Big Stone Gap, Virginia

November 1st - 2nd, 2003

Trip Statistics:

Time Traveled - Weekend Ride
Miles Traveled - 516
Accommodations - $85
Gas - $18
Food (Estimated) -

by Phil and Kim Smith, Walling Creek KY

It It was a weekend made for motorcycles and my wife Kim, and I were on our way to pick up a new one.  Well, new to us anyway.  Today we would begin our second ride with Country Roads Motorcycle Club and we decided after our first ride that we needed a bigger bike.  Dan had told us of a Gold Wing that Larry had for sale and after a trip to look at it last weekend, we decided to buy it.  Normally I wouldn’t buy a bike and take off on a two day trip before even taking it home, but all indications were that this machine was in great condition and ready to go.  We picked up the bike at ten o’clock Saturday morning, packed it up for the weekend and took off for Middlesboro to meet Dan and the others who were visiting Glacier Girl at the Middlesboro Airport.

I took it slow for the first few miles; I had never ridden a bike of this size before.  After a few miles I began to reach a comfort level and open it up a little.  In a short while we were pulling into the parking lot at the Middlesboro Airport where the others were gathering at their bikes and getting ready to ride out.  The group was made up of Dan Harvey, Terry and Ruth Elmy from Maryville, TN and two riders that were new to Country Roads, Dan Robinette from Kingsport, TN and Kelly Militti from Harriman, TN.  After a quick introduction to the group, we saddled up and headed out for Lunch at SubWay.

The original plan was to ride up to the Breaks Interstate Park that afternoon and then on down to Big Stone, but it was getting a little late to go that far so we decided to go up to the Pinnacle at Cumberland Gap instead.  That was a nice ride and there is always a great view of the Powell Valley and Fern Lake from the Pinnacle Overlook.  After taking a few pictures we mounted up again and rode back down the mountain and through the Tunnel back into Tennessee.  Terry and Ruth parted from the group and headed back to Knoxville. The rest of us followed Dan Robinette Up Hwy 58 through southwest Virginia, through Ewing, past the White Rocks and into Jonesville VA.  We continued up US-58 to the over look at the top of the hill between Wallen Ridge and Duffield were we took a break and let some slow truck traffic get far enough ahead to get out of our way.  Dan Robinette turned right at the stop light in Duffield and went on home to Kingsport.  Dan, Kelly, and Kim and I turned left onto US-23 and rode on in to Big Stone,  arriving about five o’clock.

We took a few minutes to clean up a bit and then rode over to “Little Mexico” a great little Mexican restaurant in Big Stone for a wonderful Mexican dinner.  After some good food and conversation we rode back to the hotel to plan the next day’s ride.

Sunday started early, we were checked out at eight o’clock and after a hearty breakfast at the Huddle House next door to the hotel, we rode out at about nine o’clock.  It was a cool morning but not uncomfortable and the sun was quickly burning through the morning mist.  We rode south on US-23 back to Duffield then on to gate City and soon took the ramp onto Interstate 181.  I-181 took us south through Johnson City, TN and on toward the North Carolina border.  We stopped somewhere near Erwin for gas and a bottle of water, then saddled up again and rode on into North Carolina.  Somewhere along this route the road turns into I-26 now that the big, fine four-lane is finished all the way down the mountain and into Asheville.  We didn’t stop anywhere in Asheville, but that was just as well, the Barbeque Inn is not open on Sundays and there were a lot of miles awaiting us on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Ahhh, the Blue Ridge Parkway, credited to Franklin Delanor Roosevelt who got the road project started in September of 1935.  It was intended to put men back to work at a time when work could be hard to find.  The road stretches 469 miles through the Appalachians from Front Royal, Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina and is completely toll free.  The beauty and wonder found along this road is complemented by the fact that there are no commercial vehicles allowed on the road so there are no semi trucks or panel vans to block the view.

We began our ride along the B.R.P. from the Biltmore area at the edge of the Pisgah National Forest and were immediately rewarded with the first of many overlooks.  One looked down upon the French Broad River which flows through Ashville on its way to Tennessee where it fills Douglas Lake and then flows on to Knoxville where it melts into one lake after another.  The parkway is dotted with overlooks and pullouts with small parking areas for the many hiking trails so there are plenty of places for rest stops.  Make sure your tank is full when you start though because it is several miles between towns and there are no businesses along the parkway.  Our first stop was at Walnut Cove Overlook where the elevation was 2,915 ft. above sea level.  By this time it was about 1 o’clock and the sun was getting warm.  After peeling off some layers of warm, morning clothing and packing away the jackets, we saddled up again and continued the climb up Mt. Pisgah.  We soon reached the summit, or at least as close as the road comes to it’s 5,740 ft. peak.  We had hoped to enjoy lunch here at the Lodge and Restaurant; it is reported to be very good.  Unfortunately we were a couple of days late for that since it was closed for the season.  Oh well, looks like we will have to make a return trip just for that. 

