A Long Ride

You don’t want to ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway before nine a.m. or after six p.m. unless you want to hit a deer. I pushed it a little Tuesday evening, riding past a motel and a lodge because I didn’t like the first and the second was too expensive. At that point it was totally dark and I was looking for any motel, no matter the price or quality. I pulled off the parkway in Laurel Springs, North Carolina, and rode up to a place with several Harleys and a beautifully restored Indian out front. Then I noticed the sign: Station’s Inn Motorcycle Resort. I just happened upon the only motorcycle resort on the entire Blue Ride Parkway! After a pizza and a beer, I was ready to go to bed, but instead I stayed up and had a great time with everyone in the bar. I’ve often felt like I’m traveling to different worlds on this trip, and Laurel Springs was a fun, hospitable and friendly world. Bruce and Vonnie, Kim and Jim - thanks for the great time! I’ve had some good luck and some bad, but this time I was just dumb lucky.

Kim, myself, and Vonnie.

Kim kick-starting Bruce’s 1949 Indian.

The Esso station across the street.