Our wish for sunshine wasn’t granted today, for part two of our journey. We took our time this morning, paying a visit to Starbucks and investing in a tape for the DV cam, which we plan to use in the mountains. The clouds were even heavier than the previous day, so again, I had icy hands fairly soon into our ride. Conditions improved, and we enjoyed the small North Georgia towns, which were inviting with their Halloween decorations, mums in full bloom, and pumpkins galore.
Between Dawsonville and Dahlonega we passed countless BBQ joints (is that all these people eat?), lovely wildflowers scattered about, and lots of stinky, dead things along the side of the road. Passing roadkill is bad enough in a car, but on a bike, you have no chance…it seeps into your helmet, and you have no choice but to keep breathing. Luckily, it doesn’t last long. Somewhere in this area, I began to get a bit restless, as my right ear was tucked down & folded like a taco inside my helmet, thanks to that flexible elastic cartilage. J. is so sharp — he somehow read my mind, and stopped at a Zaxby’s just a few miles down the road — or maybe he was just craving chicken fingerz. Either way, I was happy to relieve the discomfort of my ear, and to chow down on warm crinkle fries.
Soon, the sun peeked through the clouds and warmed our backs, but it was only an appetizer potion that was much too short lived. Even with the cold, the scenery became better and better as we neared the northern Georgia border. After a particularly icy stretch, we stopped in Blairsville for a coffee break. I must have looked extra cold and pathetic, because the cashier gave me two large coffees for the price of one medium, and after too many packs of sugar, it was good stuff.
After only a couple more miles, I had the idea of adding our raingear, which we did right away. What a difference it made — the added protection and comfort made _everything_ seem wonderful, from the small towns to the flow of traffic. Once we hit Highway 129, my jaw hit the bottom rim of my helmet — the fall foliage was in full bloom with golds, greens, and crimson. Dry, brown leaves were blowing about the road, and the Nighthawk was humming through, leaving a swirl of leaves behind.
We were finally able to ride the Tail of the Dragon, and Deal’s Gap, something we’ve always wanted to do. J. took each of the 300+ curves masterfully, and together we leaned and glided around the mountain roads, along with several other bikes. We paused for pictures, and film footage, awed by the glass lake that framed the base of the colored mountains. The Foothills Parkway had equally amazing views, with each overlook offering a more expansive display than the preceding one.
Just before dusk, we reached our destination, and were greeted by Sharon, who was quick to offer hot tea that was perfect for a chilled throat. After a nice night with dinner (thanks Jerry & Sharon) and conversation, I go to bed with a sore throat, but it’s a small price to pay for all that today’s scenic routes had to offer.
