Day 1

July 16th

A great ride on back roads across the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. We crossed in and out of NC three times during the ride up to Roan Mountain. It was cloudy and cool with a brief shower once we got to Roan Mountain but the rest of the day was clear.

Pit stop
1 Pit stop
 Along 107
2 Along 107
 A road block on NC 226
3 A road block on NC 226
 IMG 3840
4
 Roan mountain air conditioning temperature setting
5 Roan mountain air conditioning temperature setting
Firs and fog.
6 Firs and fog.
 Cool mountain mist!
7 Cool mountain mist!
 Unidentified wild flower on Roan
8 Unidentified wild flower on Roan
 We're too late to see the Rhododendron blooms!
9 We're too late to see the Rhododendron blooms!
 Angry skies await our decent into the Roan Mountain state park area.
10 Angry skies await our decent into the Roan Mountain state park area.
Showers abound!
11 Showers abound!
 Storm watching from high atop Roan Mountain.
12 Storm watching from high atop Roan Mountain.
 Another heavy shower moves across the Tennessee foothills of Roan Mountain. A sharp contrast from what was taking place where we were on Hwy 143.
13 Another heavy shower moves across the Tennessee foothills of Roan Mountain. A sharp contrast from what was taking place where we were on Hwy 143.
 Roan and a little rain.
14 Roan and a little rain.
 At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
15 At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
16 At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
 At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
17 At Roan Mountain State Park visitor center
 Highway obstacles.
18 Highway obstacles.
 Bring it!
19 Bring it!
 IMG 3882
20
Monument to the Over Mountain men of the Revolution.
21 Monument to the Over Mountain men of the Revolution.
 A spider has created it's own artwork on the Mountain Man statue - Sycamore Shoals State Park.
22 A spider has created it's own artwork on the Mountain Man statue - Sycamore Shoals State Park.
 IMG 3870
23
 At Sycamore shoals
24 At Sycamore shoals
 At Sycamore shoals
25 At Sycamore shoals
The Watauga River at Sycamore shoals
26 The Watauga River at Sycamore shoals
 The Watauga
27 The Watauga
 Along the Watauga - Sycamore Shoals State Park.
28 Along the Watauga - Sycamore Shoals State Park.
 Moon tree. In 1971, Sycamore seeds traveled to the moon on Apollo 14 as part of an experiment. One of those seeds were planted here at Sycamore Shoals and hre is the result.
29 Moon tree. In 1971, Sycamore seeds traveled to the moon on Apollo 14 as part of an experiment. One of those seeds were planted here at Sycamore Shoals and hre is the result.
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30
IMG 3883
31
 Odd building at the marina - Warriors path SP
32 Odd building at the marina - Warriors path SP
 Warriors path is a recreational park similair to Harrison Bay.
33 Warriors path is a recreational park similair to Harrison Bay.