Sorry folks but it's been a busy few days with some great riding and dodging the storms. Anyway, nice ride over the the Blue Ridge Parkway and our cracking little hotel in a place called Roaring Gap. Nothing there apart from a hotel, agolf course and a store which sold everything including Pizza and beer so we lucked out.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-Cx5dbPh/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-Cx5dbPh/0/4a2e076a/L/2017-06-18%2022.44.00-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-wc8Tq99/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-wc8Tq99/0/873c5b7b/L/IMG_0540-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
The golf course next door looked magnificent and I wished I'd got my 9 iron to drill a shot t 3 feet from the flag!!
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-gRVDdSp/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-gRVDdSp/0/b3eaf14a/L/2017-06-18%2022.48.24-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Next morning and we woke to find the mountains shrouded in fog but it looked like it may clear.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-T4fjmDR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-T4fjmDR/0/512168f7/L/IMG_0539-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Onto the Parkway and yep, it cleared after aboyt an hour and as usual on teh Blue Ridge, there are stunning views all round. The road is closed to commercial traffic and during the week it's very quiet. The speed limit is 40mph but you can sit at 50-55mph no problem and makes for some great riding.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-tddqMwP/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-tddqMwP/0/53a03a06/L/IMG_0566-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-3Jmtm3K/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-3Jmtm3K/0/0f702bf5/L/2017-06-19%2015.44.35-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-fgDPkMk/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-fgDPkMk/0/0c40cebe/L/2017-06-19%2015.44.52-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-TwwVknf/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-TwwVknf/0/65e7c90a/L/2017-06-19%2015.45.05-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
A nice bit of relatively recent history along the way
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-TrvKgRt/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-TrvKgRt/0/681a38b1/L/IMG_0541-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-pL5JK3L/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-pL5JK3L/0/63d419ef/L/IMG_0542-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-prKrZMR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-prKrZMR/0/fdb4af5e/L/IMG_0544-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
After a great 150 miles on the Parkway we called into a superb museum in Maggie Valley called Wheels through Time
https://wheelsthroughtime.com. If you are ever in the area it's well worth a visit. It's all American metal and mostly HD but none the worse for that as they have some really rare kit in there and the best thing is, it is all as they have bought it and it all starts. A pal of mine Andy works there and you may get a bit of a discount for being from the mother country as well as a guided tour.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-vQBzvVV/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-vQBzvVV/0/fa61fb5c/L/2017-06-19%2019.13.14-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-QJBvh2W/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-QJBvh2W/0/5efde2b5/L/2017-06-19%2019.16.24-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
A WW11 HD boxer engine which was based on a Zundapp. They made about 1000 for the US military but didn't continue after the war because of the anti German feeling.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-RkG8QJC/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-RkG8QJC/0/17ade50a/L/2017-06-19%2019.25.21-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Andy giving us a guided tour
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-hPbZdRS/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-hPbZdRS/0/323cd70a/L/2017-06-19%2019.16.32-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Some bikes for the Gnarley boys to drool over.....
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-W4HRLQR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-W4HRLQR/0/d04452cc/L/2017-06-19%2019.35.48-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-tNMD3tw/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-tNMD3tw/0/f167e683/L/2017-06-19%2019.50.11-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-WShmvgL/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-WShmvgL/0/c8cc09d9/L/2017-06-19%2019.54.14-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-qbTTPqs/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-qbTTPqs/0/e4b66f02/L/2017-06-19%2019.51.55-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Apparently one of the rarest American bikes.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-7MvjjnR/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-7MvjjnR/0/737746c7/L/2017-06-19%2019.37.24-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Plenty of cars as well and this was Steve McQueens Cadillac.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-xKRrPrW/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-xKRrPrW/0/d672193f/L/2017-06-19%2019.43.29-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
Big old red barge
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-xNdkFcK/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-xNdkFcK/0/1d547b78/L/2017-06-19%2019.43.39-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-bpqHJNb/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-bpqHJNb/0/1a658e5d/L/2017-06-19%2019.42.30-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
And some really interesting kit
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-ZWJ3sJn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-ZWJ3sJn/0/3cd5c7b1/L/2017-06-19%2019.45.16-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-ZjP2HJm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-ZjP2HJm/0/cd965db3/L/2017-06-19%2019.45.30-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-vRQKZ66/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-vRQKZ66/0/0c53e767/L/2017-06-19%2019.44.57-L.jpg" alt=""></a>
As I said, well worth a visit if you are evr this way.
<a href="https://chrisbiltcliffe.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-sVbqszn/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Blue-Ridge-and-Deals-Gao/i-sVbqszn/0/02e67193/L/2017-06-19%2020.29.55-L.jpg" alt=""></a>