Biltmore Estate

April 12, 2003

Time Traveled - 12 Hours

Miles Traveled - 320

    Our ride to Biltmore started out foggy and chilly but quickly turned into a beautiful clear day.  I left Maryville and later met Terry Elmy at the intersection of 411 and Chapman Highway. We rode together to meet Ned Goodman and Dan Harvey at McDonald's near Exit 407 off of Interstate 40, some 25 miles away.  This was Ned and Terry's first ride with Country Roads Group Riding We left McDonald's and took a back road over to Asheville Highway and from there to Dandridge. From Dandridge we rode to Chestnut Hill and then on through Newport to Hot Springs. Terry had commitments later in the day so he headed back towards home from Hot Springs. After stopping for lunch, Ned, Dan and I continued on to Biltmore Estate. There was some confusion about the exact location of the Estate because Ned believed it to be Northeast and Dan thought it was Southeast. So, we rode one way for a while ... and then the other way for a while, but either way (or should I say both ways) we eventually reached the Estate. And we got to see beautiful snow capped mountains from our current location ... where ever it may have been.
        When we reached Biltmore, there was a sign that notified us of a 45 minute wait to tour the house.  Rather than waiting in a line on such a beautiful day we discussed the fact that all three of us had been inside the estate before and all felt that the phrase "It's not the destination, it's the ride" applied in this case.  So we rode on after taking a few pictures.
        From Biltmore we decided to take I-40 west to Route 209 and follow the twisties back to Hot Springs. I have to say I wasn't too crazy about 209. The curves were something else, almost switchbacks.  Dan and Ned didn't have a problem with the road though, 'cause they're the ol' pros. It was a road I would like to ride again sometime now that I know what to expect. From Hot Springs it was on toward home by way of Greenville, a short trip down I-81 to Exit #8, and then back over to Dandridge. From Dandridge we then rode along Douglas Lake to Kodak, and Kodak to Seymour where we stopped at another McDonald's to have a bite and say our good-byes.

The mountains were really pretty in North Carolina with some snow still evident from last week. I had a wonderful day and added 317 miles to the odometer on my bike.