The Adventure Begins! Brews and Beasts

[Yankee Dog]

So after much crying and gnashing of teeth the missus and I decided to take the mighty Beast on our tour of Southeastern breweries. And for all you out there who advised us to do so. Please stay by the phone with your trailers, tool kits and tow ropes at the ready.  Thank you very much.


 
Anyway, the first bit of road was straighter than I would like to admit. But we didn’t get started until after work so we had some ground to cover. However in a effort to avoid the middle of Chattanooga I discovered hwy 27 over Signal Mountain.  Wowzer! I am coming  back to this on a real motorcycle some day. Great curves, great pavement and very little traffic.          



So on to the reason for our tour.  First stop McHale’s Pub and Brewery.  A little dive on the North side of Chattanooga with some great beers.   http://www.mchalesbrewhouse.com/



Next stop is the Nantahala Brewery in Bryson City, NC

[Yankee Dog]

.     

More McHale loveliness

[Yankee Dog]

Tellico plains.    Half way

[Justin]

Now this is my kind of ride report    

[bamarider]

I've been across hwy 27 myself, it is a great road. I was on my K1200Lt at the time, so like you I want to run it with a differant bike. Don't get to hot and keep to reports coming.

[coho]

[sagerat]

Rolling, rolling, rolling...  

My better half prefers the hack without the windshield as she feels less confined and gets better air circulation.  I get a skoosh better mpg without the windshield on the hack (last tank was 30 mpg with the two of us) and I don't bang my right elbow when hanging off of the right handers.  Just something for you to mull over your next pint of microbrew goodness.

Enjoy the trek; I'm envious.    

[Justin]

My better half prefers the hack without the windshield as she feels less confined and gets better air circulation.  I get a skoosh better mpg without the windshield on the hack (last tank was 30 mpg with the two of us) and I don't bang my right elbow when hanging off of the right handers.  

I'm thinking of taking mine off as well. I think it'll make a big difference in wind drag and mileage. Those head winds really kill performance  

[olderigetfasteriam]

Beer. Subscribed.

[Yankee Dog]

Nantahala brewing company, Bryson city.   





I think I have some road photos around here some where but those will have wait until we find some wifi and I can crank up the computer.   This tapatalk thing is a pia

More later need food now

[Yankee Dog]

performance 

I don't think the word performance should be used in the same
Conversation as a Ural.

[Justin]

 

I don't think the word performance should be used in the same
Conversation as a Ural.

 

Well, my hack is a r75/6 with a neck snapping 50 HP ...

[Cricket1]

Beer- yuuuummmmm! And a Ural with hack!  

[R Doug]

Will ride for beer.  

 


Are you going to make it up to Virginia?  If so, my friend's brother owns Devil's Backbone Brewery.  It's located not far off the BRP near Charlottesville.  

[sagerat]

Well, my hack is a r75/6 with a neck snapping 50 HP ...

Yes, you'd slowly disappear over the horizon as my Ural's 42 hp couldn't keep up unless we were going backwards.  As we like Foilheads like to say, the Ural is the world's fastest production motorcycle...in reverse.  

So YD how's the Ural performing and when do the microbrew reviews begin?  

[R Doug]

PS... the wife and I will be staying in Blowing Rock on Friday the 6th to get away for our anniversary.  If you're going to be near by, let me know.  I'd like to say hello.  We'll be in the BRP tomorrow between Asheville and Blowing Rock in her black Audi convertable.  If you hear a black topless Audi honking at you, it's most likely me.  Of course, I'm assuming you would be the only camo Ural I'd see.  

[dan88z]

my wife and her friends have been hanging around Bryson City and were there yesterday. I'll ask if she saw your sidecar rig.

[sammyseaman]

Now this is my kind of ride report    

 

[Yankee Dog]

We are settled into the HoJo in Asheville for the night. With at least passable wifi. So I take the opportunity to go into a little more detail.
Back to McHales Brewery and Pub.  Or maybe it was pup and brewery.  Things are getting a bit fuzzy already….  McHales is a small bar and grill, mostly bar. Ok, OK, it was a smoky little dive with a couple of pool tables. You have already seen their beer. This is a look at their production facility.

It mostly if into a room the size of a large closet. But the results were excellent. So far I think I like the beer at McHales best. Not that the others were bad. But McHales brews were just chock full of flavor. The food was OK. The missus has the fish and chips, I had a jalapeno burger. Both were excellent. The burger was not my first choice though. They were out of the Irish stew and Cornish Pie.  Oh well, maybe next time.
The 4th of July found us heading towards Bryson City, via Tellico Plains and the Cherohala.  On the way we stopped into Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters. This guy has everything you could ask for, at pretty good prices as well.

Also it has been said that man cannot lead by  beer alone.  He also needs ice cream.


The Nantahala Brewery Company in Bryson City was next. More yummy beer. But no stout with was very sad. The proprietor said they just didn’t sell enough of it in the summer. Shades of coors light, how sad.
You have seen the outside and the beer. Here is what we could see of the production facility.  It was behind the  bar section with windows behind. The tasting room was large. About the size of a basket ball court. They also had a bluegrass band that night. The  band was really good. The acoustics in the place not so much. But I had about five pints so you might not want to take my word for it.



In Bryson City we stayed down town at the Calhoun Country Inn. A B&B  built back in 1904. Interesting place with a huge front porch. Not a Hilton by any stretch, but the bottom line is we liked it and would stay again. I didn’t hurt that it was a short walk to the brewery.




Oh and did I mention they we so happy to have us stay that they arranged a firework show for us.

[Yankee Dog]

A word about the Beast. She has run like a top on the open road. Not a hicup. But a couple of time we have been caught in heavy traffic and the  ole girl has not enjoyed that, not even a little bit. She starts to idle a bit rough and feels like she will stall. I cant blame her too much, I am not to happy in that situation either.