TUESDAY - DAY TWO

Up bright and early we fixed our traditional camp breakfast of grilled buttered toast, thick sliced peppered bacon, and eggs fried in bacon grease. Got to have something to power us through a morning of riding. On really special days I get corned beef hash with poached eggs on top.

We headed out early in order to get back in before the afternoon thunderstorms hit us again. Today we planned to do most of the roads that Nancy had ridden a few weeks before in a century bicycle ride. That’s a hundred miles of peddling in the mountains …. sounds like torture to me. First we’d take a south loop and then a north loop making a figure eight.

We headed south through Hot Springs (elevation 1400 feet) and took NC 209. The tight twisties began almost immediately as we entered the Pisgah National Forest. NC 209 roughly follows Spring Creek for about 20 miles to its headwaters at Sandymush Bald (5100 feet elevation). There are plenty of good twisties ranging from near switchbacks to easy sweepers all the way from Hot Springs to Ferguson’s General Store on NC 209 (24 miles).

Ferguson’s is truly a general store with everything from tack and feed to snack foods and grill. They even had two local farmers jawing near the front door. Don’t forget to get some gas on your back road excursions. It can be a long way to the next station.

We doubled back north on NC 209 and made the obligatory stop at Luck. This long closed old country gas station has become a mandatory photo op stop for motorcyclists. Gas here was 31.9 when it closed down for good, probably in the early 1960s.

The next crossroads is called Trust. A new gas stop and diner is next to the unique sign which one might mistake for a bank advertisement (TRUST). Here we took a right onto NC 63 and made a quick stop at the St. Jude’s Chapel of Hope. This small unique chapel was built in 1991 by Beverly Barutio a cancer survivor in thankfulness to the saint whom she credited her cure. It is always open, so stop, admire the craftsmanship, say a prayer and sign the guest book. We also left a small token offering on the table as many others have.

NC 63 begins (2500 feet) with long straights and a few sweepers before twisting its way up to the gap at Doggett Mountain (3600 feet). We stopped for some berry picking and a Red Bull at the summit. The southerly downhill had some great twisties and one corner with a spectacular view. Back in the valley the road straightened, but once again we enjoyed the rural scenery.

After 13 miles on NC 63 we plotted a course into the back roads. We hung a left onto Meadows Town Road (NC 1001) and continued for some 8 miles (paved) to Turnpike. We almost missed the left turn onto this steep graveled road that for some off reason is named Turnpike. It was about as far as you get from being that. Perhaps 250 years ago?

Turnpike took us to the paved Bear Creek Road which took us to the graveled Paw Paw Road which took us to the paved Anderson Creek Road. We then crossed the French Broad River and found ourselves in Barnard, a one time thriving community on the railroad line to Asheville. Today it is just a bridge and boat launch well off the beaten path.

If you want to avoid the gravel on Turnpike and Paw Paw just take a left 5.5 miles into Meadows Town Road onto paved Bear Creek Road. This will bring you across the French Broad River at Redmon and then right into US 25/70.

Here we met Wayne Sawyer who was engaged in conversation with some DOT workers who were spraying the kudzu along the roadway. He was telling them that it was not worth the effort to try and control this rampant weed, but they wouldn’t listen. We were intrigued by the old two-story brick commercial building with a front stone reading MONTE LOVE GUDGER – 1913. The old gas pump here read 35.9, probably from the mid-1960s.

Wayne wanted to show us his custom made all-weather highway ready lawn mower. Having no car he uses this to get around Barnard and see friends and family. It was complete with horn, siren, flashing red lights, enclosed cab, beaded seat cushion, and antique Dodge hood ornament. All he had left to do was paint it mid-night black. Meeting some of the great backroads people is one of the highlights of our adventures. Wayne was real, happy, eager to communicate, and had not a worry showing. He was as proud of his salvaged mower as a motorcycle owner is of their new Harley.

Back on the road we had a few more good curves to Walnut. Here we took a left onto US 25/70 north. There were some good downhill sweepers down to Hurricane completing the lower loop. Beginning the northern lop we headed up NC 208 and then hung a quick right onto NC 212 at Coppersnake Holler.

NC 212 was a decent rural road with good pavement and a few sweepers. We passed the crossroads of Allegeny and Carmen before hitting the Tennessee state line in 14 miles. The speed limit dropped from 55 to 35 mph and we are out in the middle of nowhere and a fairly decent road (TN 352). We putted through Rocky Fork and turned back to the south on US 23 now in a ridiculous 30 mph zone. In a few miles we crossed under I-26 at Sams Gap and happily reentered North Carolina and 55 mph speed limits.

Three miles down US 23 in North Carolina we hung a right at Little Creek onto Big Laurel Road (NC 1318) and began heading back to the west. We passed back under an I-26 bridge with supports that must be 20 stories high.

Big Laurel Road follows Big Laurel Creek winding along the edge of Pisgah National Forest.   After 18 miles we intersected NC 208 and completed the northern loop. Big Laurel offered some of everything; good sweepers, good tight twisties, good scenery, average pavement but we wouldn’t recommend it to riders looking to put a knee down. There are many residences with drives in blind corners.

From Big Laurel we took NC 208 south and then US 25/70 north back to Hot Springs. We finished well before the afternoon thunderstorms, so we went to the beach. The campground is located right on the French Broad River and there is a great place to swim under the three foot falls that stretch across the river.

After the swim we had another Bubba Burger dinner by the campfire and then spent another hour in the mineral hot tub. What a great day of riding and relaxing. And not a trooper in sight.

TOTAL MILES: 134
ROADS: Mostly paved and some well maintained gravel
REMOTENESS: 5 on a scale of 10
COMMENTS: Most of this route is suitable for any type of bike. We did have two sections of gravel that could be easily avoided with a short detour. The paved roads were all in average to better condition. Gravel roads were well maintained but did have some steep sections. Average or better dual sport riders should have no problem on the gravel.
HIGHLIGHTS: Great twisties on NC 209, NC 63, and Big Laurel Road. Meeting Wayne Sawyer
BE AWARE: Very few gas stations so be sure to gas up when you can. We always bring along something to eat and drink. On this trip there were very few places to eat.
WARNINGS: Watch your speeds as there are some tricky corners. Cell phone service marginal. GPS can be tricky and show roads that are actually trails …. Beware when the GPS identifies a road as just ROAD !!

DAY ONE
DAY THREE