North Carolina: The Tarheel State

[Grandpa Ken]

Hello from NC. I'm a new member and first time BMW owner. I purchased a F800GS and I am very happy with my new bike. I have over 40+ years of two wheel riding, from mini-bikes, to dirt bikes, to sport bikes, I like them all.

How about it NC riders, let's hear what's going on in the Tarheel state.

Thanks
Ken

[Visian]

do you mean mountainia (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31657)?

or the flatlands, where you get tar on your heels at the beach? :ha

ps=> welcome here, and nice bike!

[RevWillie]

Welcome to North Carolina, land of the twisty state roads:thumb

Try http://www.tarheelbmw.org/ for some basic contacts and some links. The Tarheel Travelers are the local club for you (Archer Lodge is between Clayton and Wendell, SE of Raleigh) Hope you will come to a TT meeting soon, the February meeting is at my house!:dance

[moshaffer]

I keep my bike in Maggie Valley at my cabin in the mountains, 15 minutes from the parkway.
Any other BMWMOA riders in the area or around Waynesville or Asheville?
Mo

[RevWillie]

The "local" BMW club for your area would be the Knob Mtn. Riders http://home.att.net/~knobmtn/index.html

Good folks, they know lots of fun roads up that way!:brad

[RevWillie]

I keep my bike in Maggie Valley at my cabin in the mountains, 15 minutes from the parkway.


You do realize that your cabin between the MOA International and the RA National (July 19-23?) will be worth MILLIONS! :deal

Cabins in the Blue Ridge will be very prized for those lucky folks that will be able to make both of them:thumb

[Visian]

I keep my bike in Maggie Valley at my cabin in the mountains, 15 minutes from the parkway.
Any other BMWMOA riders in the area or around Waynesville or Asheville?
Mo

mo - we have a house in the crabtree community, our address is clyde, in the great state of mountainia. (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31657)

what do you ride?

ian

[WildBlue]

Not exactly NC, but I am only 30 minutes from the border and only an hour from Asheville.

[CTellman]

North Carolina is a great place to ride. I ride year 'round and really enjoy the cooler weather. A trip on the Outer Banks is a must do! We have many secondary roads with twisties and interesting towns and places to visit..
NC is mostly transplanted northerners now but they bring a lot to the party.
Come visit us!
Campbell Tellman II
'93 R100RT:thumb

[moshaffer]

mo - we have a house in the crabtree community, our address is clyde, in the great state of mountainia. (http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31657)

what do you ride?

ian

Hi Ian,
I am now riding an 08, R1200RT that I have just recently purchased. This is the first BMW for me so I am still getting used to it. I have been a Yamaha rider for many years along with a few others thrown in the mix. I went to the RT on account of the weight. Really like it.
My Place is in Maggie Valley at the Smoky Mountain Retreat. It's across from the B&P station on Socco Rd. or highway 19. Nice area. Nice people. I go through Clyde quite a bit also. Nice small towns through there. Hope to see you riding one day.
Mo

[mtfrench]

Hi Ian,
I am now riding an 08, R1200RT that I have just recently purchased. This is the first BMW for me so I am still getting used to it. I have been a Yamaha rider for many years along with a few others thrown in the mix. I went to the RT on account of the weight. Really like it.
My Place is in Maggie Valley at the Smoky Mountain Retreat. It's across from the B&P station on Socco Rd. or highway 19. Nice area. Nice people. I go through Clyde quite a bit also. Nice small towns through there. Hope to see you riding one day.
Mo

Hey guys. I do the same routine with one of my bikes (R1200GS) always available at my cabin in Maggie Valley. I ride all over Western NC, Eastern TN, GA, VA, etc. The cabin and bike are winterized right now, but back in action come next March. Send me a PM any time you want to get together for a ride. Cheers.

