This Halloween, Larry, Dave, Mike and Mel rambled through North Georgia in all its fall glory.  Their weather was a far cry from the warm tropical moisture of Zeta a few days earlier.  With starting temps in the mid-forties, heated grips and gear were prized conveniences.  They took easy-going backroads like Cove, Grandview, Sunrise and Doublehead Gap around Jasper and N to Van Zandt’s in Dial.  It was a welcome respite as temps had dropped to 41 in the upper elevations and winds were blowing 20+ mph.  Thin morning cloud cover was delaying the day’s expected warmup.  Fortunately, the previous day’s dry air, sunshine, and winds had nicely cleared the roads of the extensive weather debris from Zeta.  But while the metro area largely had power restored by Saturday, it was apparent from the numerous bucket trucks they weaved around, that work was still underway in the mountains.

No, not the hair kind (most of us have little need for that!).  Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum just outside of Birmingham, AL.  Little known secret… the World’s BEST motorcycle museum is that close to home.  Really, I’m not kidding. 

Dave and Larry were able to take a Friday off and make an overnight trip of it.  Although the remnants of (another!) hurricane were thoroughly soaking Atlanta as they packed, it slipped out just in time for them to make a dry run west.  They took easy-going state roads like 92, 120, and 78 rather than hectic I-285 and I-20.  And it was surprisingly enjoyable riding.

After many weather delays and even the remnants of a category 4 hurricane, we finally pulled off an August ride.  On the 29th, Dave and Larry (seen off by Richard who couldn’t break his day plans) took advantage of a break in the action to enjoy a route of “old favorites”.  Their day started in tropical soup – that fine line between 99% and 100% humidity where you can’t tell if you’d be more comfortable in rain gear or mesh gear!  Mesh won the day.  They leisurely headed to the mountains using Grandview, Sunrise, and Doublehead Gap roads, all favorites indeed.  Hwy 136 through the Burnt Mountain elevations was completely “in the clouds” and visibility dropped to only 50’ at times.  But the power of our Lord’s sun raised the ceiling and broke up the soup.   

Our lucky streak of great weather rides continues!  July 11th, four riders (Dave, Dennis, Larry and Mike) met in Hickory Flat for a tour of some of our favorite sights in NE AL – Little River Canyon (LRC) and Desoto Falls.  Our trip started on a cool summer morning with absolutely no forecast of afternoon pop-ups - a real treat for July riding.  We took the serene Hwy 140 west to Armuchee, then 27 to Summerville and Mentone, an old-timey getaway town on a ridge top in the AL mountains.  At the south end of town is Desoto Falls which drops into large (several acre) pool with an adjoining 8-story sheer rock wall.