Sisters of the SEBDR

Day 5 – April 23, Cave Spring to Ellijay, Georgia

In the morning, the motorcycles were loaded, and the travelers returned to the spring to fill hydration packs and water bottles before continuing the day’s journey toward Ellijay. Breakfast had been whatever could be found in the panniers or at the gas stop, and lunch would likely follow suit.

Maggie had decided to take a different route for the day and to meet the group in Ellijay, so after a brief farewell, Emily, Melissa, Donna, and Tami began Section 5. Surprisingly, the previous day’s mechanical problems on the ten-year-old BMW seemed to disappear. Even the engine light was off. However, upon restarting the engine after refueling, the check engine indicator was again illuminated, along with the return of the power-delivery issues and the complaining exhaust. Tami began to think that the problem might have to do with a faulty spark plug or some part of the ignition system, but the bike still ran, so she continued.

On a paved section of the route, the riders carefully navigated around a large snapping turtle, just one of many interesting animals they would encounter on the SEBDR. Not long after, Emily tackled her very first giant mud puddle of the trip with ease and Magnum became a “proper looking GSA,” proudly wearing mud and grit.

Melissa later brought the riders to a stop by an old graveyard near Summerville. As everyone paused to rehydrate, have a snack, and read the ancient epitaphs, the bells of Shiloh Baptist Church could be heard in the distance.

Once again in motion, the brief section of pavement yielded to dirt, rising in elevation and revealing new challenges. There were more embedded rocks, a few stretches of wet sand, and patches of mud. The path twisted with increasing abruptness and banked in a way that was reminiscent of an unpaved Tail of the Dragon. The drop-offs became steeper, and the rain ruts were more pronounced. 

Day 8 – April 26, Waynesville, North Carolina to Hot Springs, North Carolina

First on the itinerary for Day 8 was a visit to Dale’s Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley. The Southeastern Mini Truckin’ Nationals had taken over the town for the weekend, so while traffic was heavy, the mood was festive. The four BMW motorcycles glided across the bridge and lined up in front of the museum.

Upon hearing of four women on big adventure bikes that were taking a break from the trail to visit the collection, Andy Norris rolled out the red carpet and shared details of several rare and beautiful motorcycles. Eventually, after considering that it might be impossible to see the museum properly and complete Section 8 in the same day, Andy accompanied the travelers to the lobby, produced a hand-written pass for presentation upon their return, and offered a parting picture with the current raffle bike, a fully restored 1939 Harley-Davidson knucklehead. With Donna seated astride the saddle, everyone gathered around, and the picture was complete, an image of friendship, adventure, and the miles that had brought them there.

After trading stories with other visitors in the parking area, the motorcycles were again in motion and headed on the winding, climbing route that would eventually end in the town of Hot Springs. After more than a week on the SEBDR, the riders were more in sync than ever. Melissa had long before emerged as the primary navigator, and she picked up the pace, when possible, narrating the features of the trail as they went.

At one point, Melissa signaled a stop to admire hundreds of trillium flowers blooming alongside the road. Soon after, a series of chocolate-milk filled mud puddles presented an opportunity for synchronized splashing. The trail was peppered with many more, some with deep ruts and challenging lines, but the bikes and riders stayed upright.

As the bikes climbed and descended, rock shelves and rain ruts dotted the route. The way was bumpy and bouncy, sometimes precarious, and consistently an entertaining challenge.

There were two creek crossings that day. The first was shallow and wasn’t much of a bother, but a stalled engine on the exit of the second caused one of the bikes to get a brief washing in the cool water. Collin, a friendly local watching from his red pickup truck, observed with a grin, “You’re a bunch of women.” The group laughed and nodded in agreement, proudly so. Then he added, “I watched a group of guys struggle to get through that crossing last week.” His tone carried both surprise and admiration, and the compliment wasn’t lost on anyone. Further down the trail, a rocky section bumped another rider off-balance, providing yet another opportunity to stop, drink water, do a team lift, and move again along the route.

At the end of the day’s ride, the travelers were rewarded with delicious tacos and locally brewed beer at Big Pillow Brewing. The town was still recovering from the catastrophic floods of the French Broad River during Hurricane Helene that had submerged much of the historic buildings just months earlier, but the mood seemed hopeful, and the resilience of the residents was inspiring.

Beer flowed, the scent of street tacos perfumed the air, and live music filled the courtyard. After dinner, the travelers walked across the railroad tracks to the French Broad River and then back through the town, which is on the path of the Appalachian Trail, before retiring to their rooms at the Vaste Riviere Outpost, which provided a cozy and comfortable place to relax and prepare for the coming day.

Day 10 – April 28, Newland, North Carolina to Damascus, Virginia

The riders tried not to think about the fact that this would be the final day of the trip. Nine days of living together in close quarters and spending every waking hour together, for women who had never traveled together, had been stressful at times but had ultimately resulted in a close-knit group.

At Waightstill’s Restaurant and Tavern for breakfast, Donna produced the BDR banner and asked each of the travelers to sign. That evening, they would be in Damascus, at the official end of the route, after which they would bid farewell to Emily, and then proceed as a trio for a night at Donna’s house, about 35 miles from Damascus, before returning to their regular routines.

Section 10 did not disappoint. As they traveled through the Pisgah National Forest and Roan Mountain State Park, parts of the route were under construction. Early in the day, the dirt roads were freshly strewn with deep gravel. Soon after, as they approached Betsey’s Ole Country store on Hwy 90 near Brown Mountain Beach Road, they came upon active grading operations. The operator of the grader explained that the road was closed for repairs and offered an alternate route as a workaround. The riders considered his advice as they decided on the detour they would take, and ultimately ended up traveling through Banner Elk to Valle Crucis, North Carolina, to visit the famous Mast General Store for an RC Cola and a Moon Pie.

Once back on the route, Melissa led the pack up, down, and around mountain peaks on gravel roads interspersed with sections of deliciously smooth and twisty pavement. Several friendly-looking dogs came to the road to greet them as they traveled through Shady Valley, and Melissa paused to make friends with the pups. Further down the road, the travelers surprised a bear as it scurried across the road. They continued without stopping this time, noting that making friends with the bear might not be a good idea.

The forest road eventually yielded to pavement and the riders traveled through Backbone Rock near the end of the journey. Shortly after 4pm, they rolled into Damascus. After taking a picture with the banner at the “Welcome to Damascus” sign, they made their way to the Damascus Diner for their final meal of the journey. They were physically tired but also elated, and the burgers were especially delicious.

Ask anyone who has traveled on the Backcountry Discovery Routes what it’s like, and you’ll get a variation of the same answer – the experience challenges and changes you. It makes you a better rider. It makes you a better friend. It may even make you a better person. At any rate, it’s worth the effort. All you need is a bike, the tracks (download them free at ridebdr.com), and a sense of adventure.