Karen's Picks

Another great product to make you more comfortable during

your ride is Wristies. They keep your arms and hands warm and allow your fingers to be free. They prevent the wind from blowing up the sleeves of your jacket. This is something I won't ride without, and to think it was invented by a 10 year old girl!

While the SmokyMountainConnection.com team was in Timonium, Maryland for the Mid-Atlantic Motorcycle Show, we made a stop at one of the best Irish pub restaurants that I've ever been to. An Poitin Stil, located at 2323 York Road, in Timonium, MD, was awesome from the first step in the door. The entrance to the pub resembles an Irish castle, as well it should, because both Irish and American architects worked to make is as realistic as possible. I could go on about the pub area, but that would take me all afternoon and I have other things to get to! Let's just say that the bar staff and wait staff were all friendly and eager to make sure we got what we wanted when we asked for it. We also got to meet one of the Chefs, a gentleman named Don, who we ran into as we were leaving The Tack Room.

On to the food....An Poitin Stil's menu includes traditional Irish fare as well as American items. Between the three of us, we enjoyed a fabulous lamb-filled Irish Stew, Fish and Chips that were out of this world, and the Big Stil Burger, which was so large that I would have had to take half home with me, if I'd ordered it. We also had Caramel Fudge Cake... nothing was left on that plate! The prices of the food top out at 23.95 for the Gaelic Steak, and can run as low as 5.99 for the Veggie Burger. My Irish Stew was 13.95, and it was a huge portion.

If you have a trip planned to the Baltimore area, do yourself a favor and make An Poitin Stil a high priority on your to-do list. The atmosphere, people, food and fun were amazing. I'd love it if they'd expand and set up a Still in South Carolina! Park the bike here for about 5 or 6 hours!

Pam

One of the best spots we visited during our fall travels in the Smoky Mountains this year was Rocky's Soda Shop and Grill in Brevard, NC. This ice cream shop and grill made you feel like you'd stepped back in time and were glad to be there. Filled with great nostalgic fixtures, including a barber chair and the oldest juke box I'd ever seen, Rocky's also features a genuine 1950's style living room, complete with a TV the likes of which my kids had never laid eyes on before. Prices for the ice cream and other goodies were very reasonable, and the offerings in the gift shop were great as well. Definitely a place to park the bike!