Need help on Knoxville area

[Bardo]

The wife and myself are coming to Knoxville for the Hoot. We have found a room at the Best Western on Strawberry Plains Rd and was wondering about the area. I'm riding my Rune and really don't want to park it outside if the area is not suitable. Any advice??

[hogzilla]

Contact the Hotel and tell them your concerns. I am and have always stayed in Gatlinburg at the Hampton Inn. We go to see the vendors one day then ride with our group the rest of the time. Gatlinburg is such a fun place that we enjoy staying there instead of Knoxville. Good Luck!!

[WIZ]

contact "k townrider" he's a member here and lives in knoxville, i met him,,,on my way to nashville....... larry anderson, a great guy and will be very helpful......

[David]

All I can say is what I see on Google Maps and having stayed in Knoxville several times for the Hoot and other Smokey Mountain trips over the last several years.

I once stayed in a no-name dive off of Cherry St & I-40; buddy made the reservation over the internet. The next morning I checked out and went to find a better, safer part of town :evil:

First of all, your Rune will be one rare bike at the Hoot and will draw a lot of attention, even parked in the hotel parking lot at night. Even more so if you are going to park it in the Hoot parking lot at the Park. May I sugest that you consider this: the Hoot parking lot will have 5 - 10 Thousand motorcycles on Saturday, not my idea of a safe and controlled parking area for a bike that draws a crowd. I parked my Rune in the main lot at the '05 Honda Homecoming (far fewer people than the Hoot) and when I came back some d*ck was sitting on my Rune! And someone else had managed to dropped my SHOEI ($$$) helmet off the handlebar (resting over the mirror). :evil:
= Consider NOT taking your Rune to any major parking lot if you can not keep your eye on the bike.

The hotel property you listed is east of Knoxville, past the Hoot which is in Chilhowee Park (Knoxville Zoo). Looks like the address is about a 10-mile commute to the Hoot. And outside of the downtown area, which might be good and bad: most of the Hoot activities are at the Marriott downtown.

But the area looks to be pretty new and out of the way of most traffic, might be just what you are looking for...

Unlike a 2-star hotel with door entrances for the rooms facing outside, this is a newer 3-star hotel where you have to enter the lobby to get to the inside-facing rooms. And it looks like the hotel only has parking lot area from the front of the hotel: if your room is facing the rear of the hotel you will not be able to watch the parking lot.

So, if you don't like looking out the window at your bike, and you can't arrange to park your bike at the front door (everyone will be trying the same thing) - I would suggest that you bring or ship a bike cover for the night time parking: Out of Sight = Out of Mind.

My Tour King bike cover gets the message across: Keep your mits off my bike!
It rolls up about the size of a soda can and fits under the seat.

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/4433Tour_King_5-med.jpg

And my DOWCO bike cover is for locking her down when I was parking her overnight the few times I trailered her.

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/5422Rune_on_trailer_1-med.JPG

[NightFlyer]

My wife and I stayed there a few years back when we went to the Hoot. It was nice. Close to the Hoot, clean, and a minimum of traffic but still close to the Interstate. Some of that may have changed but it was a good spot back then.

Ride Safe
Bob

[Bardo]

I thank everybody for the help. We found a Jameson that is hiring a security officer for the week so I feel much better about that. I also ordered a cover and an alarm system for it. I think it will be fine...at the room...now I need to worry about the events. Maybe I'll ride the X.

[DonnaM]

I have been at the Hoot for the past 5 years, 3 with the Rune. I have never had a problem with parking at any events including the park with the vendors. Park as close as you can to the entrance. There are volunteers at the gate. They will keep an eye on everything.

The Marriott is nice because it has garage parking and you can put under cover. The events are centered around downtown or the park. The rides are great.

Saying all that we are not going this year, but meeting up with another Rune Rider in Texarkana and heading to the Ozarks for a week.