My Favorite Vacation Spot

With a history dating back to the mid 80s, the Cherokee Survivors Motorcycle Rally & Concert carries on a southern biking tradition. Held twice a year at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds (formerly Ceremonial Grounds) in Cherokee, North Carolina, this event draws bikers from all over the United States. Situated on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, the event is only minutes away from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Parkway, and the dragon's lair at Deals gap. The event features a three-day swap meet of bike parts, leathers, jewelry, t-shirts, tattoos, music and food. Activities include a ride in bike show (weather permitting), bike games, and one of the best wet t-shirt contest in the Southeast for Miss Cherokee Survivor. We also have the Easyriders tour truck and two concerts featuring national acts. The event is held rain or shine, and there is a minimal fee for the three-day event. With that, I will tell you about my most recent time away with my husband.

I will tell you about the scenic route that we take to get to Cherokee, North Carolina. We go through Ellijay then Blue Ridge. We go through the Gorge where we usually stop and watch the people in canoes and rafts go down the river. Sometimes while you are stopped watching this, you can see people's rafts or canoes turn over. Once out of the Gorge, we go through Bryson City to where we are staying.

This year we stayed at a place called Two Rivers Lodge. The place got its name because it has two rivers that join each other behind it. This place is not fancy, but it is quiet and has a small kitchenette in it. Out back they have built a small fire pit and have put chairs and picnic tables there so that you can enjoy the sounds of the river flowing . You can fish there, and you are allowed to bring small pets with you. We were about five miles from the rally site.

This year the Cherokee Survivors Motorcycle Rally & Concert was held on April 23, 24, 25, 2010. The first day we paid our entrance fee and bought our T-shirts. Friday night we watched two concerts. The first was with Big Engine, and the other was with Molly Hatchet. My husband went up to the front of the stage and took pictures of the band and singers during the concert.

The next day, we rode over to the fairgrounds and watched the events. We watched the Slow Race; this is where a rider rides their motorcycle rally slow without putting his or her feet down. Whoever runs the slowest wins. We also watched the Barrel Roll; this is where a rider rides his or her motorcycle while pushing a barrel with the front tire. Whoever gets the barrel across the finish line first wins. We watched a game called Balloon Toss; this is where two riders (usually a male and female) carry balloons filled with water. The female tosses the balloons in the air over a pole and tries to catch them on the other side without the balloons popping. They start with one balloon, if they catch this one, they then go to two balloons, then three balloons and so on. Whoever tosses the most balloons and catches them without them popping wins. We also watched an event called Weenie Bite; this is where two riders (usually a male and female) ride under a hot dog weenie hanging from a string covered in mustard. The female stands up on the back of the motorcycle pegs or with her knee on the seat and tries to get as much of the hot dog weenie into her mouth as possible. Whoever gets the biggest piece of the hot dog weenie wins. We watched an event called Potato in Hay Stack; this is where two riders (usually a male and female) ride around in circles while the official hides one potato less than the number of contestants in a hay stack. When the official says go, the females jump off the back of the motorcycles into the hay stack, whoever comes out with a potato goes on to the next round. The person that doesn't find a potato is out. The officials take away a potato each time a person is eliminated. The last one that finds the last potato wins. We watched an event called Egg Carry; this is where two riders (usually a male and female) the female holds a spoon in her mouth with an egg on the spoon. The guy drives the motorcycle to the other end of the track, and then the girl gets off the back of the bike and walks back as fast as she can without dropping the egg. Whoever gets back first without breaking the egg wins. There was also a Miss Cherokee Contest; this is where women go up on the stage and they dance while having someone pour water all over them. Some of the women take their tops off; others even come on stage with bathing suits on. Whoever gets the loudest applause wins. During this event it started raining, and before it was over we left and went back to our motel. There was a concert scheduled for later that night, but we did not go back. So we missed the concert with Big Engine and Jackyl.

I have told you about our time in Cherokee. I have told you about the Two Rivers Lodge, where we stayed. I have also told you about the events and concerts that we saw while we were there. We don't go on vacation a lot, this really wasn't considered a vacation but it is the only time we usually go away. We have plans to go back again in September.

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