first one I've seen that was really ...on the lake!


http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01697.JPG



The parkway

http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01705.JPG


Final view

It's nearly five miles via road to reach the section seen just to the right of center here decending the mountain.


http://www.allenschevron.com/DSC01774.JPG

[pookie]

Great views. I feels I'm almost there.. I want to get out and about but all roads in essex are flat ;)

[STRAMASHER]

Great pics again BM.

Re-enforcing my view of how vast and varied you have it over that side of the pond. Beautiful. And, gawd, smooooth tarmac!

You have to travel far to get into the mountains?

[_Stretchie_]

Cool. That looks liek a great place to have a nice ride out to

[Geodude]

Looks fantastic and no potholes :)

[Luckypants]

I really think I need to start planning a trip over there! Looks awesome!

[Ed]

It's stunning, and so empty:)

[TheRamJam]

Are bikes allowed in Switzerland lol ;)

Looked a cracking journey buddy! :eek:

[Jamesy D]

Looking gorgeous out there, looks like exactly the right weather for a lovely bit of riding too. Might have to pay a visit when I'm in the states on my gap year, but Texas to North Carolina is a bit of a trek ;)

Just had to ask, what's the mesh you have covering the 'ducts' on your fairing? I might have to give that a go, looks very smart...

[Wideboy]

Bikes in the carpark near the top of Mt. Mitchell.
(and NO , I wasn't riding with them)

haha!!

that house in the lake looks cool as!

[BanannaMan]

You have to travel far to get into the mountains?

About 45 mins. to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. (The state I live in). Apple Orchard Mountain (4,225 ft.)

These pics were taken approx. 250 to 300 miles away in North Carolina.


I really think I need to start planning a trip over there! Looks awesome!


Come on over!



It's stunning, and so empty:)


If you're looking for scores of bikers to share like roads with, NC has that as well.
Deals Gap is about 100 miles away in the southwestern corner of the state on the border with Tennessee and has some of the most famous (and best) roads in the US.
Plod from 2 states like to keep a sharp eye on that area though.

Even though it was a bank holiday weekend I only saw 3 police in 900 miles. They were all at the same location. A harley rider ran wide in sharp bend on the Blue Ridge Parkway. RIP
Speed limit "out in the wilds" is governed by how fast you can go and still make that unmarked 20 mph bend you didn't see coming. :o





Just had to ask, what's the mesh you have covering the 'ducts' on your fairing? I might have to give that a go, looks very smart...




You expect me to admit, here on the .org, that it's the very same thing the chav's use for grills in their little chavy cars?

You can find some here:
http://www.m-99.co.uk/Grill_Mesh/grill_mesh.html
Or just look see which car parts store your local chav's hang about.

Also in the two holes in front of fairing.

[darylB]

Stunning pics, i also think it's about time you should be banned from posting any more pics and making us green with envy. :D

Daryl.

[Bri w]

Hate you Bill.

Empty, and peaceful

Yep, still hate you

[BanannaMan]

Stunning pics, i also think it's about time you should be banned from posting any more pics and making us green with envy. :D

Daryl.





It all depends on your location.
The grass is always greener...and all that.
As nice as it is here, to me your scenery seems even more stunning.
I'm at least 350% more excited about my trip to the AR and seeing the scenery in England and Wales than I was going there.

Glad you likes the pics!

[Luckypants]

Come on over!

Guess who is gonna have his brains picked at the AR? :D

[gruntygiggles]

Bill...amazing Pics and makes me sad that I am not there :-(

Can't wait to take Dan over. Roads in the area you are in can be amazing for bikes...so are the roads up in Oregon, pretty much anywhere thorugh the mountain ranges. I've always wanted to take a bike out from Denver and go over to Oregon through Wyoming and Montana, then head west to Washington, down through Oregon and make my way back via California, Nevada, Arizona and then back to Denver by going through Monument Valley and the four corners, up the famus straight road and ont Colorado Springs where I lived when I was little...back to Denver.

Maybe we could do a big .org American rideout in a few years...lol. I think to make the above route good though, you'd need 5-6 weeks :-)