SEGMENT 1
Ancient natural beauty and mountain history. Joseph’s family has had deep roots in the Smokies for almost 200 years. Today Joseph Mcelroy will be discussing the road life in the smokies. The mountains are a popular attraction for sightseeing and exploration with many wonderful roadside restaurants. Yesterday was Robert Burns’s birthday so later a guest will talk about the food that was eaten at that dinner. Bulloch parkway is one of the many sights. There is also the Blue Ridge which runs down the spine of US RT 441. Blue Ridge Parkway was constructed under President Roosevelt’s administration beginning in September 1935. Because it was designated a National Park there were new rules for land. Residents are unable to make commercial developments to their land for use for anything other than agriculture. This would later change to come extent. The Cherokee section opened in the 1950s. The entrance to Blue Ridge begins in Swain County. Cherokee Valley and Blue Ridge Parkway have a lot of places where you can stop and enjoy the scenery.
Another well-known road is the Road to Nowhere, an unfinished road in Bryson city. The project started when the government took over public and private land to build the Fontana Dam. Locals were assured that they would be reimbursed with a road allowing displaced residents to access family cemeteries. Construction began in the 40s then stalled due to environmental issues. The road to nowhere stops at a tunnel that leads to a trail.
SEGMENT 2
Val Gene Hamilton, also known as Pops. He is the owner of Pops Place, a roadside restaurant in Maggie Valley. Pops in a motorcyclist and an expert in roadside dining. In addition, Pops is also the first African American elected to the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce. Before coming to maggie Valley Pops was living in Florida but a friend in Transylvania County encouraged pops to move and work for him. They worked together for three months before that partnership ended and he has lived in the mountains for 30 years since. By October of 2016, he became the owner of Pops Place. His restaurant is a classic roadside diner. Pops is a biker who didn’t start this until he turned fifty. Buddies of his pushed him to ride. He now owns a Suzuki 109. All of his sons ride motorcycles and his grandsons ride dirt bikes. Pop and Joseph share stories about their childhoods and the antics that they engaged in.
SEGMENT 3
If you like curves, ride in the mountains. While it is a renowned trail, the problem with the very popular Tail of the Dragon Trail is that many younger people on sports bikes ride so fast that they get too close to other riders. People also need to be cautious of the wildlife while riding. This trail is one of the premier spots for sports car touring. People come from all over, even abroad. Pops recalls a time when he encountered a Russian tourist that rented bikes and rode the trail. Maggie, Gatlinburg, and Cherokee valley have many festivals for riders. There is a lot of road culture. Diamondback Cherohala Skyway is two trails that Pops recommend. Six years ago with his biking club, the GT Rider, they planned a trip to the Cherohala Skyway. It was their first ride of the year, and pop just replaced a bad tire. He got a call that they would have a run on Saturday. After riding 300 hundred miles, Pops slept for 3 days.
SEGMENT 4
Joined by Mike Ogletree who is here to talk about Robert Burns. One of Burns’s poems was a humorous one called the Address to Haggis. It described the virtues of haggis and how they made the Scotts strong. Mike recites this poem.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:36.480 –> 00:00:52.200 Joseph McElroy: howdy thanks for joining us on this week’s episode of gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains national park and the surrounding towns.
00:00:53.250 –> 00:01:04.170 Joseph McElroy: This area’s filled with ancient natural beauty deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we will explore with weekly episodes.
00:01:05.340 –> 00:01:22.260 Joseph McElroy: Now I’m Joseph Franklin McElroy man of the world, but also a deep roots in these mountains My family has lived in the great smokies for over 200 years, so they weren’t cold great scope smokies back then I don’t think they might have been, but I don’t know.
00:01:23.970 –> 00:01:25.200 Joseph McElroy: I have to research that now.
00:01:26.280 –> 00:01:30.090 Joseph McElroy: My business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.
00:01:31.560 –> 00:01:47.160 Joseph McElroy: Now today we’re going to be talking about road life in the smokies whether you’re going nowhere or somewhere the smokies has great roads to sightsee and experience local culture by auto motorcycle bicycle even horseback.
00:01:48.960 –> 00:01:55.560 Joseph McElroy: there’s also wonderful roadsides restaurants and attractions, and all these mountains.
00:01:56.580 –> 00:02:02.760 Joseph McElroy: I will have i’m hoping my guests are trying to log on my guest today will be able to give stories on both.
00:02:04.500 –> 00:02:06.750 Joseph McElroy: And not we’ll talk about this.
00:02:08.280 –> 00:02:12.840 Joseph McElroy: And then I want you to hang on to the end and we’ll we’re going to talk about a holiday yesterday.
00:02:13.410 –> 00:02:22.290 Joseph McElroy: called the Robert Burns day that some people in the smoky mountains Gus celebrate because he was a he was a popular post of the original Scottish Irish settlers.
00:02:22.890 –> 00:02:40.260 Joseph McElroy: And we’re going to specifically, since this is talking about food as part of our program talk about the food eat at that traditional dinner Mike ogletree my guest, a few weeks ago will also give us a rarity live recitation of a dialect for the toast to the haggis.
00:02:44.160 –> 00:02:45.480 Joseph McElroy: So I want to talk about.
00:02:47.730 –> 00:02:49.200 Joseph McElroy: The road somewhere.
00:02:53.490 –> 00:03:06.090 Joseph McElroy: Ridge parkway which is america’s longest longest linear park runs for 469 miles wicking the shenandoah National Park, to the great smokies National Park.
00:03:07.380 –> 00:03:14.430 Joseph McElroy: It runs mostly along the spine of the blue Ridge, a major mountain Ridge chain that’s part of the appalachian mountains.
00:03:16.350 –> 00:03:30.240 Joseph McElroy: It ends us route for one which is on the boundary between the great smoky mountains national park and the cherokee Indian reservation in North Carolina now route 4441 will probably talk about.
00:03:30.570 –> 00:03:38.400 Joseph McElroy: either today or some other day it’s important port road in the great smoky mountains in the road life that you might enjoy there.
00:03:41.100 –> 00:03:41.460 Joseph McElroy: And it.
00:03:42.930 –> 00:03:46.740 Joseph McElroy: And it’s great the blue Ridge parkway.
00:03:47.820 –> 00:03:54.300 Joseph McElroy: Which is that road to somewhere little bit bigger and during the administration of President Franklin D Roosevelt.
00:03:55.980 –> 00:04:01.170 Joseph McElroy: prepared project was originally called the appalachian state and.
00:04:03.360 –> 00:04:09.570 Joseph McElroy: The appalachian state scenic highway and work began on September 11 1935.
00:04:13.350 –> 00:04:15.900 Joseph McElroy: It is it was it was started in.
00:04:17.220 –> 00:04:34.800 Joseph McElroy: is starting to your Cumberland knob in North Carolina and then construction began in Virginia, the following February, then in June 30 1936 Congress formally authorized the project has been Ridge parkway and placed it on the jurisdiction.
00:04:36.300 –> 00:04:37.950 Joseph McElroy: Of the National Park service.
00:04:40.620 –> 00:04:41.730 Joseph McElroy: The National Park.
00:04:44.880 –> 00:04:46.530 Joseph McElroy: The park right construction created.
00:04:47.730 –> 00:04:55.800 Joseph McElroy: Jobs and the regime, but also displace many residents and create a new rules and regulations for landowners, including.
00:04:56.310 –> 00:05:05.070 Joseph McElroy: requirements related to how farmers could transport COP props you imagine that people didn’t have a lot of rules before then started having rules like.
00:05:05.760 –> 00:05:12.510 Joseph McElroy: They can no longer build on their lands without permission or development land, except for agricultural use.
