One of Virginia's best-kept secrets is peacefully tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains. The Bristol Hotel embodies its hometown’s industrial roots, musical soul and adventurous Appalachian spirit. The 65-room boutique hotel located in the city’s former downtown Executive Plaza has a rooftop bar with sweeping mountain views, a street-front restaurant with family-style … [Read more...] about Partner content: Unveiling Virginia’s hidden gem
Tennessee
Dragons and bikers and snakes, oh my!
My motorcycle is my own personal time machine. It allows me to return to places I’ve visited in the past and reconnect with people that have earned special spots in my heart. Even when I’m headed off in a different direction and meeting new people, the memories of something once experienced, long ago, seem to be ever more deeply rooted in my heart and mind because of the … [Read more...] about Dragons and bikers and snakes, oh my!
Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
On the evening of Dec. 31, 1952, legendary country singer Hank Williams checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. By the following day, the iconic performer would be pronounced dead at a hospital in the depths of rural West Virginia. Although there is much debated speculation and haphazard lore as to what really occurred along “Hank Williams’ Last … [Read more...] about Lost highway: The last ride of Hank Williams
The eggsanity of it all: A thousand miles and several diners in 24 hours
As riders, we’e always aware of road surfaces: Dry? Oily? Cracked? Tar-snaked? Pot-holed? We make these determinations in milliseconds. We don’t ponder the nature of pavement, but I do — or, at least that’s what I’m doing as I stand on the southbound lane of Interstate 81. In the rain. Surrounded by massive 18-wheelers. For four hours. Most of my mototravels seek out … [Read more...] about The eggsanity of it all: A thousand miles and several diners in 24 hours
The Devil’s Triangle: Forests, windmills, a spooky prison and the atom bomb
Nestled at the base of the Cumberland Mountains, the Devil’s Triangle awaits. It’s one of those motorcycling routes that will motivate you to rise at dawn and endure a couple of hours on the interstate just to savor this lonesome road’s dramatic twists. A few years ago, a riding companion and I passed through these hills on my way north to the Cumberland Gap. We had little … [Read more...] about The Devil’s Triangle: Forests, windmills, a spooky prison and the atom bomb