This trip would also be the first time we took the FJR out on an 'overnighter' and we were curious to see how it was going to work out. Julie had packing the Nomad down to a science, no strike that. An art form. She could pack more... stuff, in the saddlebags of that Kawasaki and then get as much, maybe more in the T-Bag that we carried on the luggage rack. The FJR will challenge her though. While the FJR does have a tour trunk and two saddlebags it seems like the three of them together only offer about as much space as the two saddlebags did on the Nomad, plus there is no way of mounting the T-bag or any of our other luggage on the bike. Overnighters shouldn't be a problem, week long rides though...
The queen of packing has her work cut out for her.
Our anniversary was on a Thursday this year so we planned the trip for the following week-end. As always I had to work on Saturday and Julie had to be back at work on Monday, so it would be one of our typical partial week-end over night trips. I had originally thought about heading up to West Virginia but Julie had an idea. She had seen something on TV about a place called "Burke's Garden, Virginia", it was said to be the highest valley on the east coast. It was also said that during the Cuban missile crisis it was one of the 'secure' locations for President Kennedy and his staff due to it's remoteness and because there was only one road going in and out of it. Looking at the map it seemed easily doable in our time frame so why not? We'd leave after I got home on Saturday, ride to Galax, Virginia where Julie got us a free nights stay at a Hilton using her travel points, then head on up to Burke's Garden from there.
"God's Thumbprint" Burke's Garden, Virginia.
Using my trip planning software to figure out perspective routes and mileage I discovered a road that made my mouth water! Virginia Route 623 from Sharon Springs to Burke's Garden looked like a motorcyclists dream! Turns, curves and twisties climbing up a mountain side! Hot Dawg!! I was so excited by this 'find' that I was telling my friends and co-workers about it and showing it to them on the map. I couldn't wait to get the mighty FJR on this stretch of road!
We hit the road Saturday afternoon riding up US 52 to Mt Airy, North Carolina and then took SR 89 from there into Galax, Virginia. It was a beautiful day and we were really enjoying each other, our new bike, the road and the views as we eased along the North Carolina and Virginia countryside. At the outskirts of Galax traffic began to build causing us to wonder what was going on. Riding by the county fairgrounds it was obvious that something was going on, but it didn't appear to be a fair. As we rode past the entrance we saw signs telling us what it was, the last night of The Old Fiddlers Convention!
The stage at the "Old Fiddlers Convention" in Galax, Va.
We decided to find the hotel and check in first, Galax isn't exactly a large metropolis so it wasn't hard and wasn't far. While checking in we asked the clerk about the Fiddlers Convention and she highly recommended that we go check it out saying that things would be going on late into the night. Her best piece of advice though was when she told us not to get so caught up in what was on the stage that we didn't walk around the camping area. "That's where the good music and fun is."
Well OK!
We piled the saddlebag liners onto the bed and then turned around and went right back to the bike. Julie had noticed a restaurant that she was familiar with on main street that was right on our way back so a pit stop for some grub was made before heading to the fairgrounds.
Finding a suitable spot to park was easy enough, a very nice man waved us into the parking lot of what turned out to be his office building. He parked us in an area that I was comfortable with and told us that he and his wife would be there until the last car, or bike, left. Well worth the $5 he charged us!
After getting our tickets we made our way down the driveway toward the festivities. Riding by on the road we couldn't really see how big the place was as well as how many people were there! We saw the stage off to our left but decided to take the hotel clerks advice and headed in the direction of the campers. It was like a carnival midway at first, food vendors and souvenir booths lined both sides of the walkway. Right among the vendors a small band was set up and started to play so we stopped to listen. Of every song and every group I heard that night, these guys were my favorite! I wish I could remember the song more clearly, but it was about running over a opossum and having stew tonight! What a hoot!
I know we wandered around the campground for a couple of hours. The campers ran the gamut from million dollar motor homes to converted school buses to pick ups and cars with tarps over the roofs and tents under that. There were groups playing every where, we would walk over to one campsite and listen for a song or two, then walk a very little way and find another group and listen to them. Some would be playing in front of their vehicles, others had pretty nice stages set up with lights and indoor/outdoor carpeting to stand on. Some were good, others were, well, fantastic. As we made our way around we discovered something else too. While a large number of these folks obviously came together and were groups we noticed many people walking along like we were but they would be carrying instruments. When they came up on a person or a group playing they would just walk up and join in! It was, to me, amazing.