00:05:13.080 –> 00:05:24.780 Joseph McElroy: And they were not even used to use this part right for commercial trial, so there was a little bit of upset back in those times, and then the eastern band of the cherokees got it and they were affected by the parkway.
00:05:25.980 –> 00:05:32.610 Joseph McElroy: It was it was built through their lives and they in from 35 until 40 they resisted given up the right away.
00:05:33.720 –> 00:05:38.070 Joseph McElroy: Through what’s called the quality boundary we were talking about that someday pretty interesting place.
00:05:39.480 –> 00:05:46.410 Joseph McElroy: And they were successful in getting more favorable terms from the end they were successful game gaining more favorable terms from the US Government.
00:05:48.060 –> 00:05:54.810 Joseph McElroy: and, specifically, they got some money and they got to specify the parkway route, but really important for me personally.
00:05:55.440 –> 00:06:07.980 Joseph McElroy: they’ve acquired the state to build a regular highway through soco valley and that’s the highway refer to us 1919 which goes through Maggie Valley, where I have a motel call him, Mr hotel.
00:06:10.050 –> 00:06:16.650 Joseph McElroy: And so, then the cherokee Indian leaders participate in the dedication, so when the cherokee sections open the 1950s.
00:06:18.630 –> 00:06:29.670 Joseph McElroy: The park at the park way begins in swain county cherokee at the entrance to the great smoky mountain national park and it’s a beautiful little drive through all the fall.
00:06:30.480 –> 00:06:42.480 Joseph McElroy: Sometimes clothes do in the winter due to weather and and you have plenty of time to enjoy the ride because it’s 45 mile per hour drive and now there’s someplace where people get pretty slow.
00:06:44.910 –> 00:06:50.550 Joseph McElroy: And and and you know there’s not a lot of restrooms and dining spots on the parkway itself so that’s.
00:06:50.970 –> 00:07:01.200 Joseph McElroy: that’s more from a for a beautiful drive getting from one place to another and a couple of those drives it from one place to another, as well as the cherokee to balsam gap.
00:07:01.830 –> 00:07:05.400 Joseph McElroy: it’s about a 26 mile for charity, to the ball some gap.
00:07:06.270 –> 00:07:21.660 Joseph McElroy: Which is just west of North Carolina and I don’t know if you listen last week we were talking about them balsam mountain range and the music group balsam range well, that is true that’s right smack middle in the balsam balsam range mountain range.
00:07:22.710 –> 00:07:29.400 Joseph McElroy: Where that comes out in your ways always was a pretty nice little tourists down to go visit got a lot of things going on it’s not too far from an EVAL.
00:07:31.440 –> 00:07:42.840 Joseph McElroy: And you along that route you’ll get to pass the big which overlook or the view of cherokee valley and water water off knob where there’s a visitor information station and a conference Center Center.
00:07:43.260 –> 00:07:44.250 mike: So i’ll just have to hold it.
00:07:55.230 –> 00:08:05.400 Joseph McElroy: And it has a spectacular view and there’s a there’s a half mile mile trial to the summit for even better view and, as a nearly 360 degree vantage point are uniquely suited for.
00:08:06.270 –> 00:08:16.350 Joseph McElroy: For viewing a photographic sunrise and sunset and let me tell you that blue Ridge parkway even see a lot of those really long, this is where those beautiful sunsets.
00:08:16.740 –> 00:08:29.100 Joseph McElroy: A lot of them are taken from the new blue Ridge parkway because they got a lot of place reading stop and they cleared it out enough that you can just see for miles and miles forever it’s like looking at you know the heavens forever.
00:08:30.660 –> 00:08:37.920 Joseph McElroy: And another one of those drives it’s pretty good as interim out more about the ball some gap to map pisco.
00:08:39.120 –> 00:08:54.960 Joseph McElroy: This 35 miles begins just west of waynesville at the muscle get interest, and it goes through several beautiful overlooks, including the Richard Richard Richard Wang ball some overlooked and which is at the highest point on the blue Ridge parkway.
00:08:56.280 –> 00:09:05.940 Joseph McElroy: So you know, the road to somewhere it goes, all the way up to the Santo Santo valley it’s a beautiful drive it’s a much bigger trip.
00:09:07.080 –> 00:09:14.160 Joseph McElroy: That, if you want to gauge upon but you know there’s an interesting little trip, you can take and that’s the road to nowhere all right.
00:09:14.790 –> 00:09:28.380 Joseph McElroy: it’s the nickname of an unfinished six mile stretch of highway that’s it starts in bryson city and it represents and unfulfilled promise by the US Government to a small community and sway and count.
00:09:29.520 –> 00:09:47.010 Joseph McElroy: started and 30s or 50s when the federal government, the Tennessee valley authority took over 67,000 acres of public and private land and grand sweating counties and it built the Fontana damn creating the Fontana lake and part of the great smoky mountains National Park.
00:09:49.590 –> 00:10:00.210 Joseph McElroy: In compensation for the land, which had been owned by many families for generations, I mean, these are real folks losing their land again they weren’t all entirely happy about that.
00:10:00.660 –> 00:10:07.830 Joseph McElroy: The GM government promise to reimburse Wayne county for the loss of the flooded highway two to eight, which would provide access to the area.
00:10:09.870 –> 00:10:21.690 Joseph McElroy: Another insurance that there’d be a road approximate 30 miles long that would follow the northern shorter like help substitute for the highway allow the displace residence to access their family cemeteries.
00:10:22.080 –> 00:10:31.320 Joseph McElroy: Now I know growing up my family had we had one and other families, did you have these old cemetery where he buried your family so not been able to get to them would be pretty dramatic.
00:10:32.850 –> 00:10:40.980 Joseph McElroy: And so, this road was started in the 40s and extended about six miles, but then it stopped in 1969 because environmental issues.
00:10:42.150 –> 00:10:53.010 Joseph McElroy: And know around the year 2000 Congressman Charlie Patterson is your Jesse Helms got some money, the fall on that road continuing was never completed.
00:10:55.050 –> 00:11:01.500 Joseph McElroy: And a lot of us do more productive and more construction costs, and it remains us and it remains a sensitive issue.
00:11:03.090 –> 00:11:08.850 Joseph McElroy: Then is viewed as a broken promise promise but what’s interesting is this broken road to nowhere stops.
00:11:11.970 –> 00:11:13.080 Joseph McElroy: It stops.
00:11:14.250 –> 00:11:20.070 Joseph McElroy: At a tunnel all right, and then we walked through that tunnel there’s nothing on the side, but a trail right.
00:11:21.900 –> 00:11:32.250 Joseph McElroy: So it might be guess they started about three miles outside of the city and it has beautiful abuse upon town lake and the Texas Texas easy river.
00:11:32.670 –> 00:11:37.530 Joseph McElroy: As well as encounters with woodlands and many small screens and it runs around.
00:11:38.040 –> 00:11:48.600 Joseph McElroy: That time and then the payment ends after the Channel and you get on the cup you get you get on this what’s called the lake shore trail, and it goes for 35 miles to find time a damn.
00:11:49.530 –> 00:11:58.050 Joseph McElroy: there’s also some there’s also some other trails along there call the Goldman loop trail loop and the tunnel bypass trail.
00:11:58.590 –> 00:12:09.510 Joseph McElroy: there’s also old homesteads and builders along these trails and then there’s another trail brands, called the nolan creek trail that leads to the the GS MPs highest peak cleveland’s doll.
00:12:10.830 –> 00:12:20.220 Joseph McElroy: Which is a really famous landmark in place to go it’s it’s it’s in the great the great smoky mountains National Park it’s the highest peak there and it.
