DS NC-105 & Table Rock
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:03 pmI didn't get to DS ride with Broz and Tom because I had the KLR apart again doing some mods to beef up the rear subframe and luggage rack then fixing the right lower fairing I broke last week falling in the mud hole.
Thursday: Fairing glued back together, filled with bondo waiting to set for sanding.
Friday: Painted - ready to put it all back together and ride!
Saturday: Time to ride.
I headed up NC-105 and it was a lot more gnarly than I thought it would be - a good thing. At higher altitude the leaves are still thin so I could see across the spectacular Linville Gorge for much of the way. There're a bunch of trails off NC-105.
Here's Pinnacle trail. All those notices stapled to the sign are telling us we can't do any rock climbing until 2016 because the Peregrine falcons already got dibs. Darn, I'm all about climbing sheer rock cliffs.
A little ways down the trail they've got these dirt mounds blocking the trail to discourage motor vehicles. Again darn, what kinda deal we can't ride motorcycles in the gorge?!
A little further on there was a turn off opposite the gorge with an open gate. Hot damn!
Nice road and it went on a few miles to the top of another mountain to some big cell phone tower installations. And then...another gate so backtrack to NC-105
Next up was Wiseman's View and what a view it is. Here's one of the 2 vantage platforms.
Looking down the gorge to the south.
Table Rock on the other side.
That was it for NC-105 and I exited north then came down Table Rock Rd to where it intersects with Old Table Rock Rd which I wanted to check out. No dice because it's gated closed. The forest service weenies are messing with my fun. So, staying on Table Rock Rd I spied this little trail heading off to the left.
You can't tell it from the picture but that trail slopes down at around 30 degrees - very steep. Not something I'll try alone but maybe another day when when there's a few of us up there. All told a fantastic ride with gorgeous scenery and much screwing around to investigate and poke at things. Definitely worth the time.
Thursday: Fairing glued back together, filled with bondo waiting to set for sanding.
Friday: Painted - ready to put it all back together and ride!
Saturday: Time to ride.
I headed up NC-105 and it was a lot more gnarly than I thought it would be - a good thing. At higher altitude the leaves are still thin so I could see across the spectacular Linville Gorge for much of the way. There're a bunch of trails off NC-105.
Here's Pinnacle trail. All those notices stapled to the sign are telling us we can't do any rock climbing until 2016 because the Peregrine falcons already got dibs. Darn, I'm all about climbing sheer rock cliffs.
A little ways down the trail they've got these dirt mounds blocking the trail to discourage motor vehicles. Again darn, what kinda deal we can't ride motorcycles in the gorge?!
A little further on there was a turn off opposite the gorge with an open gate. Hot damn!
Nice road and it went on a few miles to the top of another mountain to some big cell phone tower installations. And then...another gate so backtrack to NC-105
Next up was Wiseman's View and what a view it is. Here's one of the 2 vantage platforms.
Looking down the gorge to the south.
Table Rock on the other side.
That was it for NC-105 and I exited north then came down Table Rock Rd to where it intersects with Old Table Rock Rd which I wanted to check out. No dice because it's gated closed. The forest service weenies are messing with my fun. So, staying on Table Rock Rd I spied this little trail heading off to the left.
You can't tell it from the picture but that trail slopes down at around 30 degrees - very steep. Not something I'll try alone but maybe another day when when there's a few of us up there. All told a fantastic ride with gorgeous scenery and much screwing around to investigate and poke at things. Definitely worth the time.
