Ripples of water shimmer through the pines along the north shore of Lake James. I find a suitable pull-off and ease the bike off the road to take a break and enjoy this peaceful light show. This part of McDowell County, North Carolina, sits on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I’ve come here for a bit of adventure bike exploring along the rim of Linville … [Read more...] about Mysterious Mountains: From Lake James up to Linville Gorge
Lake country travels: South Carolina’s boating paradise holds fun for motorcyclists, too
By Michael E. Gouge The air suddenly warms as you drop off the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the rolling hills and small towns in the northwest corner of the Palmetto State. Spring arrives early here and gives riders a chance to escape the fickle March weather of the mountains. While South Carolina only claims a small portion of the Southern Appalachians, it holds several … [Read more...] about Lake country travels: South Carolina’s boating paradise holds fun for motorcyclists, too
Notes from the Road
Just as I replaced the Monza-style fuel cap on the new Royal Enfield Continental GT, the first of what would be three interested bystanders at the gas station commented on my new bike. “Royal Enfield, I’ve never heard of them,” he said. “They’ve been around longer than Harley,” I replied, realizing with this purchase — made just minutes ago at the dealership down the road — … [Read more...] about Notes from the Road
Overland Journey: exploring Virginia’s Blue Ridge and annual adventure expo
About 80 miles southwest of Roanoke, being satisfied with my morning progress up monotonous Interstate 81, I leaned the big Suzuki for the off-ramp to take a much-needed break and reward myself with leisurely two lanes for the rest of the way into the Star City. Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains serve as a playground for motorcycle travelers with its abundance of history, … [Read more...] about Overland Journey: exploring Virginia’s Blue Ridge and annual adventure expo
Notes from the Road
For 350 miles, my well-worn copy of “Jupiter’s Travels” bounced along in my tail bag. I’d smile during gas stops as I fiddled through the bag and saw it there. Soon I would finally meet the man who wrote my favorite around-the-world motorcycle travelogue and hopefully score his autograph. My journey to central Virginia and the Overland Expo, featured in this issue, held the … [Read more...] about Notes from the Road
