Monthly Meeting Recap-April 30, 2011

Lots of folks were elsewhere this Saturday: Steve, doing the Lord's work, Bob the younger camping in Lula, Flip digging up divots on a company golf outing,  Bob K. judging bikinis at Thunder Beach, etc. In spite of the thinned ranks six of us soldiered on.

After viewing and commenting on the second lesson of "Facing Disasters Like A Man" we moved on to planning the overnight trip to Maggie Valley. So far it looks as if we have six yeses (Larry, Dan, Dennis, Scott, Bob K. me) and one maybe (Steve). Anyone else finding they can make it please let me know. Dan showed us photos of his "cabin" in Morganton, and he certainly is taking a chance making such a nice place available to a rowdy motorcycle crew. But we do appreciate his offer.

I'll send more information  later in the week but as it stands now our plan is to leave from 575 exit 27 at 4p.m. Friday the 13th (hmm). From exit 27 we'll take back roads up to Dial and then up Aska Road stopping at the Toccoa River restaurant for supper. From there we'll continue on Aska Road to old US 76 then over to Dan's cabin for the night.

Early Saturday morning (7:30 a.m.) we'll head for Maggie Valley, stopping in Murphy for breakfast. When we get to Cherokee we'll take a short hop on the Blue ridge Parkway to the approach to Maggie Valley. We intend to take at least two hours at Wheels Through Time, then lunch, then home via a southern route back to 515 and home. We targeting to get home by 5 p.m.

So that's the plan, subject to weather and subject to the possibility than Dan may have to travel back to U.K. for a family matter. 

We also had a discussion on Night Riding  and what equipment might help mitigate the increased risk inherent to riding in the dark. Links to the items discussed were distributed by e-mail.

After the meeting Dennis, Dan, Nelson,  his wife Carol, and I went to Family Traditions in Hickory Flat for lunch then Nelson, Carol and I had an enjoyable ride on some of the lesser known roads in the foothills. We were back by 4:40 p.m.