Ride Captain Ride

[buki]

What a top down day in America's most beautiful state...Tennessee!
(It was 83 with 38% humidity and crystal clear bluebird skies.)

One of only two operating ferries in the state is less than 20 miles from our lake house so I dropped the top and went for a cruise.


The first pic is staging at the line

Second is preparing to drive aboard

Third is a splendid example of just how exclusive XLR's actually are (they allowed me be to board alone to avoid any possibility of redneck contamination.)

And the last shot is preparing to disembark onto TN. HWY 147 which makes any British road you have ever seen on Top Gear look amateurish.


Perfect day...perfect weather...perfect car. It was a day I won't soon forget.

 

[Crimson Pearl]

Yes, Tennesee is a beautiful state and holds the possibility for many scenic drives!

Your Xenon Blue is striking on a beautiful clear day.

We traveled home via the Cherohala Skyway from our visit to Bowling Grenn last fall. A beautiful drive from Tennesee into NC.

You might enjoy the coastal ferries in NC if you ever travel to the NC coast, also very enjoyable.

Thanks for posting and sharing your day with us.

 

[mtrocket]

All I can say is don't EVER take the ferries in Canada. Both Madmac and I scraped the bottoms of the undersides both on and off the ferries. Just made us sick inside the cars as we were listening to the S...C...R...A...P...E....... Madmac can fill in on exactly which ferries we took.

 

[buki]

The operators were very kind in guiding me onto their craft. Never scraped but would not try to load onto it at low water.

By the way CP, the Cherohala Skyway is a truly magnificent ride. In the motorcycle touring days we used it often for one very important reason to bikers. The terminus point of it from the entry in Tellico Plains TN. is Robinsonville, NC.

Now why is that important.

Robinsonville is the home of Fontana Village resort. Fontana Village sits at the foot of Hwy 129 which is known wolrd wide as 'The Dragon."

319 curves in 11 miles...Sweepers to switchbacks, its the ride of a lifetime which is why people come from all over the world to experience it. I think the X would be a trip on it but I don't want to encounter a pair of F! Ducatis with riders dragging their knees mid curve. Four people or more are killed on it every year. In fact, at the 'Crossroads of Time Motel' and store at the entry point from Fontana they sell dvds of wrecks and record setting rides.

Go to Google Earth and set Tellico PLains TN. Follow the skyway all the way to Robinsonville then zoom in and scope out the Dragon from top to bottom.

Then lock it into your GPS...buy and mount a GoPro camera to the rear view mirror...take a bunch of really deep breaths...tighten the belts and give it a go.

It is truly a driving experience you will NEVER forget.

 

[jjsea55]

We drove out to Austin to visit my daughter & SIL in early May. I-10 all the way out, but elected to take the "scenic route" through lower Louisiana on the return. We used two ferries on the return trip... the Cameron Beach Ferry, which crosses a quarter mile wide ship channel below Lake Charles... and the Dauphin Island Ferry, which connects Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan on the Gulf Shores, Al, peninsula (a 35 minute trip). Both appeared to be well maintained and we suffered no ill result, thankfully. First time on a ferry for both of us. I'm actually surprised there are so many of these things still in existence! BTW, beautiful car!!

 

[Madmac]

All I can say is don't EVER take the ferries in Canada. Both Madmac and I scraped the bottoms of the undersides both on and off the ferries. Just made us sick inside the cars as we were listening to the S...C...R...A...P...E....... Madmac can fill in on exactly which ferries we took.

We took two ferries in British Columbia on that trip. The first one was south of Revelstoke crossing Arrow Lake ... Shelter Bay to Galena Bay. It was the second crossing north of Nelson when we crossed Kootenay Lake from Balfour to Crawford Bay, that we scrapped the bottom of the rocker panels. It was not a great start to the day. We had to try and seek shelter from a storm that morning. Tree branches were littering the road for several miles, and the rain was so heavy it was hard to see the road and the branches. I have taken lots of ferries in both British Columbia and Alberta, and this was the only one that I had issue with. I still think if they had released some of the water out of the ballast tanks, it would have improved / reduced the angle between the ferry deck and the ramp. It would not have taken much.

 

[Crimson Pearl]

Robinsonville is the home of Fontana Village resort. Fontana Village sits at the foot of Hwy 129 which is known wolrd wide as 'The Dragon."

As a long time NC resident and a motorcycle owner, I am familiar with the reputation of the "Tail of the dragon". I have made the choice to stay off of it due to the large number of people who are intent on proving themselves on it, whether on 2, 3 or 4 wheels.

I have seen the pictures of the various collisions that have occurred on that road involving those who just sought a scenic drive and had an unfortunate encounter with another vehicle. I have decided that Crimson Pearl will not be one of these.

I found the Cherohala Skyway to be enjoyable without the risk!

We also enjoyed the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive on our way to Pennsylvania in 2012. Both highly recommended!

 

[hawkeye372]

Thank you for telling us. I don't know about that road. But like you said. The people that want to scenic cruise on that road then long come a crazy person round a corner. Then there goes your pride and joy along with possible life. I take my life every time I drive the interstate 95 here in fl. Sometimes it's not you that obey the speed. It's the other crazies that are on it showing off. I do at least 75 and people are blowing my doors off doing 80-90. So I play it safe and take alternate routes. Sometimes I leave a little earlier just encase.


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