This coming weekend I be will rolling out on a short weekend road trip to the Charlotte, NC area. On Friday September 24th, I will ride through Atlanta, GA to Kanapolis, NC via Interstate 85. Interstate riding is nearly my least favorite type of riding (city riding in gridlock traffic is much worse on a air cooled bike LOL). However, riding on the interstate is a great way to chew up miles quickly when needed or when travel time is more important than quality of miles. I like the term often used by the late Neal Peart who called interstates “Mileage Disposal Units”. Very fitting and accurate name.

Here is the planned route on Friday

Saturday – September 25, 2021

Saturday morning I am riding down to Lionel LLC in Concord, NC. One of my other and oldest hobbies is Model Railroading and a general interest in Trains overall. This has been a hobby and interest of mine since I was 7 years old. It is my late father’s fault for enabling this addiction, by purchasing a Tyco Royal Blue HO Train set in 1978, thanks Dad :). Lionel is having the Warehouse Sale this weekend as well as some items on display. I am going to see if I can maybe find some discounted turnout track (switches) for my son’s yet to be built O Gauge Train Layout. Also, it was a good excuse for a road trip. 🙂

Quick Update:

I just found out that Lionel has cancelled the Warehouse Sale for 2021 due to COVID. So, I guess I will just be riding around and hanging out around Charlotte on Saturday. I will likely swing by the Lionel store in Concord Mills Mall. Disappointing but I understand their decision.

Saturday evening I plan to ride around Downtown Charlotte and record some video footage for a future Charlotte Night Ride video.

Sunday – September 26, 2021

On Sunday, I will ride from Kannapolis, NC to Saluda, NC, a small detour into some hill country and then back home in Douglasville, GA.

Saluda, NC is the location of the steepest standard gauge mainline railroad track in the Untied States at a grade of 4.24%. The line was part of the Southern Railway line between Spartanburg, SC and Asheville, NC. Today, this line is owned by the Norfolk Southern Railroad but has not ran a train on this line since December 2001. Yes, more Train Nerd inspired motorcycle riding LOL.

If interested, here is more information on the Saluda Grade
Saluda Grade – Wikipedia

Here is the planned route for Sunday

This past weekend My son and I gave Dexter (My 2005 HD Ultra Classic) a much overdue bath and wax job. He is all cleaned up and ready to hit the road (not packed though lol)