Sometimes you can just hear the forest calling. My friend Chris Wilcox decided that we should take a little overnight motorcycle camping trip into the Pisgah National Forest. Three riders met in the afternoon at the Blowing Rock Market. We were all riding dual sport motorcycles. I was on my KTM 500, Rick Riddle rode his KTM 690, and Chris pulled in last. He had two armloads of … [Read more...] about The Globe: An over-nighter deep in Pisgah
Rider Tours
Sleeping in a treehouse, taming the Dragon
I slayed a dragon and slept in a treehouse,” at least that’s what my T-shirt says. From my perspective, “slayed” seems too strong a word, it felt more like I was chased by a dragon and managed to escape. Not far from the curves of the famous Moonshiner 28 and the Tail of the Dragon lies Robbinsville, North Carolina. To celebrate our anniversary, my wife and I packed both … [Read more...] about Sleeping in a treehouse, taming the Dragon
The back of the Dragon: A (multi-) peak experience
Perfection is a conceptual thing. It doesn’t exist in nature, but for those of us who enjoy motorcycling, the Back of the Dragon, cutting north-south across the “waist” of Virginia, comes damn close. Bring your “A” game when you come to ride the Dragon. The challenges are constant and intense. You’ll cross three mountains — Clinch, Brushy and Walker — on your trip over … [Read more...] about The back of the Dragon: A (multi-) peak experience
A Dozen Memories: Johnson City’s Southern Dozen always offers excitement
Johnson City, with its towering sign above downtown, appears on the horizon as I trek west from the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each year, I return to this charming town in northeast Tennessee to continue my exploration of The Southern Dozen, a collection of motorcycle routes branching out from the city created by local tourism officials to showcase the region. “The Southern Dozen … [Read more...] about A Dozen Memories: Johnson City’s Southern Dozen always offers excitement
Hendersonville: City of Four Seasons offers year-round riding opportunities
Poised close to the Eastern Continental Divide along U.S. 64, the historic motor route across North Carolina, the city of Hendersonville offers riders plenty of natural beauty along lightly traveled backroads while still offering travelers a wealth of cultural and culinary delights. Hendersonville, located about 25 miles south of Asheville, and the surrounding Henderson … [Read more...] about Hendersonville: City of Four Seasons offers year-round riding opportunities