00:12:20.940 –> 00:12:39.030 Joseph McElroy: it’s a there’s a lot of there’s a lot of hiking trails and go from there as well, so it’s a recommended it’s a recommended a wonderful adventure I think so there’s a couple there’s a couple great drives there that to you, you can do one to know where one to every one of the somewhere.
00:12:40.110 –> 00:12:54.450 Joseph McElroy: And you know that that drive for 41 that then connects to us 19 that then goes to cherokee and goes through Maggie Valley, it goes by late June Alaska goes through Clyde it goes through canton.
00:12:54.780 –> 00:13:05.820 Joseph McElroy: Then it picks up the highway for a little while that goes into actual that’s a really nice drive for a road drive to see some things and it’s a pretty low lowland drive that you can do as opposed to.
00:13:06.960 –> 00:13:19.950 Joseph McElroy: To one over the mountains so anyway, when we get back my guests, I think, are here and we will we will talk about motorcycle rides and food stuffs in the mountains of North Carolina.
00:15:49.560 –> 00:15:55.200 Joseph McElroy: hey this is Joseph mcilroy back with gateway to the smokies podcast.
00:15:56.250 –> 00:16:14.520 Joseph McElroy: One welcome you all back my guest today or now Dean Hamilton also notice POPs and he’s owner of the famous POPs place roadside restaurant Maggie valley pop is an avid motorcyclist as well as an expert and roadside fine dining.
00:16:15.630 –> 00:16:26.790 Joseph McElroy: is going to share his experience in the smoky mountains with us also with us as our mutual friend Michael ogletree was a guest on this show three weeks back and who is a resident musician is.
00:16:26.790 –> 00:16:27.900 Joseph McElroy: In the middle arm.
00:16:28.440 –> 00:16:38.880 Joseph McElroy: And a former drummer of the band simple minds at the end he’s going to talk about food at the traditional Robert Burns supper which was holiday was yesterday Hello POPs how you doing.
00:16:39.090 –> 00:16:41.070 Mike Ogletree: i’m doing fine Joseph how are you.
00:16:41.340 –> 00:16:42.750 Joseph McElroy: I can I call you POPs.
00:16:42.840 –> 00:16:45.450 Mike Ogletree: You can call me anything but late for dinner, and my friend.
00:16:47.190 –> 00:16:48.450 Joseph McElroy: how’d you get that nickname.
00:16:49.170 –> 00:16:58.470 Mike Ogletree: My children started it and you know when they as they got a little older and then all their friends and so on, so forth on most of my friends call me pop.
00:16:58.800 –> 00:17:00.630 Joseph McElroy: Really what’s a good nickname right.
00:17:00.660 –> 00:17:01.530 Mike Ogletree: yeah yeah.
00:17:02.160 –> 00:17:05.820 Joseph McElroy: it’s casual and Chris got gravitas at the same time yeah.
00:17:07.440 –> 00:17:13.620 Joseph McElroy: I hear I hear graduations in order you just got one elected to the board of the Maggie valley Chamber commerce.
00:17:13.980 –> 00:17:16.140 Mike Ogletree: Correct correct it’s quite an honor.
00:17:17.970 –> 00:17:22.440 Mike Ogletree: I love it here at Maggie and so you know i’ve been here like six years so.
00:17:22.890 –> 00:17:25.590 Joseph McElroy: Are you a long time that we’ve been a Member for a while and.
00:17:26.040 –> 00:17:30.000 Mike Ogletree: Ever since we opened up this shop we joined the Chamber.
00:17:30.210 –> 00:17:36.900 Joseph McElroy: yeah well here’s you know it’s a little bit of a milestone because you’re the first African American elected to position and manage right.
00:17:36.960 –> 00:17:37.560 Mike Ogletree: And all.
00:17:39.240 –> 00:17:41.160 Joseph McElroy: that’s that’s pretty big statement, I think.
00:17:41.460 –> 00:17:44.190 Mike Ogletree: accepted it really is yeah yes.
00:17:44.490 –> 00:17:54.990 Joseph McElroy: yeah well i’m pretty happy that you’re in that position, because I know you’re a great businessman, and you only help build the business and Maggie valley and all the smoky mountains, I think that’s.
00:17:55.320 –> 00:17:56.100 Mike Ogletree: working for.
00:17:56.130 –> 00:17:59.580 Joseph McElroy: yeah so tell me how did you end up in North Carolina.
00:18:00.900 –> 00:18:21.090 Mike Ogletree: I was living in Florida and a buddy of mine had restaurant over in Transylvania county over and Beauvoir that was 1987 and he asked me if I come work for him, so I came he lasted about three months after i’ve been there and i’ve been here over 30 years wow.
00:18:22.170 –> 00:18:24.120 Joseph McElroy: So mountains become your hometown right.
00:18:24.210 –> 00:18:25.560 Mike Ogletree: Oh it’s my home yeah.
00:18:25.800 –> 00:18:28.560 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah you got a sort of a mountain accent there.
00:18:30.360 –> 00:18:32.700 Mike Ogletree: Is between that New York in that country.
00:18:36.240 –> 00:18:37.260 Joseph McElroy: Forget about it.
00:18:39.570 –> 00:18:40.500 Joseph McElroy: Forget about it.
00:18:44.070 –> 00:18:50.940 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s pretty cool so so you you’re working in the restaurant business and for bard and then moved on to other restaurants, I assume.
00:18:50.940 –> 00:18:58.710 Mike Ogletree: yeah I am that place ended up they sold it out and I ended up working out like tops were country club.
00:18:59.940 –> 00:19:06.600 Mike Ogletree: For about five or six years I left there and went to micah’s in sapphire and.
00:19:07.740 –> 00:19:16.260 Mike Ogletree: Then got a job down here in our silver and then I live in cherokee for 20 years in.
00:19:17.610 –> 00:19:21.180 Mike Ogletree: Between bryson and here for the last 10 years or so.
00:19:21.660 –> 00:19:27.600 Joseph McElroy: cool that’s pretty good, so the us open up this restaurant six six years ago and Maggie Valley.
00:19:28.140 –> 00:19:30.300 Joseph McElroy: yeah how did that come about and tell us about.
00:19:30.330 –> 00:19:32.970 Mike Ogletree: tell us a little bit well, I was, I was actually.
00:19:34.050 –> 00:19:42.870 Mike Ogletree: out on disability and my son came to me, and he said pop let’s go check out this restaurant, I was like man I ain’t trying to go back to.
00:19:44.340 –> 00:19:57.660 Mike Ogletree: i’m done with work, you know and so he went and checked it out and the rent was right there locations perfect place a little small, but we do pretty well and.
00:19:58.440 –> 00:20:16.860 Mike Ogletree: So we started it and he and I lasted together about a year and a half, and then I took it over and October of 16 and just last year he opened up POPs butts on the creek right down the road, a little bit BA ma and.
00:20:18.180 –> 00:20:22.710 Mike Ogletree: So that’s going strong so actually the family has to as props and Maggie Valley.
00:20:23.070 –> 00:20:24.300 Joseph McElroy: yeah that’s pretty impressive.
00:20:24.870 –> 00:20:30.510 Joseph McElroy: yeah so your your restaurant is sort of a classic roadside would you call it a diner.
00:20:30.840 –> 00:20:32.100 Joseph McElroy: Correct yeah.
00:20:32.490 –> 00:20:35.760 Mike Ogletree: yeah yeah you know you’re you’re you’re omelets.
00:20:37.080 –> 00:20:46.230 Mike Ogletree: eggs anyway, you want on pancakes waffles shrimp and grits like you’re never going anywhere in your life guarantee.
00:20:47.760 –> 00:20:49.500 Joseph McElroy: yeah I have a shrimp and grits and.
00:20:50.640 –> 00:20:52.440 Joseph McElroy: biscuits and gravy are pretty famous are.
