The 2005 Season comes to an end

As is the normal for families with active kids in school we had a wonderfully busy 2005. It was Bryan’s senior year which made it all the more special and hectic. Julie and I snuck off when we could and managed to get in several day trips and a few week-end rides. The highlight probably being the ride out to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It also became apparent that if we were going to be riders we were going to have to learn how to ride in the rain.

The first Nomad Julie and I ever rode was a trade in taken in at the shop. We borrowed over a July 4th week-end and ended up riding in what seemed like a monsoon. It started what we cautiously laugh off as “The Curse of the Nomad”. It sometimes seems like we are rain magnates. You can believe we always have rain gear stowed away. ‘The Curse’ seems to have followed us over to ours and we try to caution our friends before they agree to ride with us. It seems to happen more often than not.

October 2005 - Western North Carolina Mountains

All smiles after our first run down the infamous "Tail of the Dragon". An 11 mile section of US 129 at Deals Gap, North Carolina that contains 318 turns. This was at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort on the southern end of the run. We made a week-end trip out of seeing the fall colors and the area on our first trip into this section of the Smokey Mountains.

Julie and Teddy cheese it up.

We stopped in Maggie Valley, North Carolina and visited the "Wheels Through Time" museum. Here we are posing with Tim and Teddy in front of a vintage Indian that was parked outside.

A Harley board tracker from back in the day.

WWII military bike.

We rode across the Cherohala Skyway from Robbinsville, North Carolina to Telico Plains, Tennessee. It is a great ride and well worth making. The 50 mile parkway begins and ends at around 1000' above sea level, crossing the peak at almost 5500' where this was taken. Breath taking only begins to describe it.

Another photo near the peak of the Cherohala. This time a group shot of Teddy, Tim, Julie and myself.