All of the new parts for my motorcycle arrived at the end of the week, so I scrambled to get the bike back together. And that meant I needed to see how it all worked . . . . so I headed out for some motorcycle camping. And it just so happened I knew where some friends were gonna be camping.

I managed to beat my buddy, Rick and his crew up to BRMC on Friday.
So I got to work setting up my little campsite.



Rick and the rabble rolled in a little while later.
And we got our drink on.

The next morning, we were off to see Wheels Through Time before they shut their doors and move out west.

We stopped near the BRP when Rick's eldest brother missed the turn


We finally got to Maggie Valley, where everyone went in to see the museum.
I stayed outside (having been through the museum recently).
I watched Dale (the owner) take some kids around in the hack (he even pulled the hack into the air a little)



Then I got to sit outside and talk to Dale for a bit. That was a nice treat.

After Wheels Through Time, we all went to Butts on the Creek (a bbq joint).
While we were eating, we heard a REALLY long line of bikes ride by the joint. It seemed to go on forever. Apparently, there was a memorial ride planned that day for a police officer who was shot during a traffic stop. There were hundreds and hundreds of bikes.


But we stole out of town for some pleasant mountain-riding.

A little bit of 215, and a stop near a swimming hole


Rick and I were the first to the bottom


Slowly, the rest of the group rumbled in


A little more playtime, and then it was back to the campground.

I realized I had set up my hammock over a yellow-jacket nest!!
So I moved a little further down


The rest of the group rode back out for a Mexican dinner. I hung around the campground and relaxed out in the water.


Enough time for a nap


I rode home this morning, managing to stay just ahead of a storm.
About twenty minutes after I walked in the door, a torrential rain started.

I love when the timing works out like that.