We will certainly be taking trips down here in 2025.  With the mountains being somewhat smaller and in a different part of the US - maybe the summer months won't have the daily pop up rain storms that occur in the Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains.

One downside of riding in this area is the lack of food.  Each morning we had to ride for an hour or more before we could find a place to get breakfast - and every morning we ate food from a gas station.  The towns are not big enough to support a place to get breakfast - Elkhorn City that is closest to the motel has a Mexican restaurant and a Pizza/Sub shop.  We had our Saturday night dinner at a BBQ truck in a town called Haysi where they were having a local festival and cornhole tournament - our Sunday night dinner was in Elkhorn City at the Mexican restaurant.  Afternoons feasts were just snacks....however we did get a piece of pizza at the Back of the Dragon store in Tazewell on Saturday afternoon.  In the future we will likely stock up on breakfast meals that can be cooked in the motel microwave - or cereal and donuts!

In Virginia on the way to ride the "Widowmaker" we cam across some of the most rugged pasture and I have ever seen!

Dave, you literally scared the crap out of the cattle!  You’ve found some nice scenic riding areas!

MM - The Sturgis area would be great if it wasn’t 1300+ miles away!  That’s a cool little cabin you shared.  Thanks for the invite.  Even 800 miles to your place is pretty long.  I’d have to get a trailer because I’m not loading up like a pack mule and riding 800 miles down the expressway.  That just ain’t my thing.

Weather is turning ideal here right now.  Kinda like April was in the Hill Country. Lows in the mid 60s and highs in the mid 80s.  I’m getting as much saddle time as I can!

I’m going to keep following this post.  Y’all come up with some great ideas and cool photos and stories of past adventures!