West Virginia and North Carolina Vacation – Day 6 of 9
On the morning of Thursday, May 13, we awakened at 6:15 am and were showered and dressed by 7:00 am.
We ate breakfast at Pop’s Grits & Eggs, which is located next door to A Holiday Motel. At the time, the restaurant had been opened for only a week. Laura F. and “Bassman” joined us for breakfast. The food and service were great, even though the waitress had called in to say she would be a no show that day.
Ready to Roll
We departed A Holiday Motel at 9:00 am en route Townsend, TN. I drove; Bob rode the motorcycle. Sandy R. accompanied me. Sandy and I were at the end of a line of motorcycles, led by “Skid”. We took U.S. Route 19 to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which we followed to U.S Route 441. Sandy and I got left behind when we made a bathroom stop at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located about 16 miles from Newfound Gap. We caught up with everyone at Newfound Gap.
Newfound Gap
on the North Carolina-Tennesee Border
Bob and Mike
Newfound Gap
From Newfound Gap we followed Rt. 441 and Rt. 73 to Townsend, TN. We ate lunch at Smokin Joe’s BBQ.
“Skid” and Sandy at Smokin Joe’s BBQ
Jaime and Phillip and their son, Caleb, met us at Smokin Joe’s BBQ.
“Skid” says hello.
Lunch at Smokin Joe’s BBQ
Lunch at Smokin Joe’s BBQ
Lunch at Smokin Joe’s BBQ
Lunch at Smokin Joe’s BBQ
Our lunch group took over a room inside Smokin Joe’s BBQ.
Lunch was very good. I ordered ½ chicken with hush puppies, coleslaw and macaroni salad. Bob had a meat salad (and some of my chicken).
After lunch, Sandy and I parted ways with the motorcyclists. The motorcyclists left to ride The Tail of the Dragon. Sandy and I returned to Maggie Valley via Pigeon Forge and U.S. Route 441. We stopped at a couple overlooks and at a waterfall on our way back to A Holiday Motel.
Sandy at the Chimney Tops Overlook
Newfound Gap Road (U.S. Route 441-TN)
We made a second stop at Newfound Gap because I wanted to take additional pictures.
Sandy and I on the North Carolina-Tennessee Border
Newfound Gap view
Newfound Gap
Rockefeller Memorial and The Appalachian Trail
Sandy and I at Newfound Gap
About 20 minutes after leaving Newfound Gap, we saw water rushing down a hill on the side of the road.
Waterfall along U.S. Route 411-NC
Sandy and I returned to A Holiday Motel around 3:50 pm. Bob returned to the motel about 1 1/2 hours later. He enjoyed riding The Tail of the Dragon but said he would not have enjoyed it as much 2-up. Bob said that I would not have liked it.
Bob “goin’ mad on the Dragon”
(Bob purchased this high-resolution digital image from killboy.com.)
We ate dinner at Guayabitos Mexican Restaurant with Candy and Karl R. This restaurant is located within walking distance of A Holiday Motel. Bob and I each ordered a taco salad with beef tips. The taco salads were delicious, and the service was good. We were sorry to hear that Karl has not been feeling well. He spent the day at the hospital…diagnosis: pneumonia in the lower part, I believe, of his lung.
We spent the evening of our 6th day of vacation, as we do so at every VROC rally … at the “kaw pasture”, sitting around a roaring campfire, listening to music and talking with our friends.
The Beauty Around Us 
One Response to “West Virginia and North Carolina Vacation – Day 6 of 9”
It looks as if you had a great time in our neck of the woods. We get to Townsend several times a year. Im glad Bob enjoyed the Tail of the Dragon.