Wheels Through Time Museum Showcases Rare Motorcycles

Wheels Through Time Museum Showcases Rare Motorcycles. Seventeen of the world’s rarest bikes will be on display for a limited time. Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum will celebrate 17 years of operation in Maggie Valley with an exhibit of 17 of the rarest bikes in its collection.

The unique site is nicknamed “The Museum That Runs” because every motorcycle, auto or machine in the collection can fire up and run. In fact museum staff regularly cranks up to 20 different bikes for visitors each day it is open. Owner Dale Walksler, who opened the North Carolina site in 2002, dedicates the first week of July to celebrate the goal of educating visitors about the importance and history of American transportation. This year the museum plans a special exhibit of 17 vintage cycles including the museum’s crown jewel 1916 Traub, the “world’s rarest motorcycle.” This treasure was discovered inexplicably bricked up behind a wall in Chicago, Illinois in 1968. Hidden from view for more than 50 years, the Traub is truly a one-of-a-kind classic American motorcycle and the only example of its kind ever found. According to motorycycles.com the Traub was bought in 1972 by Bud Ekins, famous for his work as Steve McQueen’s stuntman. Ekins later sold the Traub to collector Richard Morris who then sold it to Walksler in the mid 1990s.  Walksler, who has been riding, working on, and collecting classic American cycles for more than 40 years, is passionate about the unique machine (which is still ridden on a fairly regular basis) and is quoted as saying that “everything inside the engine is just magnificent.” The machine is shrouded in mystery. There are no photos or documentation, nor has anyone claimed knowledge of it’s origin. Unique in construction, the machine features hand-made pistons with ap-less cast iron rings. Dale is quoted as saying that the engineering and machining were “years ahead of their time.”  Without any documentation, Dale was able to date the bike by many of the motorcycles off-the shelf parts that include a Schebler carburetor, a Bosch magneto, a troxen jumbo seat and unique wheel rims.

The museum’s collection also includes a 1917 Henderson four-cylinder motorcycle that was once ridden by Maldwin Jones in an attempt to set a 24-hour speed record in Ohio. Others on exhibit include an experimental 1941 Harley Davidson Shaft-Driven Knuckle-head Servi-Car, one of only 17 built for the United States Military. For 17 days prior to the Fourth of July, museum staff will fire up one of the rare bikes each day. The celebration continues with a special Saturday, July 6 when all 17 of the world’s best machines will all be started during the day-long festivities.

The 17th anniversary weekend runs July 4-8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m… Admission is $15 for adults and $7 for children aged 6-14. Discount rates for senior citizens and military veterans are $12.

For information, visit www.wheelsthroughtime.com of call 828-926-6266.

Smoky Mountain Pinball Museum’s

Smoky Mountain Pinball Museum’s. Gatlinburg’s Pinball Museum offers a step back in time for gamers. The metallic sound of quarters dropping into a metal slot; high-pitched electronic beeping; clanging bells; flashing lights and the flapping sound of metal flippers – rescuing stainless steel balls in the nick of time transport gamers to another time and place in the new Gatlinburg Pinball Museum.

This is definitely not your usual museum with hushed voices and static exhibits, rather it is a place where adults can re-live those rocking teen memories through vintage video games and pinball machines and, perhaps, instill a love for the same games in their children.

Boasting the largest collection of pinball and retro games in the Smokies, the new Pinball Museum showcases modern limited edition games as well as vintage ones – dating back to the early 60s.

Classic pinballs include Attack from Mars; Lord of the Rings; The Addams Family Gold Edition; Metallica, Dialed in; Medieval Madness; the 1965 classic Gottlieb Sky-Line and many others.

Early pinball machines, which became coin-operated and electrified in the 1930s, often paid off in small coins and were frequently considered gambling. And, as a consequence, were banned in many cities, including New York which outlawed them from 1948 – 1976. Nowadays the machine’s only rewards include, in some cases, a free game.

The museum is located off the Parkway (just past the Space Needle) at 205 Historic Nature Trail in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for children age 10 and under.

Hours are Monday – Thursday, 2 p.m. -9 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. -11 p.m. and Friday and Sunday, 12 p.m. -10 p.m.

The game is on for all you Pinball Wizards!

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Biltmore Gardens Railway

Biltmore Gardens Railway is on display at Biltmore Estate from May 24, 2019 through September 29, 2019. For a limited time, in the Conservatory and at Antler Hill Village & Winery, enjoy beautifully executed botanical model train displays! These displays features a variety of Biltmore area structures, each handcrafted in meticulous detail from such all-natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs. With 800 feet of rails and trains traversing six separate lines at different eye levels, this is a one-of-a-kind, fun-for-all-ages garden experience. The model train experience is included with the price of admission to Biltmore Estate.

Biltmore Estate is nestled in Asheville, North Carolina in the foothills of the beautiful Pisgah National Forest. The largest private residence in the United States has long been referred to as America’s Castle. The sprawling estate includes tours of the historic mansion and the extensive garden designs by famed architect Fredrick Law Ohmsted.

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Rhododendron Festivals

Rhododendron Festivals at Roan Mountain and Grandfather Mountain herald the beginning of summer. Roan Mountain and Mother Nature team up to showcase Rhododendron blossoms in the highlands.

Roan Mountain has wowed visitors with its annual Rhododendron Festival for 60 years, and this year’s event, slated Saturday-Sunday, June 22-23, 2019, is no exception. Join visitors from all over the country and enjoy a spectacular walk through the world’s largest natural rhododendron gardens atop 6000 ft. Roan Mountain.  The rhododendron gardens are located in a Canadian temperate zone which is the perfect climate for this showiest of native plants. Hundreds of bushes, each of which might produce more than 100 clusters of flowers, cover the mountain.  Roan is the highpoint of the Roan-Unaka range of the southern Appalachian Mountains, and is also home to the largest stretch of grassy balds (Grassy Ridge, a type of highland meadow characterized by thick native grasses, shrubs, and few trees) in the Appalachian range. The Cherokee National forest and Pisgah National forest converge atop the mountain and Roan Mountain State Park is located near its northern base.

The Appalachian Trail wanders for most of Roan’s Crest which is home to Roan’s High Knob Shelter, the highest backcountry shelter on the entire 2,174-mile trail. Roan Mountain comprises the greater part of Roan Highlands which stretches from Big Rock Creek in the west to U.S. Route 19 in the east.

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Smoky Mountain Car Sales

Smoky Mountain Car Sales. If you’re considering buying a car privately – perhaps you’re looking for a particular vehicle or you found a seller with the vehicle you want – follow these tips to make a private purchase a happy transaction for both sides.

  • Know what buyers typically pay for the particular year, make, and model you want, in the condition you want, in your local area. There may be less room to haggle with a private seller than with a dealer, but having this knowledge may help you make an offer that’s fair.

  • Be aware of red flags, such as a car that is priced suspiciously low or a seller that requests a wire transfer in advance. Also, always ask to see the title, which is a way for the seller to prove ownership.

  • When you’re ready to buy, investigate the vehicle’s history by looking up a report from a service, such as CARFAX, to uncover issues the seller may not have disclosed. Private transactions are typically “sold as is,” which means any post-sale problems are typically the buyer’s responsibility.

  • Complete a prepurchase inspection by taking the vehicle to a reputable mechanic. The mechanic can evaluate and advise if they see a potential problem or future repair that may cost you thousands of dollars down the road.

  • When completing the transaction with a private seller, get your paperwork in order and work with an escrow service to facilitate the payment, or conduct the transaction at your financial institution.

  • For additional assistance contact Lee Lofton at State Farm 865-365-3023.