BLUE RIDGE GATHERING 2026
  
 

Twenty Five Years Of Riding With Old Friends And New Friends

  
 
September 23, 2026
  
   
   
  Today I leave out to meet Andy for breakfast and then we head for Newport, Tennessee where I will be hosting the 25th Blue Ridge Gathering. SweetTreat gets the honors for this ride.
 
  As I pick my way along the backroads near Leipers Fork I encounter a turkey brigade slowly sauntering across the road without a care in the world.
 
  I make my way through Thompson Station that got its name from being a real railroad station. Local landowner Dr. Elijah Thompson donated land for the village and its train station in 1856. In honor of his contribution, the town was officially named Thompson's Station.
 
  We are meeting in Beech Grove for breakfast which is the location of Hoover's Gap. My great, great grandfather saw action here during the Civil War.
 
  We've ridden by this place many times over the years and decide today would be as good as any to check it out.
 
  The food is mighty fine and we are not disappointed by our decision to stop.
 
  But the road waits for no one, so we settle up after tending to the business on our plates and head out.
 
  Highway 30 is one of my favorite roads to ride in Tennessee and it just happens to work in nicely on our way to Newport.
 
  Having made this ride before, I route us through some lovely areas and small towns to avoid big city traffic and the interstates.
 
  We pass by many beautiful lakes and river impoundments on our way.
 
  It's been a great day of over 300 miles of 2 lane backroads to get to the Best Western in Newport.
   
  And right out of the parking lot is a Ruby Tuesday restaurant so supper is a short walk away.  
   
  I go for their fish and chips which includes some nice pollock and fries - pretty tasty if I do say so myself.  
   
  It's a slower walk back up the hill to our room but we manage to make it without a mishap. It don't take long for the rack monster to make us submit.  
   
   
 
September 24, 2026
  
   
   
  One of the nice things about this motel is that it includes a real breakfast - pig meat, hen fruit and gravy and biscuits among other things. When some motels advertise a 'hot breakfast' it is no more than a tired old waffle iron and lots of sugary stuff. This is fine enough for me and I even make a cup of hot tea to go along with it.  
 
  I always designate Thursday as 'Explore Day' where I go check out new roads and the condition of old roads. No warranty is expressed or implied as we may be making U-turns, encountering gravel roads and other 'interesting' situations. But there are still those hearty souls who are up for it.
   
  I want to check out couple of new 'ways' to get out Newport so we are off like a dirty shirt.  
   
  Some are quite interesting so they go into my 'mental' catalogue of roads. I seldom forget faces, restaurants or roads but all other stuff may fall off the mental plate.  
   
  We encounter some pretty good technical stuff which I am always looking for to keep the Friday and Saturday rides interesting.  
   
  We take a short break at Trust or Luck store - I guess it depends on your view of life as to which one you call it.  
   
  Then it's off to check out some more great roads.  
   
  In this area there are plenty of good ones but you have to be able to 'stitch' them together into a continuing ride. You don't want a bunch of bikes trying to do U-turns at a dead end in tight and sloped spaces.  
   
  There's still quite a bit of fog hanging on the mountains but the temps are very pleasant for riding.  
   
  There's a 'new to me' restaurant I want to check out today. Suddenly I remember that it closes at 2 PM and time is short. So I make a quick change of plans in flight so we can get there in time.  
   
  We roll in about 1:30 PM and the aged server is not really happy about it. But she accommodates us and we get some very delicious food. I just file away in my head that if we are going to eat here as a group we'd better get here around 12 PM. Otherwise we will face the wrath of a server who has the personality of a unhappy snapping turtle. She sweetens up a bit when she gets my tip so I think we will be fine in the future if we carefully observe the time restraints.  
   
  From here it's short run up highway 151, a very technical piece of asphalt that runs up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm very familiar with it but I want to see if there are a lot of leaves and debris or is it in pretty good condition.  
   
  It is actually pretty clear today so it goes in the routes for the main rides.  
   
  As we approach the Parkway, we run into some pretty thick fog that we saw early.  
   
  Running out of the tunnels, the fog gives the tunnel exits a bit of an other worldly portal look.  
   
  Soon are down off the Parkway into the valleys where the nearest fog is still clinging to the mountain tops.  
   
  The blues are so blue over the mountains that they almost look like a painting instead of a natural scene.  
   
  Other folks have arrived while we are out riding. So we gather like a herd of cats and wander back to Ruby Tuesday. Everybody finds something to stave off utter starvation so that is a good thing.  
   
  The only hard part of the whole experience is our rooms are back up a slight hill which is a little tough to negotiate with a full stomach. But no one dies in the process so we all retire for the evening in preparation for what the ride tomorrow holds.  
   
   
 
September 25, 2026
  
   
   
  With the breakfast 'issue' sorted, Andy and I head back down to the feeding trough. I ain't particular - as long as I can get hen fruit and pig meat for breakfast I am a happy camper. Gravy and biscuits are just a pleasant and welcomed addition to the fray.  
   
  With that behind us, we suit up for the adventures of the day. There will be thirteen riders in total leaving out this morning.  
   
  In planning my routes, I try to stay on roads that are not on the 'popular' list of roads to ride in the area. I have found them by exploring on Thursdays over a period of twenty five years. As a general rule, we very seldom ever see any other motorcycles unless we are on some of the well known ones as we transition to the unknown ones.  
   
  My criteria are pretty basic - technically challenging, decent road surfaces and little traffic.  
   
  I also try to plan in a few stops along the way so people can fuel and de-fuel at reasonable intervals.  
   
