Ride Report Lenoir NC highway 90

[gammaqueen]

Gary and I got up early Sunday morning. We had a whole day of riding planned and I had to be home by 6:00 PM because I was on call at the hospital. It was cold when we headed out, around 42 degrees, so I wore my heated jacket and pants liners under my clothes. Gary just wore layers and chaps. We stopped at Bojangles in Lenoir for breakfast, and then we gassed up at the Exxon station next door.

We took old NC-90 from Lenoir through Collettsville, NC. Wow, what a pretty little town. It was a remote community with a river running beside the road...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4418.jpg

We continued on NC -90, before long we saw a sign stating that the pavement ends...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4421.jpg

There were only a few houses in the area, but beautiful scenery...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4422.jpg

Gary asked if I was sure I wanted to go on since I was on my customized chopped out Sportster. I said heck yeah!!! I didn’t come this far to wus out. LOL. The road was very bad here, deep gravel and steep inclines with switchbacks. We were climbing up in elevation pretty fast here. After about 8 miles of this we decided to turn left down Brown Mountain Beach road. This was another gravel road that took us out to the town of Mortimer. I believe the population of Mortimer is 16. This town at one time was a thriving town with a cotton mill, a lumber yard, and a railroad passing through. It was wiped out in a flood 1916 and another flood in 1940. What a neat place to explore!!

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4426.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4427.jpg

Next we rode back to NC-90 and hung a left to Edgemont Road. This is also gravel and we climbed another mountain and crossed numerous one lane bridges and saw gorgeous waterfalls...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4428.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4429.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4431.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4432.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4433.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4436.jpg

Before long we noticed that the Lynn Cove viaduct was across the mountain from us at about the same elevation. Amazing...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4437.jpg

Finally, after almost 40 miles of gravel roads we came out on US 221 close to Linville. We headed north toward Blowing Rock. Gary wanted to stop for a picture at the continental divide...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4442.jpg

I wanted to have a late lunch at Woodlands BBQ in Blowing rock...

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn31/GAMMAQUEEN/Mortimer%20ride/DSCF4444.jpg

It was great, but I needed to get home. We made it just in time, arriving at 5:30 PM. What a great day!!!:D:D:D

[briang]

That some beautiful country and bikes, thanks for sharing.

[FlyBy]

What a beautiful ride :) and beautiful pics too.. thanks for sharing.

[happymiles4me]

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like a great day although I am not big on riding gravel roads. JMO.

[iamgumby]

Thanks Gammaqueen! Great report. Beautiful country - even in the winter - its' own special beauty! :)

[Brown Mountain Lodge]

Good report Gammaqueen: The part most bikers may not take is the last 8 miles gravel road into Mortimer, the sad part is that goes over the mountain and down staircase mtn (which is awesome), if that was paved it add alot to what is already one of the very cool winding roads in NC that alot of cyclist visit....it could be an even better destination for more enthusiast. We should petition our representatives.....Pave the rest of HWY 90, the last unpaved Highway in NC