Waynesboro, Tennessee

July 4, 2025

Dear Family & Friends:

Happy 4th of July. Every day we should celebrate our freedom and independence and thank God we live in the greatest country on the planet.

My trip, so far, has been fun and full of challenges, just as I expected. Here is my first report.

June 27. I picked up my bike at  Cycle World, in Virginia Beach, Virginia and loaded the saddlebag in the sweltering heat. An “extreme heat advisory” was in effect. My destination was Nag’s Head, which is in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. After crossing a 3-mile bridge over the water, I arrived in Kittyhawk where I visited the Wright Brothers Museum. Upon arriving at Nag’s Head, my battery died and I had to use my portable jump starter to get the engine started. All of this in the unbearable heat and humidity. I booked a room at the Custom Inn and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the Dune Street Bar & Grille-grilled salmon, topped with pesto shrimp over garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed vegetables, lemon butter and wine sauce. So yummy.  Despite the heat, humidity and setbacks, it was a very nice and fun day.

June 28. I rode south on Outer Banks Hwy 12 to Cape Hatteras and then boarded a ferry bound for Oracoke Island. I continued riding  south on Hwy 12 until I reached the Oracoke Island ferry. I boarded the ferry, bound for Cedar Island. My goal was to ride from the Oracoke ferry to Havelock, North Carolina. I had to stop in Morelock because it was getting dark, and I did not want to ride in the dark, especially with no hotel reservation. I was able to get a reservation at the Hampton Inn in Morelock, and I checked in just as it was getting dark. The day was hot and humid, although not as hot and humid as yesterday, The heat and humidity don’t bother me much when I am moving.This was a really fun day. The ride was scenic and not crowded and my bike ran perfectly. All of my electronics seem to be in working order.

June 29. This was challenging day. My goal was to ride to Newton Grove. The scenery was beautiful. Eighteen miles short of Newton Grove it started to rain really hard. So, I stopped in Mt. Olive and booked a room at a cheap motel. The day was difficult because, somehow, I got lost and ended up backtracking towards Morehead, my launch point.

June 30. I rode from Mt. Olive to Biscoe, North Carolina. Most of the trip was on state and county roads, which are scenic and traffic-free. I love traveling through the little cities and towns and enjoying the homes, farms, farm animals, crops and retail establishments. I don’t like the interstate highways and toll roads, where everyone is in a big hurry to get somewhere else. The big rigs are a particular problem because the air displacement they create pushes my bike around on the highway.

July 1. I rode over 200 miles today. The scenery was really beautiful. Just before arriving in Spruce Pine, it started to rain hard and I could hear lightning strikes not far away. I am always fearful of lightning when I am on a motorcycle. A good friend was struck and killed by lightning while riding his motorcycle. I arrived in Spruce Pine just before dark and booked a room at a cheap motel.

July 2. This was the best day of the trip. I left Spruce Pine bound for Deals Gap. The trip took me through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The scenery in the Park was truly stunning. I mounted my GoPro on my helmet and captured some great video footage, which I will share on my Eight Summits Facebook page.  I stopped at the Fontana Village Mountain Resort and booked a room at the hotel. The Resort upgraded me to a cabin with two bedrooms and a sitting room, This was an unexpected treat. What a great day!

July 3. The ride out of the Great Smoky Mountains was breathtaking. The road is called “The Tail of the Dragon.” Of course, I purchased a “Tail of the Dragon” t-shirt There are over 300 turns in this 11 mile section of the road. One road sign ominously warned: “Motorcycle riders: lots of crashes in the next 11 miles.” I departed North Carolina and entered Tennessee. I found a fabulous hotel called the Sewanne Inn. This luxury hotel is on the campus of The University of the South.

Today, I had a really nice 130 mile ride on Highway 64W from Swanne to Waynesboro.

Change of Plans

The TransAmerica Trail is an on-pavement and off-pavement adventure. Most of the TAT is off-pavement. My original plan was to ride both the on and off pavement portions of the TAT. I was hoping that I would run into other TAT riders and perhaps even team-up on the theory there is safety in numbers. Many of the off-pavement portions take the rider deep into remote areas where help and assistance are not available. After a week of riding, I have not seen a single TAT rider. I have also been reading about experienced riders this year who have suffered serious injuries on the TAT. Fortunately, they had fellow riders who were able to help them or summon a rescue effort.

After careful consideration, I have decided to create my own TAT by not venturing off-pavement. Here are my reasons. First, If I stay on pavement, I don’t have to worry about mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, rollovers, where I will not be  be able to get my bike upright, rollovers where I am trapped under the bike, getting stuck in deep sand or mud and the many other hazards associated with riding solo. If any of these events occur while on-pavement, I can call AAA. Second, if I limit my ride to pavement only, I can send a lot of my off-pavement equipment and supplies home. This will greatly lighten the weight of my saddleback and enhance the efficiency of the bike.Third, as stated above, I love traveling through cities, towns, national forests and other scenic and historical venues where the views are just as stunning and beautiful as the views in more remote areas.

I plan to track the TAT but ride on the pavement. We’ll call it the Burke Modified TAT!

I am dedicating this trip to my beloved little sister, Martha, who passed away last December.

God is good!

Bill

Virginia Beach

The Outer Banks

Ferry Ride

Spruce Pine Dive

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Fontana Village Mountain Resort

Sewanne Inn

Sewanne Inn

Best meal so far in Nag’s Head