  Then we are back to enjoying the roads and the beautiful scenery.  
   
  Whether we down in the valleys and hollers ...  
   
  or up on the ridges, the views are always amazing to me.  
   
  We make a short rest stop up on the Parkway so we can take a 'photo op'.  
   
  We three are the only 'original' ones at this BRG that were at the first BRG so we pose for the shot.  
   
  We try emulate this shot from 25 years ago - but we all know better than to kneel. Itt would probably take a crane company or medical personel to get us back up. As far as I know, the other three gentlemen are still alive but only one of them still rides. This shot was taken at the highest point on the Parkway which we were not going to today.  
   
  The views from the Parkway are always enjoyable to be as I grew up in the hills and always like a high spot to look out from.  
   
  For lunch I have picked out the Jukebox Junction between Cruso and Waynesville. It always has great service and great food.  
   
  And today is no exception as the young lady who is serving us is really good at what she does.  
   
  We waddle back out to our steeds and head out for some great roads on our way back to the motel.  
 
  I have routed us back through Marshall as there are great roads to get there and I am interested as to how well they are recovering. Since the town sits almost right on the river bank, they took a really hard hit when the storms and flooding from Helene came through. But it appears they are making a very good recovery though it has been two years in the making.  
   
  When we arrive back at the motel, we decide tonight we'll give Ruby Tuesday a rest and try the pizza parlor in the motel complex tonight.  
   
  The pizza is very good and nobody goes away hungry.  
   
  The only problem is once again we have to walk up the hill a bit to get to our rooms with a fully belly. Maybe I can ask the motel to put in an escalator for us before next year ...  
 
 
September 26, 2026
  
 
 
I am a creature of habit, so it comes as no surprise that my breakfasts all look pretty much the same. I have no problem eating the same stuff very day as long as I like it - and this case I do.  
   
  We're all geared up after stuffing our faces and ready to roll on to the adventures of the day.  
 
The sky is a mottled gray this morning but I'll take that over blazing hot sun or pouring down rain.  
 
I manage to get a 'backwards' shot over my shoulder - which is always more 'luck' than skill in my experience.  
 
This section of road reminds me a bit of an asphalt roller coaster.  
 
And once again the scenery lays out before us in dramatic blues and greens.  
 
Here we encounter some low lying clouds that have come down into the valleys.  
 
But then we are back out into the sunshine and free of fog.  
 
If you don't like curves this is not the place to be riding for sure.  
 
  The roads just follow the nature edges of the ridges and mountains, clinging to the sides as they descend.  
   
  Then you're down in the dark valleys and in the shadows.  
   
  Sometimes it's a peaceful, twisty run that follows a small river as it meanders through a holler.  
   
  And in many places, there are houses of worship just built right into the hillside where they have cleared out a flat spot.  
   
  As I have often said, I really enjoy riding alongside a river and enjoying the twists and turns that accompany it.  
   
It's been a long haul since we have seen a place that will work for fueling and de-fueling so I pull into here. The challenge is always finding a place with enough parking that is paved and reasonably flat.  
 
And this place just happens to have an old Studebaker like my granddaddy used to drive. But his was black not brush painted blue like this one.  
 
For lunch we are stopping at one of my all time favorite eating joints - Bubba's Good Eats in Burnsville.  
   
  There is always plenty of good parking and plenty of good food.  
   
  They can handle reasonably sized groups and their service is always good.  
   
  I get their brisket sandwich and it does not disappoint.  
   
  After a little route 'confusion' where my GPS audio fails and I can't see the screen for the sun's glare, we manage to get back to the motel without too much more drama.  
   
 

We decide that Ruby Tuesdays will work again for super tonight. We get the same r young lady as server that we had previously and I ask her -

"Did you draw the short straw again?"

She just laughs and does a great job like she did the last time. This is the last 'official' act of the 2026 BRG so I wish all those that showed up a safe journey and hope to see them next year. I have been really please how this venue has worked out so I tell them we will be coming back here to the same place next year.

  
 
We finish up, settle up, and then make the uphill walk back to our rooms. As I pillow my head, I thank the Lord in prayer that we have had excellent weather, excellent accommodations and no body parts - motorcycle or human - have been damaged in the past few days.  
   
 
September 27, 2026
  
 
 
  Today I am attending Calvary Baptist Church, the assembly I went to last year. They are just down the road from the motel which makes it nice.  
   
  They have just called a new pastor and the founding pastor who served after forty years will be preaching today. It's a good service with good music and many of the folks remember me from last year. I return for the evening service which I also enjoy.  
   
  Super for me by my lonesome is an easy choice - I'm back to Ruby Tuesday.  
   
  Tomorrow is the ride back to the Holler via the slab so I can get home quickly.  
   
 
September 28, 2026
  
 
 
  Breakfast is my usual and as I make my way back to my room, I have to admire the vibrant colors of the many flowers on the way up.  
   
  I move SweetTreat down to a more level spot and get her loaded up and ready for the run.  
   
  I decide I'd better put on my rain jacket as a wind breaker. Once I am on I40 I am really thankful that I did since the fog is thick and cold.  
   
But fortunately I run out of the fog and back into the sunshine and for that I am very grateful.  
 
  Knoxville has a little bit of traffic but not too bad and I manage to get through it without much trouble.  
   
  Soon I am counting the mile markers down as the Holler is only two miles or so from an I40 exit.  
   
  I arrive back in the Holler with no drama, no trauma and no deer - which is the way I prefer it to be. Another BRG is in the books and I am thankful that I am still able to host them - even after twenty five years.  
   
 

 

THE END