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We drove through Maggie OTW to Cherokee. We stayed at the casino there. Wednesday morning around 930 was when we hit the Dragon, on the way out. Didn't see a car or a bike until we got through it and stopped at the overlook. It was great.

20600 miles. Runs 100%. Mechanically 100%. Premium build with every option available. Dynamic ESA, Auto Ride Height, with self-leveling sag, Ride Modes Pro, 6" full color TFT display, NAV 5 Garmin installed, Shift Assist Pro, ABS Pro (cornering ABS), heated grips, cruise control, Keyless Ride, LED headlight/tail light, LED Nano auxiliary lights, BMW aluminum panniers and trunk. Panniers come with Kathy's Designs Cordura liners. All locks keyed to match bike, TPMS. Good tires, plus a spare set. All original parts come with the bike, (saddles, windshield, foot pegs). Touratech Sport Saddle (lowest height because I am vertically challenged). Touratech Medium and Large (installed) windscreens. Touratech waterproof dual-USB outlet. Givi handguard extenders, (not installed). Akrapovic Titanium/Carbon slip on. Slight damage to left pannier from a gravel drive tip over. Closes and functions as it should. Some minor scratches to the left handguard from the same tio over. Nothing is broken. Sometimes GSAs fall down. This is easily the finest motorcycle I have ever ridden. It does everything very well. Fast, comfortable, excellent weather protection, perfect suspension, incredible brakes, every creature comfort.

Looks like a great trip. The Dragon was pretty empty last Tuesday and Wednesday. We were in Maggie Valley for the week. Glad you're home safe, but the Vid can suck it. I've got to get my wife on the back of a wing some time.

It disappears as soon as you get over 10mph. My short self was able to ride this without too much trouble with the short person seat installed.

Highway pegs are not for twisties... squid.

For a mere 250 extra pounds you can have a Goldwing.

You mean never tested positive for it. A lot of people that get it are asymptomatic.

Ok, always thought Asheville sucked. I was wrong. The Biltmore Village area where we are staying is amazing.

I've ridden that area once a few years ago, after the Labor Day slow down. Still a big tourist draw with slow lines of cars and motorhomes on Alt74 in the Lake Lure/Bat Cave area. Just a heads up. No idea what you'll find. Obviously, 80 is hoot, 197 between Barnardsville and Burnsville is nice but there's about a 3-4 mile section of well graded gravel on the west side of the climb. Not sure you want to do that on the luxo-barge two-up. Roan Mtn 261/143 from Bakersville is a great road.

So Deb and I seek very good cool restaurants on our trips. For the last four or five years our favorite appetizer was from a restaurant in Santa Fe NM. It was BBQ quail tacos. The tacos have been dethroned. Holy smokes are these mushrooms good.

ALT 74 from Lake Lure to Asheville. Holy crap. Looks like a ton of great roads over by Lake Lure.