Given my love of beer, starting an East Tennessee expedition in the town that the temperance movement built seemed like an irony I couldn’t resist. The small town of Harriman, Tennessee, began as a utopian alcohol-free city, complete with orderly streets and picturesque Victorian houses. Its location just off Interstate 40 made it an interesting stop to begin a journey along … [Read more...] about An East Tennessee Expedition: Frontier Forts, Funny Airplanes and Utopian Towns
Ten rides to celebrate 10 Epic years: The editor’s favorite adventures across the Blue Ridge Mountains
To mark the 10th anniversary of Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine, Editor-in-Chief Michael E. Gouge offers his list (in no particular order) featuring 10 of the favorite roads and road trips he’s covered in the last decade as a correspondent. A few of them are on blueridgemotorcyclingmagazine.com. Others appeared only in print. Feel free to explore them on your own. • U.S. 64 … [Read more...] about Ten rides to celebrate 10 Epic years: The editor’s favorite adventures across the Blue Ridge Mountains
Exploring the rich history and wonderful roads of Dark Corners
Dark Corners doesn’t sound like an inviting motorcycle destination when low clouds and brisk temperatures engulf the Blue Ridge, but shortly after dropping down U.S. 176 the clouds vanish and I savor the feeling of warm sunshine on black leather. This region of Upstate South Carolina offers milder weather, great roads and a rich history for two-wheeled explorers. It makes a … [Read more...] about Exploring the rich history and wonderful roads of Dark Corners
Waterfalls, museums and twisty roads: Exploring the spirit of Franklin, NC
The usually smooth hills of the Blue Ridge begin to grow steeper and sharper as U.S. 64 twists toward the Cullasaja Gorge. Temptation lures my attention to the rockface cliffs and glimpses of tumbling waters below, but the road demands my concentration. This section between Highlands and Franklin, North Carolina, holds a special allure for motorcyclists given the stunning … [Read more...] about Waterfalls, museums and twisty roads: Exploring the spirit of Franklin, NC
A cosmic pit stop: Spacing out at Galactic Pizza
Motorcycling often feels like it transports us to another world where we fly through space and time on our two-wheeled machines. Entering Galactic Pizza, you might feel the same way as you see large papier-mache planets hanging above the bar. This pizzeria in Asheville, North Carolina, isn’t your usual television-clad bar-and-grill. The walls feature posters of sci-fi cult … [Read more...] about A cosmic pit stop: Spacing out at Galactic Pizza
