[SubaJew]

<YAWN> (as I emerge from hibernation).

I finally started having some free time again so I thought I'd poke my head in and say hi.

We're going to try to make this one.
I hope to have my roof back on by then.
Most of the debris has been cleared away, but it still looks looks a Dr. Seuss book around here.
I'm looking forward to seeing some whole trees again!

 

[SubaJew]

.... something about having a "one track mind" :wink:

FYI: that's a Norfolk & Western class Y6 2-8-8-2.
Not something you want to play chicken with!

 

[SubaJew]

April 29 is ok here.
In fact we're good any weekend except April 15-16 (Passover {& Easter} weekend).

 

[SubaJew]

The trip from Philly will be worth it alone!
Try to route yourself down Skyline Drive / Blue Ridge Parkway.
It's an awesome trip.

I'll be comming up from the other side.

 

[SubaJew]

Love that mountain driving.
Last June we did a little gravel roading around Cass, WV (the other side of the mountain from Snowshoe).
Some of those roads had very steep grades, but the FXT ate it up.
Now that I'm riding on Bridgestone Potenza G009 225/60/16, I'm aching to get it "off road" again.

Last year, with fuel prices and availability so uncertain, we decided to bail out.
This year, we're going to make it happen.

 

[SubaJew]

Yup, they're open every season.
We rented a caboose and spent 2 nights on top of the mountain.
Worth the trip. Plan to spend a few days.

Getting pushed up the mountain:

On top of Bald Knob for 2 nights:

 

[SubaJew]

... and checked out all these radio telescopes at some facility. ...

The telescope you're talking about is: http://www.gb.nrao.edu/
and can be seen from Bald Knob (actually it's just out of view behind the caboose in the photo).

 

[SubaJew]

Any plans for Sunday?
I'm trying to decide on 2 or 3 nights hotel.

 

[SubaJew]

I might just stay in Cherokee thru Monday and go to the Great Smokey Mountain Railway http://www.gsmr.com/

 

[SubaJew]

Our reservations are set.
Hit the road Fri morning.
Fri & Sat nights by the Asheville airport.
Sun & Mon nights in Cherokee.
Home Tues night.

 

[SubaJew]

We'll probably hit the road around midnight Friday morning & head up I-95 & I-26.
With a breakfast stop, we'll arrive around noonish.
However, don't expect us to be too functional until Sat morning.
12 hours of driving makes me ga-ga. :icon_frown:

 

[SubaJew]

One week left!
I've been looking over the area with my topo map software.
There are some nice grades!
Is the "National Forest Road" open to the public?
Damn! I'm starting to drool again.

 

[SubaJew]

I gather then that the answer is yes.
On my map it shows all the roads you listed as National Forest Road.
You have to zoom in and then it gives the FR#.

After we leave you folks and go to GSMNP I'm also planning on driving the gravel road across the east side of the park (parallel to I-40) as well as the other obligatory tourist spots around the cove area.

I guess I'd better wax up the Sube real good this weekend so I can clean her off easily when we get back.

Carl: You will have a PM shortly.

 

[SubaJew]

I found this for finding those 5000 series roads: http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/roads/nantahala_roads.pdf

 

[SubaJew]

Just out of curiosity, what are the gas prices like up there right now.
I'm budgeting this trip @ $3.50/gal @ 20/mpg as a worst case scenario.
This might be our last vacation road trip for a while. :frown:

 

[SubaJew]

yelnats_j: Lysol or disinfect the house & car.
It sounds like whatever is "bugging" you is still lurking around waiting for your immune system to become vulnerable again.
Without sounding too steryotypical, eat lots of chicken soup. ;-)
Hope you feel better.

 

[SubaJew]

Out the door, down (or up) the road.
Our trip already involves a detour as there are 600 acres of brush burning in Brevard County and I-95 is closed in the area as a result.
See you all this weekend.

 

[SubaJew]

We're finally back home! Got in around 2am.
I've only got this one pic of the cars together.
We were too busy holding on to take pics. :wink:
I'm going to post pics of our trip into the Great Smokey Mountains NP in a separate thread.
really! happened to everybody!?
You all missed a nice run.

 

[SubaJew]

Link to the rest of our trip:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/forums/showthread.php?t=4724