Cherohala Skyway

July 3rd, 2004

Miles Traveled - 240

By

Bobby Smith

I rode solo from the McDonald’s in Farragut to meet up with the group in Alcoa. We had a group of 6 bikes and 9 people that consisted of  PD Randolph, Terry Elmy, Bruce and Yvonne Pirtel, Lee and Julie Gann and Ron and Susan Johnson.  Ron and Susan were first timers with us but have years of riding experience and recently have ridden with the Christian Motorcyclist Association.

We left Alcoa, headed down 411 and turned onto 360 to make our way into Tellico Plains.  We took a short break, topped off the tanks and turned onto the Cherohala Skyway.   The skies didn’t look good at the onset and they got worse as we climbed.  As we ascended we entered some “pea soup” fog along with some drizzling rain.  We decided to pull over and put on the rain gear.  While we were putting on the gear we could hear the rain headed our way through the trees.  We mounted the bikes and forged ahead into the higher elevations.  The going was slow but we finally got into Robbinsville and out of the rain.

We had planned to double back and have a late lunch in Tellico Plains.  None of us had any desire to head back through the rain and fog so we decided to eat in Robbinsville.  I asked some locals about places to eat and they directed us to Phillips Restaurant.  They had a buffet but we soon discovered it wasn’t an “all-u-can-eat”, for that you had to pay 2 bucks extra.  PD came to the rescue.  He shamed our waitress, all of 16 years old, into giving us the “all-u-can-eat” buffet for the “one-time-thru” price.  In a few short statements PD was able to save all of us 2 bucks and more importantly get me some extra food. He even got another table of bikers the discount too!  No wonder PD and I get along so well.

After lunch the group discussed the return route and decided that an alternate might be better than going back over the Cherohala.  You know me, I’m lost with a map much less without one so Ron stepped up and said that he could get us to Bryson City and then to Cherokee.  With Ron and Susan in the lead we left Robbinsville and  a short time later we made our way through Cherokee and into the Sugarlands visitor center.

Little River Road carried us over into Townsend for our last gas stop and break.  After the break we hit 321 out of Townsend to make our way home.