Eventually we made our way around to the stage, at first standing along the railing on one side, and then over to the covered concrete bleachers in front of it where we found a place to sit and watch. There were groups, lots and lots of groups, playing Blue Grass and old time mountain music and there were people dancing, some of which I recognized as square dancing others doing something they called 'flat foot' dancing. all of them, each and everyone were outstanding and a joy to watch. We stayed there enjoying ourselves until close to midnight, then made our way back to the bike, as the music played on...
When we got back to the hotel that night we found that we had been joined by other riders as there were several motorcycles parked where we had been earlier. The next morning at breakfast there were a few of them already out of their rooms drinking coffee and others joined them later. Julie and I spoke, as we always do, they told us that they were from Virginia and were out riding Hwy 58. They apparently rode together a lot and seemed to be very friendly. We explained where we were from, where we were going and of course I had to tell them about the curvy road I found on the map and how much we were looking forward to riding it.
In their group was one guy, a gray bearded, grizzled looking dude that everyone was talking to, or about, laughing and poking fun at him. From the sounds of things this guy was a rider because references were made to several far off destinations and trips that he along others that they knew had been on. I only bring this up because of one...incident they mentioned.
They were picking on him for leaving someone. a neighbor actually, on the way home during a trip. They actually asked if the neighbor was speaking to him yet, to which he replied "Hell no, I don't care if he does or not." The crowd fell out laughing. Then one of them said "I don't blame him, I wouldn't speak to you either!" which was followed by more laughter. Not being able to stand it I had to ask, "So what happened?" The crowd fell out, and when they caught their collective breaths they told us.
Gray beard and neighbor had gone on a trip together and were on the way back. They still had a long way to go and the neighbor decided that he was ready to stop for the day and pulled off the highway at a motel. Ol' gray beard kept gettin' it and didn't see him again until they were back home. Gray beard piped up in his defense "I told him I wanted to ride one more tank of fuel out that day, was it my fault he didn't?" Then added, "He's a grown man, he ought to be able to find his way home." Some of his friends were laughing so hard tears were streaming at this point.
I bit. "So, what was the problem?" These people were falling out by now.
"They were in Washington state!" And the neighbor had never been out of Virginia before!
Well alrighty then... and on that note we decided it was time to go.
We took US 221 to US 21 and stayed on it until we got to I-81 outside of Wythville. From there we rode US 52 up into the mountains. It was a beautiful day and we were having a ball. We were getting more and more used to the FJR and really enjoying being on it. We were looking for SR 621 and rounding a curve we not only saw a sign pointing us to it, but a rather unique looking place on the corner at the intersection. We just had to stop and look around a bit.
The "Big Walker Country Store and Lookout", US 52 & SR 621 outside of Wythville, Virginia.
It wasn't open when we got there, but there were already a few people sitting outside waiting. We found out later the tower wasn't open, so no we didn't climb up it. The view was incredible anyway though.
Looking toward the Jefferson National Forest.
We noticed several historical monuments, taking time to read them all and look around. This area, like much of the south, is filled with history from our countries beginning and the Civil War.
There was a clue about the road I was so anxiously looking for on the road map of the historical info sign that I completely missed.
We headed out on SR 621 (which shows as SR 42 on the map in the corner of the historical info sign *hint hint*) knowing that it wasn't much further to Burke's Garden I was beginning to get excited. We rode for a little less than an hour through some absolutely gorgeous countryside and I was like a kid at Christmas time. The road that looked like it would put The Dragon and The Snake to shame wasn't far off!
Scanning way ahead I saw a road sign marking SR 623 was the next right. I told Julie to get ready for some peg draggin' fun 'cause we were here! With the right turn signal flashing and my pulse rate up shifting I downshifted the bike and turned onto 623. For as long as I live I'll never forget the next moment. After literally weeks of anticipation and then riding for hours to get to this road of roads that no one had ever heard of, there it was. SR 623 was... a dirt road!
