Reedus walks through Atlanta, narrating his first time on a bike. He was 13, on his friends bike, doing a wheelie near his skill. He fell off and ended up in the hospital. As soon as he got out, he was back on the bike. Bikes are addicting once you start. This week, he’ll head up the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville, North Carolina.
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Starting at Brother Moto, he picks up his friend Jason. Jason Paul Michaels is a custom bike builder who started at a young age. Michaels explains how great the view is. He’s riding a Motus, an American made bike. Reedus shows off his Confederate, as well. They head inside to check out Brother Moto. Spaces are for rent to work on bikes. Michaels shows off the space and introduce Reedus to a couple of women who part of a biker group called the Lady Fingers.
Reedus and Michaels head north about 80 miles to Apex. They’re excited to see the workshop which works on old bikes in an effort to keep them on the road. There are bikes as old as 1954 being worked on. The couple is happy to work on old bikes because of their history and everyone discusses how they ended up interested in bikes. They all hop on some old bikes and go for a ride. Jason is on a 1954 BMW R513. Reedus is on a 1954 R69S. They’re impressed with how smooth, yet fragile the bikes are. They all stop to eat together and talk about other places to go ride before parting ways.
While riding, Reedus explains that every season The Walking Dead’s showrunner calls each cast member to break down the season for them. The only question Reedus ever has for Scott Gimple is, “Do I still get to ride a motorcycle?”
The two guys continue their ride to the Fontana Dam. It was a power supply to an “out-of-the-way place to build airplanes” during World War II. The view offers a breathtaking looking at the mountains of Georgia.
Reedus and Michaels ride through to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Reedus calls the trail, “a biker’s wet dream” just before seeing that hundreds of bikers are doing the same. He is swarmed by fans and one lady even says, “You look like Daryl from The Walking Dead.”One woman reveals these bikers race here in the parking lot and Reedus and Michaels are going to watch. They meet a guy who has an injured arm and rides his bike with a throttle and brakes on the same side. Reedus and Michaels won’t ride the Dragon because of the crowds but he will watch the races. Grown men and women hop onto 50cc bikes and race each other around the lots.
Only 70 miles away from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Reedus and Michaels hit the road again. Rain starts to come down and the two decide to stop their ride for a bit and explore what looks like an abandoned antique shop. They’re back on the road and riding through Cherokee where they find a giant Indian statue to take photos in front of. Inside, they meet a tattoo artist who explains how old the Indian statue is and shares some of the highlights of his career. The Cherokee around here are all survivors of the Trail of Tears.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is curvy and Reedus says here, “the journey is the destination.” They stop at the top to take in the view of miles of mountains. It’s time for the last leg of the journey: Asheville.
On the last leg of the trip, Reedus and Michaels stop at a religious biker meet up. A speaker compares life to riding a bike. Afterwards, Reedus talks with Pastor Bulldog and is quick to thank the Lord for his community. He also shows Reedus the port-a-potties which are used for their port-a-potty races. Reedus and Michaels strap in for a race, being towed by two bikes. Reedus wins but they love it either way.
In Asheville, they arrive a man’s house who is on his porch playing a banjo across from their distillery. They head into the distillery and hear about how old Howling Moon Distillery is. Their business is old school and inspired by Prohibition. Later, they meet a few bootleggers who have run from the police but never been arrested. They stock up on moonshine and hit the road once more.
They’re heading to A Broken Spoke, a vintage shop specializing in Harley’s. Inside, they look at some classic and gritty bikes before meeting the owner and getting a tour. Michaels admires the old and retired parts. Outside, Reedus jokes with the tight knit community. He admires the group and their sense of family.
The next day, it’s time to head back to Atlanta. They make one last stop for ice cream on the way and reflect on how much they’ve enjoyed the trip. Reedus has a “super early” call for The Walking Dead tomorrow and has to get a haircut.
