Biker Rags

DAY RIDE TO ELKMONT

Ready to ride!
Ready to ride!

On Tuesday, November 4, 2014, we took a Day Ride. Our destination… the “Ghost Town” of Elkmont, TN- just south of Gatlinburg.

Jeff kicks off our day in this video:

We left our home in North Knoxville around 10:15am. It was cool, around 44 degrees. We both wore our Gerbing’s Heated Gear with thermal lined chaps and leather jackets. We also had on face masks and our 3/4 pilot helmets.

We rode Alcoa Highway to Maryville where we took 336- a beautiful country road that runs below and parallel to the Foothills Parkway.

Church on 336.
Church on 336.

336 took us to 129 where we stopped to fill our tanks and have our morning snack.

Fast Stop Market on 129.
Fast Lap Market on 129.
Highway 129.
Highway 129 on the right.

We continued south on 129 to the Foothills Parkway.

On the Foothills Parkway.
View from the Foothills Parkway.
Foothills Parkway
Foothills Parkway
Pamo and bikes on the Foothills Parkway.
Pamo and bikes on the Foothills Parkway.
Jeff on the Foothills Parkway.
Jeff on the Foothills Parkway.

We rode the Parkway north to 321. We took 321 through Walland and Townsend. In Townsend, we took 73 which took us into the Smoky Mountains.

We continued on 73 until coming to the Elkmont turnoff.

Road to Elkmont.
Road to Elkmont.
Quite a bit of snow in the shaded areas.
Quite a bit of snow in the shaded areas.
We stopped at the informal parking area just below the Elkmont stairway.
We stopped at the informal parking area just below the Elkmont stairway.

The Elkmont “Ghost Town” is actually an abandoned resort called Wonderland. At one time it was a resort for the wealthy but when the government made the area a National Park, it was abandoned, leaving the resort to waste away. The Wonderland Hotel burned down several years ago, but there are still structures standing.

Stairway up to the Elkmont "ghost town".
Stairway up to the Elkmont “ghost town”.
Wonderland Club Historic Marker at the stop of the stairs.
Wonderland Club Historic Marker at the stop of the stairs.
Jeff standing on the entry steps of the old Wonderland Hotel.
Jeff standing on the entry steps of the old Wonderland Hotel.
Walking toward the now abandoned village.
Walking toward the now abandoned village.
Cottages intact but all in disrepair.
Cottages intact but all in disrepair.
Rhododendron has grown up all around.
Rhododendron has grown up all around.
These cottages are large!
These cottages are large!
No longer liveable.
No longer liveable.
Walking back toward our entry point.
Walking back toward our entry point.

As we walked around the Wonderland Resort, we peered into the buildings and tried to picture what life was once like here. Finally, we returned to our bikes to continue on with our ride.

We rode into Gatlinburg, crawled through the heavy traffic, then took 321 to Pittman Center where we took 416 north.

On 416 we stopped at Dunn’s Market and Grill for lunch.

A great deli inside!
A great deli inside!
A quaint dining area.
A quaint dining area.
Jeff always makes me laugh!
Jeff always makes me laugh!
The food was fresh and EXCELLENT!
The food was fresh and EXCELLENT!

The folks here were super nice and the food really good. Be sure to stop in on your next ride!

After our late lunch, we continued on 416 to Sevierville, then took Chapman Highway back into Knoxville. When we got back to Knoxville, we stopped aat 3609 Chapman Highway- the location of our very first Biker Rags store! We opened Biker Rags on November 4, 1994- exactly twenty years ago. Happy Anniversary to us!

After our visit to our old location, we rode on home. We got back home at 5:45pm and our total ride was 158 miles.

You can see our entire list of Day Rides HERE.