North Carolina

A collection of 83 posts

Nov/Dec '21 Premium Content

Winston-Salem, North Carolina Shamrock Tour®

Moravians settled land in North Carolina in 1766 and called it Salem. Just one mile north, Winston was founded as the county seat in 1849. In 1913, they merged to create Winston-Salem. R. J. Reynolds built his tobacco empire here, and many recall the cigarette brands Winston and Salem. The

May/Jun '21

Johnson City, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®

Johnson City lies just on the edge of the Cherokee National Forest in the northeastern corner of Tennessee. The city is claimed to be one of the first settled areas in the state, originating in the late 1700s, but it didn’t get its name until 1856 when Henry Johnson

Mar/Apr '20 Premium Content

Clemson, South Carolina Shamrock Tour®: Reunion Ride

This story started in 1999, and it’s quite special to me. It’s a story of four friends who are more like brothers, who have somehow managed to keep riding together even when life tries to get in the way. It all began in rural northern Michigan at a

Nov/Dec '18 Premium Content

North Carolina: The Great Triple-Digit Escape

It’s another 100-plus-degree day in “Middle-earth” of North Carolina. The office air conditioner is struggling to keep up as the warmth radiates from the large windows. We haven’t ridden in a few weeks due to the heat and humidity. Fortunately for us, the Great Smoky Mountains are just

May/Jun '18

City Escape: Asheville, North Carolina

Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content

Kingsport, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®: Riding the Mountain Empire

Spanning from northeastern Tennessee to southwestern Virginia, there’s great touring country known as the Mountain Empire. And hidden within this region is the gem known as Kingsport, TN. This town serves as the starting point of what is now known as the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail. In March of

Jan/Feb '17 Premium Content

Washington, D.C. to Tennessee: Trail of Tears

Missionary Daniel Butrick kept a journal of his travels with the Cherokee People as they were force-marched to Indian Territory during the winter of 1838-39. It is one of the saddest episodes in American history, with the depths of despair grippingly described in this entry: “… the government might more mercifully

May/Jun '16 Premium Content

North Carolina: A Triple Dose of the Coast

When most motorcyclists think about North Carolina, their minds instantly turn to the misty peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains, the undulating twists of the Tail of the Dragon, or the sweeping beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Understandably so. But while the roads in the western part of the

May/Jun '15 Premium Content

Iconic Roads: Blue Ridge Parkway

May/Jun '15 Premium Content

North Carolina: Boone Town Mountain Loop

Back in RoadRUNNER’s August 2014 issue we introduced our Budget Touring Project Bike. The goal was to prove how affordable motorcycle touring can be by purchasing the cheapest road worthy motorcycle we could find and take it on tour. We bought a 1984 Honda Shadow 700 for $ 1,000

Jan/Feb '15

City Escape: Charlotte, North Carolina

> Leaving the hustle and bustle of the Queen City, it doesn’t take long to find curvy, scenic mountain roads that will delight any motorcyclist. There are several interesting stops along the way, but this loop is all about the ride. The area’s moderate climate makes this route

Jul/Aug '14 Premium Content

Reader Ride-North Carolina and Tennessee: Riding the Dragon’s Tail

Mar/Apr '14 Premium Content

Little Switzerland, NC Shamrock Tour®: The Parkway's Hidden Gem

Western North Carolina is a mountainous area where the Blue Ridge Parkway slices through the state on a northeast to southwest diagonal. An ideal setting of endless curves and fun in these mountains creates a natural playground for motorcyclists. Fifty miles east of Asheville, NC, right on the route, is

Sep/Oct '12 Premium Content

Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee: Thunder Roads

Let me tell the story, I can tell it all, About the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol, His daddy made the whiskey, son he drove the load, When the engine roared, they called the highway Thunder Road. - Opening excerpt from the “Ballad of Thunder Road” Dangerous two-lane roads,

Nov/Dec '11 Premium Content

Ellijay, Georgia Shamrock® Tour

I knew that Florian and I were in for a great Shamrock Tour® when I woke to the softly layered Appalachian mountains stretching out in front of our hotel, with a twisting two-lane highway cutting an inviting path between them. Four days later, parking our Harley-Davidsons for the last time

Sep/Oct '11 Premium Content

Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee

It doesn’t take much to prompt a tour at the RoadRUNNER offices, especially after an unusually cold winter – at least by our thin-blooded Southern standards – has been keeping us annoyingly close to home. So when coworker Florian called and announced that two Can-Am Spyders were in dire need of

Nov/Dec '10 Premium Content

Shamrock Tour® - Bristol, Virginia

A late spring tour in the southern mountains often brings rainstorms along for the ride. On the way to Bristol, the dark and ominous clouds chase us wherever we go. Then, finally, in Jefferson, the rain gets a hold of us and doesn’t let go until we get back

May/Jun '09 Premium Content

Coastal Carolinas

As fall leaves swirl, the prospect of closing out the riding season becomes all too real. Shorter days and colder temperatures effectively squelch the freedom to just ride away on a whim. But occasionally, autumn will tease out one last enticing forecast that offers just enough room to roam. Bidding

Jan/Feb '09 Premium Content

Shamrock Tour® - Bryson City, North Carolina

Remember recess? It was every kid's refuge from the old three Rs. Fresh air and freedom reigned and rules were the exception. Unwinding was your sole responsibility and frolicsome fun ensued for no apparent reason. Most motorcyclists know how to get that feeling back and many of them

Mar/Apr '07 Premium Content

North Carolina: Nags Head Revisited

Up until a few months ago I didn't have any fond memories of Eastern North Carolina. The unfavorable impressions that I retain spring from long-ago drives to Nags Head on the Outer Banks  -  dull, dispiriting trips taken in old, mephitic cars packed with battered musical equipment and

Jan/Feb '07 Premium Content

The Flight of Davis and Lee

From the beginning of the American Civil War, "On to Richmond" became the rallying cry of Union troops. The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 was a turning point in the war, and the bulk of both armies eventually entrenched and fought around the cities

Sep/Oct '06 Premium Content

North Carolina Mountains

In my younger, more impetuous days, my old buddy Rich and I were known for embarking on road trips that often defied logic in their timing and execution. Never sticklers for details, we'd throw caution to the wind and, on a whim, hit the road with reckless abandon.

Mar/Apr '06 Premium Content

North Carolina: Slow Down, Look Around

We never stopped at South of the Border when I was a kid. Dad was one of those psycho travelers. Bladders could be emptied only when fuel tanks were filled. Motels were always dark places and I only saw them during midnight check-ins and pre-dawn check-outs. Mom was sympathetic about

Jan/Feb '06 Premium Content

Old Salem to Williamsburg via Virginia Highway 40

Ah, vintage motorcycles  -  No matter how well you plan and prepare, nothing seems to quell the mischievous nature of the little gremlin that seems to reside in all things carbureted. An irksome imp whom I oh-so fondly call #*@%^$ occasionally visits my 1978 Kawasaki KZ650C. Unfortunately, the little rat decided

Jan/Feb '06 Premium Content

Charleston to Cincinnati

Well mama said, "Son before you goThere's something I want you to doPromise me that you won't go wrongAs you travel down Highway 52."With a map spread across our table at a rooftop bar in Charleston, South Carolina, we began calculating the daily