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April 2024 - Tellico Moto Camp
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After a too-long winter break, Larry, BobK, Mel and Dennis decided a 2-night moto-camp was in order and successfully avoided the “grey and wet” days of recent. They left after lunch on Friday taking backroads up to Blue Ridge (Boardtown was especially nice), then stopped for a break at Buck Bald Brewing in Copperhill, TN (check out their delicious Berry Hibiscus Brewed Tea). Winds were gusting over 30 mph so they didn’t stay long since it felt better bundled up on the bikes than exposed on the patio. Overnight lows were forecasted to be 43, but each was beginning to question if they’d packed enough warmth for this trip.
From there it was west along the Ocoee River, then NE up Reliance Road to Cherokee Mountain Trails Campground (CMTC) west of Tellico Plains. Reliance Road proved to be another trip highlight as it was pleasantly curvy and empty! Tents popped up quickly and they eagerly entered the lodge building to warm up and get out of the wind. CMTC proprietors are from Philly and served up a nice cheesesteak sandwich and a killer tomato bisque. After dinner they enjoyed their campfire as the skies began clearing and the temps fell like a rock!
Saturday morning revealed frost and 33 on the temp gauge, but the crystal clear skies promised a quick warm up. They soon headed up the very pleasant backroad (360) to Vonore, then down the “Tail of the Dragon” to Deal’s Gap. In years past, this world-famous twisty road generally saw mostly motorcycles and a sprinkling of sports cars. It’s now a near endless stream of tuner car clubs traveling in packs of 30-40 moving 10-15 mph. Our recommendation is to completely avoid the Dragon on any weekend day. On to Robbinsville for lunch at Café del Olla and their unique full menus of both Mexican and Italian – very good and worth a visit.
After lunch, they headed west across the also-famous Cherohala Skyway. Larry and Mel exited and rode a beautiful Forest Service which roughly paralleled the first half of Skyway while Bob and Dennis continued onward. The intended meetup… didn’t meetup (sorry, Dennis and Bob!), but those two did get to meet some interesting folks at a scenic pullout, including a couple riding a tandem bicycle from CA to Ontario (via the Skyway?!) Yes, BobS’s words are ringing in my ears… “Larry, skip the split-ups as they never work out!” Still, each rider found their Skyway ride very nice with loads of sunshine and none of the congested mess of the Dragon.
Back at camp, they decided to try a newly opened establishment just around the corner from CMTC which had a food truck and live entertainment. The Mexican food was top-notch and the entertainment was a real hoot, a local Bluegrass quartet - a great cap to a great riding day. Their campfire was shorter since the lads were pooped. Fortunately, temps this night were a good 20 degrees better than the prior.
Breakfasts at CMTC are a real strong suit and just can’t be beat; they’re large, fast, hot and inexpensive! Soon the guys packed up and headed south down TN 68 toward home. While it’s a road we’ve often used, all had forgotten just how pleasant it is. And home before noon – there’s a twist! Here’s a few pics… Hope you can join us next time.
