Tag Archives: fall leaves

Fall leaves – Photos from The Snake Motorcycle Ride

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With such a beautiful day I was itching for an excuse to get out of the office, onto my motorcycle, and enjoy it when an email came in from David at the Shady Valley Country Store at The Snake Motorcycle Ride in Tennessee. He needed to be restocked on maps, and I was curious about a recommended road in the area – Denton Valley Road. Thats all it took.

Photo - Fall leaves on the Snake - US 421

The were some nice spots of fall color on US 421 a.k.a. "The Snake" yesterday. I was delivering a load of maps to the Shady Valley Country Store.

The big question was “How to get there?” Normally I’d take the Blue Ridge Parkway north to Linville, then jump on the back roads to skirt around the traffic in Boone. Knowing the Blue Ridge Parkway would be heavy with leaf peeping traffic, I considered going east to take the most common routes, but I also knew US 321 would be clogged with traffic and I’d get held up going through Boone. That left a western approach, so I went to Asheville, then up I-26 to US 19E from which I could jump on the back roads once I neared Elk Park. Looking back, I should have just followed the back roads all the way. I got held up in the construction on US 19E and could probably have made the trip in the same amount of time and had a lot more fun. Time was an issue as it was after noon before I left the house.

Photo - Fall leaves on The Snake - US 421

I snapped this photo just before I started down Denton Valley Road from US 421. The sun hit just right, the colors are real, not enhanced. I tried to tone them down, but decided to go with what the camera captured.

It was nearing 4 PM when I concluded my business at the Shady Valley Country Store and continued west on US 421 enjoying the twists and curves of The Snake to reach Denton Valley Road. It was a decent ride, though I hadn’t researched it well enough and ended up spending the next hour and a half exploring it and the roads which connect to it to determine the best and most natural routes. I rolled into Bristol, Virginia, around 6 to refuel and resigned to taking the Interstates back home as it was the most efficient course. It’s not the first time I’ve made that trip in the dark, and unprepared to be out so late I once again suffered the chills of going through the high pass on I-26 at Buckner Gap at night – it ‘s always cold there.

I pulled into the driveway at 8PM, shivering but happy after a decent 350 miles and a collection of new roads to add to America Rides Maps collection.

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Wayne Busch
Wayne Busch – Cartographer
– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com

A Bad Leaf Photo & How to Read a Wooly Worm

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I SHOULD be out on my motorcycle exploring! It’s all prepped and ready to go. The fall leaves are doing their best to entice me, the sun is shining, the sky is blue, it’s unusually warm. Duty calls and I’m confined to the office. At least I have a nice view from my window;

Photo - view out my office window

Shot through the window (and the screen), the view from my desk is calling me to get outside. The hillsides are more colorful every day.

I’ve got work to do. I’ve yet to get all the new motorcycle rides I’ve discovered on the appropriate maps. The good / bad news is rain is coming so I won’t feel so bad about spending tomorrow working at the computer. It’s here for a day, then things should cool off a bit (get back to normal), and the days which follow are projected to be clear and sunny.  Can’t wait to get back out on the road again.

Of course I’m putting too much faith in the weather forecast. It is so rarely correct you never really know what to expect even over the short term. Long term? You’re better off making your own guess. I’ve heard all sorts of predications about the winter. Most, after a really harsh winter last year, are predicting an even colder one this year. I’d prefer to get out and ride more and am going to trust in the most reliable of mountain forecasters – the wooly worm.

Photo - A wooly worm

A fuzzy picture of one fuzzy worm. Black means cold, brown mild winter weather.

How to Read a Wooly Worm – Dark colors, black, mean very cold weather. Light colors, brown mean mild weather. To know what the winter weather will be read the worm from head to tail. According to this one, there will be an early cold snap, then a generally mild winter followed by some harsh weather late in the spring. We’ve already had a good cold snap so maybe things will be great for a while according to this little critter.

PS – if you don’t like what your worm says, just find another.

wayne@americaridesmaps.com