It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of road trips. I’m also a huge supporter of our men and women in uniform and a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead series. So when I learned that a ladies riding club, called the Bomber Girls LRC, was sponsoring the Biking Dead Tour to raise money for our troops, I couldn’t wait to hit the road in search of zombies on a #CanAmSpyder! The ride was from Newnan, Georgia (located about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta) to Senoia, Georgia and featured stops at various locations where the popular series was, and still is, being taped.
I had never participated in a group ride and I wasn’t sure what to expect as nearly 300 riders from Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee gathered at the Coweta Veterans Club in Newnan for the event. Once all of the bikers had registered for the tour, event organizers divided us into groups, said a prayer for our troops and for a safe ride. Finally it was time to crank ‘em up and roll ‘em out!
I think I was in the coolest group in the whole ride Nate, my group leader reminded me of Daryl in the Walking Dead series. Another rider in my group named his customized bike, the Zombie Slayer, and even had tally marks on his engine denoting his zombie kills. It all added to the spirit of the tour.
Our first stop was at the Oaks Inn in Newnan where we were met by a guide who explained that this was the location where in Season Three, Episode 15, Meryl tried to hot-wire a car and accidentally set off it’s alarm drawing the attention of walkers while taking Michonne to the Governor.
Next we headed to the town of Sharpsburg where much of Season Two was taped.
From there we headed to the Elder’s Mill Waterfall and Campsite where the finale of Season Two was taped and as a bonus, just a little further down the dirt road we saw the old house and barn that were prominent in the movie, Lawless.
Shortly after getting back on paved roads I got to experience driving my spyder in the rain for the first time. I had brought a rain jacket but never took it out of the cargo bay. I was afraid that if I stopped to take it out, I would get lost from the group, out in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately I remembered that my spyder had an electronic adjustable windshield. By raising it, most of the rain was deflected over my head and kept me from getting completely soaked …as long as we were moving. With the wet roads, I was especially grateful for spyder’s traction control system.
By the time we arrived at the ESCO Mill on Railroad Street in the town of Haralson, the rain had completely stopped. The mill is where Rick and the Governor met to discuss a peace treaty, where the Governor killed Meryl, and where Daryl had to kill the newly “undead” Meryl at the end of Season Three.
The final stop on the Biking Dead Tour was the town of Senoia which was used extensively as the town of Woodbury throughout Season Three. The town has actually been used in several television series and movies including Driving Miss Daisy, Fried Green Tomatoes and Sweet Home Alabama. The Woodbury Shoppe bills itself as “The Official Walking Dead Store.” In addition to selling souvenirs, the store has a museum that houses Daryl’s iconic chopper, the head of one of the first zombies killed in the series, prison cells and a ton of trinkets from the show.
Though I thoroughly enjoyed touring various locations from the series, I especially enjoyed the camaraderie with other road warriors at Maguire’s Irish Pub in Senoia. We exchanged stories of various trips we have made and trips we still want to do. It was here that I learned of the Iron But Association – an organization of the “world’s toughest riders.” To become a member of the Iron Butt Association you must complete either the Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours) or the Saddle Sore 1000 (1,000 miles in 24 hours).
I am officially adding “Join the Iron Butt Association” to my bucket list. I’ve been itching to take a loooong road trip on my Can Am Spyder and this may be the excuse I’ve been looking for. For more information, visit your local dealer and test drive a Can Am Spyder!
Check our my photo album from the Biking Dead Tour on Facebook, Pinterest, or Google +.
Which road trips would you like to take on a Can-Am Spyder?
Disclosure: Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), is providing me with a Can-Am Spyder, accessories and compensation to take several road trips and write about my experiences. My views are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Can-Am Spyder and its affiliates.