Belated RF trip report - Maggie Valley, NC

Hi all-

Now that I have figured out how to post pictures, I thought I would post a few from our motorcycle trip to Maggie Valley, NC last May. Ann, this is especially for you, since you are planning a trip to NC next spring.

The Dragon is an 11 mile stretch of highway with 318 curves that runs through Deal's Gap. Here we are at the start of it:


The Tree of Shame is in the parking lot behind the Deal's Gap sign. It sports the pieces and parts of those bikes that didn't quite make it through the Dragon:


One of the 318 curves:


Taking a rest on the Cherohala Skyway:


OK, time for some actual food footage. The best place we ate while in Maggie Valley was called Butts on the Creek. My friend Nancy will kill me if she finds out I posted this picture :


I had the pulled pork. It comes unsauced with three choices of sauce on the table. We all agreed the mustard-based sauce was the best. It also comes with a wide selection of sides and hush puppies the size of my head (OK, maybe not quite). The sides I chose were squash casserole (yum!) and deep-fried corn on the cob. That's right, deep-fried corn on the cob. Maybe this is common in the south, but I had never heard of such a thing. It was dipped in cornbread batter before deep-frying. We liked it so much we had to try it ourselves when we got back to Wisconsin. We still have not perfected the technique. If anyone has suggestions, I would appreciate them!


Loyd opted for the ribs, with baked apples and corn as his sides:


There is an entry point to the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside of Maggie Valley. Wonderful riding road, nice gradual curves (unlike the Dragon), and beautiful overlooks. Would love to go back and do the whole thing some day. You can see the "smoke" in this picture:


Salty Dog's in Maggie Valley was the closest thing to a Wisconsin-style bar and grill we found in NC. Not that we rode to NC to find a WI-style bar. But, most of the area in the Smokies is dry, so what's a bottle-fed Wisconsin girl to do? This place had a nice selection of beer and even had live music the night we were there. The food did not live up to that of Butts on the Creek, but the beer made up for it. They even have special bike parking right out front:


Ann, I hope you see this and get some ideas for your upcoming adventure. Let me know if you have questions or need more info!

-Kris

What a great food post. Western NC is one of my favorite places on earth. Thanks for taking the time and keep em coming.

Really appreciate you going to all that trouble to share with me and other roadfooders.As the time draws nearer(we are thinking of early April)I will definately consult you-maybe we can even meet up for an evening to discuss particulars...find some good roadfood between New glarus and Milwaukee and break bread together!!!!Thanks again...Ann

I also read all the way through your Maine trip. Thanks for posting!!! This is what I joined Roadfood for!!

Thanks again!!

I agree, we need more of this kind of post! Great photos!

Love your travelogue and all the great photos.

When's your NEXT trip???

Great pics, and the que, hushpuppies and corn looked wonderful. I love fried corn. It is not really very popular here in the South (at least fried on the cob), but a few places around here fix it. We do fix a lot of fried corn that has been scraped off the cob, with the juice and all and pan fried on the stove (absolutely one of the most delicious things you have ever tasted).

Keep on traveling, eating, and taking more of these great trips.

It is great to see the influx of GOOD Trip Reports on the site recently. That is indeed what this place is all about.
If you go 'somewhere' take your camera along and take the time to record the event and the food and share it with your friends here!
Yes, I like to practice what I preach !!

We are actually planning a trip to Switzerland next July. We have a friend there who lives there, near old Glarus (as opposed to New Glarus where we live). When he was in town this summer we took him cycling. He said it is every Swiss motorcyclist's dream to ride a Harley in the U.S. and we helped to make his dream come true! So he invited us to come stay with him and he would cook for us, find us a bike to ride, and take us on all the best riding roads the Alps has to offer. How could we pass up that offer?

So sad that the riding season is coming to an end here in Wisconsin. We do have a trailer, so maybe a warm weather trip in, say, February may be in order.

-Kris

Butts is one of the best in Maggie, I lived there for about three years.

"The sides I chose were squash casserole (yum!) and deep-fried corn on the cob. That's right, deep-fried corn on the cob. Maybe this is common in the south, but I had never heard of such a thing. It was dipped in cornbread batter before deep-frying. We liked it so much we had to try it ourselves when we got back to Wisconsin. We still have not perfected the technique. If anyone has suggestions, I would appreciate them!"

Great report, I would like to hear more about the corn also.

The pic of Deals Gap is very good. The Tail of the Dragon is probably the most famous in the USA. 300+ curves in just a few miles. Many deaths there annually and just one TODAY. Beautiful trip though but you have to be careful. Many folks buy a jock rocket and become instantaneous experts and they soon find out they are not. The ride is so famous and remote that they now post policemen there because of the accidents. It is very remote but beautiful.

The ride across the Cherohala Skyway is even more beautiful.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I am guessing since this original post is 2 years old, thats why we cant see the pics?

I can see the pics, Tara. Maybe you need a new.....................................power source...........

quote:

Originally posted by Pwingsx

I can see the pics, Tara. Maybe you need a new.....................................power source...........

They are there now.....LOLOL..... I tried so hard to see them but kept getting a little red x.....

(Uh.. cute on the PS)