There's a sign on I-73 as you pass Asheboro NC advertises a Harley
Davidson museum. I decided we would ride up there and check it out
yesterday. It was a nice 180 mile ride across the Carolina countryside
on Highway 74 and through Rockingham on 220 which took us to Asheboro.
The sun kept peeking in and out of the clouds as we rolled along
providing moments of cool shade mixed with warm sunshine. I didn't look
at a map, just remembered there was a sign on the highway and figured
that there would be more signs showing the way. I spotted the sign for
the exit, and the next one pointing to the right. My wife smacked me on
the shoulder and pointed behind us as I passed the museum, so we did a
u-turn and parked in the parking lot.
The museum has a cafe that is rumored to have decent food and I was
hungry. Unfortunately they stopped serving food about ten minutes prior
to our arrival, so I can't say if the food is any good. Maybe next time.
Inside on the lower floor was an old style parts counter and a few
bikes, one 1947 Knucklehead caught my eye because it had a "for sale"
sign on it. The parts counter is fully operational and in addition to
parts, they had a selection of leather garb for sale.
Most of the bikes are kept upstairs behind glass with a small group of
shovels and pans in the center surrounded by a rope. The walls are
covered with assorted Harley Davidson adds, signs and all sorts of items
from the early days. There are several display cases filled with antique
parts and other miscellaneous knicknacks.
Behind the glass on one wall is a row of Knuckleheads, my favorite
motorcycle. In the corner I spotted, according to the sign, a very rare
all original 1936 Knucklehead and of my favorites, a beautiful 1947
Knucklehead
I remember helping a friend with his paper route when I was a kid. It
would have been a lot more fun with the bright red Knucklehead that had
a side "car" (more like a box) that appeared to hold newspapers as it
had "Star News Newspapers" in white letters on the side.
As we walked around the room we discovered a line of Panheads. This
isn't a bad little collection at all.
I was getting hungry, so we decided to make our way back home. We put on
our gear and headed down the road. I just got up to speed when a lady
stopped in the median, looked right at us, and then proceeded to pull
out directly in front of us requiring me to take some evasive action
while blowing the horn. I growled and so did my stomach. I took the
entrance ramp back to the highway, happy to see the lady going the other
way.
Back on the highway I saw a sign for a covered bridge. Despite my
craving for food of any kind, I decided to take a look. The signs led us
down some curvy country roads and I was wondering if I could remember
how to get back to the highway when we saw the gravel road leading down
to the "Pisgah Covered Bridge."
There was a group on horseback enjoying the day with some cold beers,
the had the right idea. They were riding around some of the trails and
we talked to them while we looked around. They were very entertaining,
and let us pet the horses and feed them (the horses) some crackers.
There was a friendly man wearing a hat named John, and the others said
that we could take him home with us. We declined the offer, though I
would have gladly accepted a cold beer.
I snapped one last picture with my phone and then we prepared to leave
and find some food.
We watched the group of horse riders mount up and gallop away. Suddenly
getting on the bike didn't seem quite as cool as it did a few minutes
earlier. I managed to find the way back to the highway without getting lost.
I was hungry to the point of not caring where we stopped, so when I saw
a Wendys sign I headed straight for it. I had never dined at a
restaurant where the waiters sing to you, and certainly did not expect
it to happen at a Wendys, but it did. After he realized we were a
couple, he decided to sing a love song while we waited for our food. He
had a pretty good voice, but man I just wanted my food.
After we ate we rode back home as the sun was going down. We saw a lady
hit a deer in the opposite lane, and shortly afterword I saw one on our
side of the road. I kept my eyes open, but didn't see any more deer. I
caught a glimpse of a bird of prey swooping down and catching some
smaller creature off guard.
It was a really great way to spend a Saturday.
--
John
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> out directly in front of us requiring me to take some evasive action
> while blowing the horn. I growled and so did my stomach.
>. After he realized we were a
> couple, he decided to sing a love song while we waited for our food.
> We saw a lady hit a deer in the opposite lane, and shortly afterword I saw one