Saturday I rode up into the north Georgia mountains with my CMA Kneebenders friends, for a day at the annual Ellijay Apple Festival. The day started at dawn, as I layered upand rode into town to meet my friends Monte and Lynn. The am temp was 41, and we froze as we rode up to Oakwood to meet the rest of the group. After some hot coffee and warm waffles, we all rode north to Dawsonville, then northeast toward Ellijay. Our northern trajectory and increase in elevation was offset by a brilliant ever-rising sun, resulting in a gradual thawing of our extremities. We took in some great roads, like GA53 and GA136, with thrilling mountainside sweepers and some breathtaking overlooks.
Arriving in Ellijay, the sun fully overhead, we encountered the dreaded but expected traffic jam to find parking at the fairgrounds. Inching along, the multiple thermal layers covering me were now retaining heat too well. By the time we turned in at a designated motorcycle parking area, I quite literally was drenched in sweat. Disregarding modesty, I stood behind my bike and stripped down to my boxers, tearingoff my soaked thermals as quickly as possible.
Finally cool, we all set off through the crowds and made our way to the state CMA tent, where we found members from about five other regional chapters gathered. We enjoyed meeting and hanging out with these fellow "bikers for Jesus", greeting passersby, giving out free coffee and water. For lunch, we each wandered off to sample the typical Southern fare- fried chicken, fried ribs, fried potato wedges, fried hot dogs, fried Oreos, fried pickles, fried Twinkies,...you get the idea. A delicious, artery-clogging smorgasbord.
As the afternoon wore on, some of us decided to start the long trek back home. Taking the same roads, we enjoyed the twists and turns again, this time from the opposite direction. I love doing this, seeing some sights missed on the way north, as well as the familiar waypoints. I arrived home about 6pm, ears ringing, fingers getting frosty again, a little neck and back sore, but having thoroughly loved it (except for the traffic part). I always relish a day in the saddle with my Christian brothers and sisters.
