Blue Ridge Parkway to Catalina Wine Mixer

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of those routes we've always wanted to ride. Seeing how it was kind of in between the Gypsy Run in upstate New York and the Catalina Wine Mixer in Winfield, Alabama, and those events were only one week apart, it just made sense. The BRP was a total mind-blower, with over 400 miles of turns and little visual distraction other than nature's grandeur and us dumb-asses on choppers. We camped three nights with a hotel stay on either end. The whole trip was right around 1,200 miles and other than Otto popping his belt in the mud on the last day, all our bikes ran flawless (for once!).  The Catalina Wine Mixer was one hell of a party. Ian and Ross of Americana Speedshop set their southern hospitality on "11" and invited one and all to ride motorcycles and have fun in the woods just outside of town. Wet weather only made it more fun with antics like the lake jump, Coctagon, non-stop LCR tournaments and a chopper mud bog, there was never a dull moment.   Here's a couple things we learned, and a bunch of photos and a couple videos:

• The simple-minded game of LCR is awesome fun (google it) • Mud is slippery (OK, we pretty much new that) • The Blue Ridge Parkway is perfectly designed for old motorcycles • BBQ at Haywood Smokehouse in Dillsboro, NC is outstanding • Fire ants bite • James (flip on BMX jump) has a ridiculously high pain tolerance • Gypsy Run as we know it is now over • Mississippi Steve has the coolest dogs ever • Saw's Soul Kitchen in Avondale, Alabama is still a favorite

Thanks again to our friends who put on these events and let us be involved. Roll MF'n Tide.