Mike

[tbourque]

I keep my bike in Maggie Valley at my cabin in the mountains, 15 minutes from the parkway.
Any other BMWMOA riders in the area or around Waynesville or Asheville?
Mo



I am in Waynesville and I have two BMWs. We ride quite often. When you are up here, look me up.

Tommy

[Visian]

Hi Ian,
I am now riding an 08, R1200RT that I have just recently purchased. This is the first BMW for me so I am still getting used to it. I have been a Yamaha rider for many years along with a few others thrown in the mix. I went to the RT on account of the weight. Really like it.
My Place is in Maggie Valley at the Smoky Mountain Retreat. It's across from the B&P station on Socco Rd. or highway 19. Nice area. Nice people. I go through Clyde quite a bit also. Nice small towns through there. Hope to see you riding one day.
Mo

same here!

i do spend a bit of time on the gravel roads, which your RT ain't going to like, but maybe we can get together with tbourke sometime and explore?

ian

[308nut]

hey guys, Wade here, living in Mooresville on Lake Norman. Moved here from New Orleans about 3.5 years ago, and just love those mountain roads. Have an 01 R1100RL ... best bike ever. We have a local club we meet every 2nd and 4th Sunday for Breakfast and welcome all new memebers to join. We even get in some spirited rides. http://www.carolinasbmwmoa.org/ join us .


Wade

[rgeoffrt]

Based in Mooresville, outside Charlotte. Looking at the GA Mountain Rally first weekend in May. GA, TN, NC mountain riding. It will break that GS in nicely.

[Visian]

Based in Mooresville, outside Charlotte. Looking at the GA Mountain Rally first weekend in May. GA, TN, NC mountain riding. It will break that GS in nicely.

do come down. if you are interested, i can suggest a few good dirt roads to toss in along the way.

ian

[TexanRT]

My most recent vacations were all in the Carolinas -- you've got it all. Most recently visited Maggie Valley where the Wheels Through Time museum is located. Word was that the owner was going to close and move the place -- is that accurate?

What a great place to live.:thumb

[moshaffer]

My most recent vacations were all in the Carolinas -- you've got it all. Most recently visited Maggie Valley where the Wheels Through Time museum is located. Word was that the owner was going to close and move the place -- is that accurate?

What a great place to live.:thumb

That is accurate, he has shut his doors and moved to, I believe the south west, but not absolutely sure of that. It was a great museum with some out standing one of a kind bikes and they all ran.

[Visian]

Word was that the owner was going to close and move the place -- is that accurate?


that was announced, however... and long story... this may not be 100% accurate. several things are in play.

ian

[LTrider]

Ian,

I'm down in South Carolina, but I get up to the mountains every chance I get. Would it be possible for you to share some good GS routes for me to try? I've just converted to a GS from an LT. I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jim

[gfspencer]

All you guys/gals who live in the mountains make me sick. :hungover Sick that I'm not there too. :cry

I'm in Concord . . . not too far from Charlotte. :wave

[gfspencer]

Ian,

I'm down in South Carolina, but I get up to the mountains every chance I get. Would it be possible for you to share some good GS routes for me to try? I've just converted to a GS from an LT. I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jim
Pavement or dirt? :scratch

Here are some starters . . .

1) NC 1001 - Brushy Mountain Road - starts in Hiddenite - goes into Wilkesboro - pavement
2) HWY 90 out of Lenoir . . . starts a pavement and turns into dirt
3) Take 91/23 north out of Asheville, when you get to Flat Creek take a left of 197 . . . paved at first and turns into dirt . . . until you get to Burnsville
4) Everyone talks about Deal's Gap. Avoid it on the weekends.

Hope that helps!

