Another ride, another deadline ...

A friend recently got a bike and has been wanting to get together and ride. We found a time we could both sneak off and I threw together a "short" run over some pretty fun roads. Cloud9 has a near-bald rear tire so taking the KLR is the smartest option. Besides, having the KLR will keep me at a more sane pace and help even the score between my bike and Ivor's Nighthawk. Although I will say, for someone who has been on a bike for about a month now, from what I did notice he seems pretty smooth.

We had set up a time and place to meet up and then would head out from Newport and cover roughly 150 miles before winding up in Sevierville, where he lives. Probably 180 or so, for each of us, I guess.

The only caveat was that I had to be back home by 4:30 PM, so that Melissa could head off to work. Oh boy ... Ed's got a time frame and on a bike ... you can only wonder how this will wind up!

This morning Ivor tells me he will be there around 10-ish. Judging from where he left from I tried to time it so we both arrived at the same time. I pulled in within a couple minutes of when he did. Sweet! I topped off, we chatted for a bit, and then headed down the road.

Southeast bound on 25/70 we go. We get through the 20 (Okay only 12 I think, but YEESH!) traffic lights and then are finally rolling. I am enjoying the serenity of the blue skies dotted with little, white, powder puff clouds and the fall colors filling the countryside while rolling along.

Then I realize that I hadn't reset the trip meter (for gas purposes) when we filled up. I figure it's been 10 miles since we left so just need to add 10 miles to keep track of when we need to fuel -- or rather when HE does. He gets 120 to a tank.

There is construction somewhere near the state line on 25 so they detour you. This is my normal route, even though it's a 20? mile detour, because it's a lot of fun. It was more enjoyable before the detour as traffic was less prevalent.

Anyhow, luckily today it wasn't too bad. We had pretty much all of 107 to ourselves which is a nice, tree-lined and shaded run through the forest. Gently curved -- good stuff!

Then it's onto TN-70. There is a two mile stretch just before the border which is a cowpath switchback climb of the mountain. You *always* want a free run at it when you can. (big grin) Knowing the road and that the KLR cannot get out of its own way, I knew passing two cars in the space allowed before hitting the mountain wasn't going to happen.

Still being about a mile from the upcoming switchbacks, I just backed the throttle down about 20 mph trying to generate space between us and the cars. It worked for the most part. We got a run at about 2/3 of the climb.

YEAH! right off the bat-- that first hard right ....KRRRRKKKKK ..... ground that peg most of the way through the turn. It is a perfectly banked right hander with a constant radius. that set me  on a pretty decent rhythm for the rest of that 2/3 of free space .. YEAH!

Shortly after this 70 becomes 208. It soon parallels the river with very clear, long sight lines all the way through the curves. You ... can .... reeeaally laaaaay into these turns with confidence! Great fun!!

Then the highlight! One of my favorite NC roads! 209! hands down! It climbs the mountain n a very snakelike manner. The first 8 miles is just back and forth, back and forth, zoom zoom!!

I managed to get past nearly all the vehicles I encountered. I came up on a Harley riding two-up, but sight lines were scarce. A few curves later, he finally waves me by. I accelerated into the next turn -- a downhill right-hander when, all of a sudden, there is s a group of people standing alongside the road, and IN the road -- "IN the road" in that they are IN my lane and just as I am accelerating through the corner.

WTF?!! I dropped anchor and nothing came out of it except for some dilated pupils, since there was a motorcycle lane to get around and before having to go onto the other side of the road. You would think they would try to find a safer place to congregate. I am sure I that came to their attention as much as it had mine.

The thing with 209 is the middle lulls you to sleep. There's a long, straight stretch in the valley that is quite the letdown after all the curves you were just on. However, it's been a LONG time since I have been on THIS part. Just as you are getting Ho-hum! WOOWEEE! crossing another mountain and the curves are back. These aren't as tight so you can really scoot along if you get in tune, so to speak. YEEHA!

We zipped up this mountain with very little traffic to inhibit us. Soon we were to the I-40 interchange and, since time was a concern, I incorporated about 20 miles of slab in the route. Now, that stretch of I-40 goes over the mountain and the wide sweepers are best enjoyed at about 85 mph. When you time it just right you can slalom between vehicles. Fun, fun, fun!

The idea was to pick up the Foothills Parkway (the eastern one) over to 321 then onto a road I hadn't rode for way too long -- 416. The Foothills Parkway was a great choice.

The leaves are really popping right now up there. Plenty of reds, orange, yellows .. really nice! The road gently weaves its way across the landscape and the tourists all seemed to be parked at the overlooks. SCORE!

However, 321 was a rolling traffic jam. Hadn't given tourists much thought until this point. Good Lord! I looked down and the speedometer at one point and it told me we were doing an agonizing 20 mph. GAH!

Now in fairness, it wasn't 20 all the time, but it was still friggin' slow! Again on a time crunch here so this is resonating in my mind. HAHA!

Problem was that there was a line of cars, and even if you picked them off one by one, it would take forever. I passed a few before I settled in line and just rode along knowing that 416 is coming in the next painstaking 15 miles or so.

We hit 416 and it is freshly paved. I have been on it, but it's been ... forever! WOW! I forgot how much a blast this road is. Swish, Sway, Up, Down. WHEE! It's very roller-coaster-ish. As Mr. Mazur would say, it's one tasty "ribbon of asphalt"!

We were moving along at a good clip now away from tourist traffic. What local traffic we encountered was quickly dispatched. Until, that is, we came upon a Sheriff-led Trash Pickup Patrol with trailer rolling towards their next stop.

He is crawling along, too. GRR! There is no way I am going to pass him ,though.

Granted, he has enough problems to handle he probably wouldn't chase me, but he DOES have a radio. At his first opportunity, he pulled over to allow us to pass by. That was pretty cool of him and I offered up a friendly wave and smile as we rolled past.

From there we wondered back to Ivor's house to drink a beer before I headed along my way. JUST ONE! ; ) After that, onto home.

I grabbed 139 along the river to Dandridge, then 92 south. It was about 5 miles up the road when the bike starts bucking. Out of gas! remember about not resetting the trip meter? Yeah! I forgot about that!

I switched over to reserve. However, I am unsure how much fuel is in the reserve -- I should really find out. So now I'm in fuel conservation mode.

Off the gas and coast downhill, just before ascending, gently roll on and hold speed, coast, roll on, no gas modulation in the cuves, etc. I soon found a gas station and my mind is at ease. I put in a gallon and a half to get me home.

92 south is another windy, twisty, fun piece of road. I had planned to take it to 411 then on home, but then came across a side road that I had forgotten about. Only thing was this ... isn't ... familiar.

There's a store there and storage locker place where there used to be ... nothing. I am curious if I this is the road I think it is. Ah well, I am going to find out. After a few turns, it is evident that this IS indeed the one I throught it was. I have used this as a tire scrub run before. Another joyous piece of asphalt.

I got home right at 4:30, which was my outside target time. Which was *just* enough time to see Melissa heading out the door. I was trying to make it by 4:15, and almost did, but I at least I got here "on" time. Hey it don't happen much, let me brag!  ; )

It's soo good to get seat time. Had perfect riding weather, good roads, no pucker moments, no imperial entanglements, and good comapny. What more can you ask for?