Sometime before sunset, and a while after the tourists have headed back to their hotels, it's possible to be alone on the Blue Ridgeway Parkway. You can pull over at a scenic overlook, slip your bike on the stand, lean back, and get lost in the magical vista. As multiple layers of soft color melt away into the distance behind the fading mountains, the spirits of the ancient ones whisper through the still evening air.

Not wild or breathtaking the way the Rocky Mountains or the Grand Tetons tear the horizon with their jagged peaks two miles above the earth. The Smoky Mountains appear more gentle, approachable, and peaceful, as they melt into the pastel horizon. Time disappears, as the transition to night transforms the landscape, and you find yourself lost in thought and wonder in their presence. Later, the cool of the approaching night, and the sound of nature's orchestra warming up for the evening symphony brings you back. It's time to swing your bike off the stand, fire it to life, click into gear and head for home. A welcome reception, a hot shower, and dinner with friends awaits. Leaving the fading mountains to the transition from light to dark, and winding down the sinuous ribbon of tarmac ahead, it's comforting to know that all roads lead to Maggie Valley.

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