Somebody coined the phrase, "Murphy to Manteo", describing the length of North Carolina from the Mountains to the Sea. Well, its not quite accurate, and definately heads in the wrong direction. I'm not a beach type, so in my way of thinking, one starts out at the beach and heads to the mountains.

The State doesn't start at Manteo... that cuts short nearly 6 miles of scenic Coastal beauty. Granted Murphy and Manteo are the more significant towns on that stretch of North Carolina, but you all know my opinion of towns. No... on one side of the state sits Whalebone Junction. Hardly a city by any means, actually a part of Nags Head Postal Delivery, but locals want you to remember it by the original name, after a Gas Station Owner who set out a real Whales Skeleton to attract the curious.

Likewise, Murphy is clearly at least 18 miles and several "cities" from the Tennessee border, last of which is Wolf Creek. Nothing more than a curiousity of buildings as you roll over the hills on your way to Tennessee, but not to be abandoned because a cute phrase that perhaps rolls off the tounge better than "Whalebone to Wolf Creek" does.

The unique aspect of this particular trip , is that the entire length of the Whalebone to Wolf Creek adventure will be on US Hwy 64, the longest highway in North Carolina at over 530 miles. Funny thing is, I am considering this road even though it snakes slowly through some fairly large towns. Usually I either find the 2 lane blacktops in the country or haul-ass on the Interstate... Hwy 64 represents the type of road that I typically detest!

On the other hand - it goes through some of the prettiest country in NC, and my main objective on this trip is to find a little adventure along its length. I hope to spend 10 days on the road, 6 days of it on Hwy 64. A couple days before and a few after will be spent on nearby scenic routes getting to and from my beginning and end points.

One final thing about this ride. For the portion of the ride actually on Hwy 64, between Whalebone and Wolf Creek, I will be writing a book, titled understandably, "Whalebone to Wolf Creek". Not a typical point-to-point guidebook, but rather a collection of mini-adventures along the way, highlighting not only the points of interest along the way but the people who make them interesting.

Join me on my trip in the summer of 2001 right here online. If you have any ideas of places to stop or things to do along the way - I am still in the planning stages of the trip. I may even invite two or three along for the ride or portions of it. Drop me a line and let me know what you got. - Muthuh