Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Motorcyclists in the High Country

Story by Joel Church

The High Country has become famous for many things, from a multi-championship college football team, to the natural splendor that only these mountains can provide.

One thing that has been rather taken for granted, however, is the attention the area gets from motorcyclists. Bikers and riders from all over the nation, as well as the world, roam into Boone via the Blue Ridge Parkway and main highways, such as Highways 421 and 321, to visit the town on a daily basis. The natural beauty of the Parkway draws even local bikers out to rediscover the area that’s easily forgotten in these modern times. With gas prices continuing to skyrocket, it’s no wonder that more and more people choose to travel lightly.

From motorcycles to bicycles, from spring on into the fall, it’s no surprise to see from one bike to more than 1,000 bikes cruise into the High Country and then ride into the proverbial sunset, but one thing is for sure, they take with them the memories of beautiful scenery, set into place by Mother Nature and Father Time.
Husbands bring their wives; friends bring friends; the chain is near endless in the popularity of the great roads to be ridden and explored here in the High Country.
Motorcycling is one of the best ways to truly see and feel the proverbial 8th wonder of the world that is the Blue Ridge Parkway. With Blowing Rock, Banner Elk and Boone all along the way, there are plenty of places to stop and take a break. From Murphy’s Pub in Boone to Canyons in Blowing Rock, Nick’s in Banner Elk, as well as countless other watering holes, and good places to eat along the way, even plentiful places to pull off on the Parkway and enjoy a relaxing picnic, not to mention the rather famous Station’s Inn Bike Resort just off the Parkway—about 45 minutes South of Boone. The Station, as it is affectionately called, usually packs in about 300 bikes or more on any given Sunday, with live music, great BBQ and even a hotel. It’s one the best kept secrets on the Blue Ridge Parkway. In Boone, there is Murphy’s Irish Pub, the local friendly hotspot—good food, beer, all in the heart of the downtown shopping experience. Blowing Rock and Banner Elk—again good food, beer, mixed drinks, and in all areas mentioned, a quiet laid-back peaceful attitude and atmosphere.

Motorcyclists live by a common logic of “be respectful, get respected.” That is the basic, reciprocal rule with anything. As is true with most all bikers, respect is a common ground. It is also one thing that the vast majority of all bikers adhere to.
Area attractions that many motorcyclists enjoy include the Linn-Cove Viaduct, Grandfather Mountain, many of the spacious views on the Parkway, Shady Valley and The Mast General Store in Valle Crucis. The High Country also offers several biker-friendly hotels in the area, such as the afore mentioned Station’s Inn, Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta Inn and Best Western, just to name a few. For many bikers that like to camp, as in the old days of biking, there are several campgrounds in the area that are biker friendly. Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful retreat for the weary biker. Valle Crucis has Barefoot Campground, just a stone’s throw from the Mast Store Annex/Candy Barrel. Other accommodations include Valle Crucis Rustic Rentals that rents cabins by the night, weekend or the week.

The High Country even offers a place to rent bikes at Action Cycle Sports. The town of Boone has also hosted three weekend bike shows and one large-scale weeklong rally in the past. Grandfather Mountain hosts one or two a year that last a weekend each.

Charity motorcycle events are also popular in the area. Poker runs and benefit rides are excellent ways to raise money for organizations. The VFW in Boone has its third annual poker run coming up on Saturday, August 23. Last year’s run included approximately 115 bikes. The Moose Lodge in Boone has its first poker run on Saturday, August 2. For an example of the kind of people bikers really are and how these charity events work, earlier this year there was a benefit ride for a young girl of only 20 who was tragically stricken with bone cancer. Her name was Erin Elizabeth Isaacs. One hundred forty-five bikes rode the 51-mile route through the High Country, and more than $20,000 was raised in her honor. She has since passed on, but the purity in her smile that day at the end of the ride and the privilege shared by all the riders who participated made for a beautiful day in the High Country. Biking in the High Country is as much a pleasure as danger in some instances—as is the same everywhere in the world. There is always the threat of animals in the road, such as deer and dogs. Also, there is the danger from cars and trucks—“cages” as they are known in the motorcycle world. All it takes is one second to have an accident; in retrospect all it takes is one second to prevent an accident. That is the secondary, reciprocal, rule with any and all recreational activities.