Thanks. Super weather, nice roads and beautiful scenery. A great day for sure!

Lovely riding area for sure. A little bit of everything!

Thank you. It's hard to compare the Rockies to the eastern mountains, but there is definitely some great riding and beautiful scenery to be had in both areas!

Cool ride. Great scenery. Looks like you had a great day.

The weather couldn't have been any better had I been able to arrange it myself! I stopped in Wytheville, VA on the way down, and took a very cool local ride the next morning. Then it was off to Bryson City, NC for a couple days of my favorite roads down that way. On the way home I stopped in Black Mountain, NC for two nights. This video was shot in that area. Great trip, and the 14 year old DR is running like a champ!

I've passed by Little Switzerland numerous times, and have had a lot of fun playing around on 226A and Rt 80. The only time I spent a night in that area was a few years ago when I stayed in Spruce Pines.

Wonderful spot and a great place to be riding. My best wishes to you re: Sandy - stay safe mate!

I was down there a few weeks ago, and absolutely nailed the weather. Good times! I haven't seen all of the vids from your trip out west yet, but I'll catch up soon. That must have been awesome! I'm hoping to head out that way next spring, but I will (as usual) be in my truck with the DR loaded in the back.

Nice! Empty, pretty and motorcycling. Can't beat it. I guess you're on your fall MC trip. The BRP looks inviting.

There are SO many great roads to explore down there. You'll have a great time. Try to visit the Dragon on a weekday if you can.

Yep, that's Curtis Creek Rd alright. You do know your way around! When I came back down from Mt Mitchell, I rode Toe River Rd past the Black Mt Campground, and back up on Neils Creek Rd. As you said, it comes back out on the BRP directly across from Curtis Creek.

Most of the older ones have already gone thru the aftermarket tank conversion. Who knows what this winter will bring :D

Great video, would love to take a bike on the back roads as you did, but I don't think my wing would make it! LOL Ride safe and have fun!

Good question. The DR650 can be nearly as entertaining as a street bike on the twisty paved roads, and it has the advantage of allowing me to explore the dirt and gravel forest roads as well. I'd have to say that I'm not really missing the 919 all that much. I did enjoy it a lot though. Great bike!

Yeah, I really lucked out with the weather. Dry with perfect temps all week! Having a dualsport certainly opens up a lot of different riding possibilities, but maybe not so much for the long distance stuff you like. I like the big Hondas as well, but I'm a little put off by the really small fuel tank. Of course there is always the aftermarket.

I plan on running down there next year to do the Dragon run and maybe the Blue Ridge Parkway on my 650 Burgman Executive. My wife and I love Asheville, NC just to the East of there..

Thanks! Yeah, your GW wouldn't be very happy on the forest lanes, but for 2 wheel touring (especially with a passenger) it's the king of the road!

The storm went to the east and north of my location, sparing us the really high winds and flooding. Never even lost power!

great view of Mt Mitchell! I would have been in thunder and rain clouds :( Thanks for the view I really enjoyed it! I wonder if the wife would let me have a third bike...been thinking of getting a Honda XR600 or XR650 lol

I got a replacement seat foam (much wider) and cover from Seat Concepts some time ago.

Some of it was great! I have more footage of Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and part of Beartooth Pass. Unfortunately, when I got to the top of Beartooth, it was raining and foggy on the switchbacks. Kind of exciting... NOT! Riding out west can be tough because after a while it gets pretty...um...ugly in a lot of places until you get to the mountains. I was thinking just today that if I ever go west to ride again it will be with a trailer and the bike in it.

Really enjoyed the ride. The scenery was great. Love the mountains, I grew up in Colorado and could never get enough of the beautiful mountains. Thanks for taking us along.

Awesome ride DP scenery looked great , sounds like you were working the DR hard on some stuff lol. Do you miss your Honda 900 ?

Yikes. I could probably handle biking down from the top, but only as far as the parkway!

We dodged the bullet here. No significant damage. Lots of others not as lucky though.

I would totally take my GW on that forest lane, looks awesome.

Thanks for coming by and viewing that vid, and for the reply to my comment. I viewed your vid here and thought to myself that I'd have really enjoyed this route. Thanks for taking me along :)

Did you ever get a new seat for the 650?

I've never been very fond of pounding out the ass numbing hours on interstate highways, and my current bike isn't suited for that sort of thing anyway. For me, hauling the motorcycle in my truck to various nice riding areas is the way to go. Guess I'll never get an Iron Butt award, but that's ok!

I take it you live in Mitchell County aswell?

I stand corrected! I just watched your GW dual sport video, and you would have been fine on this lane. :)