[Visian]

Ian,

I'm down in South Carolina, but I get up to the mountains every chance I get. Would it be possible for you to share some good GS routes for me to try? I've just converted to a GS from an LT. I would appreciate it.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim - here's a good starter ride.

take US276 over the mountains, into NC, through Waynesville, to US23/74. Go east/north to exit 104 and go north on NC209.

follow NC209 across I-40, and where it takes a 90-degree turn in Fine's Creek, keep straight.

you're on Max Patch road. Take the right fork where you see the signs to go left to I-40, and not long afterwards the road turns to gravel.

go over Max Patch, which is worth a stop and walk around (it's part of the Applachian Trail), and head down the hill into Tennessee. (you're now on TN107)

you will eventually find your way to US25 east of Newport. Take a right... and go to Hot Springs.

in Hot Springs, take NC209 south and go home the way you came.

there are a million options on this ride, you will be passing many great roads that you'll explore at a later time.

i think you will like this ride.

Ian

[Visian]

[I]1) NC 1001 - Brushy Mountain Road - starts in Hiddenite - goes into Wilkesboro - pavement

well, i'll be dogged... there are *two* NC 1001s.

in next month's BMW ON you will read about the other one (that i know of, maybe there are more?) between Sylva and Ellijay. it's part of my "twistiest way to the dragon" ride, and features a dual-sport variant.... :evil

ian

[NCStephen]

well, i'll be dogged... there are *two* NC 1001s.

in next month's BMW ON you will read about the other one (that i know of, maybe there are more?) between Sylva and Ellijay. it's part of my "twistiest way to the dragon" ride, and features a dual-sport variant.... :evil

ian
1001's etc are county roads.. there should be 100 of them in NC

But the one you speak of is a great road too

S

[WildBlue]

My most recent vacations were all in the Carolinas -- you've got it all. Most recently visited Maggie Valley where the Wheels Through Time museum is located. Word was that the owner was going to close and move the place -- is that accurate?

What a great place to live.:thumb

That is accurate, he has shut his doors and moved to, I believe the south west, but not absolutely sure of that. It was a great museum with some out standing one of a kind bikes and they all ran.

that was announced, however... and long story... this may not be 100% accurate. several things are in play.

ian

Last I heard (visited in October) was that he was closing up and moving (most likely) to Arizona. Scheduled close date at that time was the end of Nov. And that was straight from the owners mouth.

Of course, that could have changed.

[LTrider]

Thanks guys for the routes. I'll try them all.

Jim

[lexxol]

That is accurate, he has shut his doors and moved to, I believe the south west, but not absolutely sure of that. It was a great museum with some out standing one of a kind bikes and they all ran.

Sorry to see it go. I walk by there every evening in the summer months. I have a summer home in Maggie just off Soco Rd. I hope to move there full time in a year or so. Not far from you Mo.

[308nut]

Sorry to see it go. I walk by there every evening in the summer months. I have a summer home in Maggie just off Soco Rd. I hope to move there full time in a year or so. Not far from you Mo.

According to the website

The Wheels Through Time Museum is closed as of

December 1, 2008.

No more info at this time.



Wade

[NCStephen]

The ADVrider tag was just up the street from there over the last week. the tagger happen to run into the owner at the place. Read down on the page at advrider for a little more insight.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=385248&page=182

Stephen

[OBXGS]

Hello from the flatlands of the Outer Banks of NC. I am trying to start a new charter club in this area. If anyone is in this area and is interested please reply. Thanks.

[tbourque]

According to the website

The Wheels Through Time Museum is closed as of

December 1, 2008.

No more info at this time.



Wade

The owner's intention was to move the museum further west (southwest specifically) when he closed it last year. However................he does not have a definite location and is keeping the collection here in Maggie for right now. Could he open again???? One never knows with Dale! :-)

If a group came together and scheduled a visit, Dale would probably be more than happy to arrange a tour of the musem.

[The_Veg]

If a group came together and scheduled a visit, Dale would probably be more than happy to arrange a tour of the musem.

Maybe we could start a new thread and organise such an outing? :)

[mitchell0481]

I'm out here in Sneads Ferry NC. Just a few minutes from Topsail Island.