00:20:52.740 –> 00:21:05.640 Mike Ogletree: They are yes, Sir, yes biscuits every day for us gravy you know I use good products, you know I try to use good products and we love what we do so, it comes out in the food.
00:21:08.310 –> 00:21:12.330 Joseph McElroy: You have any of any of those traditional mountain foods like red I gravy or.
00:21:12.630 –> 00:21:13.920 Mike Ogletree: Not, no, no.
00:21:14.730 –> 00:21:16.830 Mike Ogletree: I didn’t have yellow stone ground grits.
00:21:17.310 –> 00:21:19.020 Joseph McElroy: Just on the ground it’s there you go.
00:21:20.580 –> 00:21:24.690 Mike Ogletree: I had to bring my little my New York player down with my with my nails you know.
00:21:25.710 –> 00:21:26.130 Mike Ogletree: and
00:21:27.180 –> 00:21:31.890 Mike Ogletree: You know, we come from a family of bunch of cooks cooks.
00:21:32.100 –> 00:21:32.610 Joseph McElroy: Well that’s right.
00:21:33.720 –> 00:21:40.170 Joseph McElroy: Well, I know that whenever i’m whenever i’m Maggie I I stopped by your place if I can we go get a breakfast.
00:21:40.440 –> 00:21:44.100 Joseph McElroy: I know it’s it’s those biscuits are really good.
00:21:46.860 –> 00:21:55.320 Mike Ogletree: To say, can you give me the recipe for them biscuits I said, surely, but you gotta realize, you have to make like 60 this is that time.
00:21:55.590 –> 00:21:55.920 yeah.
00:21:57.930 –> 00:22:01.050 Mike Ogletree: i’m not gonna break it down for you, you can have the rest of the.
00:22:03.030 –> 00:22:08.220 Joseph McElroy: POPs is right in the middle of the town it’s right across from the festival grounds right.
00:22:08.580 –> 00:22:11.490 Mike Ogletree: Correct yeah we’re right right in the middle of town.
00:22:11.610 –> 00:22:19.380 Joseph McElroy: And the festival grounds, if you go there for one of the festival POPs is a great place to stop off it’s a classic roadside place now has pretty famous and.
00:22:19.560 –> 00:22:21.360 Mike Ogletree: Real hot coffee, you know.
00:22:21.660 –> 00:22:22.200 Joseph McElroy: Real hot.
00:22:23.280 –> 00:22:29.610 Joseph McElroy: butts on the creek is more towards the entrance to the town from coming from the wayne’s will side right.
00:22:29.640 –> 00:22:30.060 Mike Ogletree: Right.
00:22:30.420 –> 00:22:37.170 Joseph McElroy: I think it’s it’s a cool place because I went out when you go in, there you go to drive basically driving off the side of a cliff.
00:22:41.370 –> 00:22:41.850 Joseph McElroy: Should.
00:22:41.910 –> 00:22:44.070 Joseph McElroy: Real fast down and read.
00:22:44.280 –> 00:22:48.690 Joseph McElroy: It again okay you’re back and forth method to get that little pocket park last many.
00:22:49.710 –> 00:22:53.640 Joseph McElroy: Years there’s This basically it’s it’s essentially just a giant shack right.
00:22:54.180 –> 00:23:05.160 Mike Ogletree: yeah actually you know it’s a metal building that they they made into a cabin structure of it is metal and they just put whatever.
00:23:05.220 –> 00:23:06.570 Joseph McElroy: It is looks like a giant.
00:23:06.570 –> 00:23:07.260 Joseph McElroy: shack right.
00:23:07.350 –> 00:23:07.740 Mike Ogletree: yeah.
00:23:07.830 –> 00:23:13.260 Joseph McElroy: it’s got all these it’s got like these long Porches the screened in essentially.
00:23:13.320 –> 00:23:16.200 Joseph McElroy: Correct right they go right over the creek right yeah.
00:23:16.230 –> 00:23:16.800 Mike Ogletree: We just.
00:23:18.000 –> 00:23:26.700 Mike Ogletree: kind of insulated that so we can stay open all year round, so yeah they do real well down there they the best brisket around.
00:23:27.540 –> 00:23:29.070 Joseph McElroy: This really yeah and that’s.
00:23:29.730 –> 00:23:31.170 Mike Ogletree: chicken poop or.
00:23:31.710 –> 00:23:32.940 Joseph McElroy: classic roadside.
00:23:33.210 –> 00:23:33.540 Mike Ogletree: Yes.
00:23:34.050 –> 00:23:35.370 Joseph McElroy: Is that is that.
00:23:36.480 –> 00:23:39.180 Joseph McElroy: So so you’ve been in the.
00:23:41.310 –> 00:23:44.850 Joseph McElroy: You say we’re looking at the okay so we’re.
00:23:46.770 –> 00:23:50.790 Joseph McElroy: we’re in that you were in the mountains now and have you been motorcycle in your whole life.
00:23:51.330 –> 00:23:54.480 Mike Ogletree: No, I actually never started riding until I turned.
00:23:54.480 –> 00:23:57.630 Joseph McElroy: 51 now.
00:23:57.630 –> 00:23:59.850 Mike Ogletree: For that I made that.
00:23:59.910 –> 00:24:11.760 Mike Ogletree: You know 20 miles on somebody bike you know, a couple of miles here a couple miles there you know yeah never really road and I when I was 50 some buddies of mine.
00:24:13.170 –> 00:24:18.660 Mike Ogletree: That were ride and matt kept on pushing the man come on man try just hop on my bike though man.
00:24:19.110 –> 00:24:25.980 Mike Ogletree: And I wouldn’t do it wouldn’t do it, and then a buddy of mine another buddy of mine came yeah a little Honda shadow 600.
00:24:26.580 –> 00:24:36.990 Mike Ogletree: He was trying to sell it the money was right, the low mileage bike was right, I little money in my pocket and and now I ride a it’s all seven.
00:24:37.860 –> 00:24:52.290 Mike Ogletree: Suzuki em 109 and love it I love power cruiser you know you can still get those sporty with it, you know what I mean but it’s a big cruiser big 1800 yeah.
00:24:52.350 –> 00:24:55.170 Joseph McElroy: wow now how does your family feel about you doing all that.
00:24:55.320 –> 00:24:58.200 Mike Ogletree: Voters all day long at all my son’s ride.
00:24:58.350 –> 00:25:14.460 Mike Ogletree: That they all right, my one son justin he’s got all his kids are riding dirt bikes and four wheelers and my son now jr he rides with me all the time we go do the Daytona trip with toys are on the air, you know stuff like that.
00:25:14.820 –> 00:25:21.390 Joseph McElroy: We know when I was growing up at the meadowlark my my brother than that you used to have a trail bike that we’d write all through that backyard.
00:25:23.730 –> 00:25:24.450 Mike Ogletree: backyard.
00:25:25.020 –> 00:25:33.600 Joseph McElroy: backyard we do run all over thing you know the bad thing we do is we were sort of bad boys, we would take bb guns and we wear helmets to try to shoot each other.
00:25:37.290 –> 00:25:40.770 Joseph McElroy: You know, when you live in when you go up the mountain sometimes you got to make up funny.
00:25:40.950 –> 00:25:41.310 yeah.
00:25:43.500 –> 00:25:48.510 Joseph McElroy: Before we move to that before we move them out of that metal Arc we had lived up in the mountains.
00:25:49.380 –> 00:25:50.280 Joseph McElroy: We had built some.
00:25:50.310 –> 00:25:54.390 Joseph McElroy: We had built some trails and you know that was sort of the thing to ambush each other.
00:25:54.900 –> 00:25:55.560 Mike Ogletree: Right right.
