In my last Carolina Challenge Ride post, I mentioned plotting my route from Tobacco Road Harley Davidson in Raleigh, NC to Cox’s Harley Davidson in Asheboro, NC. Surprising and unbeknownst by me, route 64 west was just a few miles from me and a direct shot to Asheboro. I didn’t know what kind of road it was, 2 lanes or 4, or the condition of it. But hey, any route that would save me riding time at this point was welcomed.
So off I go. Getting on 64 from I-40 was very simple and uneventful. Hwy 64 is a 4 lane highway that spans across North Carolina to Asheboro and beyond. An excellent road and I would recommend it if you’re looking for a direct way to get to Raleigh or the area.
Traffic was light, which was a delight for me, and I arrived in Asheboro after about 1 hr and 30 minutes of riding time. The time was around 1:30, and I was ready for lunch before I stopped at Cox’s HD.
Hunger satisfied, I’m off to Cox’s. Arriving a short 15 minutes later, I see orange cones in the large parking lot next to the dealership with riders negotiating around them. Parking BJ, I walk over to see what’s going on. Lo and behold, it’s the police motorcycle crew practicing on an obstacle course with tight turns. Between us, a couple dropped their bikes while performing these VERY TIGHT turns. So, I decided not to try it. LOL.
Anyway, I head into the dealership to get my stamp. Every dealership has a different location that handles this, and Cox’s was no exception. This time the location was the service department. I approach the counter where this big bald dude is standing and ask to get my card stamped. He didn’t seem overly excited to do it, but I did get it. I headed out the door, thinking this was a nice building with plenty of bikes, but not too sure if I could do business with them. Just wasn’t that inviting. By the way, when I finish this, I’m going to rank the dealership, according to me anyway. I’ll come up with a list of judging criteria later.
Done with the challenge, for now, I’m ready to go home. Not wanting to head down I-74 towards Rockingham this time, I take a left out of Cox’s on to 134 towards Troy.
Now I’m on a mission to get home, so here are the routes I used to get back to hwy 1 in SC. First up was 134 to Troy. Then 109 to Wadesboro, NC. Followed by 742 to Chesterfield, SC. Next up was 145 to Mcbee and hwy 1. From there I rode hwy 1 to Camden and Lugoff catching I-20 home.
One note about one road in particular. Hwy 145 was the straightest, least populated road I’ve ever been on. Kind of boring actually, but virtually no traffic! The road was excellent and pleasant to ride on, so that made up for the annoying part. I recommend it as a way to get to central NC without going through Rockingham. So, there you have my 2-day trip.
Next up is the final push to finish the Carolina Challenge. These dealerships will be along the eastern coast of North Carolina. I saved these for last to allow for quality time on the Outer Banks!
Whether you’re participating in the challenge or not, the roads I traveled in NC were all very nice roads. I do recommend a trip to western NC, though. You won’t regret it!
Learn more about the Challenge Ride.
