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Message started by Dave on 05/26/22 at 15:46:38

Title: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by Dave on 05/26/22 at 15:46:38

Deb and I are in Bryson City, NC this week vacationing with her sister and their family.

We brought the motorcycle down and have been hiking in the mornings with family and then going for motorcycle rides in the afternoon.

On my rides I have noticed that so many of the little stores, gas stations and restaurants that were in the area are no longer open. It is sad to see so many little businesses gone.

Today it was raining hard all day so Deb and I drove to Waynesville and did a bit of shopping - then we ate at the Haywood Smokehouse and it was just as good as I remember.

We then left Waynesville and drove out to see the Blueridge Motorcycle Campground and continue on to the Blueridge Parkway for the ride back to Bryson City. As we got Cruso, NC where the Blueridge Campground is located we witnessed the creek was flowing full and nearly coming out of the banks - the fish hatchery was completely underwater. We saw a lot of what appeared to be a lot of buildings, cars and other debris in piles along the other side of the creek bank. We stopped and took some videos of the swollen creek, and you could hear the loud booms of large boulders being moved along the bottom of the Pigeon River. As we got to the Blueridge Campground we discovered the bridge was gone! There were some people looking at the water and I stopped to talk to them - they told me that last August there was a flash flood that wiped out homes and bridges, and also a large landslide that came down the mountain. If you go to YouTube and search for flooding in Cruso or Canton, NC or Haywood County you can see videos of the flood damage.

The campground was flooded, the bridge washed out, and cabins were damaged or washed away. I don't know when things will be repaired - but it most definitely won't be open anytime soon!

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by LANCER on 05/27/22 at 04:04:33

Wow, the Blue Ridge Motorcycle campground virtually wiped out. Could you see damage done to the house/office ?

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by MMRanch on 05/27/22 at 07:12:10

I remember some GOOD TIMES at that place ! :)

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/27/22 at 09:57:38

That is a shame.. I hope everyone is able to rebuild quickly.

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by Dave on 05/28/22 at 03:08:49

I could not see the office/house from the road - I could only see one cabin well and the grass area. I believe both cabins next to the creek are gone, and the entire bridge and earth ramp near the road where gone. The grass camping area had high grass as they are not currently mowing it. I talked with one of the local men and he didn't recognize the name "Phil" as being the current owner.

I have a video of the creek that I will post when I get back home.

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by Dave on 05/29/22 at 03:03:26

We got home yesterday afternoon and got everything unpacked.

My little Pontiac Vibe and trailer once again made a 1,000+ mile trip in fine style. The little car has a 4 cylinder with 126HP and 125 ft/lb of torque......it passed 190,000 miles on this trip. The car and trailer picked up my Savage on Long Island when I bought it in 2011, and it has been to TN/NC/GA several times each summer and Texas once. The car without the trailer has been to Florida 5 or 6 times and it was my "company car" for 11 years and my daily driver for the last 4.5 years. It gets 30-32 mpg without the trailer and around 24mpg with the trailer. When towing that little car can climb the steepest grades on the interstate in 4th gear at 3,000 rpm and maintain 60mph. The little car has been the most useful and reliable car I have ever owned, and I don't doubt it will last another 100,000 miles or more! The only negative thing is the car is small and the noise from the wind and tires can be pretty invasive at interstate speeds - I did put Kilzmat sound deadening in the doors and on the floor after the Texas trip and it helped a bit.

This video is short.....I should have taken more. The video starts out showing what is left of the headwall on the bank, then pans downstream. You can see where the other headwall remains are when you see the cabins, and downstream you can see debris left from the flood last fall.

https://youtu.be/oo3ozDL2B4E

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by springman on 05/31/22 at 13:36:26

Wow! Did not expect that. :o

Title: Re: Things are changing in NC too!
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/31/22 at 14:13:29

We had one. It was a Solid, Dependable little car. Never put a hitch on t. !Good mpg. She demanded change.. I miss it.