00:25:56.790 –> 00:26:01.320 Mike Ogletree: It leads to snowball fight, you know because i’m from orange county New York so.
00:26:01.350 –> 00:26:08.700 Mike Ogletree: yeah i’m around no town, you know grew up there, and you know the ice balls there are no snowballs there was ice balls.
00:26:11.490 –> 00:26:14.400 Joseph McElroy: funny you’re sitting down in the middle Arc and i’m sitting up in New York City or.
00:26:17.550 –> 00:26:17.670 Mike Ogletree: A.
00:26:20.490 –> 00:26:22.080 Mike Ogletree: Small dog Joseph.
00:26:23.490 –> 00:26:28.080 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know different appear right now, you can’t get you can’t get out as much as you can down there I keep.
00:26:28.080 –> 00:26:28.470 writing.
00:26:29.610 –> 00:26:33.120 Joseph McElroy: But you know if you come to go down you got come back you got a quantity for two weeks.
00:26:33.150 –> 00:26:38.220 Mike Ogletree: yeah I know I since I saw you last I found that I had.
00:26:39.300 –> 00:26:40.740 Mike Ogletree: set a twin daughters.
00:26:41.160 –> 00:26:57.210 Mike Ogletree: yeah 51 years old 10 grandchildren 13 great grandchildren great grandchildren and they live on the island, you know, and they want to come back and forth, and so our trump does you know, trying to quarantine and all that you know.
00:26:57.600 –> 00:27:01.470 Mike Ogletree: But I can’t wait to meet all these his family man, I feel blessed.
00:27:01.770 –> 00:27:06.210 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know i’m 59 years old and I got to I got a two year old twins.
00:27:09.300 –> 00:27:10.290 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness.
00:27:12.540 –> 00:27:14.130 Joseph McElroy: they’re rocking the House right now.
00:27:17.040 –> 00:27:20.910 Joseph McElroy: I need that four acre backyard, let them do the run around delete them, so I.
00:27:23.670 –> 00:27:26.490 Mike Ogletree: Raised my boys up in small town America.
00:27:26.610 –> 00:27:36.780 Mike Ogletree: yeah heck with this city small town America running adwords get out the House go play get tired, because when it’s bedtime I want to go to bed.
00:27:37.590 –> 00:27:43.470 Joseph McElroy: Thinking about walking down the street down the sidewalk with them and have them when there’s a rat come out of a garbage can say.
00:27:48.840 –> 00:27:49.830 Joseph McElroy: I don’t think my walk.
00:27:49.920 –> 00:27:51.390 Joseph McElroy: My wife, let me do that.
00:27:59.070 –> 00:28:07.830 Joseph McElroy: Alright, well, we come back we’ll talk a little bit more about the the writing the smoky mountains and then we’ll get into a little bit of some of the places to go up there all right well.
00:28:08.190 –> 00:28:09.000 Mike Ogletree: For sure.
00:30:31.500 –> 00:30:48.630 Joseph McElroy: howdy, this is a Joseph McElroy back with gateway to the smokies podcast with my guest POPs Hamilton from Maggie valley in the POPs place spectacular Barbecue and biscuit place are you doing box.
00:30:50.730 –> 00:30:52.680 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah hit the unmute button.
00:31:13.980 –> 00:31:24.600 Joseph McElroy: bike down and you write it in the mountain ways of the smoky mountains i’ve heard it the smoky mountains has some of the best motorcycle trails in the USA is that true.
00:31:24.900 –> 00:31:41.790 Mike Ogletree: that’s very true and they’re all over and even you know just back roads to different towns, you know you can make so many different loops goes so many different ways and they’re all just spectacular you know the sites are amazing.
00:31:42.150 –> 00:31:42.360 Web.
00:31:44.250 –> 00:31:45.300 Joseph McElroy: Sites, the.
00:31:46.800 –> 00:31:53.310 Mike Ogletree: yeah you know between your waterfalls you know amazing homes, the rivers.
00:31:54.480 –> 00:32:14.160 Mike Ogletree: You know it’s just amazing here, I really love to hear I think it’s one of the best places to be had a little time, when I was a kid out in Colorado and you know living in a Canyon so it was you know being here, where you can do those kinds of things it’s just amazing I ride the.
00:32:15.390 –> 00:32:27.630 Mike Ogletree: Did the tail on the dragon a couple of times my youngest son and I took the bikes went over into Tennessee that way to do some research on my dad he was born over there and sweet water area.
00:32:30.210 –> 00:32:41.130 Mike Ogletree: The curves are amazing I mean just amazing now if you, if you like, to ride that don’t like curves, then you don’t need to ride in the mountains, but if you love Curry.
00:32:41.880 –> 00:32:43.770 Mike Ogletree: And you need come to the mountains in right.
00:32:45.930 –> 00:32:51.330 Joseph McElroy: that’s pretty good now, what are the what are some of the what are some of the safety issues when people riding in the people.
00:32:51.510 –> 00:33:03.870 Mike Ogletree: The people stop the one problem with with like the Taylor dragon because it’s so world famous you know you got people that come from all over the place to ride that.
00:33:04.890 –> 00:33:23.310 Mike Ogletree: And you have a lot of the people like myself that are cruising along you know we’re getting good speed, but we’re just kind of cruising along and then you got the younger guys and some of the older guys on the the Jacobites which I have a cat bye bye this sports bikes they.
00:33:24.450 –> 00:33:37.440 Mike Ogletree: They right so fast that you know they’re upon you, and you know you’re in a curve, and you know you hear uncommon but by the time you hear him their past you’re ready and so there’s some dangers there you know.
00:33:38.370 –> 00:33:48.900 Mike Ogletree: You have to definitely watch out for the wildlife, you know we have out there, you know all kinds of wild animals that you kind of have to look out for.
00:33:49.980 –> 00:33:54.720 Mike Ogletree: and other than that man it’s just you know, common sense kind of things you know.
00:33:55.140 –> 00:34:00.000 Joseph McElroy: Is there a lot of holes and you know rocks and tree limbs, and things like that.
00:34:00.000 –> 00:34:09.810 Mike Ogletree: not really the roads here really pretty good I mean you know every once in a while you run into something, but for the most part the relative pretty good.
00:34:10.470 –> 00:34:22.650 Mike Ogletree: that’s not kind of you know we don’t get the freeze that you all get up knowledge, so you know the roads they’ll get tutorial quite as much plus they don’t, let us quite as much as the Rose you know around major cities.
00:34:23.850 –> 00:34:30.300 Joseph McElroy: And when you’re when you’re stopping it places and maybe you stayed overnight, you have to worry too much about the very or vandalism.
00:34:30.990 –> 00:34:31.560 Ah.
00:34:32.760 –> 00:34:34.440 Mike Ogletree: I don’t you know because.
00:34:35.670 –> 00:34:42.120 Mike Ogletree: We are lock our bikes down we kind of keep them all together, and you know.
00:34:43.170 –> 00:34:46.080 Mike Ogletree: I try not to worry about those things because.
00:34:47.280 –> 00:34:49.500 Mike Ogletree: I want to enjoy my ride and.
00:34:50.700 –> 00:35:01.530 Mike Ogletree: You know, there are themes everywhere, we all know that you just have to be kind of cautious, you know you wouldn’t want to leave your bike in the dark corner somewhere, you know what I mean.
00:35:03.330 –> 00:35:14.160 Mike Ogletree: stuff like that, but other than that I don’t worry about that I stopped worrying about things quite a long time ago, put a smile on my face finally.
00:35:16.260 –> 00:35:21.450 Mike Ogletree: As evie evie worry about every little thing like that you can get out there and ride and really enjoys.
