RIDE WITH THE KNOBBIES - 2017

Catawaba Meadows Park - Morganton, NC
September 15 - 17 (689 miles)

Tony and I met Omar at the gas station on route 74 and 87.  Our drive to Morganton was route 74 to route 218 at Polkton around Charlotte on I-485 Outer to route 16 then I-40 to Morganton.  With a stop for lunch we arrived at 3:30.

The Knobbies provide a cooler, free ice, guided rides and plenty of picnic tables and benches under the pavilion. Showers and bathroom facilities are top notch. Included in the camping fee is one lunch or dinner from the food wagon. "World Famous" is what the sign says! 

Registration at 8th Annual Knobbies Rally

Greg and Bill setting up camp

This year the rally organizers convinced the city to provide free shuttle service to downtown Morganton on Friday and Saturday from 6 to 10 pm.  The 5 of us decided to take the shuttle to dinner.  The pick up and drop off was in front of the old courthouse.  After walking around town we went to Wisteria, a very good restaurant which sources their food from the local farmers.

Burke County Courthouse

Greg "working out" before dinner

Beautiful weather Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Warm sunny days and cool evenings.

Early morning fog on Saturday and Sunday

We have always "ridden with the Knobbies" on their guided rides but this year we decided to do our own ride on Saturday.   We took route 181 to the Blue Ridge Parkway and went to Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center.   Lots of information about the viaduct which took 5 years to complete and is only 1/4 mile long.  It is a free standing structure built to protect the fragile environment of Grandfather Mountain. The sections are epoxied together and reinforced with giant steel cables.  After our visit we got to ride the motorcycles on the viaduct and continue on the Blue Ridge Parkway exiting at the Blowing Rock turnoff.  Lunch in Blowing Rock and back to the rally on route 321.

Visitor Center

 Trail to view the underside of the viaduct

Observation Point and concrete sections of Viaduct

trail to view of roadway

view of viaduct from mountain side

Blue Ridge Parkway Linn Cove pulloff

Back at the rally Deb showed me her plan to complete a 50CC ironbutt (50 hours coast to coast).   It takes a lot of planning.  Gas stops (getting time and date receipts), rest stops and one motel to get some sleep.   She is leaving September 30 from Tybee Island to San Diego.

Smiley our shuttle driver

Not only does Smiley work for the city of Morganton and drive the shuttle for us, he sings and plays guitar.  He is singing "My Daddy's Daddy's Daddy was a sawmill man".

Tony, Deb, Bill and Smiley

Napping under shade tree (note empty beer bottle)

Saturday night's entertainment was a folk singer and story teller.  He was excellent.   Right after that they drew the door prizes.  Bill left to get a shower after the entertainment and left his ticket with us.  His name was the first one called and Tony had to go up and pick his prize (a mini tire inflator kit).

Sunday morning we packed up quickly as we wanted to get home in time for Jean who was staying the night with us (I met him the previous weekend at the Pineville MOA Getaway) .  When I got on the bike to leave the battery was dead (it was acting funny on our ride Saturday) so Omar got on it and Bill and Greg pushed it down the hill and got it started.   This was the weekend for batteries going dead.  On Saturday morning Greg had to be pushed down the same hill but still needed to jump start the battery with Tony's jumper cables.

We left the rally and rode for 2 hours to Polkton which charged up the battery.  We got gas and the battery started right up.  No more trouble all the way home.  First thing after unpacking we ordered a new battery!  Jean arrived around 5pm (after getting lost ... his GPS wouldn't recognize Tarpon Drive).  Our route home is noted here so next time we will be sure of the route.  Once you get off route 77 or 16 take Inner I-485 to the second Mint Hill exit and turn right onto route 218 East.