Edna and I took a trip to the Emerald Acres Campground to meet with about 400 friends in June, 2010.  We went on the Honda Goldwing, pulling a small cargo trailer designed to be pulled behind the bike.  It began to rain about half way through the first day, and continued until just before we arrived at the campground, which is located just outside Pearl City, Illinois.  While coming through Escanaba, Michigan, we hit some water on the road, left behind because the rain they had just received was more than their storm sewers could handle.  The first extent we hit was about a foot deep, and fifty or so feet across, and this scared us enough, but then we hit another stretch that was about fourteen inches deep, which was enough to lift the motorcycle right up off the road on the motors belly pan.  If we had not had the trailer on behind to hit the water and virtually stop us, so the bike could drop back to the road, I believe we would have been swimming sideways, bike and all.  We pulled over at this stage and changed our underwear, Hahahahaha.  The rest of this trip (about 4,000 kms in all) was joyful and free.  We camped out in a tent for the first time in years, and had a great time.

The day after returning Edna to our home, I left for Knoxville, Tennessee for my very first Gold Wing Road Riders Association Convention, called Wing Ding.  The riding in Tennessee was awesome and I have a couple of maps below to show how awesome it really was.  I rode the Dragons Tail, at Deals Gap, The Devils Triangle, at Oliver Springs and the Cherohala Skyway (highway # 163) , which is arrived at by following the southern extension of the Dragon Highway 129.  All together, this trip was another 4,000 kms of great riding.  I was able to stop at my favourite Mustard Company "Woebers" and pick up about a five years supply, in Springfield, Ohio.  Life is really good, so one should take large bites - with Woeber's Jalapeno mustard.  I will get to the BlueRidge Parkway, and Moonshiners 28 next time I am in Tennessee.  I had not been able to comfortably ride my Harley, due to tendonitis in my back and shoulders for several years now, and the Goldwing has allowed me to revisit and re enjoy riding.

THIS IS THE DEVILS TRIANGLE, WHICH IS ABOUT 42 MILES WITH MANY TURNS

THIS WAS A REAL BLAST TO RIDE

THIS IS THE TAIL OF THE DRAGON - HIGHWAY 129 // DEALS GAP

318 CURVES IN 11 MILES.  SECOND MOST FUN

AND THE CHEROHALA SKYWAY HAS BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AND WIDE SWEEPING CURVES

AND ALTHOUGH NOT A CHALLENGE TO RIDE, WAS AS SCENIC AS I HAVE EVER SEEN

And to put this all in perspective, here is the map that covers all of this part of Tennessee