Day 313 – Macon, GA to Asheville, NC

Day 313 – Macon, GA to Asheville, NC       06/30/11       Mileage: 489

I was up and on the road fairly early as I had a long day in the saddle planned. My goal was to ride from Macon up to and over the Cherohala Skyway, then over to ride the famous “Tail of the Dragon” and finally make my way to the Blue Ridge Parkway to find a campsite for the night. Fortunately the weather was cooperating and the roads kept getting better with each passing mile. Rural Georgia has some fantastic country roads and I was enjoying every turn of the KLR’s wheels. My route brought me through the Chattahoochee National Forest before crossing into the mountains of western North Carolina. The roads in this area are a motorcyclist’s dream come true and it’s proving to be fitting and enjoyable end to this journey.

Continuing on into Tennessee I rolled into Tellico Plains to pick up the Cherohala Skyway back into North Carolina towards the beginning of the “Tail of the Dragon”….a road that has 319 turns in only 11 miles!

Enjoying the curves on The Dragon…

After making my run on the Dragon, I stopped into the Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort for the requisite souvenir and a, um, beverage.

Back on the bike I headed east towards Ashville and the beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the roads were as good as the Dragon, and in some ways maybe even better.

Arriving at the Blue Ridge Parkway around dusk I immediately headed north and began to look for a place to camp. I ended up finding a great campsite in Mt Mitchell State Park which has some great sites perched high on the mountain over 6,000 ft.

The air was crisp and cool and made for a great sleeping. Tomorrow it’s back on the Blue Ridge Parkway north towards Virginia…and one more state closer to home……