We cross the river and we come to the official end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. There's a sign that points left to Cherokee and right to Smoky Mountain National Park. We stop at a pull-off so we can celebrate our victory! It was touch 'n go for awhile, but WE MADE IT! Ellen dances a happy dance.

Travelling along Rt. 441 North takes us to the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We stop at a visitor center and shop for souvenirs. There is the Oconaluftee River running alongside and a trail for hikers.

When we came out of the visitor center, there were two gentlemen in the parking lot next to our bikes. One had on his Sunday best overalls. They started talking to us, telling stories of their youth. He said that his momma wouldn't let him ride a motorsickle. We enjoyed talking to these "Southern Gentlemen" before heading out again.

This road through the Smokies is very different from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is very crowded with traffic. And the road crews at work held up traffic with lane closures. Once we were through the construction, the traffic was busy.

Another difference about this route is that instead of being up high on the mountain, the road is low and follows the river. The views are gorgeous, and we look up at the mountainside. Most of the pull-offs are small and full of cars, and we don't stop.

Looking for gas is a big problem. Hurricane Ike wiped out a lot of the supply in this part of the country. Most gas stations did not have any gas at all. When we find gas, it is very expensive.

Next town we come to is Gatlinburg. But getting there is half the fun. There's a fork in the road. By the time we realize we took the wrong road (to Pigeon Forge) there was no way to get across the median. But Ellen knows how – just ride across the median! First we have to back up and make a u-turn. She calls it a "skill builder".

Gatlinburg seems to me to be a tourist stop. There's a Harley Dealer, Hard Rock Cafe, lots of gift shops and restaurants. We do some shopping at H-D, and then go for lunch across the street.

The talk at lunch is about whether or not we can make it all the way to Bristol, Virginia by the end of the day. Once we get on Rt. 81, the miles should go by quickly. We take Rt. 441 to get to 81. There's a sign that points to 81 West, and another to 81 East. In my mind, I'm thinking that we need to head east. BUT – this was the wrong direction. 81 East took us back through Mt. Pisgah (and the challenging steep grades, curves, & truck traffic) towards Asheville. We stop at a rest area and look at the map.

I can't believe my eyes – I'm looking at the map and realizing that we went 25 miles in the wrong direction! Ellen assures me that everything is ok and we'll go back the other way. She says that the highway should become straight and flat, and we'll make good time. She's right – we make it to Bristol, Virginia before nightfall. We check into Comfort Inn.

The journey continues!