00:35:21.540 –> 00:35:25.170 Joseph McElroy: Well, a lot of places in the mountains now really motorcycle family are.
00:35:25.830 –> 00:35:28.770 Mike Ogletree: All very true very true everywhere.
00:35:30.630 –> 00:35:46.320 Mike Ogletree: That there’s so many motorcycles here during the season, I can have couldn’t fathom the shoe number but i’m in just thousands and thousands 10s of thousands of motorcycles.
00:35:46.680 –> 00:35:58.920 Mike Ogletree: You know the revenue that they bring to the western North Carolina is unbelievable I get people from Canada California Washington, you know Texas.
00:35:59.610 –> 00:36:19.380 Mike Ogletree: You know all brought to the a lot of people brought from abroad, you know kind of here, and right now, I think it was his first or second year we were open we had about 10 guys that staying at the hotel narrow Russians that came in rented bikes in road.
00:36:20.310 –> 00:36:26.550 Mike Ogletree: You know, of course, they didn’t ship their own bikes over here but they’re all like rock road and bake harley’s you know.
00:36:27.150 –> 00:36:31.800 Joseph McElroy: Well, the Maggie belly festival grounds, a yearly host a bunch of motorcycle and car rallies.
00:36:31.860 –> 00:36:46.230 Mike Ogletree: And car rides and they really do the Chamber has worked really hard to build these festivals up for the town, you know, actually, you know, being a restaurant owner i’m very thankful to the.
00:36:46.650 –> 00:36:57.480 Joseph McElroy: people listening should be a look up the Maggie valley festival grounds, they can also look up the haywood county festival grounds right they have big rallies out and in the gatlinburg area.
00:36:57.600 –> 00:36:59.520 Mike Ogletree: Gallagher cherokee yeah.
00:37:00.090 –> 00:37:00.900 Mike Ogletree: yeah yeah.
00:37:00.960 –> 00:37:09.030 Joseph McElroy: So I mean it’s a whole lifestyle out here in the mountains, to get the on road road life is really sort of an important aspect, and it always has been, even.
00:37:09.120 –> 00:37:10.140 Mike Ogletree: Yes, yes.
00:37:10.200 –> 00:37:24.450 Joseph McElroy: yeah it was a you know there’s a lot of these roadside motels you know the metal Arc is a classic roadside motel and as part of a road culture, so it still is a real culture, you know but it’s got a real outdoors he adventurous spirit.
00:37:24.660 –> 00:37:33.030 Mike Ogletree: Yes, yes, yes I enjoy coming down there and join our working with he doing the food last year.
00:37:34.260 –> 00:37:44.670 Mike Ogletree: On on the weekends, you know serving the bbq was that was that was really That was good for y’all that for me in the people love itself that was really good that time.
00:37:46.170 –> 00:37:52.560 Joseph McElroy: So I decided to take the dragon which I understand is considered the world’s premier.
00:37:52.890 –> 00:37:57.150 Joseph McElroy: yeah foremost motorcycling Spartan sports car touring road.
00:37:57.450 –> 00:37:59.550 Joseph McElroy: And what’s that about that’s only like.
00:37:59.640 –> 00:38:01.080 Joseph McElroy: 40 minutes from Maggie right.
00:38:01.140 –> 00:38:02.700 Mike Ogletree: yeah about 40 minutes.
00:38:02.730 –> 00:38:13.530 Joseph McElroy: is pretty there’s so many rides near Maggie and all yes within a haywood county itself, which is the gateway to the smokies yes, a lot of places So what are some of your other favorite ride.
00:38:13.830 –> 00:38:23.040 Mike Ogletree: Well, I, like the diamond back you that comprehend Lou you got to chair a hollow skyway I tell you story about that.
00:38:25.320 –> 00:38:33.270 Mike Ogletree: Six years ago but yeah I don’t think I have the restaurant know so maybe even seven years ago we were.
00:38:34.140 –> 00:38:43.380 Mike Ogletree: Planned our first ride for the season I long to little club called GT riders good time riders were social club.
00:38:43.830 –> 00:38:51.660 Mike Ogletree: You do fundraising and stuff and then put it all back out into the Community all the toys and such but anyway, we are.
00:38:52.410 –> 00:38:58.050 Mike Ogletree: Always my first ride at a year, I had, I had a bad tire, and so I had to order a tie or bad.
00:38:58.800 –> 00:39:16.890 Mike Ogletree: On there and finally got it on and the guy said man called me said hey we’re gonna run on Saturday and we’re going to do the chair a hollow skyline and I said okay that sounds like a good run well, we did about 300 miles that day.
00:39:17.190 –> 00:39:20.310 Mike Ogletree: Oh yeah and the knoxville them back.
00:39:21.660 –> 00:39:25.080 Mike Ogletree: And I slept for three days after the.
00:39:27.300 –> 00:39:27.690 Mike Ogletree: War.
00:39:30.540 –> 00:39:36.030 Joseph McElroy: yeah they can they have these segments so they’re like lots of segments, and you keep going on segments and segments.
00:39:36.270 –> 00:39:42.570 Joseph McElroy: Yes, easy to get out to take all this road through all the mountains and then end up on the interstate and then come back on the interstate pretty.
00:39:42.570 –> 00:39:43.500 Joseph McElroy: Yes, right.
00:39:43.530 –> 00:39:46.020 Joseph McElroy: Exactly the same finish off the day with a fast quick.
00:39:46.710 –> 00:39:56.250 Mike Ogletree: Fair right right, you can get on the fly what was like 730 and it’s getting ragged dark you know you’re still 200 miles away from home.
00:39:57.690 –> 00:40:04.350 Joseph McElroy: And then there’s a there’s a there’s a good ride he goes about past a bunch of the waterfalls like 678 waterfalls.
00:40:04.650 –> 00:40:05.220 Oh yeah.
00:40:06.270 –> 00:40:08.250 Mike Ogletree: I love that I go up to.
00:40:09.510 –> 00:40:20.580 Mike Ogletree: You know, to 70 cents go up to the parkway and then down into before whitewater falls and then slide and rock is beautiful place to stop.
00:40:21.840 –> 00:40:25.200 Joseph McElroy: And you can go up into a cat lucci valley and cbl can see.
00:40:26.370 –> 00:40:28.620 Joseph McElroy: See all that deep Park Area.
00:40:28.830 –> 00:40:31.590 Joseph McElroy: Yes, you now to get out and come back down through cherokee.
00:40:31.590 –> 00:40:32.370 Mike Ogletree: Right yes.
00:40:32.430 –> 00:40:33.090 Mike Ogletree: that’s right.
00:40:33.510 –> 00:40:35.610 Joseph McElroy: that’s all that’s all mountain real mountain.
00:40:36.000 –> 00:40:36.750 Joseph McElroy: Real now.
00:40:36.780 –> 00:40:37.890 Joseph McElroy: that’s real mountain.
00:40:39.990 –> 00:40:40.710 Joseph McElroy: Real mountain.
00:40:40.980 –> 00:40:41.370 yeah.
00:40:43.350 –> 00:40:53.160 Mike Ogletree: I I kind of take it easy drive riding you know I guess I lost all the young boy stuff because I didn’t start right until I was older.
00:40:53.490 –> 00:40:53.940 Mike Ogletree: I like.
00:40:54.510 –> 00:40:56.370 Mike Ogletree: I like these old bones so.
00:40:56.370 –> 00:41:02.100 Mike Ogletree: yeah my son’s got a K to 1200 and every day right.
00:41:03.150 –> 00:41:07.260 Mike Ogletree: he’ll go I said just go ahead i’ll catch you go.
00:41:11.070 –> 00:41:14.310 Joseph McElroy: What is that right, it goes out to hot springs that’s another good right.
