"Mayberry" Ride
1hogrider
long since retired, have been talking about doing a "Mayberry Run". Mt.
Airy, NC, where Andy Griffith was born and raised is about 100 miles SW
of here. Always seemed to be something that conflicted with it so two
weeks ago, *I* set a date, called everyone and said, "Thursday,
September 24, Mayberry Run, if you can make it, great, if not, too bad".
Turns out all of us had it available so three of us met at my house at
7am, went south on the Blue Ridge Parkway a few miles, then south on
US220 and met the other two at the Franklin Restaurant for breakfast.
For those who may not be familiar with Franklin County, Va. it is known
as the "Moonshine Capital of the World". Thats another story.
Hopped on the bikes after breakfast and headed southwest through the
back country twisties, across Philpott Lake at times.
Made a stop about halfway near a boat landing for Philpott Lake. Near
the landing was the ultimate brick s***house. Thing could probably
withstand a near hit from a medium size nuclear warhead. I go in to
download the recently uploaded caffeine from the Moonshine Capital's
restaurant. Here I was, happily whizzing away when out from the hole,
flys a damn sparrow. Scared the crap out of me. You look down this
hole and its the same picture you get from the ubiquitous port-a-potties
and out flys this bird. After no doubt causing me cardiac arrythmias
that have yet to be discovered by medical science, the bird flew BACK
into the hole.
Back on the bikes to finish our trip to "Mayberry". Near the city
limits of Mt. Airy....er.."Mayberry", we meet an early 60's black and
white Ford with the red light on top, driving some folks around. Knew
then we had to be close.
We parked the bikes in a municipal lot and went to Main St. to look
around. First places we found were the "Snappy Diner" and "Floyds
Barber Shop". Walked up and down the street checking out various
stores, shops, taking pictures inside Floyds Barber Shop and ate an
early lunch at the Snappy Diner. I enjoyed a BLT while my buddies ate
pork chop sandwiches.
Now what I didn't realize when I orginally set the date is, each fall,
Mt. Airy, holds a "Mayberry Days" fall festival and we showed up for the
first day. Even though it was on Thursday, there were still a LOT of
folks in town for the event. We saw one guy who was supposed to be
"Earnest T. Bass", but he seemed a bit tall for the part, but the
costume was pretty close.
A visit to the Andy Griffith museum had lots of artifacts from not only
the "Andy Griffith" show but "No Time for Sergeants" and "Matlock".
We located "Wally's Service Station" about 1/4 mile away which is where
the Mayberry squad car(s) located. There were two when we got there and
for $30 you can ride in it and get a 30 minute tour of Mt Airy. Not
only is Mt. Airy known for Andy Griffith, it literally sits on a HUGE
granite vein. Geology reports show this vein is about 7000-8000 ft deep
and about 5 miles long. They have been mining that site for the past
110 years and by my estimate are only 100 ft or so off the surface of
it. With the granite that close, a lot of the buildings in Mt Airy are
made from stone. The granite is virtually maintenance free and mother
nature cleans it regularly. One bank building that was pointed out to us
on the tour looked like it was maybe a year old. It had been there 45
years. Other home with the granite facing were 100+ years old.
We found the people in Mt Airy very friendly. As we were preparing to
pay for our squad car ride, the driver told us, "just pay when you get
back if you like the tour". We gave him the $30 and a bit extra.
We left Mt. Airy, north on US52 and stopped just north of the Virginia
border and refueled. Continued north to the Blue Ridge Parkway where we
got off a Meadows of Dan and looked around at some shops nearby and
waited for a storm cloud to move along. When we got back on the
parkway, we stopped a short distance north at Mabry Mill and the ominous
looking cloud was even MORE ominous looking. We kept watching
southbound cars to see how wet they were and talk with folks that pulled
in. Reports we got were, POURING RAIN. Waited another 20-30 minutes,
headed north and sure enough...into the rain. Wasn't a deluge, but
enough to get you wet without a rainsuit. Got out of that rainstorm,
and continued north and starting to dry out when we hit ANOTHER
rainstorm. Ran through that one and it was dry the rest of the way home.
All in all, a great ride and a great time. Will post some pictures
across the street.
(t-o) Andy
1hogrider
rainstorm. Ran through that one and it was dry the rest of the way home.
>>
>>All in all, a great ride and a great time. Will post some pictures
>>across the street.
