It seems that you can't go up to the mountains around here without finding some new roads to ride that continue to make the Carolinas such a fantastic place to ride!!

I really must do this little report on the mountains around Asheville in a couple of sections... lots to talk about!  For starters, we decided to explore the south side of the BRP from around Mt Pisgah area.  Starting down (south) US 276 from the BRP we decided to have a look at FR 475... a really cool little fire-road that was just the right degree of difficulty for the 650 V Stroms.. no worries at all... lots of elevation changes and twisties making it fun.  Eventually finding our way over to SR 215 and continued south on some really gorgeous curves made all the more fun by the bright sun  and great color of the leaves falling.  Hard to pay attention to say the least.  Continuing south on 215 to Macedonia Rd then west on more outrageous smooth twisty roads..  Connecting to SR 281 headed to Lake Toxaway and US 64.  Aha... we were saved by the owners of the Lake Toxaway Cafe... who just happened to be a collector of Austin Healey Sprites.. yes one in the front yard as a planter... and he encouraged us to head back up 281 to Tuckasagee... no short ride for sure.. but great fun.  The south on SR 107 all the way to Cashiers for lunch.... well sort of late lunch as it is now 3:15 in the afternoon.  Heading further south towards the Chattooga River and Walhalla SC, we missed the shortcut over to SR130 that would have saved us 25 miles in getting to US 11 heading back to Charlotte.  From Asheville to Charlotte was 335 miles... but what a fun ride it was.  So.. let me know if anyone else has explored that south side of the BRP and some of the se really fun dirt roads.

Next time we'll tell you about the great roads north of Little Suisse that wind their way back to Asheville without ever getting on the 4 lane.

And..if any of you know some more of the hidden roads around the Asheville area... or any other NC area that you love... please let me know about them.  I really do appreciate it.

Ride Safe... and enjoy the Fall Color

Bill Kniegge