At first I thought I must have mis read the sign, so I circled the FJR around where I could read it again. Nope. SR 623. Pulling the bike off to the side of the road where the pavement ended I told Julie I wanted to look at the map. Once parked she decided that she would walk up the road a piece to see if maybe it was just that section of road, thinking maybe there would be asphalt on up a piece. As she walked off though I looked up into the mountain, that beautiful mountain, and could see parts of the road and it was all gravel and dirt. Dammit!
While she was doing her thing I looked over the map for an alternate route. The Metzler Z6 tires on the FJR had so far proved to be great tires, but no way were they up to that road. Looking at the map it appeared that the road we had been on, SR 42, would continue taking us around the base of the mountain over to SR 16 which would take us over it and into Tazwell, Virginia. From there we could ride SR 61 to where SR 623 intersected it. Then assuming that 623 wasn't completely unpaved and that the residents of Burke's Garden had at least one good way in and out of their valley, we could still at least complete the trek, even if I was completely and utterly disappointed.
Julie came running, literally running back down the hill, momentarily raising my hopes and spirits. Maybe there was some pavement up ahead! But no, the silly woman just felt like getting some exercise...
We saddled up and headed back out onto 42. While not exactly what I had in mind, it wasn't bad. The road winds and weaves it's way along the base of the mountain through some spectacular farm land and we found ourselves enjoying the ride and the view. It took us 20 minutes or so to reach SR 16 and once there I got the feeling that it was going to make up for my let down of 623. A typical winding and curvey mountain road, but it had recently been repaved. Which turned out to be both good and bad. Good in that the surface for the most part was impeccable. Bad because the road crews had drug some debris off the shoulder into the road in places and in others there spots were oil or diesel fuel had been spilled. All in all though it was great and has made it to my unofficial list of great roads.
After a half hour or so we made it into Tazwell, then found our way through town and onto SR 61. It only took a little while and once again I saw a sign showing SR 623 to my right. Gingerly and with expectations of finding yet another dirt road we turned onto it and found it was indeed a paved road. So far.
It turned out to be paved all the way, but wasn't one of the better roads we've ridden. Understand, it was very passable, scenic, and not a bad ride, but not the knee dragger I had hoped for when we started this trip. For several miles there was nothing but woods. When we did find our way into 'civilization' it wasn't much. Well, that's not fair. It was beautiful farm land, with nice looking farms and homes along the road. It's just that there wasn't much of that. Burke's Garden is a very small farm community. One that we fell in love with!
SR 623. Main street, Burke's Garden, Virginia.
"Downtown" Burke's Garden, Virginia and the "old" general store.
Beautiful Valley Farmland and the mountains surrounding it.
The "new" general store and home to one mean cheeseburger!
Understand that Julie and I are both...country people. Julie was raised on a beautiful dairy farm in Wisconsin and I, well, I just love being out of town, in the backcountry surrounded by woods, fields and farmland. Burke's Garden is all of that.
I found out later that there is a road that loops around the community that we missed, and I hate that because I really would have enjoyed seeing it. What we did was ride in on 623 through, ummm, town, then out past several homes and farms to the other end of the unpaved portion of 623. Then turned around and rode back to the old general store, took some pictures, then rode to the new general store where we hung out, chatted and had lunch. I'll bet we were there for over an hour, during which we tried our best to figure out a way we could buy a home there and support ourselves.
We didn't, and all to soon it was time to saddle up and ride towards home.
Basically we back tracked until we got to the intersection of 16 and 42 where we continued south on 16. Man let me tell you, 16 is definitely on my favorite roads list. We had been on this section of it before and it was just as much fun to ride and as scenic as the first time. The area around the Hungry Mother State Park is particularly nice and twice now we have promised ourselves to go back with the intentions of spending some time there and exploring the surrounding area.
This time too we stopped in Marion, Va. near the intersection of I-81 at a little miniature golf and ice cream store that's located in front of a drive in theater. I don't know what it is about the ice cream there, but man it sure is good!
From there we rode 16 to NC SR 93 into Sparta, and then our typical NC back roads back home. It was another wonderful trip as well as a great first 'overnighter' on the FJR.
Bruce
