Each week, master brewer Ray Dobens climbs on his KTM 890 Adventure R and heads to work at Salt Face Brewing where he creates some 14 delicious varieties of craft beer.
Located on U.S. 19 just north of Asheville, North Carolina, Salt Face Brewing opened last year in a former amusement center. They derived their name from the old Appalachian saying, “thirstier than a salt-face mule.”
Dobins, an avid motorcycle enthusiast, and his business partners turned the mini-golf and former go-cart track into a stylish restaurant and brewpub, which often serves to give back to the community by providing a fun place for fundraising events.
“The food is amazing. Our kitchen does a great job, keeping it varied, a seasonally appropriate menu with just enough menu items to keep people interested. It doesn’t get tired,” Dobens said. “I’m probably most proud that we’ve managed to get a large handful of regulars coming back that seem to really enjoy the beers I’m making.”
On May 19, Salt Face Mule Brewing will welcome the Asheville segment of the worldwide Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Motorcyclists dressed in dapper attire will ride to the brewpub that will host an after party to raise money and awareness of the DGR’s global mission.
“I know they focus a lot of their charitable donations on awareness of men’s mental health issues and prostate cancer research. I feel like it’s an awesome cause. Not enough people talk about mental health issues to destigmatize it,” Dobens said. “I’m a motorcyclist, and have been a motorcyclist since I was 8 years old. I’m super enthusiastic about hosting this event because I love riding with different people. Motorcycles are kind of what keeps me sane. I commute to work almost every day on a bike. When I’m not commuting on a bike, I ride for fun.”
Dobens owns several bikes including another KTM, a vintage Honda XL175 and a Ruckus. His daughter flat track races a KTM 875. You can find him chatting with other motorcyclists who stop in the Salt Face Mule for bike-night gatherings or just a lunch stop. It was one such visit that convinced Dobens to host the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride event.
“I came by here and met Ray, and he’s a biker and really liked talking about the ride,” said Ed Carroll, who has organized the Asheville DGR event for the past 11 years. “I thought it was a great place, good food, great location. You can bring the kids to play miniature golf, they’ve got a bocce court out there. I think the fact they welcomed us, made it even more desirable.”
Previous DGR events in Western North Carolina finished in the town of Marshall, but city permits, limited parking and other difficulties prompted organizers to look for a new venue as a destination for the ride. Salt Face Mule Brewing fit perfectly and seemed eager to welcome the bow-tie clad hoard.
“I think this is just a place for everybody with universal appeal,” Dobens said. “We have a lot of outdoor games, we have great list of beers, great food, and I think now that we’re having our first motorcycle event, it’s going to be an even more interesting and fun place to hang out.”
Riders — both male and female — in more than 100 countries and nearly 900 cities ride vintage or retro-styled motorcycles to raise funds and awareness of important men’s health issues. The Asheville DGR event has raised more than $70,000 and hosted 1,100 riders in the last decade.
“It’s important to me because it’s personal,” Carroll said. “I had prostate cancer, and as you know the DGR raises money for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health. And having been a (Vietnam) veteran, that’s how I got prostate cancer. I was exposed to Agent Orange and also had other problems over the years with PTSD.”
Carroll also said the global nature of the DGR helps connect local riders with the larger motorcycling community around the world to maximize support of a worthy cause.
“To have an organization like this internationally to do those things, and to be able to go on YouTube and watch videos of riders from around the world, is really important,” he said.
Motorcycle riding can often be the chicken soup for the soul, and luckily Salt Face Mule Brewing offers the physical nourishment, too.
“I haven’t had it, but someone just told me they have chicken soup here and said it was fantastic,” Carroll said. “I’ve had their food here. The beer here is great. You can’t beat it.”
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has local rides scheduled across the United States the third Sunday in May. Visit gentlemansride.com to find one near you.
— Michael E. Gouge
