With the passing of the first month 'on-the-road', and well over 4,000 miles behind me, it is now time to start making my westing into the southern heartland of America .. and beyond. The pre-planned itinerary is going exactly according to schedule; is on time and still within budget. The next 30 days will take me to the Rockies and back towards the northland of this great continent.The fastest and most direct route due west from Chesapeake into the Southern states 'proper' is US-58. Conveniently this road will also take me straight to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia [[er .. and North Carolina], so my course for the next couple of days, therefore, is easy to determine.
Along 58 the weather pattern is typical for the time of year: early daytime heat and high humidity leading to localised thunderstorms by mid-afternoon. When these cloudbursts occur, they arrive with little warning and the resulting deluge can whip-up a vicious wind and send the temperature plummeting by 10ºC within a couple of minutes. Trust me, as my sheltering co-refugee testifies, "DANG! .. Y'all run fer cover when this here happens .. even eeyif it weren't rightly s'pose te-happ'n 'till t'morro!". So I meet my newest chum, Jonathan (#1).
Yep, after hearing Jon tawkin', the drawling of his accent says it all to me '.. I've finally arrived in the true 'South' of America .. at last!'
Saturday, July-28
Entering the Blue Ridge Parkway, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range. I should cover at least half of its twisty 469-mile (756 km) length over the course of the next 1½ days.What a joy it is to be cruising along in very light traffic listening to C&W songs typically called, 'Thar's Bluegrass Over Yonder Hill' twanged out by typically named groups such as 'Three Jacks and a Jill' on the local radio station - Blue Ridge Country 98.1 FM
Soon I bump into my next chum, Stuart, who's riding some sort of bicycle rally; he reminds me, "Y'all watch out fer them pesky deer, y'hear" (#2)
It's cooler up here, but the general ambient heat over the region creates an inevitable haze ... 
.. which tends to spoil the views
Crossing the state line from Virginia into North Carolina
Same country, different state, experiencing the same weather conditions
However, by around lunchtime, I'm getting hungry and decide to stop for a bite. Within a few minutes I'm approached by two quite charming couples who are riding back home from visiting the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort. I think it's my strange-looking registration plate that creates the intrigue. Bobby & Darlene (don't y'all just love that name :o) Beck; together with Connie & Donnie Gray. A couple of couples of genuine southern folk. (#3)I say to Darlene: "I just love the way you guys talk"
Darlene replies: "Wayell, we just dang-well lurve the way y'all tawk too!"
Then we both burst into the giggles .. :o) ;o)
Sunday, July-29
Still moving in a general west-southwest direction, with average road height around 4,000 feet (1,200 m)
Although I'm probably just re-inventing the wheel here; to me anyways, I've now discovered a new use for my GPS unit, and I'm gonna call it .. 'Curve Pilotage' - here's the deal: When negotiating twisty roads, adjust the map orientation display to ‘Track Up’ (as opposed to ‘North Up’); and the map view scale down to say 0.2 mile. Then it's just like having radar. You know exactly what bends are coming and their severity, a good 200-300 yards ahead of time ...
.. which is valuable foresight when riding literally with your head in the clouds [fog] at these heights
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an incredible feat of engineering. Hauling all that road-building material up to these heights; building the tunnel network .. an' evrythang.I'm now well into Cherokee Reservation country. Just a run through the Smoky Mountains National Park and ...
.. by late afternoon I arrive at my destination, the Deal's Gap Motorcycle Resort, located 1 mile south of the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. 
Also known as ‘The Dragon’ it’s home to 318 twisty curves, over a distance of 11-miles. Basically it's just a section of US-129, but is probably THE most famous stretch of motorcycling road in the whole wide world ...
.. and straightaway I strike up conversations with Canadian Kevin (#4). Can y'all tell what we both have in common? ...
.. and Canadian Steve who, not surprisingly [T-Shirt] rides an immaculately well-maintained and cherished Honda Valkyrie (#5) ... 
.. and third Canadian Ron, who loves his shiny red GL1800 Goldwing (#6)
Everyone here should take a minute to see the " Tree of Shame." Started some time in the 80's by a group of Harley riders, it is a makeshift shrine to those bitten by the Dragon.Indeed, two accidents occurred shortly after my arrival here. The first unfortunate chap wrapped his GL1800 Golding around a tree trunk! Mind you, he should be grateful, as the tree stopped him from tumbling over the ridge and down into the valley below! The second bloke didn't even make it to the first corner! (of 318). In an attempt to pull a show off-type wheelie up the hill away from the Resort, it all went drastically wrong from the start. The ambulance, however, was soon on the scene to take him to a nearby A&E hospital unit.
I couldn't help but think of a good ol' Kiwi mate of mine, who lives down under in New Zealand, when I snapped this shot. You see, he recently changed his motorcycle specifically to acquire some more horses. He's also a keen enthusiast in [eh-hem] other recreational pastimes too? ... .. I say, 'Goodonya Bro - I STILL hope I grow-up to be just like you'.. ;o)
This location has seen its fair-share of fatalities too. I don't know quite what the circumstances were with this one, but clearly poor Jack died on his 62nd birthday.Monday, July-30
Here we are after our first (of four) rides through the Gap. Parked-up at Tabcat Bridge, it looks just like a Honda advert .. don't it?Three Canadians and a Cornishman, all riding their own motorcycles together 'Slay the Dragon' ...
.. an' I ceremoniously placed a badge-of-honour on the Pan's rear-end to prove it. Some highlights of the 20-minute ride
[click twice on the forward play arrow]
Thanks to all those I met and shared some time with over the last 2-3 days. I've deliberately put some numbers (#) against just a few of the individuals concerned. I did, of course, meet many more and I have a 'whole bunch' of business cards in my wallet to remember them by; which just goes to prove that during an adventure such as this, you're never alone. Chance meetings just keep on happening all day long .. and along the many days ahead may they continue to happen.
