This being the summer of my 65th birthday, I've decided it's time I took my '01 Monster on a bit of an extended trip. I will be going from Long Island to the Atlanta area to visit my daughter and her family. A friend of mine from Ithaca (he's a kid- only 53) is coming along. The basic plan is to do the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway and, of course, the Tail of the Dragon. We're aiming for the last week in June.
I began serious preparation by reading through the "El Matador's and Desmolu's Most Excellent Adventure" thread from last year. However, I am open to any tips and suggestions. For the most part, given the creaking ages involved, we will eschew camping and opt for hot showers and motel beds.
The one thing I cannot promise is a series of posts as well-written and entertaining as El Matador's and Desmolu's.
you coming through Charlotte?
Instead of going through Charlotte, go through the Blueridge like you mentioned. Hit up the Hellbender (28) as well. There's a ton of good roads along the Blueridge, maybe hit up Journeyman on the board? He lives near Asheville and knows a ton of back roads through there.
What JBubble said! I can toss some routes around the BRP. 28 all the way from Deals Gap to its termination in SC is great. TONS TONS TONS of great roads to work with as you wind south from the southern end of the BRP ~
JM
Thanks for the ideas. My one concern about the BRP is the lack of gas stations. Monsters do not have a long range.
Quote from: nicrosato on May 19, 2010, 04:19:47 AM
Thanks for the ideas. My one concern about the BRP is the lack of gas stations. Monsters do not have a long range.
I wouldn't do the parkway alot, it can get slow with sight seers and such. Hit it for a little bit, then hop off and hit the local roads. I'd use google maps to plan it a little to make sure you're around gas but I never had any problem when I lived around there. JM is a good resource, make sure you talk to him.
I'm sure you thought of this, but I'd put a super nice alarm on your bike. Tends to slow down those gremlin bike thieves we have down here. There's tons of really cool NGAMTNS riding here. Google six gap century and give the bike route a try.
Quote from: nicrosato on May 19, 2010, 04:19:47 AM
Thanks for the ideas. My one concern about the BRP is the lack of gas stations. Monsters do not have a long range.
Range can be managed, but as JBubble said, it does get clogged with sight seers. There are lots of routes that give you all the fun of the parkway without the tourist slow-down. You might even encounter some really interesting small towns on those roads too. They just don't usually have nice overlooks. Granted if you're hitting the parkway for the views & scenery, and don't mind traffic slowing you on occasion it is a nice ride. There are lots of towns where you can drop off the parkway for a couple miles for gas and return. For instance, if you gas up in Asheville which has plenty of gas near the parkway, you can make it to Cherokee, where a left turn will find you less than five miles from a gas station.
JM
Skyline drive and the Blue ridge parkway are beautiful. I worked in Elkton Va. I built the new Coors brewery. Beautiful part of the country. [moto]
As noted above, hit skyline and the BRP but just for the view. They are slow and clogged at that time of year with old folks going slow. Speed limit for the most part is 35 and a lot of the people up from Florida obey the law. As you know the Monster was not meant for such foolishness. Get up early and hit them in the morning before the tourists are out. It is almost impossible not to hit good roads in southern VA and western NC so take a map and go exploring. The dragon is good and everyone needs to do it once. Cherahola skyway in TN is almost as much fun and a lot faster.
Good info. Thanks.
OK- some considerations. I mentioned gas stations. I liked JM's idea of not riding the BRP end to end. I do like small towns and out-of-way places. Also, I'm diabetic and really do try to eat 5 or 6 small meals a day, so it's good to find interesting places to eat.
I need to look at a map.
Quote from: lwszabo on May 18, 2010, 02:30:38 PM
you coming through Charlotte?
OK I guess not! well ride safe, have a good trip!!
I have friends there, but my thinking is that it would take an extra day to route through Charlotte. I may consider it for the return trip. Still thinking things out.
I've established this part of the plan: I will be meeting my buddy late morning-noon, in or around Harrisburg, PA. Any suggestions on a good lunch place there?
Also, any suggestions on the next few legs? First would be from Harrisburg to the beginning of the Sklyline Drive. Next would be from the end of the Skyline Dr to the Asheville area. Finally, it will be Ashville-Tail of the Dragon-Cumming, GA.
Quote from: nicrosato on May 24, 2010, 09:28:03 AM
I've established this part of the plan: I will be meeting my buddy late morning-noon, in or around Harrisburg, PA. Any suggestions on a good lunch place there?
Also, any suggestions on the next few legs? First would be from Harrisburg to the beginning of the Sklyline Drive. Next would be from the end of the Skyline Dr to the Asheville area. Finally, it will be Ashville-Tail of the Dragon-Cumming, GA.
between Ashville and Cherokee is the highest elevation point along the BRP or skyline drive with some fantastic overlooks, if I'm not mistaken, so I would consider riding that part and maybe sacrifice some of the BRP or skyline drive north of Ashville.
As much as the BRP and skyline drive are beautiful rides, I think it's better to ride them in spring or late fall, before or after much of the foliage is in. I found much of the views are obsured in the summer months due to the full foliage. I also agree that riding the roads just off the BRP is much more interesting trip with little towns and villages to see.
if you need a place to spend the night in north Georgia this is the place to do it.
http://www.bloodmountain.com/ (http://www.bloodmountain.com/)
just happens to also be on 129, Almost as good as the Dragon thru the North Georgia mountains. Reservations are needed.
I checked out Blood Mtn- seems like it's on the way and will lead us right down toward Cumming, GA.
Update: Looks like a 3rd rider will be doing part of the trip south with us. He wants to do Deal's Gap. So, the trio is Charlie (39 yrs, Buell Lightning), Frank (53 yrs old, Honda Interceptor), the the old guy (65 on July 7, '01 M900).
Since Charlie lives in northern NJ, the plan would be to go west into PA and meet Frank coming south from Ithaca, NY the first day. I would like to think we could get through western Maryland into northern VA that day. The plan for Day 2 is to get to Asheville. That means Day 3 takes us through Deals's Gap; Charlie turns around and heads north, Frank and I continue south.
What's a good place to stop in northern VA that first night?
Sweetness! I hope you have a great time. If you want to, I can PM you my phone number and give you some advice. There's a bunch of little things you would never think of that are actually pretty important.
We actually did that whole trip again but from Boston a couple of weeks later, and we took it a little bit easier. There are a million little places you should hit up, my main recommendation is to stay away from big hotels and stay at the little family owned motels by the parkway. Trust me, it is much more enjoyable and even cheaper this way.
Pitbull: I understand what you mean about the views, but seriously the roads more than make up for it, and the views are still breathtaking.
Also, if you plan to do Skyline to Asheville in one day it will be killer. I recommend stopping about a hundred miles before Asheville. It might only be 450 miles, but it's 450 miles of pure twisties, and it does get to you; It's better to relax a bit and enjoy the ride a little more.
You HAVE to do Skyline and BRP to completion, there is an euphoric sense of accomplishment you get by doing it, and you would feel a little cheated if you didn't. Almost like climbing a mountain but not quite getting to the top; it will nag you if you don't.
The one road you MUST do off the BRP is called the Snake. It's right off a town called Little Switzerland and it's just as good as the Dragon, just not as well known. People travel from all over the country to go there, but it's still a moderately well kept secret. Incidentally, I would recommend spending the night there. It's about 75 miles north of Asheville.
Cheers!
J
If anyone's interested, I am recounting this trip in the NMMR section of the Local Club Boards. The thread title is "Yankees Invade the Confederacy".
El Matador- sorry we didn't get to speak, but I hope we get to compare notes when this trip is done.