Day’s distance: 86 miles (approx)
Total trip distance: 7,448 miles
The weather was cool in the morning, maybe the low 50’s, but it was ideal in the afternoon with temperatures in the mid 70’s and the skies mostly sunny.
I woke up about 6am and took a shower before having coffee in one of the outdoor covered gathering places in Willville. I met several other riders the night before and went to breakfast with one of them, Fritz. We went to the Meadows of Dan Community Center that was putting on an all-you-can-eat breakfast.
After breakfast, we returned to the camp. I was socializing with North Carolina residents Dwayne and Susan, who also arrived at camp the prior night. Their Goldwing 1800 tows a trailer that folds out to cover approximately 100 sq ft. They called it the Tajma-trailer.
They also set up an additional cover. They are totally ready for inclement weather.
Anyway, they invited me to have a second breakfast. I joined them and enjoyed grits, biscuits and gravy, fresh OJ, and some (more) eggs.
Word was spread that there was a chili cook-off in Floyd and since it was after noon, Fritz and I decided to head up there. We first headed to the Honduras Coffee Roasters and Cafe in Stuart for a latte.
Good coffee and the treats looked good, but since I had eaten two breakfasts already, I didn’t try one.
After our coffee, we took Hwy 8 to Floyd. It turned out the Chili Cook Off was the prior day, so we walked around a bit, stopping first at an open market …
Floyd has a reputation of being a bit of a hippy haven, a liberal town with strong sense of community. They are also supporters of authentic Appalachian music, with several music venues, including the Floyd Country Store …
They had a live blue grass band playing this afternoon.
We grabbed lunch at the Oddfella’s Cantina. I had a burger that was really good.
The two of us rode back to camp via the Blue Ridge Parkway to Hwy 58. The afternoon passed by quickly with lots of motorcycle-related conversations. Soon it was dinner time. This day seemed to be all about eating. We grabbed dinner nearby at the Crooked Road Cafe and by the time we returned, it was almost dark.
Soon it was time for the nightly campfire. When I camp alone, I never have a fire. It is really nice to have a communal fire where campers gather to sway tall tales. 🙂
Someone who shall not be named was sharing a bit of local moonshine. It was flavored by fresh peaches and aged for about a year. Surprisingly smooth, it was a great nightcap.