Ducati Monster Forum

Think I'll be riding up to my in-laws place in Franklin and looking for some ride suggestions other than Deals Gap. I may head down to Asheville so a fun route would be good too.

Highway 28. Pick a direction.
Enjoy, its been a long time since I was last there.

Was a whole lot of fun, and it wasn't just the motorcycle riding.  ;D

BC.

If you're going to be near Asheville, NC151 is a must.  It's more fun going up than down IMO. It connects the Parkway to 19/23.  Another fun way to get to Asheville is using NC209 northbound, then picking up NC63 into Asheville.  Not TOO far from Franklin is NC107 that you can use to connect to NC215 via NC281 and Charley's Creek.  NC215 connects to the Parkway to take you to or from Asheville.

JM

Thanks all. I was looking at google maps and may just ride the parkway over.

journeyman knows what he's talking about.  I live a mile off 28 in SC and it's good from the far north end all the way to Walhalla, SC.  The other roads he mentions are great also. It's getting colder though.  Enjoy.

LA

I'm thinking about I-85 from Atlanta to 441 to Highlands. From there, decide if I want to go to Asheville or onto Franklin.

Sunday I'm thinking I'll leave out to forest hills to ride 107 back to Highlands then to Atlanta.

Thanks guys.

106 from Highlands to Dillard, GA is a nice ride.  Not super twisty, but has a fun section just before you get to Dillard.

JM

I'd try to stay off of I-85 and 441.

You should take an extra couple of hours for the ride and go up to Dahlonega, then take Hwy 9/60 to Suches, Hwy 180 east to where it joins with Hwy 129 (staying on Hwy 180 - which is a left and later a right), then take a right off of Hwy 180 onto Hwy 348 (Richard Russell Parkway) to Hwy 75A, left to Helen, right about 100 yards on Hwy 17/75 and left onto Hwy 356, at the end of Hwy 356 take a left for Hwy 197 north to Hwy 76, right onto Hwy 76 to Clayton, go across Hwy 441/Hwy 76 in Clayton (Dairy Queen will be on your left and Wendy's across the road on the right), at the end of this short road (1 mile), take a right onto Warwoman Road, at the end, take a left onto Hwy 28 and ride it into Highlands.

This will be soooooo much more fun than that boring a$$ I-85/Hwy 441 route.

Took your recommendation and then put this idea together based on the squiggles of the roads on the map. Let me know if this looks like a fun ride.
http://g.co/maps/bqxwg (http://g.co/maps/bqxwg)

I almost suggested Blood Mountain (Hwy 129 where you bypassed Hwy 60 to Suches and then 180 to Hwy 129). The reason why I did not recommend going over it is because the cops are bad about patroling it. Going north (up the mountain), the road often changes to three lanes with two for northbound traffic, and it is waaaaaaaayyyyyyy too tempting to shoot up the mountain at lose-your-license-speeds. The last time I ran up it (two years ago), I was going 80-120 and was lucky to be forewarned by oncoming traffic of a Trooper ahead.

If you go that route, just keep in mind that the police like that section of road, too.

The riding totalled about 430 miles over Saturday and Saturday.

Here's the map to Saturday's ride http://bit.ly/uP7bhJ (http://bit.ly/uP7bhJ) which went thru Suches, Wolf Pen Gap and 28 up to Highlands. I had an inadvertent detour when I took the wrong road in Clayton and ended up in South Carolina.

Here's the map to Sunday ride http://bit.ly/sP7ymH (http://bit.ly/sP7ymH) which on Walnut Creek/Pine Tree Rd, Highlands, 28 to Clayton and thru Helen.

JM, you were spot on with Walnut Creek Rd, such a blast. Shit, I managed to drag my foot on some of it.

In a way, that may have been a better ride for you. More miles, but also you hit the really nice pavement on 28 in SC that you originally were going to miss. Ideally, only the last 3-5 miles of Warwoman Rd is worth even going on that road, and it's really tight, which you noticed on the way back. I actually like the SC side of 28 better than Warwoman.

Yes, that is a nice road.   [thumbsup]

How'd you like Hwy 197? I love the fact that there are almost no houses/driveways and very limited traffic.

Really liked the ride out to Helen. 197 was a good time. Just wish there was a better way to get to Atlanta.

I agree about Warwoman, it was boring. I got lucky to not have anyone in front of me most of the way so I just blasted along. Next time I go up that way I'll definitely go back up SC 28, it was nice and smooth.