Since there are upwards of 250 people attending this year’s Shark Week, there are no scheduled group rides. Suggested routes have been published and everyone is encouraged to form small groups and do their own thing.

The Harley dealer in Maryville, Tenn., provided lunch today, so we planned our routes to include stopping at the dealership. We rode the Cherohala Skyway in the morning and The Dragon in the afternoon.

Our first stop was at McDonalds for a mid-morning cup of coffee.

Next we stopped at the start of the Skyway. Advisory? More like an invitation for a good time!

We stopped at one overlook to get a picture of the “Smokies.” The haze never seems to lift in the summertime.

We made it to the dealer in time for lunch and brief walk around the showroom. The facility is very large with many, many bikes on display.

Our next event was riding “The Dragon,” which is a very famous section of US 129. There are 318 curves in 11 miles. It’s really not much fun to ride, because you have to keep your eyes on the road every inch of the way, but it’s a bucket-list thing, so we did it.

We stopped at the end of The Dragon at Deals Gap Lodge to get some stickers and a patch.

Apparently this passenger was scared to death by the experience of riding The Dragon.

From Deals Gap we rode a few miles to Fontana Dam. Drew and I rode to the base of the dam and Beth rode to the top.

She’s barely visible along the railing.

Finally we had dinner and a beverage at the Nantahala Brewery before returning to the hotel and the evening’s events – The tee-shirt exchange and the awarding of the “Shark Tooth of Shame” to those who dropped their bikes at or on the way to Shark Week.

Since there was only one presentation for next year’s rally, it was unanimously decided that Shark Week VIII will be in Colorado. The exact location is undecided, but it will be either Montrose or Durango, and it will probably be the last week in July.

We’ve planned a loop ride tomorrow following some more curvy roads.