A Dirty Wild Dog Rides to God's Country to Visit Da Yoopers, Eh.

[Ri]

I also got to meet the little boy with Downs I have been riding for in Dallas, Texas.  What a handsome little baby boy, eh?

Cute as a button!!
My niece with DS turned 20 this year, got 2 bronze medals in the South African Special Athletics for Intellectually Impaired - first time she competed!!  - and is participating in a jobs training programme for DS, of which she is the star 

[big oil]

I also got to meet the little boy with Downs I have been riding for in Dallas, Texas.  What a handsome little baby boy, eh?

Cute as a button!!
My niece with DS turned 20 this year, got 2 bronze medals in the South African Special Athletics for Intellectually Impaired - first time she competed!!  - and is participating in a jobs training programme for DS, of which she is the star 

Thanks, he's a ham.

Happy for your niece.  Great for her to be competing and winning.

[I&horse]

Sub

[big oil]

Let me back up a little.  Instead of doing a short RR on my first trip down to Texas, I would rather just include a few pics in this RR.  The first day of my ride out of Michigan, my destination for the day was Tennessee, just north of Knoxville.  I made it safely, had a nice dinner, stayed in a comfortable motel room, and made it out early the next morning on my way to the Tail of the Dragon.

The Tail of the Dragon is located in an area of some of best motorcycling roads in our country.  A trip to anywhere near the Tennessee North Carolina border on 2 or 4 wheels normally includes a trip to the Dragon.  The Dragon is a stretch of road with 318 curves in 11 miles.  It is a world class road with fresh tar and all semi traffic has been banned.  All pics borrowed from the web.





Sky view of a stretch of the Dragon.






And a google earth image.






Views of tree covered mountains and rivers.






Stop off at an overlook to see more mountains like these 






If you come to America, do yourself a solid and ride this road.

[big oil]

If you're into cars, this road is also a place where you can see some bad ass sports cars.  Different car clubs visit the Dragon.  All pics borrowed from the web.

You may see a Porsche club.






Viper Clubs.






Mini club.






Honda S2000 club.






Ferrari club.






Bugatti club.






And America's sports car, a Corvette club.








And you never know when you may see a real exotic car like this Pagani Huayra.

[big oil]

Though one must be very careful and remained focused at all times.  Numerous people perish on this stretch of road each year.  Back in 2005, my first visit to the Dragon, iirc, 50 + deaths that year.  Pics borrowed from the web.

Be careful of oncoming 1,000 pound Harley's losing control.






And the people riding them scraping across the road with no jacket on.






You may witness some Harley on Harley action.






Or someone riding on a Harley ejector seat.






Or a rider getting run over by a HOG.






Or a squid in tennis shoes, I think yous call them tekkies, riding a sportbike past his skill set.

[big oil]

If you make it through The Dragon, make sure to stop at the south end to view the Cheoh Dam.  The Dam made famous when Harrison Ford jumped off of it (well, his stunt double) in the movie 'The Fugitive'.  Pics borrowed from the web.

[big oil]

One could spend a week riding all the great roads in this area.  In addition to the Dragon, you can ride the Moonshiner 28, Cherohola Scenic Skyway (my personal favorite), and the Snake Route 226.  If you want gravel, no problem either.  Plenty of riding for on road and off road.

I stopped to photograph the Tree of Shame at the south end of the Dragon.  If one wrecks their motorcycle on the Dragon, you are encouraged to place a piece of your wrecked bike on the Tree of Shame.






Stopped for a pic with the famous Dragon.






From the Dragon, I continued South on US129 to Robbinsville, North Carolina to ride what I can honestly say is my favorite stretch of road in the country, The Cherohala Scenic Skyway.  42 miles of nirvana, going from approximately 600 feet above sea level to around 5,200 feet above sea level and then back down to approximately 1,500 feet near Tellico Plains, Tennessee.   No traffic and wide high speed sweepers for miles and miles.

Here's a pic of a beautiful covered bridge near Tellico Plains, Tennessee.

[Mr Zog]

Just saw this RR.

I'm along for the ride...  and maybe give one of those cuties a squeeze   

[Oubones]

Ok, you were not slipping in the oil
You were just oiling up
You know how to tell a story and put a RR together.
This is great thanks.

[hedleyj]

What a way of telling the story. Teasers and titbits (sic, & pun intended) to keep one riveted.

Then some route views as well ( luckily no backroom views)

Keep it coming bud. You have a raw writing talent. Dont blame technology.

[frankmac]

Anyway, back to Hell.  I'm dressed in Cordura head to toe.  I walk up to the deck, I think yous call it a stoep.  Harley rider in flippies, shorts, and a t-shirt, with 3 teeth protruding from his mouth, says to me, "hey arrr yous a fire min or arrr yous going up on the next space shuttle"  Me being a quick witted smart ass, I replied, "well, I started a fire in your mamas panties last night and was scheduled to go up in the shuttle, but your mom begged me to stay on Earth".  It's just the way we talk to one another around here![/center]
  [/center]

Nice suit.

If you stand still long enough aircraft could use you as a beacon 

[dirtyXT]

awesome, a sneak peak into how the other side of the planet do it! 

[Blou Zebu]

Anyway, back to Hell.  I'm dressed in Cordura head to toe.  I walk up to the deck, I think yous call it a stoep.  Harley rider in flippies, shorts, and a t-shirt, with 3 teeth protruding from his mouth, says to me, "hey arrr yous a fire min or arrr yous going up on the next space shuttle"  Me being a quick witted smart ass, I replied, "well, I started a fire in your mamas panties last night and was scheduled to go up in the shuttle, but your mom begged me to stay on Earth".  It's just the way we talk to one another around here![/center]
  [/center]

Nice suit.

If you stand still long enough aircraft could use you as a beacon 

WHat did he blank out?
What is he hiding?
We should get the Moderators involved!

[OomD]

WHat did he blank out?
What is he hiding?
We should get the Moderators involved!

Nothing blanked out. I't's a cool new hi-viz paint scheme! 

[Ri]

All those Harley pillions look exceptionally buff and ripped 

Is there a subculture of body building amongst the Harley WAGs, or is it from helping pick up the Harley? 

[Rotten]

Fantastic BO. Keep on rolling

[big oil]

I blocked out the letters adhered to my panniers from the Downs Syndrome ride! 

Ri, all types ride HOGS over here, buffed, ripped, and many Hogs riding HOGS 

[punisher]

nice pictures , my personal favourite on is the one of the boobies


naaaah  scrap that , my favourite one is of the lil kid , good on you for the support to the organisation 

[Oubones]

With that suit on even an SA taxi will give way for you.
You are a good hearted gentleman.
Thank you for what you do for the kids.
Respect to you Sir.