00:41:14.370 –> 00:41:15.330 Mike Ogletree: yeah that’s the.
00:41:16.950 –> 00:41:19.980 Mike Ogletree: To do to do diamond back yeah.
00:41:21.960 –> 00:41:29.100 Joseph McElroy: yeah that’s a good one because it goes it goes over these really Curry mountain roads and then comes into hot springs ring go and jump in a.
00:41:29.370 –> 00:41:34.710 Joseph McElroy: Hot spring cross lines yeah yeah, then you go to asheville and get the actual experience and you come.
00:41:34.710 –> 00:41:34.980 Mike Ogletree: back.
00:41:35.610 –> 00:41:37.620 Joseph McElroy: to your place whenever you’re staying that’s a good one.
00:41:38.010 –> 00:41:39.240 Mike Ogletree: Yes, very good one.
00:41:39.570 –> 00:41:51.930 Joseph McElroy: people listening, you can go to various websites a smoky smokies adventure calm has information about motorcycle trails instead of the middle Arc motel calm has a list of great trails yeah um is.
00:41:53.580 –> 00:42:02.460 Joseph McElroy: Is is that there is there any other adventures with motorcycling that you recommend to do in the mountains here.
00:42:02.520 –> 00:42:13.620 Mike Ogletree: Well, I tell you if you if you come to Maggie and you’re a motorcyclist and you need to go through a wheel dale’s wheel through time right behind your motel here.
00:42:13.650 –> 00:42:23.550 Mike Ogletree: yeah they are, they have some of the most unique motorcycles in the world, one of a kind motorcycles and there’s so.
00:42:26.310 –> 00:42:37.380 Mike Ogletree: informative about everything, I mean every thing that they have on display motorcycle car everything runs there’s not.
00:42:37.380 –> 00:42:40.260 Joseph McElroy: One thing it’s a huge facility, I think it’s got.
00:42:40.650 –> 00:42:45.360 Joseph McElroy: I think when they came here they had $22 million worth of inventory I don’t know what it is now.
00:42:45.420 –> 00:42:47.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah.
00:42:47.460 –> 00:42:52.440 Joseph McElroy: yeah and then they have shows during this during the warmer months, which are pretty cool.
00:42:52.710 –> 00:42:56.310 Joseph McElroy: Even towards like they have a certain that ride of death for a bunch I.
00:42:56.310 –> 00:42:58.740 Mike Ogletree: have my my buddy Charlie does that man.
00:42:58.740 –> 00:43:11.250 Mike Ogletree: it’s amazing it’s amazing i’m like no way you know I mean, I understand that you know as long as you keep that throttle up you’ll be all right, but that’s all right, I let them do that great to see, though.
00:43:11.580 –> 00:43:12.630 Mike Ogletree: yeah just.
00:43:13.530 –> 00:43:16.320 Joseph McElroy: Support pop has been well i’m glad to have you here.
00:43:17.340 –> 00:43:20.370 Joseph McElroy: This has been a wonderful conversation i’m it might come down and just a minute.
00:43:21.720 –> 00:43:22.020 Joseph McElroy: But.
00:43:22.200 –> 00:43:27.180 Joseph McElroy: it’s been a wonderful conversations there any any any website, you want to give for people to reach out to you.
00:43:27.600 –> 00:43:41.820 Mike Ogletree: um I actually have might get re put me up a new website, because I just closed down the old website, but he’s gonna re put up a new one, so soon as I do that then i’ll come back and visit with you.
00:43:42.930 –> 00:43:43.920 Mike Ogletree: With that out there.
00:43:44.130 –> 00:43:45.600 Joseph McElroy: You have a Facebook page or anything.
00:43:45.900 –> 00:43:48.900 Mike Ogletree: I do have Facebook on my Facebook, is a.
00:43:50.850 –> 00:43:53.310 Mike Ogletree: Valjean Hamilton at a.
00:43:54.450 –> 00:44:05.370 Mike Ogletree: lousy in Hamilton it’s just one of my name, and then we have one for the POPs place also a Facebook page, which was a pop space biscuits burgers and bbq.
00:44:05.670 –> 00:44:06.510 Joseph McElroy: There you go.
00:44:06.960 –> 00:44:08.790 Mike Ogletree: check it out thanks for reminding me.
00:44:09.870 –> 00:44:11.760 Joseph McElroy: Of course butts on the creek also has.
00:44:12.000 –> 00:44:14.100 Mike Ogletree: a bunch on the correct correct correct.
00:44:14.820 –> 00:44:15.030 Joseph McElroy: All right.
00:44:16.110 –> 00:44:16.920 Mike Ogletree: Good around.
00:44:17.010 –> 00:44:20.670 Joseph McElroy: Alright, so we’re heading to a break come back Mike ogletree.
00:44:22.380 –> 00:44:23.310 Joseph McElroy: To get down here will.
00:44:24.870 –> 00:44:25.650 Mike Ogletree: Do yeah.
00:44:26.760 –> 00:44:28.650 Mike Ogletree: All right, thank you, brother, I appreciate you.
00:44:28.650 –> 00:44:28.980 See.
00:44:34.620 –> 00:44:35.160 I see.
00:46:49.980 –> 00:47:09.990 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph mcilroy from from gateway to the smokies podcast i’m here with my guest Michael will treat it as a resident artists at the middle art motel Maggie Valley, is also the former drummer for the band simple minds and several other hit making machines, how you doing like.
00:47:10.290 –> 00:47:13.380 Mike Ogletree: Good good Thank you i’m doing very well thanks.
00:47:13.410 –> 00:47:17.070 Joseph McElroy: cool so three weeks ago we were here talking about the Scottish influence on.
00:47:17.790 –> 00:47:24.690 Joseph McElroy: Mountain culture, especially with reference music, but we also touched on the fact that there was a poet Robert Robert Burns.
00:47:25.080 –> 00:47:41.730 Joseph McElroy: That was very popular the Scottish Irish settlers that moved into these mountains and he is the subject of a yearly celebration in Scotland and in some places in the mountains, all the Scottish burns dinner, you want to tell us a little bit about that.
00:47:42.690 –> 00:47:47.790 Mike Ogletree: Yes, well thanks a lot for having me back on again, and you know, probably the.
00:47:49.830 –> 00:48:00.240 Mike Ogletree: Return performance, specifically because we’re talking about food we’re talking about Scotland and we’re talking about Scotland honorary.
00:48:01.590 –> 00:48:02.370 Mike Ogletree: portal lori.
00:48:02.880 –> 00:48:05.730 Mike Ogletree: Yes, first, he was yesterday.
00:48:06.210 –> 00:48:28.230 Mike Ogletree: So that that’s why i’m here, because one of the things that he did, one of the poems that he wrote was addressed to a haggis now this guy was a humorous poor he was a bit of an every man poor because he will a romantic poems he wrote political poems he wrote rebel poems where.
00:48:29.580 –> 00:48:35.160 Mike Ogletree: The origin of his interest in poem was through humor because that’s what we do, back in the day.
00:48:36.120 –> 00:48:46.620 Mike Ogletree: to entertain themselves, they will get around you know all the all the guys who get around the makeup poems and he became famous because he was really good at making.
00:48:47.400 –> 00:49:06.810 Mike Ogletree: funny stories and funny poems and one of those was a poem that he wrote called the address to a haggis now I hug is, if you don’t know what it is it’s a Scottish dish and it’s made a lamb principally and a few other entries and inner parts organs.
00:49:08.820 –> 00:49:27.870 Mike Ogletree: Of the sheep to it’s not it is one of those dishes a heist to be prepared properly and when it’s appropriate problem is delicious and Scottish people swear by it’s nutritious and fortifying qualities and.
