Above, Karen rides the Buffalo Shoals road near Lake Lure in late October, 2009.

Below, Chimney Rock State Park, a new addition to North Carolina's state park system.

Below, a good alternative to Hwy. 64 when you're traveling from Chimney Rock to Hendersonville is this little dirt road near Bat Cave. The road offers up some spectacular views of the Chimney Rock region before topping out and turning back to pavement when it enters the apple country of Edneyville, NC. Rides like this is where the Versys and the VStrom shine, handling like sport bikes on the tarmac, but allowing the rider to explore tempting dirt roads along the way as well.

The view looking east towards Chimney Rock and Lake Lure from near Bat Cave.

Al and Karen in Rutherfordton, NC. When it's cold in the mountains, we sometimes drop down to the foothills to ride. It's beautiful country with some great twisty, lightly-traveled roads for biking. We've stopped for lunch at Legal Grounds, the establishment on the corner in the background.

Inside Legal Grounds - I suppose the restaurant/bar got its name from the county courthouse next door. They have a great pizza buffet.