>>
>>(t-o) Andy
>
>
> Sounds like a kewl place to visit. Thanks for the report. Did ya see
> Otis or Ernest T.??
>
Saw an "Earnest T" although he seemed a bit too tall and clean shaven
for the part. I suspect more characters would show up on Friday & Saturday.
Greasy Rider
Thanks for the Mayberry report........I live about 125 miles from
there and have often passed through on our way to the Blue Ridge
Parkway....now I'll have to stop and spend an afternoon to take in
some of that local scenery.
Greasy
1hogrider
Well worth the ride. Would suggest getting there by the back roads and
country twisties instead of the Interstate, but you probably already
knew that. I would suggest going as a group. I think we had a lot more
fun as a group than had we gone separatly. YMMV.
1hogrider
> "1hogrider" <nite...@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:9S6vm.20471$6f4....@newsfe08.iad...
>
>>For the past year, a couple of guys I work with and some others who have
>
> <snip>
>
> Good writeup Andy. I enjoyed it. Thanks.
>
> roach
>
>
I really enjoyed the trip, 'cept for the part about getting wet on the
return. But I have addressed future problems of that nature and got me
some Frogg Toggs.
1hogrider
>
>>roach AH#123 wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"1hogrider" <nite...@cox.net> wrote in message
>>>news:9S6vm.20471$6f4....@newsfe08.iad...
>>>
>>>
>>>>For the past year, a couple of guys I work with and some others who have
>>>
>>><snip>
>>>
>>>Good writeup Andy. I enjoyed it. Thanks.
>>>
>>>roach
>>
>>I really enjoyed the trip, 'cept for the part about getting wet on the
>>return.
>
>
> rain in 2000 heading to MITM. Beware the Peaks of Otter!
>
>
Not far from the place where I park my bike and my butt at night. Other
than a deer population that rivals China's people population, I never
had any other problem. Anything other than deer??
Greasy Rider
> Well worth the ride. Would suggest getting there by the back roads and
> country twisties instead of the Interstate, but you probably already
> knew that. I would suggest going as a group. I think we had a lot more
> fun as a group than had we gone separatly. YMMV.
Yep; we prefer the back roads and rarely get on an Interstate. There is
a great "twisty" on our way to the Blue Ridge called Old Liberty Road.
Twelve miles of rural road. Already getting a group up for the week end
of 10/10. Thanks again....Greasy
1hogrider
> hit there.
>
> Somewhere around there we stopped at the restaurant on
> the parkway, and while we were putting our rain gear back
> on some cager commented in a snide way that if we had cars
> instead of bikes we could save ourselves a lot of trouble.
> I said something back like "If you had a bike instead of a car
> you wouldn't be relegated to your mundane boring existance."
>
> But I didn't mean it in a bad way.
>
> roach
>
>
Might have been the same cager that approached me at Mabry Mill on the
BRP the other day wanting to know why the bikes had to be so loud. I
told him I didn't think mine was loud (V&H pipes).
Got hit with the mother of all rainstorms a year or so ago returning
home from the Peaks of Otter. No rain gear, no place to pull off,
pouring torrents of rain, lighting all around. Nothing to do but
continue on for the final 4-5 miles to home.
I am quite serious though about the deer. They are quite plentiful all
over the parkway and have no fear of humans, cars, motorcycles, etc
around the area of the Peaks of Otter.
About 7 years ago or so, my wife and I were returning from the Peaks in
my car. Nice dinner at the Peaks restaurant (popular stop for bikers on
the parkway). Anyhow, on the way back, I was approaching 5-6 deer on
the right side of the road. One crosses in front of me, the others head
off into the woods on my right as I was approaching. At the last
second, one turned, and ran into the passenger side of my car. Tore the
mirror up, dented the door panel. About $1200 damage. Wife grabbed a
flashlight, got out and was yelling something about the "poor deer". I
was yelling something like, "Look what the sum bitch did to my car".
Deer took off into the woods.
A (scuba) diving buddy of mine's Dad was very seriously injured several
years ago when a deer jumped down off a high bank, into the path of his
motorcycle. Not sure make or model, but I think it was one of the
larger Harley's. This was in mid-afternoon.
Ya really gotta be careful around those deer on the parkway.
Fortunately, the do not seem to like the sound of my bike because the
run as I approach. (Thank you V&H).
(t-o) Andy