00:49:28.920 –> 00:49:40.950 Mike Ogletree: You know, comparing it to other music, you would get at the time, you know people would talk about these exotic French and Spanish and all these other meals so.
00:49:41.760 –> 00:49:53.610 Mike Ogletree: Barnes being burns wrote a poem extolling the virtues of hygienists and her need Scotsman strong and you know zero.
00:49:54.450 –> 00:50:19.620 Mike Ogletree: Cost scanning the the value of the French argue what fica say these things here which will only be eaten by someone with skinny legs and who would be running across the battlefield all bloody and afraid so just one of these humanists poems that he would like I have been learning it.
00:50:20.460 –> 00:50:24.540 Joseph McElroy: Is I mean yesterday was was robert’s birthday.
00:50:24.750 –> 00:50:26.820 Mike Ogletree: yeah and, yes, the genuine.
00:50:27.300 –> 00:50:44.580 Joseph McElroy: Virtual celebration of it and let people know Maggie Maggie valley are gonna start doing a yearly festival at least tonight and maybe more about the Robert Burns suffer they were twins music and poetry and toasts.
00:50:45.990 –> 00:50:46.800 Joseph McElroy: and food.
00:50:47.640 –> 00:50:49.920 Joseph McElroy: and drink and drink wine and all sorts of.
00:50:49.920 –> 00:51:01.890 Joseph McElroy: whiskey, as long as maybe some Highland games, but we started last year, we did one this year we couldn’t, but we did a virtual one so Mike I would love for you to give the in dialect who that the toaster the highest and.
00:51:01.890 –> 00:51:03.540 Joseph McElroy: celebration Robert Burns day.
00:51:03.870 –> 00:51:19.500 Mike Ogletree: For his address to our hypothesis fear for your honest Swansea face great chieftain other Putin race I bring them all, yet your place pinch train or car.
00:51:20.100 –> 00:51:38.010 Mike Ogletree: We love you buddy worries, as long as much as the gluten train chat via you fill your hobbies like a distant hill yet pen what helped him in the middle, in time, I needed well through your pores that use distilled.
00:51:38.670 –> 00:51:54.240 Mike Ogletree: Like amber beat his knife she was thick layer of depth and cut you up we’re ready select train junior gushing and thrills but like on a day and then or what a glorious.
00:51:56.190 –> 00:51:57.480 Mike Ogletree: Why, he can.
00:52:00.030 –> 00:52:19.350 Mike Ogletree: perform the stretch in style do you tap the hindmost on the drive to all the swell swell Kate spill it out of band like drums the own good nine minutes late right even be sanker homes it’s not all his friends.
00:52:20.640 –> 00:52:39.060 Mike Ogletree: or all your that would store shoe on frequency would not cash spew with perfect scanner looks done wish needed school on foot view on sticker Donna good devil see em always fash as fabulous as without.
00:52:40.260 –> 00:52:49.680 Mike Ogletree: bisping do shank a good whiplash has neba net through bloody flood that a few to gosh oh one fit.
00:52:50.100 –> 00:53:05.910 Mike Ogletree: But my the rustic haggis fed that trembling us three zones his head clap in his wiling Eva bleed he’ll market whistle and legs and arms and hands whipsnade like top chefs so.
00:53:06.690 –> 00:53:16.350 Mike Ogletree: He posts from that man came get a clear understanding that are below Athena oh Scotland winds nice skin can wear them.
00:53:17.370 –> 00:53:24.030 Mike Ogletree: and love them, but if you wish, had great for player geha I guess.
00:53:27.210 –> 00:53:29.220 Joseph McElroy: All right, like that was fantastic.
00:53:30.930 –> 00:53:36.270 Joseph McElroy: You gave that you gave that gave me tremendous credit that was fabulous so.
00:53:37.470 –> 00:53:46.830 Joseph McElroy: Why don’t you give me a shout out to your Facebook page that you want people coming and see you do presentations and other things that you do.
00:53:47.730 –> 00:54:01.770 Mike Ogletree: Black Scotsman that’s it the main, the main thing that i’m doing really is Sunday afternoon fireside concepts which I do every Sunday at three o’clock and that screams to meadowlark motel.
00:54:01.950 –> 00:54:07.440 Mike Ogletree: yeah it means to my website, the black scotsman.com and YouTube and Facebook and all that started.
00:54:08.910 –> 00:54:13.290 Joseph McElroy: about six people out in the room, but it’s a real cozy experience.
00:54:13.560 –> 00:54:13.860 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.
00:54:14.790 –> 00:54:15.810 Mike Ogletree: it’s exclusive.
00:54:16.020 –> 00:54:17.550 Mike Ogletree: And you can stream online.
00:54:17.550 –> 00:54:20.820 Joseph McElroy: yeah before we people who stay could actually come because it’s very limited.
00:54:21.120 –> 00:54:30.480 Joseph McElroy: But you can see streaming online that the middle of the Facebook page for the middle Arc and on his own page at the full back Scotsman spelled with an x instead of SEC.
00:54:32.070 –> 00:54:35.010 Joseph McElroy: All right, or or whatever yeah yeah.
00:54:36.540 –> 00:54:39.420 Joseph McElroy: All right, what’s another thing things, so thank you Mike.
00:54:40.020 –> 00:54:42.390 Joseph McElroy: Thank you for the future few shout outs.
00:54:44.130 –> 00:54:47.640 Joseph McElroy: First of all, everybody i’m part of a network called talk radio.
00:54:48.720 –> 00:55:07.740 Joseph McElroy: Talk radio dot dot talk radio dot nyc and I want to mention that, after this show every Tuesday night is restart is rediscovering New York with Jeff Goodman and it’s a weekly show that showcases New York city’s extraordinary neighborhoods and I recommend it highly.
00:55:09.510 –> 00:55:23.100 Joseph McElroy: I want to mention that i’m also part of where traveler magazine, we have developed a section on where traveler which is was established in 1938 has been in motel hotel all over the world, is how as a digital.
00:55:23.490 –> 00:55:30.690 Joseph McElroy: And we’re actually creating the first non city based section called the great smoky mountains so you’re going to wear traveler calm.
00:55:30.960 –> 00:55:37.740 Joseph McElroy: In a great smoky mountains and see we’re developing a section dedicated to tourism and adventures in the smoky mountains.
00:55:38.730 –> 00:55:48.210 Joseph McElroy: I also have a website called smokies adventure smokies plural adventure calm, where we present hiking and.
00:55:48.720 –> 00:56:01.590 Joseph McElroy: outdoor activities and places to go and things to do very specific to the mountains of the of the smokies and it’s a great resource for just finding out what to do and where to go.
00:56:01.920 –> 00:56:06.390 Joseph McElroy: And of course you your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.
00:56:06.840 –> 00:56:11.790 Joseph McElroy: And that’s the middle Arc motel calm, which is smack in the middle of the whole smoky mountain area.
00:56:12.060 –> 00:56:20.580 Joseph McElroy: And it’s very quick to get anywhere, including some of the more urban areas like asheville North Carolina it’s only a half hour away from there it’s close to the.
00:56:21.030 –> 00:56:34.230 Joseph McElroy: To the flight and people in New York, you can get around trip down to two Maggie to asheville Maggie valley area about for about 85 200 bucks right now and for the for the foreseeable future for like.
00:56:35.340 –> 00:56:49.530 Joseph McElroy: legion so it’s it’s quick it’s like a two hour flight or less so you can get down here, so I recommend it and don’t forget to look at this gateway in this product podcast and facebook.com gateway to the smokies podcast.
00:56:50.160 –> 00:56:54.780 Joseph McElroy: And thank you very much and i’ll see you next week to talk to you later bye.
