Ghost Bear: Mountain heartbeat

Heartbeat

First, this time all of the accidents we saw were on main highways and not the Dragon.....and we saw a lot of them.

We left out at 5am to overcast weather and the threat of rain....no sunrise but some pretty cool clouds.

Then came my favorite bridge and a few other interesting sights on the road.....

We got through Chattanooga....in the rain...and headed to Nanyehi's gravesite to leave tobacco. It rained up until we pulled in the parking area and stopped. It made for some pretty pictures of the flowers there. Several months ago I tied up my beads in the cedar tree she's buried under.....they are still there.

Next we headed on up to the Dragon....but not before getting a few shots of an accident, the sun through the sunroof, a funny shop sign and some cows for Sammie....

Of course here is the REAL reason we went......

After making 2 runs (in and out) we went up to Smoky Mountain Harley in Maryville. Shoulda never walked in the door.....but they DID have some awesome Dragon tshirts....and TJ found a good pair of goggles to replace the ones he has that are falling appart....and they were a great price....AND have interchangeable lenses....daytime and nighttime! Here's the few photos from that and the drive BACK to the Dragon....

We stopped at Tabcat bridge (the start on the TN end) and had out picnic lunch....watched the bikes and other vehicles go by....which included one 18 wheeler (signs now in place warning them about the switchbacks and advising alternate routes). After our nice lunch we made our 3rd and last run of the day before heading home......we did stop for a little while so I could get some "action shots".

After our final run we headed south on US129 to pick up the Cherohala Skyway and head home....It had cleared off by then and the sun was out....and some of the views were impressive.... There were a bunch of skateboarders there too.....lacking on sense and brains there....there have been fatal accidents with cars and motorcycles and they want to run it on a little board 5000+ up....Darwin in action....OH...I will warn you right now there is insect porn in these photos.....apparently the conditions were right for beetle love.....

The rest of the photos are on the way home....through Etowah, Ooltewah Chattanooga and north Alabama down US72....around Moccasin Bend on the Tennessee River, sunset on I24....