Gold Hill, NC- (05-24-2008)

Throughout the last several weeks I’ve had many opportunities to speak with small business owners about the impact of gasoline prices upon their bottom line. Generally, the responses have not been encouraging.

One Appalachian area campground owner, whose customers are usually the bigger diesel motor homes, flatly stated he thought he would be out of business by September. Another campground owner told me he was being hammered from all sides, but the worst was the pressure from the county tax assessor. When the Yuppies discovered the beauty of his area a few years ago they began buying large tracts of land and building multi-million dollar homes in the middle of his nowhere. Now his RV and tent sites appear to be worth ten times more than his original purchase price and the rental revenue can’t pay the increased property taxes.

Missouri Campground - Under Water A wet spring, complete with devastating tornadoes and massive flooding, has brought motel rental rates down to very attractive levels in Branson, Missouri. Three weeks ago it was possible to rent a nice room for under $35 nightly, even though many of the local campgrounds were closed. In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee it was even lower; we saw some franchise hotels showing mid-week rooms at $29 – and the parking lots were still empty.

Yet, down in the Keys the locals seem to be happier with a slower economy. The higher cost of just getting there had decreased some of the crowds, but that has actually helped keep some rates higher – because those that HAVE a decent amount of disposable income don’t really feel the impact all that much. If that scenario keeps up all we will see walking the streets of some high profile tourism destinations are the very wealthy and those that are maxing out their credit cards in anticipation of their own financial demise. There seems to be some of that going around, let’s have the good time now and deal with the disaster when it comes. That’s scary to contemplate, isn’t it?

It the midst of the doom and gloom I see some bright spots, and most of them involve new business ventures in the motorcycle industry. Sure, sales figures for most new units are down, way down for the biggest models in most areas. One Honda dealer, one that depends upon Gold Wing sales to keep the door open, has hinted that a steady decline since last November has counted up to at a 75 percent loss of business from last year. But others that depend up maintenance and serving the traveling biker seem to be flourishing. Why is that?

Sure, the skyrocketing cost of gasoline is putting a crimp on every travel budget. It’s making my Ride Around America effort a financial nightmare – my revised budget shows that I will expend about $30,000 for gasoline during the next three years, more than double what I had planned. But, I’m finding lots of new motorcycle tourists on the road. They are folks new to riding or that have returned to the saddle after 20 years of toting the kids around the country in the back seat of the family van or the large RV.

Mike Dozier - New Proprietor
Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters The new moto-tourists are those looking for a less expensive way to continue their travel habits. The destinations are the same; it’s just that the mode of conveyance is a lot smaller. In the process these people are helping out those new ventures that cater to the established motorcycle crowd. In some cases these new prospects are ensuring success for the new proprietors.

Mike Dozier isn’t new to the motorcycle industry. He had been involved with motorcycle sales in Florida for many years. Florida’s got a decent number of bikes and riders, but the roads there are nothing exciting and most of the locals can tell you the quickest way to the north Georgia mountains and how to reach the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherohala Skyway, and Tail of The Dragon. Mike was no exception. For several seasons he made the trek to Tellico, Tennessee in search of a few hours of really exciting rides.

Outfitters are well stocked

Out of town riders congregate here

During each visit to the area he kept noticing the lack of places to purchase riding gear; the rain suit for the guy that left his at home on the kitchen counter, or the new pair of gloves to replace the ones that were either left at a rest stop or blew away from the bike during that last quick straight. Mike kept thinking there was an under served market in that group of poor souls that needed to buy some serious riders clothing while on the road. The notion there might be a way to live in the mountains rather than the flats of Florida made Mike’s wife, Cherie, suggest the move.

Last summer Mike found retail space in downtown Tellico Plains. If you’ve been to Tellico Plains you are probably already thinking the same as me, “There’s a downtown in Tellico Plains?” Yup, it’s a very small place. A kind of Mayberry, North Carolina without Sheriff Andy and Deputy Fife walking around to liven up the day. Most people, including the local motorcycle dealer, would think that trying to make a living from selling pants, jackets, gloves, and helmets to motorcycle riders here would be the fastest possible way to bankruptcy. So far Mike and Cherie have proven the naysayers wrong.

Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters has become the place to congregate for anybody that wants to run the Cherhola Skyway. Mike knows the area well, having spent so many years looking for those exciting roads. He can recommend little loops and large ones, exciting rides for sport bikers and leisurely photo expeditions for the more sedate riders. And, in the process he can outfit you and yours with the right safety gear at the right price. He doesn’t gouge his customers just because he’s the only shop for 150 miles around – in fact, he’s more willing than most to find a way to accommodate you in a pinch.

There’s no ‘take it and leave now’ attitude here. It’s refreshing to find a place that actually wants the customers to leave with a smile after a friendly chat. And the store is fully stocked with all of the hard to find sizes. As Mike explains, you might not find the right color or the specific style you wanted, but he will be able to fit you – from petite to huge, he’s got something to keep you dry and safe, warm and comfortable.

And just up the road from Mike is another new venture that is making a go of it, despite the tough economic outlook. Hunt’s Lodge Motorcycle Campground is located on a hill overlooking Tennessee Highway 68. It too opened just last summer, although Jack Hunt didn’t have to move here to open shop. He’s a Tellico native and has been riding these mountain roads since he was a kid – and it’s been a long times since he was a kid!

For years Jack offered his home and yard to friends that wanted to ride the roads around his native county. He would spend lots of time explaining which turn led where, and what to expect when you got to the end of that road. Jack has been responsible for a lot of riders that return to this area every season. It took a while for him to realize that he too might be able to make a living from and under served market.

Jack’s new campground offers lush grass to pitch your tent, some three and four person cabins, a covered pavilion equipped with gas grill to make your evening meal or cook a quick breakfast, and clean restroom with hot showers. This summer he’s adding cabins with covered areas for your bike a lighted work bay for customers that need to attend to their machine with a wrench. He and his wife Lori ride Hondas, so I suspect the workshop area is to accommodate his friends that don’t. But, even a Honda needs an oil change now and then and you never know when a tire will need replacement – so the work bay is an important amenity. Yes, things are getting tough out there in America and don’t expect our new president and Congressional members to find a way out of the mess once they are seated after the November elections. We must all find our own economic stimulus packages. For Mike and Jack it’s motorcycles. I’m working on stimulating the economy with my bike – I hope the rest of you can join me this summer for a bit of stimulation too! You don’t have to come to me; I’m on the way to your place. My gear is packed and I have my maps marked – but I don’t care if I get lost once in a while, that’s half the fun. Look for me – it’s a North Carolina license tag and it says ‘TOUR US’.

Ride Around America is keeping me busier than I had imagined and the time I have to spend writing Roads And Riders articles is limited. So, if you have something you want to submit I'll be more than happy to format it up and put it out here for everyone to enjoy. Travel articles, maintenance advice, your theories about quantum physics and the cost of ice cream, whatever you believe our friendly riders would like - just send it along with a few photos. Well, let's be brutally honest, the physics thing probabaly won't get posted, but it would be nice if you could explain to me how black holes exist.

Remember, "Ride today - Tommorow you may not be able!"

-LW