Monday, July 31, 2006

Time Travel

"What were they thinking?" We've all stared at an object from the past and had that same thought. With some of the strange contraptions on display at Wheels Through Time, I'd love to have a time machine to go ask a few questions.
In some instances you can tell what they were thinking. They were looking for merely a solution to a problem, such as the creative biker who was clearly at a disadvantage against other riders. At Wheels Through Time, you'll find a range of American automotive and motorcycle history with a few things that border on the downright bizarre mixed in too.

The museum is located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, not far from Asheville, North Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee. Driving in can be fun with the beautifully twisting highways that lead to the area. Souvenir shops, ice cream stands, small motels and various tourist stops dot the landscape of Maggie Valley. While slightly heavy on the tourist-oriented kitsch, it's still a neat place to visit. The Wheels Through Time museum makes it worth the drive.


The place is like a small slice of heaven to a motorcycle enthusiast. What's truly fascinating is that the vast majority of the machines they house are in running condition. I did wonder how some of their displays ran when they were new, much less 50 or more years after the fact. Currently they have a special display featuring women as a part of motorcycling history, mostly told through photos and documents. You could spend days and never see all of it, there's so much attention to even the finest details in every piece. The owners know it all by heart; ask a question about any piece in the entire collection and they can answer plus give you a complete history of the piece. It's an amazing experience for anyone who likes antique machinery, and especially for those with an affinity for motorcycles.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice blog!

Anonymous said...

My husband would love to go to this museum. I saved the link so I can show him. I enjoy reading your blogs.
Ruth Ann
FutbolMom

briliantdonkey said...

hmmmm very interesting. I have a brother that lives just outside Ashville in Sylva. I can recall seeing Maggie valley somewhere while I was there. That is not where the casino is is it? I want to say that is waynesville but I am not sure. I never saw anything about that museum but I will have to keep an eye out for it next time.
Nice Job on the blog so far.

INK(from DD)

briliantdonkey said...

hmmmm

Tried to comment once but got an error page so lets try this again. I have a brother who lives just outside of Ashville(in Sylva) North Carolina. I never saw that museaum while I was there but will have to keep an eye out for it next time. Nice job on the blog.

INK(from DD)

Lorrie said...

Thanks guys for the complements!

I don't recall a casino in Maggie Valley, but the reason I went there was this museum. I had it on very good authority (my dad) that it was a place I'd love visiting, and he was right about that. It sits back off the highway, so keep a close eye out when you're driving through or you may miss it. We did and had to turn around.