We continued through the twists and turns of the North Carolina Mountains stopping only one more time on the parkway.  This time the view was of a formation called Funnel Top, the elevation at this overlook was 4,925 ft.  We rode on, the road at times clinging to the side of the mountain and at times boring though it with more tunnels than I could keep count of.  I think there are more tunnels along a few miles of this stretch of road then all the rest of the parkway put together.  I really enjoy the tunnels. The portals are constructed of stone and really seem to have some character; something which I think is missing from most modern engineering.

The best I can figure we traveled about 50 miles along the B.R.P.  We crossed another high peak with an elevation over 6000 ft. but we didn’t stop there and I didn’t catch the name or exact elevation, however it was high enough that there we no trees in that area.  I thought it looked like a scene from an elk hunting video from out west.  I hated to leave the parkway, but all things eventually come to an end and one great road eventually leads to another, or at least to good restaurant, and let me tell you, by this time we were ready to eat.  We left the parkway and headed out US-19 into Waynesville where we stopped for fuel and a potty break, uhhh, I mean we stopped to use the john (sorry I have young children).  Then it was back on the bikes for a short ride into Maggie Valley. 

We stopped at a great little diner; I think it was the Maggie Valley Restaurant.  Okay, now it’s time to break the diet and enjoy some fine southern cookin, yes I meant to spell it that way.  Oh yes, Dan has saved us again, he has led us out of the mountains where the lodges are closed and into the valley of plenty of taters.  This place was great, the only thing sweeter then the waitress was the sweet tea.  We had a great meal at a reasonable price and talked about planning the upcoming trip to Nova Scotia.  We had hoped to have time to stop at the Wheels through Time Museum but time was running a little short so we decided to let that wait for a return trip.

We traveled US-19 into Cherokee, NC and then took US-441 out of town and into the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.  After just a couple of miles Dan turned off the road into a little parking area where there was a trail leading to the Mingus Mill. 

The mill was built in 1886 and used a steel turbine rather than a wooden water wheel to turn the stones that grind corn into meal and wheat into flour.  The mill served the mountain community of Mingus Creek for about fifty years.  The park service rehabilitated the mill in 1968 and now it operates during the summer and early fall as an historical exhibit.  We met one of the parks millers named Ron Yount.  Ron is a retired school principal who went to work for the park and took up milling as his historic trade.  The mill sells flour and meal ground there on site and also an interesting collection of books, and sketches of the mill.

When we had finished looking around the mill we said our goodbyes, this would be the last stop before Kim and I parted from Dan and Kelly on the other side of the mountain.  We rode up US 441 through New Found Gap.  It was tempting to stop at the gap and wait on the sunset but we still had a long way to go to get home and it would be much cooler after sunset.  About forty five minutes later on the Tennessee side of the mountain, Dan and Kelly veered off toward Townsend and Kim and I kept going on toward Gatlinburg.  We took the by-pass around G’burg and stopped in Pigeon Forge for a few goodies, (yes guilt gifts) for the kids.

We packed up our trinkets and hopped back on the bike.  We got on I-40 at Exit 407 and followed it to I-81, then followed I-81 to US-25E.  25E took us through Morristown and up over Clinch Mountain past the Veterans overlook and into Tazewell TN.  We followed 25E through the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and into Middlesboro KY, closing the a loop that made up this trip.  We stopped in Middlesboro for some good hot coffee and to fill the fuel tank.  We also bought some warm gloves with fingers in them.  With our tank full and our bellies warm we traveled the final 38 miles to our home in Wallins KY where we were greeted by our five year old twins who couldn’t wait to jump on the new Gold Wing, even in their pajamas. 

It’s always good to get home to the kids and the dog and all that waits but each trip ends with a little sadness too.  It is hard to let go of all the fun and adventure that filled the weekend. Now comes another work week and no matter how much you like your job, it’s not like riding down the road with the wind in your face and the sun on your back.  So far each ride with Country Roads has been better then the last so I can’t wait for the next one.

            Kim and I traveled about 600 miles on this trip (before ever taking the Gold Wing home).  I think it was more like 500 for Dan and 550 or so for Kelly.  It was a great weekend and we really look forward to the next ride with Country Roads.